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Do you know that phrase, “No rest for the wicked?” Let’s turn it around and explore exactly why we all need rest – wicked or not.
Here are three big ways rest helps you achieve more and get better results in your life.
Rest From Working Out
There’s a big myth that we may believe to be true. What is it? It’s that working more is working better. Working harder is the best way to boost strength, speed, and flexibility.
The thing is, there’s a reason why working out is balanced with rest periods. The body benefits from rest.
A case in point is what’s called, “Dead Weeks.” These are two weeks in summer where most state activity boards prohibit high school athletic facilities from opening. Even the boards know that students need to have some time off, to be ready for peak performance in the fall.
The principle applies to high school students, college students, and those of us who are parents or non-students. In other words, we can all use some time off, especially during the summer.
If you’re feeling the itch to laze in the hammock, swim in a lake or river, or just lounge around – you have every right. So do your children, spouse, and elders. It’s summertime and by taking a break from working out for a couple of weeks, you’ll have the energy and enthusiasm to pick the thing up in the fall.
Rest From Financial Stress
To take the road less traveled, look at how to take a rest from financial stress. A lot of financial advisors urge people to open up about finances with their whole family. This may work like a charm in some families. However, in others – it is a recipe for disaster.
If you are looking for options to borrow some money for an emergency, going to your family may be the worst option. You have to give a pitch over the kitchen table. You have to live with the critiques, judgments, and assessments that will last a lifetime. You may already have some bad blood from a previous loan or investment.
Or, you may have the opposite experiences. Your family might be offended if you don’t ask them first for help. Your mom, dad, sister, or brother could be upset if you don’t rely on them for help during a pinch. Instead of giving you the ‘cold-shoulder’ or grilling you with pointed questions, they’re happy to help you out with an emergency gift or personal loans.
In addition, your family may have insights into your skills, strengths, and weaknesses. They may be able to help focus on your natural abilities that show up in doing what you do easily.
Rest From Working Harder
Even though you’ve been working earnestly and diligently, you may be missing one big section of your strength. What is it? Doing what you do easily.
There are a lot of phrases and slogans about this:
- “Earning money with your left foot”
- “Doing what comes naturally”
- “Doing what you could do in your sleep”
The key concept is that there are some things you do without effort.
Maybe it’s because of your early experiences. Perhaps you grew up riding horses, so riding horses is your home zone of comfort. Maybe you grew up selling tomatoes, and you could sell just about anything to anyone, without trying. Possibly, you grew up negotiating with your siblings, and now you negotiate without even noticing.
While these traits are easy for you, they are not easy for everybody. Some people can’t even get near a horse without being scared. Some people hate selling. Some people don’t understand how to negotiate – anything.
When you appreciate what comes easily, you can unlock tremendous success. It’s not the same success that you get from striving to learn a difficult topic and mastering it. It’s not the same process as doing the difficult stuff and getting by.
Doing what you do easily has an entirely different quality. It’s natural. You don’t have to work at it. You can do it, as they say, “with your left foot.”
Sometimes, you won’t notice the things that you do effortlessly. You think it’s natural and everyone should be able to do it too. That’s where it helps to have family and close friends to help you spot the areas where you are effortlessly skilled.
Use these 3 tips to stay on track to get rest, get support, and do what comes easily.
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