As I think about this month’s theme, “Extend,” I’ll admit the first phrase that comes to my mind is one that I’ve heard from a fair number of people in the past year: “I feel overextended. ” Navigating so much change and challenge can certainly leave you feeling worn out, your resources tapped.
But in thinking about these words, I realize that the ability to 0verextend also implies the existence of…a healthy amount of extension. Which is probably one of the greatest delights of being alive.
Spring is demonstrating this delight all around us: plants, having gone dormant and built up their energy over the winter, are now reaching for light and air, growing toward what nourishes them, and transforming in response to that nourishment. It’s an elegant process that requires a careful balance of energy preserved and energy expended, in order to grow optimally.
As human beings, I worry that we feel we should always be growing and extending, without allowing for the dormant periods that allow us to extend ourselves at a healthy rate. It’s a practice of wisdom, to know when to slow down in order to enable future growth.
But the good news is, this is a practice we can undertake fairly easily. By asking each day, “what do I have energy for today? In what ways do I need to rest in order to preserve resources–and in which directions can I extend myself in order to grow?”
Here at The Remedy, we are thrilled to be able to support our community in both ways, by providing experiences that both replenish your energy, and inspire you to use that energy in positive ways. We wish you a happy, healthy spring, with enough rest to keep you grounded, and enough growth to keep you excited about your life. We look forward to seeing you soon!
