On Tuesday, I released The Imperfection Issue. I’m really excited about it, and encourage you to check it out. Yesterday, Thursday, I didn’t do shit. It was what I needed and also not what I expected.
The last few weeks, my headaches have been pretty infrequent and very manageable. And more importantly than that, I’ve really come to grips with the fact that they’re really tied to my stress. Which means that I’m more in control of them than I thought – they’re not some mysterious undiagnosable muscle ailment. If I manage my life and my stress, I can manage my headaches.
Of course, this means I have to do more managing and being in charge of myself. It’s a change of style and a challenge, but I’ve been doing really well with it, lately! I’m scheduling and leading, and not hiding from my stress. And my headaches have responded. Which is what made this past Wednesday so surprising.
I felt rested and ready for the day. I had a schedule, and I felt good. But then I felt a headache coming on. I thought to myself, “Nah, I’m doing well. Let’s keep going.” I pushed forward (even though I’ve promised myself not to), and kept pushing forward throughout the day. It culminated in a headache that night that was extremely painful. More-so than it needed to be.
So yesterday I rested. I didn’t tweet about the new issue or respond to any emails.
I wore socks and Chacos around the house, and didn’t go outside past my front curb. I watched a mediocre documentary about magicians after lunch and only briefly got up off the couch.
I forgave myself for pushing through the day before.
It was amazing and rejuvenating.
Taking breaks is vital. I hope to have the patience listen to my body and take one before I break down next time. But I know that if I don’t, it’s possible to recover with a day off anyways.