"Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you." —Anne Lamott

There always seems to be something that needs our attention: another task to finish, another message to answer, another place to be. It’s easy to get so accustomed to the pace that even when we have a moment to ourselves, we’re already thinking about what we should be doing next.

Slowing down is a conscious choice, and sometimes, even after we’ve made that choice, it takes a little while for the rest of us to catch up.

I notice this in myself time and time again. I’ll have an opportunity to rest, only to feel restless or a little anxious, as though I’ve forgotten something. My schedule might say I can take a breath, but part of me is still in go mode. If you’ve ever sat down to relax and immediately started making a mental to-do list, you probably know the feeling.

This little studio break has been another reminder. I’m still busy with projects, so calling it a complete break would be a stretch! But the slower pace, fewer deadlines, and fewer places to be are giving me some extra space. I’m noticing how quickly I want to fill that space, and how good it feels when I allow myself to leave a little of it open.

We sometimes expect rest to happen naturally once everything else is done, but how often is everything actually done? There will almost always be something else we could find to keep ourselves busy. Choosing to unplug means allowing a few things to wait, and giving ourselves time to settle into a different pace.

We don’t have to wait for an empty calendar to give ourselves a little breathing room, and if slowing down feels unfamiliar at first, we can be gentle with ourselves while we find our way there.

Happy Monday!