There’s a particular shade of ceiling you only see at 2 a.m. I know it well.
The Lesson I Learned
Eighteen years ago, a stroke taught me what happens when you push past your limits. I learned to rest, to laugh, and to make room to just be. I’m doing well. But over the last couple of months, I slipped back into the old pattern without even noticing.
The Old Pattern
Work, work, work. 2 a.m. 3 a.m. I wanted to do good. I wanted to shine. And the thing I kept giving up to get there was sleep.
The Wake-Up Call
Then I had an episode. Not a stroke, but my body’s clear message: you’re not sleeping enough. It showed on the inside, and it definitely showed on the outside.
I Get To
So for the past week and a half or so, I’ve been on a journey back to real rest. And I’m changing the words I use. Not “I have to get it all done,” but I get to rest.
Now I get to wake up before my alarm clock. I get to laugh, stretch, move, and dance. I get to say good morning to my mother.
How I Shine Now
Here’s what I’m learning: I don’t shine by giving up sleep. I shine because of it. Every night I choose rest over “one more thing,” that counts.
Your Turn
So tell me: what’s one thing you’ve been giving up that you actually need, and what would it feel like to say “I get to” instead?
Here’s to fewer nights with the ceiling, and more mornings that feel like yours.
Much joy,
Tawnja