Honouring Yourself When You Need a Break + 5 Key Lessons

Written By Val Malnar


As we wrap up another year, I want to encourage you to take this time to relax and enjoy time with your family, time with your friends, time with yourself.  Today’s blog & podcast episode is going to be a short one with 5 valuable lessons I learned this year.

You can read the blog below or listen to the podcast on Apple, Spotify or Anchor.

Last year at this time I was coming off my busiest year of business with my virtual interior design business Orangetree Interiors.  I was exhausted.  Partly because of the crazy busy year. Partly because I was training three new people when I had no time to even breathe.  Partly because of trying to homeschool my kids due to the pandemic.  Partly because of the fear being portrayed in the media….no matter what side of the fence you sit on.  I was spent!

I took the holidays to rest, enjoy good food and good company. It was great.  But when January 1st rolled around I didn’t feel ready to dive back into work.  I was still reeling from the year that just passed.  Then February rolled in and I still didn’t feel like working.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I was working, I just didn’t want to.

 

I was also getting consumed by the media and feeling so hopeless about our future.  I started getting depressed and fantasizing about getting hit by a truck or dying in my sleep.  Then I started having suicidal thoughts. Since I’d had these thoughts before I recognized them right away.   I talked to my husband and he shared that he was feeling depressed too.  I knew I had to do something. I ended up reading a lot and taking some programs to help me with how I was feeling and help me find a way to climb my way back to happiness.   It’s been almost a year of taking it slower and focusing on me. 



It meant taking fewer projects and less income. It meant pausing the work of contractors I’d hired and living a little leaner.  It meant less time with friends and more time with myself.

 

AND NOW I WOULDN’T CHANGE A THING.

Giving myself permission to take a step back and do less this year has taught me so much.

1. It’s taught me about what I value (time with family and friends and making a positive impact in the world).

 

2. It’s taught me that my worth isn’t based on how much money I make.

 

3. It’s taught me how exercise and being in nature positively impact my mental state.

 

4. It’s taught me to listen to my body.  I learned quickly that exhaustion can lead to burnout and burnout can lead to depression and depression can lead to so much worse so to pay attention when my body is saying it’s time to take a break.

This time last year I thought I was losing passion for my business.   A career I dreamed about since I was a little girl.  I thought that since I wasn’t excited to work around the clock like I had done in previous years it meant that I didn’t want to do it anymore.   I almost even put my business up for sale.  Something kept making me hesitate though.  I loved this business so much and I had such a great experience building it.  It was my baby. 

After what felt like dozens of conversations with friends, coaches and colleagues, I decided to press pause instead and I’m SO glad I did. 

 

I didn’t lose my passion for my business, I  was just ready for a new goal.  Have you ever noticed that all the excitement and anticipation happens when you’re on your way to a goal? 


5. Once you achieve the goal, it’s victorious for a moment, or if you’re lucky for a few days or weeks, but then the feeling is gone.  You did it.  You achieved the goal…..so now what? It’s time for a new goal.

And that’s just one more thing I learned in 2022.  I’m feeling excited again.  I have some new ideas to make Orangetree Interiors even better than it already is and I can’t wait to share them with you in the new year.

 

In closing, I’m going to tell you what one of my coaches told me…..there’s no medal at the end for working yourself into exhaustion.  You don’t get a trophy for working super duper hard.  So I’d like to encourage you one more time to take the holiday break or any other break if you need it to rest, to be with yourself, contemplate your thoughts and trust that you will find the answers you need within you when you give yourself the time to find them.   You’re worth it.

Thank you so much for reading.  I wish you so much love, laughter and happy memories this holiday season and into the new year.  Happy holidays y’all.  

If you’d like to be notified each time an article or podcast comes out, please join my community. I’m dropping mini happiness lessons bi-weekly. I’d love for you to join the community.

I also want to invite you to download the free Start Happy Stay Happy Journal that I created to help you start each day off right and help to increase the likelihood of happiness and success in your life daily.

Until next time, wishing you happy vibes & big strides,

RESOURCES THAT HELPED ME & MIGHT HELP YOU:

STRESS & ANXIETY MANAGEMENT & MINDSET PRACTICE : Marley Rose Harris’ Manifestation Club

CONFIDENCE, MANIFESTATION & MENTAL WELLNESS: Kathleen Cameron’s Millionaire Program

JOURNAL: Start Happy, Stay Happy Journal

Other Resources that helped me become happier

Val Malnar
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