“The best way to succeed in life is to act on the advice we give to others.” – Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa has some good advice.

Practice what you preach are solid words to live by and Keystone Women was born of preaching what we practice.  This advice is easier when things are going well — the real test comes when times get harder and you have to expose your vulnerabilities.

I have been dealing with some long standing health issues with chronic pain and fatigue for over a couple of years now. If there is a test, remedy, drug, supplement, study, group, or anything along those lines, I have tried it. Some of it has worked as the chronic pain is almost gone but the fatigue has reached a whole new low after having COVID-19. I feel like I am dragging my body along behind me, dead weight with only fumes for fuel. Which plays tricks on my motivation and reasons for driving my ambitions forward. I find so much pleasure in running Keystone, especially getting to know all of the brilliant women and  providing real value and change.

So I push forward.

And my body shouts stop. So I take a day to rest or write up why we all need rest and then get right back to work. Don’t get me wrong, I do quite well to establish my daily and weekly rituals— but it is not enough. I need to do more and I am finding that difficult. I don’t like letting people down and I love what I do. So why the fatigue? Well, I am not entirely sure but our bodies are complicated and illness can make so much sense and none at all. What I do know is that I need to listen, and I need to listen closer.

Then I think about this quote by John C Maxwell;

“Live Your Message: Practice what you preach. That’s where credibility comes from.”

And how I am not walking my talk by pushing on right now.  When I check in with myself, all I hear is stop. So I have decided to not make it a big deal, not to turn it into a power struggle, but to listen. I need a bigger rest.

 

I have decided to postpone the next group to September. I want to give each participant all I have and I also want to practice what I believe in. I also believe that rest and paying attention to the small things can have big pay offs.

 

Many of us (and my inner critic) think of rest as a negative (lazy) space defined by absence of work but it’s really much more than that. It can provide occasions for creative reflection, not to mention the restorative time my body is needing.  Restorative rest means allowing myself to slow until my body and mind felt sufficiently connected, healthy, active and hopefully the return of some of my vitality.

“The most valuable thing we can do for the psyche, occasionally, is to let it rest, wander, live in the changing light of room, not try to be or do anything whatever.” ― May Sarton

Thanks for your solidarity, I am already looking more forward to September.