
Moonshot Mentor with Laverne McKinnon Why Is Rest So Tricky? š“
If youāre anything like me, downtime doesnāt come naturally. I get the value of stepping away from work and yet I still find myself filling open space with something productive. Over the weekend I found myself filling downtime with re-organizing the pantry. And when I say downtime, I mean the kind of pause that has nothing to do with goals, perfectionism or making things better.
Years ago, after Iād started a new gig, I headed into winter break with a plan to ācatch up.ā My big idea was to read and evaluate more than twenty books to decide whether any might make good film or television projects. That meant more than a book a day. I convinced myself it was reasonable. Predictably, it wasnāt. I didnāt hit the goal, and the pressure I put on myself wiped out any chance at rest. I came back to work depleted and annoyed with myself for what I called āwasted time.ā
Over the past few years, Iāve been experimenting with real breaks. A winter break. A summer break. A solid two to four weeks of nothing to do with work. Some days I get bored. Some days I get ideas I wouldnāt have noticed if I hadnāt slowed down. Itās truly a practice, not something Iāve mastered. In fact I would say Iām a lowly apprentice.
The reminder to keep practicing landed again recently. Our youngest daughter was diagnosed with a chronic medical condition, and my husband and I met with her care team. Two things came up that stopped me in my tracks.
One: stress and anxiety make her symptoms worse. Thereās nothing surprising about that on the surface, but the next part mattered. To release the stress and anxiety, she needs fun. She needs play. It works better than pain meds for her.
And two: my stress and anxiety affect her too. That one hit harder. Iāve always known kids absorb whatās in the air, but hearing it framed as part of her treatment plan made me rethink how Iām living. If rest and play help her body stay steadier and reduce the pain, then rest and play canāt be optional for me either.
So hereās where I am as we close out the year. Iām stepping into my winter break and will be back January 12. There wonāt be a post on January 5, and thatās intentional. Iām giving myself room to breathe, to reset, and to model the things I want for my daughter and for myself.
If this topic speaks to you and youād like to sit with it a bit more, Iām sharing a great article from @Alli Kushner about Why Doing Nothing Is A Hidden Driver of Career Growth. Itās a smart, thoughtful look at how stepping back can move your work forward in ways constant effort never does.
So hereās to closing out the year with a little less hustle and a little more breathing room. Iām calling it progress if I donāt re-organize another drawer or closet ⦠until January 12.
If someone came to mind while you were reading thisāplease send it their way. You never know the impact a well-timed message can have.
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Journal Prompts
Here are three journal prompts for paid Moonshot Mentor subscribers. These questions invite you to look at your relationship with rest, play, and the pressure to stay productive, especially as the year winds down.
