The Important Lesson I Learned From a Tank Top

Whether we see or hear them or not, signs are everywhere. One particular sign, or rather, tank top, hit me right smack in the thinker this week. I was leaving Sprouts after picking up a few dinner staples and I passed a woman entering the store. We didn’t exchange words, bump into each other, or even share a moment of eye contact. The sign was in the message on her chest. She was wearing a tank top that said

“If You’re Tired, Learn to Rest, Not Quit.”

Bam! I sat in my car before I started the engine and thought about the message. Rest? Is that failure? Is taking a break a sign of weakness? Is it ok to break your own promises to be consistent and present?

It’s so easy for me to give out advice like it’s candy. Call the guy you went out with! Apply for the job you don’t think you’ll get! Skip the gym to get some sleep you desperately need! But when it comes to taking me own advice, I’m complete rubbish.

This thing. This little blog of mine is truly a passion I hold dear to my heart. But it’s hard. It’s really hard, in fact.

Growing a business is no simple task. Staying true to my mission to take on wellness topics in an authentic way isn’t always as simple as writing down ideas.

Specifically, it has become harder and harder for me to engage in social media regularly without feeling like I’m losing my own privacy. I have found myself comparing myself to others far too often as of late. Sure, I could step away from Facebook and Instagram and continue to crank out content, and maybe that will someday soon be my new mission, but for right now, I’m leaning into the scary feelings of failure and choosing to take a break.

For once, I am taking my own advice and giving myself a little grace.

When I started this project almost nine months ago, I promised to produce a blog post a week that would address health and wellness topics head on. I promised to be authentic and honest. At the end of the day, taking a break from all things Frugally Rooted is the most authentic and honest step I can take.

So, thank you, brunette tall woman entering Sprouts last week for giving me permission to rest. This is not goodbye. Not a chance. I may be away for a week or it could be a month. Pausing is sometimes just as scary or even scarier than starting. I adore all of you for being here and for showing up and participating in these conversations with me each week. I sincerely hope you’ll stick around, trust that this is all a part of the process, and welcome me back into your inbox when I’m ready to give you my all again.

One other note, if you see a sign, or your gut tells you something is right, just do it. If you need a break, whether that be in your job, your exercise routine, your relationships, or your normal routine, take it. Give yourself a little space and a little grace like me.