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The Rest Is Up To You

Reset and Recharge the Mind

By Stephanie J. BradberryPublished 2 years ago 5 min read
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Source: Burst by Shopify

Bump the burpees. Ditch the diet. Put the resolution to rest.

It happens billions of times at the same point of each year. Hoards of humans see one year coming to a close and the start of another year on the horizon. Well meaning individuals spend the last few weeks giving up on the current year with hopes of a better new year ahead. That spells the beginning of the end. Hanging hopes on a “fresh start” or “new you” for the new year sets up a cycle of failure. And not the good failure used to spur success.

Waves of “20XX is my year” posts become “Oh well, better luck next year.” After only one day, a plethora of people miss their goal. While it seems spunky to laugh about falling off the bandwagon before reaching the starting line, there is actually a terrible mentality behind these messages.

I used to be one of those well meaning humans. I wrote out my goal list, checked it twenty times, and quickly admitted defeat as soon as the new year begun. Back then I did not have the tool box or mindset of today. I was a stressed type-A mother of two with a plate spilling onto the floor. After reaching critical mass, a lot of money and time got poured into healing. Never did I think stress and toxic people and situations were my underlying problem.

Looking forward to making New Year resolutions, jotting a list of affirmations and determining my word to carry me through the next 365 days became as exhausting as exercising. As an entrepreneur, I’ve learned to go big. One of my biggest calculated risks to date is learning to do nothing. An extreme form of rest? Yes. However resting, active waiting and assessment take work…hard work. That’s why so many people choose to occupy as much of their day as possible. It precludes him or her from facing his or her thoughts head on. As Jordan Peterson says, people don’t like to think. It’s scary when you are left alone with your brain.

There is no point in trying to recharge something that is burnt asunder, unless it is a mythical phoenix. Just like an old battery, no matter how long you recharge it, you will never get a 100% charge ever again. So it makes sense to first reset aspects of your life before recharging them.

My years of failure, exploration and helping others enabled me put together two main aspects for resetting and recharging the mind. While I would love to cover how I do the same for my body and spirit, I’ve learned if your mind is not in a good place, then nothing else is going to work out in your favor.

Reset The Mind

Sometimes a change of venue is all you need to reset your mind. If you’ve ever faced a major deadline or a due date, then you know sitting in the same place cranking out crap is not where it is at. Sure, you feel like you are accomplishing something by having your fingers type, producing words on a screen. But you know you are getting nowhere. This is where “progress” gets mistaken for “productivity.” One of the simplest ways to reset your mind is to change where you are. The great news is it costs nothing. Whether you physically get up and change location or shift your mindset, change is good.

Quick Tips for Resetting The Mind

  1. Use color therapy
  2. Have keepsakes in places you work the most
  3. Keep quotes for motivation near work spaces
  4. Place fun and/or memorable photos by work areas
  5. Play with your pet
  6. Get up and stretch

Recharge The Mind

Monkey brain used to be my arch-nemesis. I think it is partly due to me being a Gemini. Shutting down a brain that loves to do nothing more than think, ponder and find new information is a major feat. Above I talked about resetting your mind through a switch in venue. And now to recharge your mind, there is nothing more effective than small breaks.

I just finished watching an amusing anime about puberty syndrome. One of the main characters was cyber bullied to the point she developed a dissociative disorder. Her triumphant means to return to school literally rested on baby steps of leaving the house. She listed nine steps to return to school. And she had “take a short break” in-between each micro goal. She literally scheduled rests in her list, and so should you.

Quick Tips for Recharging The Mind

  1. Eat a healthy snack
  2. Use block scheduling with breaks factored in
  3. Take a whiff of uplifting essential oils like peppermint or lavender
  4. Have a small piece of pure dark chocolate 15-30 minutes before your next major task
  5. Lay down for a 30-minute nap
  6. Turn off your phone or at least the notifications during peak work times (you can’t multitask anyway, so stop making your brain work harder)

Ready, Set, Rest

Over the years I have adopted the principle of working smarter and not harder. It sounds relatively easy, but it does require a good amount of planning. My approach to emphasizing rest for the year is the same concept as measure twice cut once. Sometimes jumping right into the thick of life or work can set you back way more than a few minutes assessing the situation will.

I can already hear moans of my readers saying, “But I don’t have time to rest.” That just means you need to take even more time to plot out what is truly meaningful and necessary. You can either plan to rest or be forced to rest. Believe me, the stress of your mind and body shutting down on its own is not a place you want to be. I nearly died that way. And thank goodness I had that horrific period in my life so I could spend the rest of my life helping others avoid the same fate.

The time is always now to make a change. Waiting until tomorrow, next week, next month, next year is a losing game. Prioritize rest for the rest of your life. Your current self thanks you. Your future self will thank you. I’m giving you permission to let your mind rest a while.

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About the Creator

Stephanie J. Bradberry

I have a passion for literature and anime. And I love everything involving academia, health, metaphysics and entrepreneurship.

For products and services, visit: stephaniebradberry.com

For online courses, visit: bradberryacademy.com

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