Not so long ago there was someone in my life who was very important to me.
He was very different from me.
Where I saw colour and opportunity, he saw clouds and effort.
Where I wanted to run and to play, he wanted to sit and to stay.
Where I wanted to leap into the depths, he wanted to remain on the surface.
Where I wanted to create a whole new life, he wanted to stick to the known.
It took me a long time to love him.
But when I did there was so much, I wanted to teach him, show him and experience with him.
I’d wanted him to feel loved and accepted for who he was, unconditionally.
I’d wanted to convince him that love could be extraordinary.
I’d wanted him to feel that despite the hard things life could be phenomenal.
There were so many things I wanted him to feel, believe and enjoy about the magic of the world that I didn’t often think about what he was teaching me…
In reflection he taught me many things…
Whatever That Meant
He was Jewish.
Whatever that meant.
I knew nothing (other than what I’d been taught in my Dietetics degree that people who were Jewish didn’t eat pork or shellfish, which didn’t seem to apply to him) so when my questions of interest were met with minimal insight I would, every now and then, Google things to try to know a little.
On one of my Googling expeditions I came across the phrase “Shabbat Shalom”.
Those two words or the concept behind those words captured my interest.
I allowed them to shift my life in a small way at first which has now become quite a large way.
Peace
Shabbat Shalom is a common Hebrew greeting usually spoken on the Friday evening or Saturday (Sabbath).
It is a way of wishing someone peace on the Sabbath or wishing them the peace the Sabbath brings.
This alone I love but I came to love it more when I understood more.
I learned Sabbath is a day off.
6 days for work and one day for rest.
Which sounded itself like an ok concept but the further I read and the more I got it the more it became less of a “ok concept” and more of something beyond a day off.
Deeper
The Sabbath is for enjoying all you’ve already created and achieved.
It’s about appreciating all you’ve worked for and strived for during the week.
It’s about stopping and appreciating what you’ve already done versus pursuing more.
Because ultimately what is the purpose of pushing, doing, creating and endless effort if the results of those efforts are never to be enjoyed with those you love?
This concept is, to me now the greatest form of living in the present I’ve ever understood.
Balance
Something I truly always wanted was to live in the present.
I saw the value of it and in moments very much did it but at the same time with growth being one of my highest values it meant I saw tremendous value in planning and creating a better future and that’s where I spent most of my time.
I had never and still didn’t want to give up my motivation, inspiration and passion and I’d thought that was the trade off for living in the present.
It’s not.
Which is why I embraced Sabbath.
It allows for a designated time devoted fully to the now and crucially this does not come at a cost, sacrifice or even disregard for the importance of time devoted to growth and advancement.
There is a balance.
The interesting thing is during the few months since I started deliberately assigning one day a week (update: it’s now two) to consciously stop and appreciate what I’ve already done, how far I’ve come, the big things and the small things this refocuses and reenergises me more fully and completely on where I want to go.
Everyone is Our Teacher if We Let Them Be
I learned other things from him like how to duck dive my surfboard much better than I was doing it, how to hold yoga poses with strength and correct alignment and how to feel utterly alone in the arms of the person you want to feel closest to, but Sabbat Shalom is one of my favourite learnings because before reading those two words, before integrating what I recognise is most likely my own unique take on them into my life I didn’t have a day off.
My whole life was work.
Not in a sad or exhausting way because I was tremendously happy with work being the centre point of my life because work was an area of my life which I’d never fully been able to enjoy when I was sick.
I had finally found my calling and I was building a business and with my whole heart.
I loved and still love my work.
My work was and is my passion.
I didn’t see the real point of having time off let alone a full day (update two days) a week.
What I do pushes me daily to grow, to be a better person, to look further than the exterior, to go beyond the obvious, to challenge my own values and beliefs and it truly changes the individual lives of the incredible human beings who open their minds to work with me.
By facilitating and empowering them on their change this allows me to be an active participant in my mission “being a part of creating a meaningful world in which we are all proud to belong”.
I thought this needed my undivided attention and energy 24 hours a day 7 days a week.
Now, taking one day off a week to just be has ironically brought my energy and passion to a new level I couldn’t have known before I gave it a go.
That’s why I’m sharing this because it was one man, my curiosity and a Google search that changed my life – perhaps I can be that Google search for you.
I hope you take some use from this and even if you are not specifically religious (as I am not) consider giving yourself one day off a week to reflect on how far you’ve come, to enjoy all you have, to embody gratitude and to simply be.
To me enjoying your life and those exact moments you’ve worked so hard for while you’re in them may just be the greatest accomplishment of them all.
With my whole heart I hope you find this information useful and inspiring.
Become Great. Live Great.
Bonnie.
2 thoughts on “How to Take Time Off to Create a More Beautiful Life”
Loved this blog
Thank you Mirth. I’m happy you loved it 🙂