Sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don’t

June 24th, 2009 at 12:25pm Kelly Epperson

And that’s okay. What is good for you is to realize that we all need a little down time. We Americans go about life on a helter skelter frenzied pace and we think our busy-ness makes us complete. Wrong. Tap into your inner French girl (or Italian man) and take a nap.

Living in France for a year made a profound impact on me. The joie de vivre must be nurtured or we let it get lost in the chaos. Take time for friends. Take time for good meals and good wine and good conversation. Take time for love. Take time for sleep.

Yes, we must do some sort of work to maintain our lifestyle, but work should not drive our life. I also believe we need find joy in our work, but we’ll save that discussion for another day.

To truly do what is good for you, you first need to tune in to yourself. Be aware of what gives you energy and what drains you. Make effort, little by little, to do more of what energizes you. And when you are exhausted, listen to your body and take a break. A French girl takes a nap in the afternoon with no apologies. Don’t apologize for who you are; honor who you are and what you need.

If you need to stay home on a weekend and recharge, do it. If you need to go a funny movie, do it. If you need to take a road trip, do it. If you need to learn how to knit a pair mittens, do it. If you need to strut your stuff at the karaoke bar, do it. If you need to be with friends, do it. If you need to be alone, do it.

Your assignment: Pay attention. What calms you when you need calming? What excites you when you need excitement? When you start to realize what makes you tick, you can stop going with the flow and status quo, and set your own tempo. When you are true to yourself, you will feel lighter and brighter. And that my friends is good for you.

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