Rest and progress (both as verbs) can be used in the same sentence, actually. On some accounts it’s either/or, but not always.
Rest is needed, but resting from progressing altogether could be dangerous when it comes to your wellness. I’m not saying leaps and bounds must be taken all the time – there are weeks that inching along will be the best we can do. But I’ve found that pausing on the wellness journey is synonymous with backsliding — and recovery is always tougher than prevention or maintenance, right?
The good news is that maintaining IS progressing. Maintaining takes constant motion – just like staying in one place on a tight rope. Know that #everyvictorycounts…ESPECIALLY around a holiday when tempting opportunities abound! (For example: in 10 minutes flat at a holiday gathering, we can eat and drink what will take a whole week to burn off.)
No pressure to make giant leaps this holiday week, but continue to inch forward…20 squats here, 2 veggies there, a fiber-rich breakfast here, a tall water there, a 10 minute walk here, a quiet moment there…
My top 6 for holiday weeks:
1) quality time (alone, with Jesus, and with my loved ones — even if all you can grab is 5 minutes of each)
HINT: morning usually works best for this
2) don’t budge on my walnut-oatmeal breakfast (otherwise I’ve learned my day will go downhill from there)
3) move move move
4) water water water
5) build every plate around a half a plate of non-starchy veggies
6) no mindless munching (instead employ my Triple S strategy: strategically savor slowly…you might need accountability for this one!)
So, should you rest (verb) or progress (verb) this holiday week? The answer is YES! 🙂
