It’s Okay To Take A Break!

Hey you! Yes, you! You’re not reading this by mistake; it was given to me just for you.

The pace of today’s society is at that of a lightening bolt; things happen at rocket speed and are often times temporary. There’s this fallacy in which we cling to that we must go hard, all the time, and with everything. There’s this notion that taking a break is a waste of time. Well, if you’re reading this and agree with that, I would like to change your perspective on breaks.

If we’re honest, most of us don’t take a break from the busyness of life until we’re forced to do so. We go about our daily lives with jammed packed schedules. We begin and end most of our days exhausted. Juggling work and/or school as well as taking care of the home leaves us very little room for self-care. We are always moving, always going, and always extending ourselves. More times than not, we are left feeling depleted, and as if all of our efforts are unsuccessful. In this moment, we say we need to take a break, but most of us never do.

Some choose to keep going out of fear of being replaced, while others refuse to take a minute off because they fear being judged. Sadly, some choose to stay moving because their identity is wrapped up in always being busy. Quite honestly, I found myself guilty of that last category. If you find yourselves in any one of those aforementioned spots, I pray that you truly hear me out today.

The word break has several meanings; however, this definition is my personal favorite, which is: “to destroy or disrupt the regularity, uniformity, continuity, or arrangement of; to interrupt.”

In life, we MUST take breaks. We MUST allow a brief interruption to catch our breath. A moment to allow ourselves to just be. Breaks are a time meant for rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation. A moment to learn, grow, regroup, and reset. It is in the stillness of a break that new revelations come. Furthermore, a break from it all allows us to create new, healthier, more realistic norms. A break is the ultimate form of self-care. It is not something of which you should feel guilty for taking or allow others to make you feel guilty for taking.

After reading this, I hope that you’re more intentional about scheduling breaks. I pray that you take time to smell the roses. Time to be one with yourself and, most importantly, one with God. My greatest hope is that you remove the stigma from the phrase, “I need a break.”