How to Give Yourself a Break And Why You Probably Need One

·13 min·1 clip

Krista admits she's been pushing through to near exhaustion, hearing a voice that says 'you can sleep when you're dead.'

The episode opens with promotional announcements for the Mom Goes On Spring Pass and the Grief Essentials program. Host Krista St. Germain, a Master Certified Life Coach and widow, introduces the topic of giving yourself a break. She begins by sharing her recent personal struggle with pushing through to near exhaustion, ignoring her body's signals to slow down. Krista explains that for her, necessary rest involves better sleep hygiene, like limiting late-night social media and having an evening routine. She acknowledges that for many widows, rest is difficult due to juggling kids, work, life, and grief, often accompanied by guilt-inducing thoughts. Krista explores the cultural conditioning, particularly in the U.S., that glorifies productivity and treats busyness as a badge of honor. She contrasts this with cultures that honor siestas, expressing envy for that approach. The episode identifies emotional, physical, and mental signs that indicate a need for a break, such as increased irritation, waking up tired, and brain fog. Krista then shifts to practical strategies, encouraging listeners to ask what they would tell a best friend in their situation. She redefines a break not as a major vacation but as small, accessible actions like five minutes of stillness or listening to birds. Krista addresses the guilt that often prevents taking breaks, arguing that rest is productive and that a burned-out self is not helpful. She asserts that the purpose of being human is not productivity, but a learned story. The episode concludes with a challenge to take a five-minute break, reminding listeners that thoughts of laziness are just thoughts, and promoting her Mom Goes On coaching program.

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