Sleep and roots. 

 The name of my business is Deep Roots. Roots… I am a farmer, and along with all who grow plants, I have been learning about roots. Roots will grow deep and strong with proper tending and care. It takes time, hard work and consistency. It takes help from others. It takes intention. So let us think about our roots.
Roots are underground, unobservable and quiet. They are easy to neglect and yet when neglected all that is beautiful and vibrant up top, wilts and dries away. I believe that we can avoid this reality in ourselves if we are careful and intentional about tending our roots. The first set of roots that we can tend and build is that of sleep and rest. To me this is the beginning of our wellbeing and vibrancy. Everything in the natural world rests and we are of the natural world.
I know that professional and personal obligations don’t always honor our need for rest and that through technological advances of every type we have been able to ignore the rhythm of dark and light, warmth and cold. I know that we have created systems, wants and needs in our countries, towns and homes that we believe are inevitable, important and desirous. And yet, we are all feeling the crush of stress and exhaustion. We need to slow down. We need to be honest. We need to ask for help often and early. We need to know it is okay not to be okay and that feelings and thoughts come and go. We need to be patient with and kind to ourselves. We need to build our roots! Each root is not necessarily enough on their own but, they work together create health, resilience and strength.
So to sleep and rest. Every cell in your body requires sleep and rest in order to regenerate and rejuvenate. Your mind needs to reset and heal. Important mental work happens in sleep. Our productivity, happiness and creativity needs sleep and rest in order to exist. So often the answer to our problems/challenges come to us when we stop overworking ourselves in quest for the answers and when we rest our minds and bodies.
So there is your challenge! Go forth and sleep, relax, get some rest! You can do it! No pressure! 

For real, in every challenge, one could feel a “have to” or a judgement… remember that while creating a life of joy and hope, there should be a whole hearted effort at self compassion. 

So as you gently and kindly tend your sleeping roots, think intentionally about how you are prioritizing your rest. What can you do, specifically, to get enough sleep and to sleep deeply?
I would love ideas and thoughts from you!!
Chew on this: Brene Brown has a chapter in her book, The Gifts of Imperfection, where she couples PLAY and REST TOGETHER. Before you say, “I don’t have time.” just be curious about play and rest. Just be curious about sleep. Open yourself up to new beginnings, new practices, new ways of tending your roots.