Rest is important. Give yourself this gift. In times of rest, we replenish our energies. In this way, we become more effective actors in our own lives.

If you are busy at work throughout the day, take several breaks of 5-10 minutes to close your eyes and breathe deeply between tasks and between meetings. This will help your focus and concentration when you do return to doing work.

At the end of the week, take an entire day if you can, to do nothing but rest. On your day of rest, remember to have gratitude for all that is going well in your life. Count each and every one of your blessings. Nourish yourself with good and healthy food that revitalizes. Take naps that refresh and dream dreams that inspire. Read literature that makes your soul soar with pleasure. Laugh with glee. Go for a walk in the park and gaze at the beauty and wonder inherent in nature. Spend time with a friend. Discuss what matters most to you– or just be silent. Notice your breath and the beat of your heart as they soothe you from inside your body. Do yoga. Listen to music. Dance with abandon. Sing with joy. Draw and paint from your imagination the dreams you wish to bring into being. Hold the hand of someone for whom you care deeply. Look calmly into the eyes of a stranger. See your own soul reflected there.

Take time to play among the posies. There is no time like the present to inhale the scent of sweet roses and magnolia. This is your life. Enjoy your time here on Earth, in work and in rest.