Rest, Retreat And Desires

Here are a few extracts from past blogs that I thought you would find useful to take care of yourself and reconnect over the summer.  See it as creating your very own mini-retreat.

Which Type Of Rest?

In our society, it is a badge of honour to always be switched on and ‘out there’.

So it feels like an act of courage to say:’ I am taking some time out to rest and to just 'be' for a while’. To rest not just your body - but also your mind, heart and soul.

A while back I saw this social media post I loved about 9 types of rest:

1. Time Away

2. Permission to not be helpful

3. Something ‘unproductive’

4. Connection to art and nature

5. Solitude to recharge

6. A break from responsibility

7. Stillness to decompress

8. Safe space

9. Alone time at home

Most of us can relate to sleep, holiday, ‘me’ time or going out into nature to recuperate. We know about those... even if we don’t always do them. But I find this a useful checklist for the extra layers that we sometimes miss.

What type of rest are you craving?

Create Your Own Retreat

I have talked in previous posts about how we get disconnected from ourselves in the chase for success.  And that as a result we end up feeling exhausted, empty and lost.  One of the answers to that is to create regular time for retreat - where you integrate the 4Rs. 

1. Renew: Take time to recover and recuperate.  Go for a walk or a run, get a massage, do a relaxation or meditate, go to that yoga class, listen to beautiful music, stare at a gorgeous view,  or simply play with your children.  Take the time to just be, connect deeply with the people around you and have fun.

2. Reconnect: Turn inwards and listen to yourself.  Your emotions are signposts back to  yourself and to what you need to flourish.  But in the everyday we often override how we really feel.  So that we can ‘get on with things’.  Instead start noticing how you feel.  Be compassionate and caring with yourself - like you would be with a good friend.  One great way is to journal.  You can do that by asking yourself:

• What do I really yearn for at this time?
• What do I really need?
• What do I truly desire?

3. Reflect: Take stock of where you are at, of what is working and not working.  Take time to explore:

• Where am I at? How fulfilled and aligned to myself do I really feel?  
• Is anything missing?  What do I want more of? What do I want less of?
• What do I feel called to now? What part of me would I like to express more?

4. Realign: Ultimately this is about honouring what is really going on inside of you.  It means reactivating your inner compass - stopping the train that is speeding down the track.  And making sure it is going in the right direction.  Consider:

• What do I need to let go of?
• How can I be more true to what is really important to me?
• What do I want to create next?

Befriend Your Desires

Desire, the power of desire, your relationship to desire.  Do you hear it? Do you lean into it?  Do you trust it? Do you follow it?  How would your life be different if you did?  

The definition of desire is a strong feeling of wanting something.  It is that yearning that comes from deep inside of you.  It is not that grasping external needy feeling.  But that place within yourself that calls you deeper and to something greater.    

Many schools of thought believe that desire is actually the starting point to living your true path.  Because they say that that is how your soul communicates with you.  That is how it sows the breadcrumbs back to your true purpose.  

If you are anything like me however you might be in the habit of suppressing that voice of desire, to not trust what it says.  To get your value from being the good girl or the good soldier.  To only give desire an outing maybe a few times a year on vacation.  

The thing is that as long as we put the lid on desire it is like a pressure cooker that builds up and ultimately leaks out.  Rather than contributing positively to our life, desire builds up in resentment, seeps out in unhealthy ways, or explodes and causes havoc.    

So how do you find your way back to desire?  

It takes having a practice of consciously listening daily to what you desire, to what is calling you.  And to start bringing your desires in small steps back into our life.   So here are some questions to help you reflect on your desires...

• Be honest, what do you currently desire?  Tune in everyday.
• What is your relationship to desire?  How easily are you able to accept your desires?  What is in the way?
• How can you make desire your inner compass?  What are your desires calling you to?  
• What will you do to honour your desires? Starting with small and healthy ways?

Until Next Time,

Louise

Meet Louise...

Louise is a Next Generation Leadership Catalyst and Advocate.  

She helps leaders who are successful but feel that something is missing create and step into impact driven careers and leadership.  Specifically she guides them align to purpose, create meaningful work and become the Next Generation Leaders they are meant to be. Aka the Visionaries, Innovators and System Shifters who are building the loving sustainable world of tomorrow where we can all flourish.

She is the Founder and CEO of Positive Energy Leaders and the Creator of The Positive Energy Academy - An online course, incubator and transformational community for leaders to create and sustain fulfilling, meaningful work that has a positive impact. Click here to find out more about the Positive Energy Academy

Photo by Urip Dunkeron Unsplash