I don’t know about you, but there is this desire within me for things to work. If I plug in a light and flip on the switch, I want the light to turn on. If I turn on my computer, and open up an application or internet browser, I want to it to run smoothly. And when we bought our car, I put the key in the ignition and expected it to turn on. I think we can all agree:

The world is better when things work. 

But last week, I flipped the switch in our living room and a light bulb blew in one of our lights. Then recently, I got an email that said there was a security problem with my website. I needed to update one of the softwares I was using. Thankfully, our car is still running well, yet last year there was a recall on it and we couldn’t drive it for almost two months.

Often, we hear our parents’ generation say, “They just don’t make things the way they used to.” And, it may be true. However, lately, I have begun to think the seemingly dark, yet resigned thought, that:

Everything breaks.

Or stalls, over-heats, freezes, wears out, fades, etc. It isn’t just our phones that need updating or batteries that need recharging. NOTHING lasts forever—even us. Though in our fast paced world where there always seems to be something to do, places to be, or shows to watch, none of us can do it all. None of us are the Energizer Bunny (who ironically, also periodically needs a battery change).

All of us need a break once in a while.

We need space. We need rest. Every now and then we need to get away from it all to remember who we are—why we are working the jobs we are working, why we’re loving the people we’re loving, and why we’re moving in the directions we are moving—or, possibly, even to discover it is time to adjust our course.

Contrary to how many of us feel, we aren’t meant to do it all. No matter what expectations others (or we) put on ourselves, we all have limitations. If we didn’t, why does the sun only shine—on average—for half of our twenty-four hour days, making nighttime an ideal time to sleep? And why have scientists found sleep to be such a crucial part of our physical and mental health?

As much as we’d like to be, it is impossible for us to be “on” all the time. Just as a light needs to be plugged into a power source, we all need to plug into the things that will energize us. We need to make space in our lives for rest, fun, creativity, and even quiet—so that we can accomplish all that we are meant to.

Summer is almost here—the season of sunshine, beaches, and vacations. And though not all of us will get to the ocean or even find ourselves poolside, it is a good time of year to get some rest. It is time to make some space in our lives. It is time to unplug from all the things we fuel with our efforts, and take the time to refuel ourselves. If we do this now, we will work better for the rest of the year. Trust me.

How do you need to unplug this summer?

What things do you need to do to recharge?

 

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