“Having the energy to be extraordinary when it matters can only occur if we’re ordinary when it doesn’t.”
I woke up grumpy and tired on a Monday morning. Between that and TrainerRoad suggesting either an endurance or rest day, I decided to take a second consecutive rest day. Normally that isn’t my play; I’ve historically bought into the belief that exercising is the antidote to a bad mood. However, being irritable at the beginning of the day for no apparent reason seemed like a sign that exhaustion was driving my mood. Maybe there are other cures for a bad mood…
I decided to commit to a rest day in the “extreme” (for me!). Not only did I take a rest from exercise, I also accepted that I was not going to be on my A game at work. It was a day to embrace the ordinary. Rather than seeking out challenges, I accepted where I was and celebrated getting little things done. Throughout the day, my mood improved. I didn’t necessarily feel upbeat, but everything was level.
In the evening, I felt better and was productive without feeling frustrated about ‘always having to do everything’. After two days of rest and high quality sleep, I woke up the next day excited to train and write about my experience.
Maybe all of this is intuitive to people, but for a chronic overachiever, this was a monumental lesson. Having the energy to be extraordinary when it matters can only occur if we’re ordinary when it doesn’t. Going forward, I’d like to create that level, calm, accepting space for myself more frequently. I’ll do this by introducing a practice of rest through better reflection and prioritization of my energy expenses.