Years ago, Sunday looked like any other day of the week.
Laundry. Groceries. Cleaning. Emails. Shopping. Errands. Lists.
It wasn't life-giving for me.
Every day felt like the other. I didn't have the margin I was craving, and I was tapped out.
So about 7 years ago I made a course correction.
A friend gifted me the book Sabbath by Wayne Muller. I highlighted and dog-eared page upon page.
I challenged myself to consider what it would be like to set aside one entire day every week...for rest.
I began by moving my grocery shopping day to a different day.
I decided it would not be a day to run errands or go shopping.
I kept my computer closed. I didn't check emails or social media.
I put my phone on airplane mode Saturday evenings until Sunday evenings.
And guess what.
It has become a life-giving practice every single Sunday. It has recharged me and re-centered me in so many ways.
It's not perfect, but it is intentional.
It hasn't always been easy. Some Sundays are downright hard...my mind wants to chatter about all the things that need to get done. Or the piles that need my attention. Blah Blah Blah.
But over time, I've noticed how much I look forward to giving myself this rest. This sacred space of time.
I get out in nature. Take a nap. Sometimes two. Go to the beach. Hike in the woods. Ride my bike. Play tennis. Sit by a fire. Talk to my kids. Read a book. Sit down for a delicious meal with my family.
It's the day in the week where I intentionally idle. Slow down. Change pace from the rest of the week. Consume less. Breathe deeper. Listen. Reflect. Recalibrate.
The more I think about it, this is one of the reasons I love the Reset as a seasonal practice. It's like a seasonal sabbath from the daily habits that don't necessarily allow our bodies the opportunity to rest and reset.
The Reset provides an opportunity to return to nourishing practices and foods that get lost in the hustle and bustle of life.
The Reset invites us to slow down; change pace; be more intentional; assess what's working and not working, remove foods that breed instability and add in nourishing practices that provide more energy, better sleep, calmer mood, deeper connections and so much more.
And through this process, get reacquainted with the rhythms and foods that remind you how you like to be nourished and sustained.
If your life could use a 14-day Reset, I'd love to have you join me.
It's not only supportive for you as an individual. Women tell me time and again how beneficial it's been for their entire family.
In closing, my question for you today, is this:
Do your body and your mind desire more rest? What's one thing you can do for yourself today to honor that?
"The practice of Shabbat, or Sabbath, is designed specifically to restore us, a gift of time in which we allow the cares and concerns of the marketplace to fall away. We set aside time to delight in being alive, to savor the gifts of creation, and to give thanks for the blessings we may have missed in our necessary preoccupation with our work. Ancient texts suggest we light candles, sing songs, pray, tell stories, worship, eat, nap and make love. It is a day of delight, a sanctuary in time. Within this sanctuary, we make ourselves available to the insights and blessings that arise only in stillness and time."
An excerpt from Sabbath by Wayne Muller
