A couple of posts back, I wrote about taking a vacation for your mental and physical well-being. Ironically, not long after I wrote the post, I had a minor health issue, and I found myself taking an unplanned “vacation” to let my body recover. It was nothing too serious, but it definitely slowed me down for a couple of weeks. I should have paid closer attention to my body because I apparently didn’t give myself time to fully recover, and last week, I found myself struggling with the same injury.
It took me until today to realize what was going through my mind. For over twenty-five years, I worked for someone else, and I often delayed taking care of health issues because I didn’t want to take time off, spend money on health care that insurance doesn’t cover, or draw attention to myself as a “problem employee.” Looking back, none of those reasons were good reasons to not take better care of myself, and I regret that I didn’t do a better job of taking care of myself when I worked for other people. Unfortunately, I find that these attitudes have become a part of my thinking process even now as a freelancer. My body was giving me the signals, but I was reacting in the same way I would have while working for someone else.
While this may take some time, it’s okay to deprogram ourselves from the “grind” attitude many of us developed while working for other people. After all, when we oversee our own businesses, there isn’t anyone else to run them so we need to take the time to take care of ourselves. For me, that meant I had to slow down for the last month and just let things recover while I dealt with the tasks of everyday life. It was frustrating, but it had me ready to be back at the keyboard writing, researching, and learning. My creativity hasn’t been injured so all month I’ve been logging ideas in a list in my mind and on paper.
Sometimes, our bodies need a break, and it is important that we listen to the signals they are giving to us. When you feel pain or discomfort, pay attention. Is it getting better or worse? When you notice something isn’t functioning normally, don’t assume it will just get better. Do you need to take some time to treat your body? Should you visit the doctor? Don’t ignore your health and try to push through. If you have a drive to continue as a freelancer or small business owner, take care of yourself so you can implement your plans and dreams. Do better for yourself now than you did while working for someone else, and if you are still working for someone else, remember to take care of yourself for the days when you won’t work for them anymore.
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Don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought at a price. So glorify God with your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20, CSB)
All Things Subject to Change 