Life is ironic. Last night I had a dream about challenging myself more – after just writing a blog about challenging myself less. The dream showed me the importance of challenging myself in my work, in my relationships, and even in my hobby! I laughed out loud. I guess we all get the messages we are ready for – when we are ready to receive them. And apparently, just surrendering to the idea of not challenging myself made me ready to start again.
All I meant to convey in writing my last blog, is that we can push ourselves into exhaustion and ill health when we don’t know when to stop. I certainly didn’t mean that we should stop challenging ourselves all together, but when soaking in a bubble bath becomes a “challenge” to stay in long enough so you “sweat out all the toxins” – instead of just to relax – then you know you’ve gone too far. You must be able to recognize if your brain is in constant “self-improvement mode,” and if so, switch it to off when necessary. It’s about knowing when to draw the line between self-improvement and self-rejuvenation. Apparently, spirit will let you know when you have to rev up one or the other!