How did you feel after your break?

Most of you will have had a break the last two weeks. Maybe you managed to be off from Christmas till yesterday, maybe shorter. But there will at least have been a lull in your activities, so you could take a bit of a break.

How did you feel after your break, today or yesterday or whenever you started work again?

Were you energized, happy to go to work again? Was your head full with fresh ideas? Or were you tired, dragging your feet? Did the idea of going into your church office or wherever you work fill you with joy or with dread?

If you find yourself weary and unmotivated after your break, stop for a moment to ponder why.

What do you feel? How do you feel? What thoughts are going through your mind? What sensations do you experience in your body?

tired

Take your feelings seriously. However you feel is okay in the sense that it’s good to accept how you feel. You may not like it, but denial won’t get you anywhere. Acknowledging is the first step.

Here’s the second step: how come? Why are you feeling this way? Did you not get enough rest? Is there something in your work situation that is causing you stress? Have you lost your first love for your calling, your church, or maybe even for God?

The reasons and causes aren’t always clear, but it pays off to take the time to investigate. Analyze, seek help, talk it over with your spouse or a good friend.

First of all, the issues that may be little now, can get a lot more serious if you neglect to address them. Secondly, you’re not meant to feel this way. Sure, we’re all tired every now and then and it’s not always something that can be prevented. Big changes can be a cause for instance, think of a baby, a new relationship, or a new job. But those times will pass. If the feeling persists however, you’re shortchanging yourself by not taking them seriously.

So let’s repeat the question: how did you feel after your break? And if your answer is ‘not good’, how will you deal with this?