If you are anything like I used to be, your weekends might be a time to catch up, run errands, or get ready for the week ahead. And, on the weekends when you do putter around, take naps, and get absolutely nothing done, you feel guilty, like you didn’t do enough.
Instead of figuring out why, or piling on more guilt, give yourself permission to come to a full stop this weekend. Give yourself permission to rest, to breathe, to enjoy your life.
Consider a guilt-free lazy weekend. The guilt won’t change anything anyway, so here is your permission slip and encouragement to tell guilt you won’t be doing much of anything this weekend, except the things you really enjoy.
When guilt creeps in and tells you to do more, take a deep breath and say, “Guilt … I appreciate your input, but my heart wants what my heart wants, and it doesn’t want to clean, shop, catch up, or keep up. My heart wants a rest. My heart wants to smile.”
Let guilt know that you are going to …
- go to bed early
- wake up late
- cook a really big breakfast and leave the dishes until after lunch
- lounge around
- go for a hike
- color in your adult coloring book (I’m sort of obsessed)
- take 2 naps in one day
- watch a holiday movie (who says we can’t watch Elf in July?)
- read a whole book
- take a bath
- listen to your favorite music
Choose the things you really look forward to doing, or do nothing at all. If you feel like surfing the web, check these links out with your feet up, while you sip a nice cup of tea.
Take a look at these 3 books to inspire rest and renewal …
Sabbath: Finding Rest, Renewal, and Delight in Our Busy Lives
The Sleep Revolution: Transforming Your Life, One Night at a Time
Slow Love: How I Lost My Job, Put on My Pajamas, and Found Happiness
If you already have a jam-packed weekend planned, see if you can remove a few obligations, put some errands on the back burner, or just let go of what isn’t completely necessary.
Give yourself permission to do what you want, even if that means doing nothing it all and gently tell guilt to get lost.
