The Joy of Taking a Fucking Break
Do you need a break?
Hello! :) I’m Nospheratt, and this is Joy Every Week;
a weekly quest to find joy in everyday things.
You’re receiving this either because you subscribed or someone forwarded it to you. Enjoy!
Taking a Break
Starting next week, I’m taking a summer break. I’ll be traveling and meeting people and having guests and doing all sorts of fun summer things.
And I was tying myself into knots trying to write enough posts to cover my absence.
It’s not that I don’t enjoy writing our weekly quests; I fucking love it. This is the best job I’ve ever had, and I’ve done some pretty cool stuff. The problem is, right now there’s too much to do; planning and organizing and preparing for the coming weeks… and of course, not enough time to do any of it.
Not to mention, trying to watch all the athletics and gymnastics and some artistic swimming in the Olympics.1
Not to mention, heatwave after heatwave with barely one slightly cooler day between them.
Trying to cram joyful writing in the middle of all that was definitely not giving me joy, let me tell you.
I always try to live by what I believe, what I say, what I write.
So I decided: I’m taking the damn break I need.
The spaciousness of this decision feels really joyful.
Instead of stressed like I’ve been the last few weeks, I’m excited — for the upcoming adventures, and about coming back in September full of energy and new quests to share with you.
Now I can be fully present with whatever I’m doing, instead of stressing about the thing I’m not doing.
Now I feel like I can enjoy both things, instead of neither.
What would that look like, feel like, for you?
This Week’s Quest - The Joy Of Taking a Fucking Break
Ideas & inspiration to find your joy.
1 - What do you need a break from?
It may not be possible to take a break from your job, but it’s certainly possible to take a break from self-imposed obligations. From worrying about things you cannot change.
From doomscrolling.
From social media.
From writing and publishing.
From alcohol, partying, going to bed too late. Or working all the time and having no fun at all. It can be anything, really.
Whatever it is, allow yourself to acknowledge what you need.
2 - What does your break look like?
“Taking a break” doesn’t necessarily mean going on vacation or hiding in a cave (tho if you want to and you can swing it, go for it!).
Especially if you can’t get away from your daily life, taking a break can look like giving yourself more time to do the same things. Or scheduling less things.
Or doing things that bring joy, feel restful and spacious.
A weekend hike. Meeting friends for drinks.
Reading a book instead of writing your next newsletter.
Listen to the whispers of your heart. Deep down, you know what you want.
What you need.
3 - Make a plan
How are you going to take that break?
When? Add it to your calendar. Shift things around if necessary.
Say no if necessary. “No, I can’t do that this month.” “No, I won’t be available that week.” It may feel scary at first, but you’ll see: the world won’t end, and people are not going to hate you. I promise.2
Ask for help if you need it! We tend to think we’re the only ones who can do X or that people would be unhappy about lending a hand, but that’s usually not the case.
What preparations are needed? Make a list!
Enjoy your break!
📚Reads
➡️ Weaving rest + play into the everyday
But what if a break is out of reach? How can you make time for your creative self each day? As I shared with one reader:
“The path to pacing myself is still a daily practice of changing habits and crafting rituals that support me…it's about playing and figuring out what nurtures [me] personally.”
The challenge lies in carving out these opportunities. So I’m sharing eight small things I can turn to when I need to fuel myself.
➡️ The Big Break
With many endeavors, there comes a time when we find ourselves asking:
Do we quit, pivot, or pause?
Sometimes, the best thing might be to walk away. Other times, we may need to change our approach. And sometimes, we simply need a rest in order to see things clearly.
If our foot is perpetually on the gas, it’s hard to take stock of where we are in this process — how we feel, how it’s going, what comes next.
No matter what we decide, it behooves us to remember: Just because a streak is broken doesn’t mean we are.
That’s It For Today!
I hope I’ve inspired you to rest, breathe, and take a fucking break. Or two. :)
See you in September! —Nospheratt
I wrote this a week ago.
People who get mad at you for taking breaks or for not being always available… what can I say. Are you sure you want that sort of person in your life?
Wonderful advice! Thank you!
Excellent advice and I agree with you entirely. My time is entirely my own. I have no need to work and I do not earn any money. I have been recently nagging Clint Collide about pacing himself and taking rest. I completely understand that for most people time/work is money. This is closely linked to capitalism and can be antithetical to humanitarianism and care of self and others. Balance is vitally important.