After an incredible month-long vacation I came home ready to hit the ground running. I woke up ready for my first day back at work, sipped my coffee, and planned out my day. I was really excited. After some time off, I was ready to be back and working again.
However, about a half-hour into my day, I got a splitting headache. The kind where your eye feels like it’s pulsating and everything feels like climbing Mount Everest.
My day started to crumble. I couldn’t focus, let alone be creative when I felt like my bed was calling to me. But I kept resisting the urge to give in to what my body was telling me I needed. I thought it was ridiculous to need to rest after a vacation, but my body felt otherwise.
But the harder I pushed the more my head raged. I started thinking about how behind I was going to be after only 24 hours and all of the projects that had piled up over my time away. It felt like the muscle pulsating behind my right eye might just burst through my head at any moment.
I then remembered something my dietician had said when I was working with her in times where I would beat myself up because I felt I hadn’t eaten the way I wanted to, she would say, “you always get to start over tomorrow.” This felt might have been a totally different situation, but also a perfect time to apply that bit of advice.
I always get to start over tomorrow. Whether I had built up the first day back at work or not. Whether I have bit plans and tons to do, I always get to start over tomorrow.
So, I took a nap and then I curled up with a cup of tea, read a book, and then I did the most pressing things on my to-do list that I felt I could manage and enjoy doing. Simply put, I gave myself some grace.
I want to extend that same grace to you, my friends. Sometimes pushing through the headache, or the stress isn’t going to solve the issue, but worsen it.
In case you ever forget, you have an opportunity every day to start fresh.
So, do me a favor and
1) Focus today on all the things you DID get done, not just the ones you didn’t. Even the little things (okay, especially the little things) count.
2) Remember that there is no shame in stepping away and taking care of your body and mental health regardless of what society says.
3) Start to tell yourself that giving yourself grace is not being lazy, but allowing you to be the best version of yourself.
Tomorrow is a new day and a fresh start.
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