When you feel broken and need fixing

This week I was shopping in Salisbury and because I had a voucher for Costa I went in for a coffee. The assistant said: “Sorry coffee machine is broken, only fruit drinks at the moment.” As it was coffee I wanted, I thanked her amnd went to another cafe nearby.

I thought to myself on the way, “I’m not surprised it has broken, its on all day, every day 7 days a week. They only shut for a handful of days a year.

I realised many people are like that coffee machine-on all the time.

If they are not working on their jobs or businesses, they are caring for children, grandchildren, parents. Cleaning, doing laundry cooking, Exercising, seeing friends, sorting out finances. The list goes on and on and their free time is reduced to a quick scroll and being asleep.

As a result people end up exhausted. Feeling they have nothing left. Like they can do no more. They feel something is wrong because they can never catch up or find the time to do the things they love. They feel they are broken and need fixing.

How would it feel to not get to the point where you are going to break?

Many women are great at taking time out for themselves for holding boundaries and for booking in quiet time. They might book in a facial, a massage, schedule daily or weekly walks, go to the gym, have a calming craft.

Sometimes people want to relax but there are barriers in the way. It could be financial, with some women having to work a lot of hours to support themselves and their families. It can be caring duties, a sense of guilt they are lazy and indulgent for wanting to have a break or worry they will be judged.

Some people are so used to being busy, they actually find it stressful trying to switch off.

However, when we come from a place of prevention, rather than fixing, we can have a more suistainable source of energy and less likely to feel broken.

Putting time in the diary just like a hair appointment or a dental checkup to make sure it happens. Not seeing it as unimportant just because it doesn’t earn money and may require spending it, depending on the activity. It doesn’t always have to cost money either.

Accesible options are:

Turning off your phone for an hour and picking up a book instead.

Going for a walk with no destination, just time enjoying being outside in the fresh air.

Taking a trip to a library just to browse and let your mind wander.

Spending time massaging some hand cream into your hands and just feeling into the sensations you are experiencing.

Allowing yourself time to just rest or nap without an agenda.

These small moments can be just as restful and enjoyable as higher cost experiences.If you do have some space in your budget, booking a holistic or beauty treatment can feel very nourishing and restorative. A trip to a sauna, a day at a beach or a few hours at a Spa can also feel very refreshing and giv you time to reset your energy levels.

A good starting point is to think if someone gave you permision to do what you wanted for the next 48 hours as long as it was restful-what would you do?

Take a moment to journal on this in your notebook or on the Notes app on your phone if you don’t have one.

Then see how can you slot these oppertunities into your busy week.

Your energy levels are valuable just like money- I doubt you would let your £20 notes just be scattered away into the wind but without realising it you can be spending your energy and time to the max leaving yourself empty. Take a mment to check in with how you are feeling and see if you can create some space other than just sleeping at night to fuel yourself.

Wishing you a week containing some rest and relaxation x