My 2 1/2 year old son, runs around the house yelling, “I’m not tired!” as he loses total control and has a meltdown. Sure, he’s not tired…”Mamma, I’m not tired at all!”
I realize my son, speaks with great wisdom and honesty. I know oh too well, how to stay up way past my tired place, and then discover the next day I am completely wore-out. Yet, I’ll go through my day, and do it all over again. “I’m not tired!” But the truth is I’m exhausted…emotionally and physically at times… But of course, I just won’t let myself fall asleep.
Does this ever happen to you?
I find in this day and age I’m always feeling the need to be connected. Connected to all this stuff in the World Wide Web. I need to be fed by it, and nourished by it. And because I’ve become so involved in it, my mind at times finds it so hard to just be calm…and thus to just close my eyes and fall asleep. I need to be better about disengaging!
Other times I feel like I just need to be alone, to discover something, to just relax. And then I end up busying myself with something and staying up too late at night—Like listening to music that energizes me rather than relaxes me…
My eyes are tired.
My mind is tired.
My body is tired.
“So just go to bed, Why don’t you?!”
But, “I’m not tired!”
Stop lying to myself, I say.
I realize that as I have become intentional about caring for myself by listening to my own breath better & getting to know myself deeper I have become happier and healthier. But I need to rest more. I need to be intentional about taking the time to let myself deeply sleep.
So I am going to work on
- Washing my face and being intentional about imagining that I am washing away all the stresses of the day and leaving them behind.
- Drying my face and freeing myself of tomorrow’s worries—my face is refreshed and calm.
- Walking myself up to bed earlier—allowing myself to be done with the day, and leaving it downstairs–making my bedroom a place to truly relax.
- Taking the time to listen to my husband’s meditation music before falling asleep—creating a sense of bodily-felt calm.
- Taking the time to pray and be connected to the Divine or to Meditate—It helps me let go of my worries that might be left too deep to be washed away, and placing them in hands of the Sacred who can carry all things that I cannot.
What about you? What do you do to help yourself rest and fall asleep? Are you intentional about allowing yourself to go to bed when you need to?
May you discover a sense of peace within yourself…
Blessings, Erin, Bella Bleue
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I do something I heard Wayne Dyer suggest. I think about something that I would like to accomplish and pretend that it has already happened. I envision my life as if that thing were true and feel the feelings of that desire. It puts me to sleep every time and I sleep like a baby 🙂
What a wonderful image to go to bed with. I will try that out. Thanks for the suggestion! I hope you rest well tonight 🙂
I often pray in the dark after I am in bed. Also, I keep a book by my bed, something engaging or escapist, and if I am worried or stressed I read a few pages to take me away. I invariably am carried off to dreamland. Love your peaceful ritual, though– I may have to incorporate it! I am going to think of the washing away of the cares of the day when I rinse my face with cool water–this sounds refreshing and cleansing, soul as much as face. Thank you for the serenity! ~ Lily
Thank you, Lily. I too pray in the dark 🙂 I need to put a book by my bedside—thanks for the reminder 🙂 Blessings, Erin
I’ve had a bad case of insomnia recently. It happens very rarely, and only when I become a bit overwhelmed not by work, but emotional weariness. The love of my life is currently completing Phase II of his Medical Technician training in the Air Force. I will not see him until May 10th (finally down to two weeks only!) and it’s been quite difficult without him around for company. To occupy my time to keep from missing him and to soothe my heart, I usually start work at 8am and work until 12am or later at night. Luckily for me I run very, very well on low sleep and I love my business so much that it’s rather peaceful and relaxing for me to do this. When I work hard it’s easier for me to fall asleep, but if I don’t work as hard or I feel like I should have done more I’ll toss and turn all night. Working hard works for helping me sleep, but talking on the phone with my lover is the best peaceful ritual I have for finally getting a good night’s rest. Keep your loved ones close, they’re the best things in life. And I wash my face in the morning as a “let’s wake up fresh because today is a brand new day” routine. If I don’t, I end up feeling really gross…even if my face is clean, haha. 🙂
Congrats to the ‘Love of your life’ for all of his accomplishments and for your wonderful love and support for him 🙂 It looks like your new business is something fabulous, and it comes from a person who understands the wonders of just having a washed face—water and soaps and all the good stuff that nourishes our bodies! Hope you have a wonderful day, and that you rest well after all your hard work! Blessings, Erin
I am guilty, I have been there. Until lately though, I have decided to slow down, even stop when necessary to give my body, soul and spirit the rest it needs so that I can continue on this amazing journey. Your writing about this “i’m not tired” is so awesome. As it raised my consciousness, I am sure it will for others. It also helped me to remain committed to the changes I have made in this very area of my life. Thanks.
Thank you for sharing! It always helps to know others are in the same boat as you or have been there! Hope you rest well today! Blessings, Erin
When my wee ones were well… much smaller than they are today, I thought I had to be supermom. I am a bit OCD, so I told myself I had to clean every day, I had to do this and do that… After the birth of my daughter (that would be baby number 3) I fell into depression. For a few reasons, but the very unrealistic imagine of who I was suppose to be only added to this. I was tired… not just physically but emotionally and spiritually exhausted. It took a lot of things to happen before I could grasp the fact I needed rest, I needed to allow my mind, body and soul time every day to be renewed. Thanks for sharing this… I am going to link it to a few younger moms I know… Bright Blessings Erin =)