The BIG Reset

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about resetting my inner clock—establishing new rhythms that align with where I am now. Like right now; in the present. Life is dynamic and fluid. Time ticks fast, and if I’m not intentional, I can easily find myself wasting attention on things that don’t make a difference. Life can be hurried and I’ve learned that rushing around at mach ten isn’t sustainable. So, I’m choosing to reset. I’m intentionally slowing down to give myself space, pace, and grace. No more burning minutes like they’re going out of style.

Well…I’m not choosing. Not really. I’ve arrived at a point along my journey where taking a “time out” is necessary for my survival, not to mention my sanity.

Rest. Reset. Be.

During the early stages of my time out, I am learning that resetting isn’t just about setting boundaries and developing routines—it’s actually more about undoing the lies I’ve come to believe and replacing them with truth. You know the lie. The one that says you’re not enough. The one that says you always need to be productive to amount to anything, otherwise you’re just wasting time. It’s the lie that tells you that you only matter if you keep busy. The undeniable truth is rest is necessary. The undeniable truth is, I don’t have to earn peace. I am enough.

Part of this reset is embracing self-care in a way that isn’t just a checklist but a rhythm of life. I’m learning to BE.

And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Mark 2:27 ESV

Self-Care Practices for the BIG Reset

Here are a couple of things I am doing to help me reset.

1. Take a Deep Breath – While I don’t have this while mindfulness thing down, by any stretch of the imagination, I am trying to take time to breathe. Not just simply breathing in and out, but taking a deep, intentional breath throughout the day. INHALE. Hold. EXHALE. My next step is to take three deep breaths when I first get up, but before I get out of bed. So sitting on the edge of my bed and taking three deep breaths.

2. Keep it moving – Sedentary is the new smoking. We do need to be still, not always on the go, but movement is HUGE in keeping us healthy, alive, and sane. Whether through walking, stretching, or working out, keeping it moving is good for us.

“Above all, do not lose your desire to walk. Everyday, I walk myself into a state of well-being and walk away from every illness. I have walked myself into my best thoughts, and I know of no thought so burdensome that one cannot walk away from it. But by sitting still, and the more one sits still, the closer one comes to feeling ill. Thus if one just keeps on walking, everything will be all right.”

Søren Kierkegaard

3. Get Some Real Sleep – I am still in the process of setting a consistent sleep schedule and creating a relaxing bedtime routine supports rest. Sleep is important. I’m not anywhere close to being there yet. And I’m okay with that.

4. Eat Cleaner – I am eating better—making healthier food choices and I am working in more mindful eating—slowing down and savoring what I’m eating. Like sleep, I’m not where I want to be yet, and I’m okay with that. Practice makes progress, as Terri likes to say. Eating right and staying hydrated are good fuel for the mind, body, and soul.

5. Interact with Others – Admittedly, this is currently a hard one for me. I’ve cut down my human interaction significantly. I am focused on spending time with a few supportive relationships and limited community interactions. Truthfully, a lot of my community centers on my weekly in-person art class and online blogging network. I struggle being around people right now. Anxiety, anger, hyper vigilance and a whole host of other unpleasant emotions crop up.

6. Develop New Routines—While I am tapped out, I’m trying to help around the house. I go grocery shopping every week. It gets me out around people, although I am strategic about when I go (crowds are super unpredictable and unhealthy for me right now). I do make it a point to visit a local coffee shop a couple of mornings a week. I usually take a book and my iPods. It’s a way of being around people without actually engaging with them. This is ideal for me at the moment.

7. Capture the Experience – Be it through words or sketches, I am trying to capture my thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Allegedly, it helps process my trauma and loss.

It’s all good. Not.

One of the hardest but most freeing parts of the reset is allowing myself to not be okay. It would be easier and faster to push past emotions, distract myself with work and continue pretending I’m fine. It’s all good. Not. Learning to be okay with what I’m feeling—especially the things I don’t want to feel—is part of healing. When thinking about work makes me angry, I acknowledge it. If I’m constantly replaying events in my head, I gently attempt to shift my focus back to what I can do in this moment. God, grant me the serenity…

It really feels a lot like recovery. And I know what that involves. Perhaps, that’s what scares me.

Like recovery, a reset isn’t a one-time event. It’s a continual practice. It’s a commitment to being present and allowing myself to feel and recognizing I am enough. Jesus loves me for who I am, not my achievements, or what I can do for Him. The BIG reset is a deliberate decision to care for myself, not as an afterthought, but as a priority.

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Matthew 11:28 NIV

Do you need a break? From what?

Yes, from life as I’ve come to know it. Not forever, just for now. Hopefully, I will be healthier and better for it.

Hey—the first step is admitting you have a problem that you’ve become powerless over and that as a result, your life have become unmanageable.

What do you need a break from?

Until my next post…

Be salty, stay lit.

Rainer Bantau —The Devotional Guy™

The Stigma Stops Here.🛑

#mentalhealthmatters