These Are The Things That Convinced Me To Take a Sick Day

I took a sick day. I debated doing so.

I woke up, got dressed and put on makeup. I packed a lunch, drove to work and turned on my computer. I went into my dear supervisor’s office, chatted about my PTO hours, and then I went home.

I changed back into pjs, made tea and got in bed. It’s been a long time; this is only the second sick day I remember taking since working as a therapist. That is the second sick day in about five years.

Rest is essential. It is important.

In yoga terms, Savasana is the most important pose, though often the most difficult. Deep rest; allowing your body to absorb all the word it does throughout class and throughout life, allowing your body to rest and to reset. Corpse pose; allowing stillness, cooling down and genuine comfort.

I wonder why, for me, it is so hard to settle into this physically and emotionally. Society influences that, to an extent. However, “self-care” is also promoted equally as much. Often misconstrued, self-care says to take baths and to exercise, to meditate and make good choices. For me, self-care is listening, truly listening and doing what it is that fuels me; eating but intuitively, taking my meds and communicating effectively. Yes, I love love love taking too hot baths, soaking in perfumed and glittered bombs, and of course I’ll eat a salad and work hard to reduce inflammation in my body, but I will also enjoy the Twix that the doctor at work so kindly refills daily. And I am always, always a proponent of yoga and meditation, however that shows up.

But, tell me, when does doing those things become detrimental? It becomes detrimental when you try to fit into this idea of perfect self-care, or doing it the “right” way, and stop actually listening to what your body, and your mind need or crave. It becomes dangerous when you obsess over eating the “healthy” thing and don’t experience that feeling of bliss that comes from eating a grilled cheese sandwich (in fact, I think I will have one today for lunch). It borders unhealthy when you pack your schedule so much so that finding time to go to yoga becomes stress inducing versus stress relieving.

Self-care, deep rest, it is not a show. Not a competition to win, or a race to run. It is not something to parade around, and it is not one more thing on your to-do list.

Savasana, in yoga and in life, is to be practiced. It is to be a continuous lesson in the balance between self-care and self-respect. Between what helps and what hurts. Quiet moments when possible, made into a routine to ensure sanity, peace and comfort. Today, my deep rest comes in the form of very real conversations with very loving people convincing me to take a physical rest without guilt.

I ended up taking a sick day today. A day full of recharging in the form of grilled cheese, Disney plus and as many kitty cuddles as I can bear (though I may have to force that last one since Binx has run up and down the stairs at break neck speeds three times in the last hour).