I once read that good sleep comes with great discipline. This year, I found myself struggling with marrying myself to specific resolutions. Many times, my resolutions change with the world around me or become replaced with something more pressing. So, I turned my attention onto myself and engaged in an inner dialogue.
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What resolution should I make for my personal health and well-being?
Accompanying my pondering session was a cup of coffee. I felt oh so tired and run down from the hustle of life all the time. Was my resolution supposed to be simple as allowing myself to reeeeeaaaaallllly rest? I think many of us refuse to make "rest" a hallmark of a New Year's Resolution because it seems too simple. We like being busy and might easily find ourselves addicted to the grind. There is also societal pressure to constantly improve, work hard, and even influence others on social media when it is hard enough to influence our own circle of family and friends.
I decided to change my perspective. Maybe keeping up with the daily grind, and societal demands, requires good rest, right? How could I keep up with my husband, kids, work, fitness, family, and friends, i.e., necessities, if I was not putting in the necessary steps that good sleep requires?
The year 2022 will be no less busy than those before it. There is pressure everywhere. I remembered that the author of that article kept a busy and organized day. He prioritized his important tasks early in the day as to allow the later hours time for less pressing matters and leisure activities. That lifestyle caused him to become tired sooner which forced an earlier bedtime and - you guessed it- an earlier wake up time. Consistency clearly leads to habits.
It seems like every book on successful people, whether rich, famous, or both, documented that they are/were early risers. I never was so I always looked for the successful outliers not getting up early. But it is hard to resist seeing the benefits of starting the day on an earlier busier note and ending it with time for family or solitary activities like reading a book or watching a movie.
The author proclaimed that he liked being busy because he slept better. But note that he was both busy and organized. The latter is important because unecessary stress clouds deep sleep. I am making an assumption that being organized reduces stress, but for me, a beautifully color coordinated calendar (for both work and personal because they should be seperate), reduces chaos.
I feel like I can handle unexpected things a lot better if my to-do list is written and my daily expectations are accounted for the day before I need to tackle them.
That way I can lay my head down on my satin pillow (jk) knowing my morning and day are organized.
And there was the epiphany. 👆
I want DEEP SLEEP! Because to me, that's what sleeping with excellence really means. It feels like something only Disney characters or perfect people experience. Both do not exist.
The thing is - - - I want to wake up in 2022 following a busy and organized day feeling refreshed. I want to have prioritized my day well enough to have time for family or solitary activities in the evening hours. I want to remember one or two of my dreams. I want the memory of my dreams to feel less stressful. I want to sleep well enough that I can wake up early. I want to sleep deep enough so that I do not wake up feeling groggy. I want to reach for my morning coffee out of pure wakeful bliss rather than begrudging necessity. Deep sleep, i.e., sleep with excellence, is the secret ingredient to all of this.
I watched my parents growing up exemplify what I just described. They worked hard in their full time jobs and worked up their respective career ladders with patience. Both routinely began their work days around 5am in the morning, ate an actual breakfast, and enjoyed, rather than devoured, their morning coffee.
The rest of their day was organized chaos, which would make sense given their calming mornings. I am guessing they both had calendars or some sort of neat schedule that underpinned the productivity of their day. I don't remember them coming home stressed either so one could surmise they were busy and organized. And here's the best part - they were still ready for round two - leisure before an early bedtime and prioritizing rest.
Older now, I see the secret ingredient that helped chug them along. They slept well, which enabled them to wake up early and go about their daily grind again with success. An evening of laughter and family time, following a busy and organized day, was the "great discipline" needed to receive the ultimate luxury: deep sleep.
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My ultimate pitch for the benefits of deep sleep, and why it is my New Year's Resolution, is that my parents were pleasant and kind people. We need that in 2022. Lack of sleep leaves an unpleasant cloud over us and can erase our joy. I want to be a harbor of joy around my family, friends, and colleagues.
I want to put myself first and gently prioritize my need for rest. If my parents can keep up their affinity for good sleep for a lifetime, then I can too. It is a sustainable New Year's Resolution.
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So that is my New Year's Resolution for 2022: to sleep with excellence. I guess that means my resolution is really to become rich, successful, and/or famous too. 😎 Jokes aside, prioritizing my daily tasks meant that I was really prioritizing myself well enough to justify sleep. It probably won't come with popping a magic sleeping pill, but with the satisfaction of knowing that I made the most out of my day.
About the Creator
Margo
Professional by day; interesting and sophisticated writer (I wish) by night.
My short stories are a combination of fiction, fact, and advice to fellow readers.
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