You need to rest, really.

This is my third post for this month! Yey! Usually, it takes me months to post a blog. I am grateful with the gift of time.

Life update! I am currently (technically) unemployed because I focused on freelancing. I now have the luxury of time to do the things I really love. This includes writing.

In my other blog post, I wrote about how silence helps people become stronger. Silence and rest go hand in hand. As if they’re a tandem.

For today, I unearthed this 2021 blog in my drafts about rest.

When was the last time that you REALLY rest?

Like, you do not check on your phone, do not read email, do not reply to urgent private messages, or answer calls related to work or a side hustle?

Has it been a long time?

I have a problem resting. It’s my weakness. I work a lot. I make sure that my schedule is filled with activities. I don’t want to be idle. There’s a time when I even work on weekends. However, this should not be a habit. It’s really tiring at the end of the day. (I have two eyebags.)

Time came when I felt really tired. I felt like I was only dragging myself to work. My mind couldn’t come up with creativity and aesthetically pleasing thoughts. With this, I knew that I needed to rest.

Rest is a reminder that we, humans, need a break. We need to pause. This pause does not mean that we are giving up, but we are just taking a break from everything.

After the pause, we move forward and start functioning again.

Rest is a reminder that we need to relax. Think of ourselves. Remember that we have a family who wait for us. For some, maybe they have a puppy who’s waiting for them, too. (In my case, tyni (a shih tzu).)

In Filipino, rest is translated as pahinga. The root word of pahinga is hinga, which means to breathe.

Rest is a must. It doesn’t have to be a luxurious activity. But, it should be as simple as finding time for deep breathe.

When I feel so exhausted after a productive day, I pause and breathe consciously. This has been my calming way of resting since 2019.

When I feel overwhelmed, I read books to escape from my reality. Highlighting text from the book is relaxing for me. Then, I copy these notes in my journal. When I feel uncreative, I watch anime on Netflix.

You need to rest, really. It’s a gift that you should not leave unopened.

When was the last time that you really rest? Feel free to share your thoughts in the chat box. 🙂

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I cried after reading Find Your Surrendered Place by Bo Sanchez

Where is your surrendered place? In life, we need a place where we can be at peace with God. We need a little corner in our life where we can spend time praying to the Lord.

In the midst of the hustle and bustle of life, we need to meditate in our surrendered place.

This is Bo Sanchez only printed book in 2021. He has written it after recovering from COVID19. I never hesitated to purchase this book because it is indeed meaningful. It added value to my life.

My Takeaways from Find Your Surrendered Place by Bo Sanchez

1. Surrendering doesn’t mean you are weak. It means that you are courageous enough to trust God wholeheartedly.

2. When we surrender, we believe that God will always be with us in this journey.

3. When we surrender our fear of death, only then we can live life fully.

4. Meditation is important.

5. Let us surrender the lifestyle of hurry. At the end of the day, only the most essential will really matter.

6. Surrender our emotional leftovers. Hatred, guilt, and fear. We should let them go.

7. Our surrendered place is not a Lala Land. It’s a quiet place where we communicate with God.

You should also read this book if you like reading books about healing, meditating, and praying. If you are just barely making it in life, read this book to feel better.

May you have a meaningful 2022 ahead.

What book are you currently reading? Any book recommendations?

Why I love Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life

This is a super late book review about Ikigai: The Japanese Secret to a Long and Happy Life. This has been in my cart for some months. I’ve decided to buy it as a gift for myself.

“Be led by your curiosity and keep busy doing things that fill you with meaning and happiness.” 🥰

What’s your Ikigai? What is something that gives you meaning and happiness?
This book is a must-read. This book helps its readers to fully understand their reason for living by knowing their ikigai.

Ikigai does not have to be grand. Sometimes, it could be the simplest thing in life, and that is okay. It differs from one person to another.

This book also gives an overview about the Japanese secret to a long and happy life. The authors are so specific in their explanation. They included diet, exercise, and way of living. They share how people in a certain place in Japan live longer than others.

Major takeaways from Ikigai

• Each setback is an opportunity to grow.
• Worrying about things that are beyond our control accomplishes nothing.
• It is not what happens to you, but how you react that matters -Epicletus
• Ikigai is the reason why we get up every morning.
• Once you discover your ikigai, pursuing and nurturing it everyday will bring meaning to your life.
  

Have you read this book? Share your favorite quotes, too. Here’s mine.

This is the sign that you should grab a copy of this book. Go read it, friends. 🙂