The Ladybug

Tag: Rest

  • The Rebellion of Rest 

    I struggle with finding balance.  Balance seems to me to be a dirty word that I do not want to think about.  In my life, it is typically all Go Go Go, or Stop and Collapse!  There is no in-between.  Part of this mindset is influenced by my bipolar disorder, where my energies are either manic or depressed.  But even when my mood is peaceful, I still struggle to balance my schedule.  Why is this a problem? Mainly because I hustle due to the messages around me in society.  However, I have chronic physical illnesses as well which prevent success.  I want to be always busy and productive, but my body will not sustain that amount of activity. 

    This morning, during my devotional time with God, I was led to read about the topic of rest.  At first, I felt frustrated by the subject.  Yes, God, I get it…I do not rest enough.  But then I thought about it more.  There are many different types of resting activities.  It does not have to feel boring and pointless.  One can rest by writing thoughts in a journal.  One can rest by taking a nature walk and listening to the sounds of birds and rustling leaves.  One can rest by reading a book and curling up with a warm cup of coffee or tea.  And talking to God by sitting quietly and repeating a gentle mantra in one’s head can be incredibly healing and restful.  There is plenty of room for creativity in thinking of restful activities.   

    I used to believe that I HAD to be productive every minute to earn the right to exist.  If I had no purpose, then I did not deserve to take up space in this world.  But now I think this mindset is harmful.  In western cultures we value busyness over quiet pursuits.  For example, if there is a wait at the doctor’s office, you are expected to pull out your smartphone and start scrolling, instead of closing your eyes and spending a few minutes meditating in the stillness.  I feel particularly judged because I do not have a paying job.  I often get asked the question “Well…what do you do with your time??”  It is assumed I am a menace to society, too lazy to deserve attention.   

    One of the major struggles I had recently was a long illness where I could not do much beyond lying on the couch.  I then recovered for a while, only to relapse again.  My responsibilities were hard to fulfill due to my fatigue, and I began to feel worthless.  Who am I if I cannot do things and accomplish lists of chores and volunteer commitments?  And what about college?  Do I register for more classes or just give up?  My mind began to spin.  This battle was too big to handle on my own.  I had to take it to God.  And the overwhelming answer was REST!  You do not need to feel guilty.  The word “No” is perfectly acceptable.  Accommodation can be made and it is not a problem.  But I still felt guilty.  I was not performing in a society that demands us to all be acting all the time. 

    So, this is my statement of rebellion.  I will no longer listen to the voices in the news and media.  I will instead listen to the guidance of my body and my spirit and my faith.  I am worthy no matter how little or much I do on any given day.  And if the only thing I do is move from the bed to the couch and back again, then that is okay!!  Biblically, I am completely backed up…even God rested during the creation of the earth.  Sunday is our day of rest for a reason.  I challenge you to think about your life and see if you need to grant yourself some time to rest.  Are you pushing too hard because you feel like you have too?  Let Go.  Take some time to be still, however that feels best for you.  Trust me, it will refresh your soul.  When you do go back to being busy, you will have an added spring in your step because you took a pause.  Your life will not fall apart because you stopped rushing for a moment.  Let it go.  Let it be. 

            I know that what I am writing is not popular opinion among busy Americans.  But resting is crucial to both mental and physical success.  The hustle can wait.  Life is truly about that dirty word balance.  Find the way that works best for you and stick with it, even if it feels awkward at first to slow down.  Throughout the Gospels in the Bible, we are told of Jesus going alone to the mountains to pray at differing points of His ministry.  He needed to re-boot with quiet time, and so do you!  So, take the step, and step back, not forward.  Breathe and be quiet.  I promise you will feel better.  This practice has helped me, and I assure you that it will help you.   

    In Rest and Peace, G. 

  • Welcome to The Ladybug 2026: My 3 Goals for the New Year! 

    Welcome to The Ladybug 2026!  If you are already a reader of my blog, thank you, and if you are new, here is a little bit of what to expect for the new year!  The themes for The Ladybug in 2025 were: Religion, Politics, and Lifestyle.  I wrote 33 posts during 2025, including an introduction.  In addition, I wrote, “Gaelle’s World,” so that my readers could learn a little about me and my motivations for the blog content.  So, let’s talk about what to expect this year as I write out my 3 personal goals.  These are not “resolutions,” they are goals.  The difference in my eyes is that the word resolution implies that something in life needs to be fixed, and for me, goals implies that I am simply adding some new exciting guides to my lifestyle.  The Ladybug, therefore, will still include themes of religion and politics, but I will not limit myself to those topics.  I would like to expand my lifestyle posts to discuss any content that I feel passionate about as the world continues to spin and change around us.   

    So, ready?  Here goes: 

    Goal 1) Increase time with God and connection to the Spirit of light and love.  I find that I can only survive life’s harsh realities and difficulties with the help of a Higher Power.  I cannot weather the journey alone.  Last year, I described myself as a “Progressive Christian,” but now I am not sure which label for my faith in God is best.  With the rise of the Christian Nationalist movement in the USA, I am uncomfortable to use the term Christian for fear that people will think that I have a right-wing political affiliation.  This could not be further from the truth, as I am a left-leaning liberal, and more and more I agree with the socialist Democrats such as AOC and Bernie Sanders.  The core of my faith is the belief that I must be the hands and feet of Jesus to those in need in a hurting world, and that includes the poor and those who are immigrants.  I believe that strength comes from God, not from myself, and so daily devotions that include guided meditations, Bible reading, and journal time are crucial.  If I want to spread love, I must first infuse myself with the love of Jesus.  Devotional time is like an oxygen mask to me, and after I put it on, I can then help others. 

