Is This Something You Do?

It’s a rainy winter Sunday for us in Sydney. My older son just got back from a two hour hike (packing 30 kilos of weights) in the bush; my younger one is sleeping in after a late-night skateboarding session in the garage with a mate.

I’m up with coffee and candles, lamps on, watching the early morning rain.

Resting.

Is this something you do? Do you prioritise rest?

Do you give yourself permission to slow down and actually enjoy resting? I’m bad at this but I’m trying to get better. I’m learning that rest needs to be deliberate and planned in order to feel like a break (for me). Now that work has spilled over into our home lives in the past decade—and even more so during COVID—it’s important to decide when we’ll rest.

We’re trying to take Sunday as a rest day.

No work. No emails. No sneaky copywriting to get ahead for the week. No book writing.

Are you going to rest this weekend? Can you plan a rest you actually enjoy? (Coffee, candles, a good book. A nap, a walk, some time to daydream.)

I’m sure you deserve it.

Love Catherine x

PS. Thinking of you all as the world turns and Covid surges back and forth. I hope you and yours are well. If work is a problem, I hope you find a way to create something new. I’ve been there during the Global Financial Crisis and it’s so hard…when you’re stressed and worried and can barely think through all that fear. Reach out if you need a little encouragement. I’m here.

Just too tired today? Yes, you...

Hi there, lady who is feeling tired…the one who is the engine of the family train.

I see you.

You’re probably running around being helpful, sharing your thoughts on how to do it faster, fixing leaks and problems before they escalate.

You’ve thrown in some washing, unloaded the dishwasher, put the coffee on and checked that everyone’s up.

You’re thinking about when you’ll walk the dog.

If you’re lucky, there are no impossible mountains today (illness, loss, fear, lack). But still, you feel tired.

Yes, yes, life is good when we’re busy and we’re all thankful to love the people we’ve been given to love. We feel full of purpose and usually grateful that we have washing machines and dishwashers and dogs and kids, coffee to make and cars to fill with gas. All of it.

But we get tired, then it’s time to rest.

Here are my favourite rests. Free and always available to me (or to you!).

1. A quiet cup of coffee. I make my own at home and I love my long blacks from my little Nespresso coffee maker. Inexpensive and so good!

2. Standing in the driveway of our home at twilight, in all seasons. I look up at the gum trees, and the evening sky and remember to take big breaths for the first time all day.

3. Lying flat on my back on the living room carpet. I stretch my arms up and relax my shoulders (always rounded from too much writing!).

The older I get, the more I focus on what I love, and what I can control. Little pockets of rest and peace are available to all of us — usually without a price tag!

All we need to do is figure out what feels like rest. Is it coffee? Nature? Stretching? Sorting a drawer? Then do that!

Work, rest, repeat.

It’s one good way to love our age!

Catherine x

ps. This sweet cup and saucer is Shelley English bone china. I was lucky enough to inherit a set of two from a dear friend. I treasure them and think of her. xo