| Hey there! This is Josh Mains; Licensed Professional Counselor who works here in the Cincinnati area at Life Made Conscious. |
| I wanted to ask you, have you found yourself saying this, or feeling this lately? “I’m exhausted.” Maybe it’s more of a, “I’m just so tired all the time”, or “I can’t seem to catch up.” However you might word it, I hear this sentiment expressed all.the.time. in counseling sessions.It could be for a myriad of reasons, but so many people come into my office expressing how exhausted or drained they feel. Maybe it’s a symptom of depression, maybe physical fatigue from long hours at work, or bad night-time routines. And all of those could very well be the reason for your exhaustion. So maybe you try to find some medication (that works sometimes), maybe you try to get to bed earlier, try some sleep medication, or put down your phone sooner before bed (not bad ideas). But what if your exhaustion goes deeper than any of those possible reasons? What if your exhaustion is your body’s way of saying, “Slow down! You’re doing too much!!” What do you do then?I’m of the belief that a lot of people’s exhaustion is due to over-packed, busy schedules, and a lifestyle that is always on the go. So let me suggest to you a solution for your exhaustion that you might not be aware of. And let me tell you, it’s good. So good as a matter of fact, people have been practicing this for thousands of years now. It’s called: Sabbath.Sabbath? Yes, sabbath. What is that you might ask? Well, sabbath is a 24-hour period, that is also a once-a-week rhythm, where you (and your family) do NO work, and engage only in fun, enjoyable, and life-giving activities. Sabbath is a life-giving, life-sustaining practice (and lifestyle) that helps you feel recharged and revitalized. Sabbath is a Judeo-Christian practice that has been done throughout the ages. It’s actually seen in the opening pages of the Bible as it is depicted in the creation story where God rests on the seventh day after He had made everything. We’re told He rested on the seventh day, and made it holy so that He could enjoy everything He had made. And so the idea goes that God gave us this example to rest once a week, for 24 hours, just like He did, in order to rest, relax, and enjoy all of the good we have done throughout the week. This might sound simple, but let me tell you, it is MUCH much harder than it might seem. And in the same vein, it is much much MUCH more important than you might think. This simple, yet life-sustaining way of living can change your overall mood and outlook in a profound way. It’s no silver bullet, but it has become an absolute necessity for me in my life and for many other people as well.Be forewarned though, like I said, while this is a simple idea, it can be difficult to live out. Having a 24-hour day of rest means saying NO to many things. It means saying NO to sending emails on Saturday morning. It means saying NO to doing house projects all weekend long. It means saying NO to signing your kids up for sports that take place on Saturday AND Sunday. Now the idea of Sabbath is to rest, not to have a rigid adherence to Sabbath that causes more stress in your life. But it does involve sacrifice. And while this way of living is not easy to live out, it’s worth it.Hopefully I’ve done my job in portraying the significance of Sabbath. Now let me share some practical tips with you to help live this out. Step 1: Pick a day. I typically recommend picking a day on the weekend. But depending on your schedule, that might be different. Either way, commit to a day every week that will be your Sabbath. Step 2: Put a weekly, repeating event on your calendar (whether on a physical calendar or on an app) for Sabbath. And practice not scheduling anything else during that period. Step 3: I recommend starting in the evening at 5:00 or 6:00pm on Friday or Saturday, and have it last until 5:00 or 6:00pm the next day. I’ve found this to be a much more fruitful experience for me, rather than just picking one day (i.e., 12:00am on Saturday to 11:59pm on Saturday). There’s something about being awake when Sabbath starts that makes it feel more intentional, versus Sabbath starting in the middle of the night while you’re already asleep. Step 4: Find a ritual or habit to mark the start of your Sabbath. I usually listen to and sing a worship song to start off my Sabbaths. Maybe for you, it might look like reading a psalm, saying a prayer, pouring yourself a glass of your favorite drink, lighting a candle. I don’t know what it is for you, but do something to mark the start of your Sabbath. Step 5: Give yourself grace. This idea of Sabbath is more than a life-hack, it’s really a lifestyle change. So give it some time as you start to live out this new and intentional cycle of work & rest. It might take a few weeks before you find a routine that works for you and your family, but hang in there and wait to see the fruit that comes of it.I’ll leave it there for now. Now go and get some rest! You need it!! |
What are your thoughts?