Burnout Exists

 Burnout exists because we've made rest a reward rather than a right - The Last MindBender 


Rest is a part of the Journey. Somewhere along the path, many of us were taught that resting was a weakness, that taking time off showed laziness. So we worked and worked and worked or we felt guilty for stopping to take a break.

There are people that I personally know who boasts of not taking or being on a holiday in many years, they boast and speak about it like a badge of honour.  There are those who believe that they cannot afford to stop working, their value is tied up in it. If they are seen as not working, they will be deemed unworthy or unproductive.

Imagine, we now live from a space where working and earing money to pay bills is not only the most important activity in our lives and we are rewarded and celebrated for it. It's all about the grind, the hustle, the bag, cash monay!

We celebrate the person who will work long hard hours at the expense of their health, they are rewarded for being sick and at work, of working through pain and be celebrated for all their hard work despite the knocks. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not advocating for us to piss off and do nothing. I am advocating for balance. There is a time for work and a time for play, a time for rest and a time for reward. The challenge comes in when we are out of balance. When our actions are out of balance and when our lives are out of balance.

Our bodies, our lives, send us signs all of the time, when we are out of alignment and continue on, our bodies shut down through niggling pains, colds and flu's and fatigue. When we pay the signs no mind, the nudges become harder and louder, hence it makes sense to pay attention to what our body and our lives are telling us. Life loves us that much. 

I have been unlearning the lessons of overworking myself to the point of burnout, of releasing the guilt associated with resting and making a conscious effort to incorporate rest and rejuvenation as a part of my life.

Peace

Have you read any of Akosua's work?


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