by Patrick McNerthney
In our last post we pointed out how the natural rhythms of our world create opportunities to keep moving forward. Fun!
Spring is low-hanging fruit for this kind of thing, as it’s the season of growth and beginning anew. I jumped right on this bandwagon last weekend by cleaning up our very old, very dirty bicycles so my family and I could start taking rides in the evenings again (a habit we want to rekindle).
(More exhausting than it looks.)
Of course, this led to me trying to tighten the brakes…then doing it wrong…then having to ask for help from our local bike store to get it right, but still, done! Since this ended up taking the better part of the afternoon, I decided to take a well-deserved nap.Yes, a nap, which, believe it or not, is a key part of moving forward, and a reality we should all embrace. It kind of works like this:
- Exert, recover.
- Push, relax.
- Sprint, rest.
That’s right! We need physical, emotional and spiritual (or whatever you want to call it) rest in order to achieve balance and well-being so we can grow. In other words, we need to include some version of a nap in our lives to achieve our goals!
(Actually super important.)
It’s just like lifting weights – you can’t work the same muscle group every day. Proper training includes a recovery period for each set of muscles so they grow in size and strength. In fact, the downtime is where the most progress is made as the fibers repair themselves after focused exertion.
This begs an important question: Have you incorporated a recovery period after all of your sprinting and getting by as you slogged through the pandemic? It’s been 14 months!
The fact is, many of us have yet to consider how to rest and rejuvenate as we continue the fight against COVID-19 and the negative effects of social isolation. One way we can do this is by asking for help, just like I did with our bikes, because it takes a bit of the pressure off so we can make progress. Indeed, right now many of us don’t have the opportunity to stop the madness and actually take a break, at least not until we’re all vaccinated. So one of the best ways to create downtime is by lowering the pressure we place on ourselves by saying, “I need help!”
Fine Art Miracles offers a variety of programs, both in-person and virtual, that provide vulnerable populations an opportunity to thrive under any circumstances, but particularly in the face of social isolation. Art Therapy, Music Therapy, and Multi-Sensory Sessions stimulate memories and conversation, increase self-esteem by showing off creative genius, and provide feelings of accomplishment that come from the beauty of creation. But that’s not all: Now more than ever, Fine Art Miracles’ programs are a resource you can lean on to hit the pause button and recover while still caring for those you seek to serve.
You can’t do it all yourself, at least not for very long – which is why we encourage you to reach out so you can learn about our classes and our packaged ART2GO lessons. Add them to your toolbox. We’re happy to help! Plus, displaying all of that creative expression would offer the perfect time to pause. To share. Time to simply take in the beauty of art, and give credit to the happy makers.
My newly fixed bicycles are calling my name. My son and I will certainly be going for a ride today, after which, I’ll likely take a well-deserved nap.