    Goal 2) Learn how to rest in a healthy way.  As I have written previously on The Ladybug, I struggle with a multitude of chronic illnesses, the most difficult of which are hEDS (Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, Hypermobile subtype) and Bipolar Disorder, Type 2.  I like to go, go, go, but then my body collapses, and I am quite literally bedridden.  In addition, when I have too much stress, my anxiety soars, and then I must have medication adjustments for my psychiatric meds.  Trust me, neither of these circumstances is fun.  However, I see two different therapists, one for my physical-health problems, and one for my mental-health problems, and they both told me at the end of the year 2025 that I must focus on learning the art of rest. This news was not welcome to my ears, because I am someone who is extroverted and loves to be busy.  Whether it is helping my local church, doing college coursework, or participating in charity walks such as 5k’s, this girl likes to aim for the stars.  However, the universe is quite literally telling me to slow down.  So, I am going to attempt in the new year to build in “rest days,” and learn to take better care of myself. 

    Goal 3) Live a simpler lifestyle, including decreasing my material possessions.  At the current moment, I feel like I am drowning in “stuff.”  This must end.  I need to practice what I preach with regard to my faith.  I have never wanted to be rich, and I feel choked by how many material goods I own.  Jesus called His disciples in the Bible to a simple life following Him, and I would like to live the same way.  I need to clean, de-clutter, and donate what is clogging my world.  Quality family and friend time are much more important to me than having many goods to hold onto.  I plan to discuss further my successes and struggles with simplifying my life in posts on The Ladybug, so stay tuned!   

    Well, readers, there are some of my thoughts as I enter the new year, as well as some of the themes that you can expect me to write about in 2026 in the blog.  I encourage reader participation, so please leave comments and feedback either here on WordPress, or on my social media pages (Facebook: Gaelle McLoud or Instagram: @gaellemcloud and Substack: @gaellemcloud). If you tune into my Instagram account, which is public, you can see a little more of how I live my life day-to-day.  I hope that you will join me in the adventure of 2026!  

    PS: This is the year I turn 40 years old! My birthday is in October 2026, so join me as I celebrate the adventure all year long! 🙂 

  • Permission to Rest

    I am currently typing this while curled up in bed with a warm, electric blanket, and a hot mug of coffee.  There was a major snow storm last night, and the weather has now decided to spit ice and rain.  My car is completely snowed in, and I am not going anywhere.  Therefore, I have made an executive decision that today is a rest day.  My week has been long and filled with appointments and schoolwork.  I deserve rest.  However, do I really need to earn my rest?  Or does my mind and body simply deserve rest because they exist.  Is it okay to take a rest day because I am tired, or even two rest days?  Or even a rest week?  Let us look at this idea a little more closely.

                In America, the rules of society dictate that we all work and hustle, as much as possible.  In addition, if one has a disability or health condition that requires taking life a little less intensely, then you are looked down upon by other people.  Grind, grind, grind!  That is the motto for the USA.  Whether this attitude be at your job, in your relationship, or at the gym, you are expected to always be moving forward.  Life is a proverbial rat race.  But why?  What is so wrong about slowing down?

                Let me share a little about my personal experience.  When I meet a new person, they always ask me what I do for work.  My reply is that I do not work, currently, that I am in school part-time.  This answer usually always elicits a confused look from the other person, and then the inevitable question, “Well, what do you do with your time?  Aren’t you bored?”  I find this arrogant assumption that because I do not meet with society’s standard of full-time work or full-time school, that I somehow must have no life.  The assumption is that I must be lazy, and sitting around eating chocolates all day.  My life is full of responsibilities and I often feel overwhelmed by how busy my days are, and how little time I have for rest.  My life just looks different from the norm.  I balance family obligations with health appointments and school and exercise and activities that contribute to my values system, just like anybody else. 

                So, why am I shamed for not fitting the business rules of American society?  And, if I need rest days to help my body and mind rejuvenate so that I may keep going in my life, why is that wrong?  I feel that in the USA, we have our values all wrong.  With all the emphasis on grinding and hustling, exhaustion and burn-out are inevitably to be expected.  In fact, many people are dissatisfied in their lives because they do not take time to rest.  However, I understand that rest time can be seen as an unattainable luxury to some people.  Perhaps you are a busy Mom, or a person working three jobs to make ends meet, and rest time sounds impossible.  I understand, and I do not want to discount these persons and situations.  My point is, that instead of striving to never stop moving, we should be striving to carve out little pockets of rest in our daily lives.  For example, take a longer than usual coffee break, or go for a walk on your lunch hour, or dedicate one day a week to sleeping-in by a half hour extra.  There are possibilities for adding rest, if one is creative.  Rest time is crucial to mental and physical well-being, and it is a luxury that we should be striving to make a weekly practice.

                My challenge to you is to find your happy place.  Stop and think.  Just breathe for a moment.  What small activity, or lack of activity, makes your little heart soar?  For me, I enjoy eating canned soup while curled in bed watching a favorite Netflix show, and I like to take time to do this when I feel my body telling me she is tired.  There are hundreds of possibilities for what a rest day, hour, or moment may look like for you, but make sure to carve out the time to indulge.  Your body will thank you with improved overall health.  Your mind will thank you for letting it de-stress, even for twenty minutes.  Do not run the rat race and feel you are stuck.  Instead, embrace rest time, and view it as a form of self-respect, just as important as leg-day at the gym.  My message to all my Ladybug readers: Permission to rest-GRANTED!!!

                Be Relaxed, G.