For the past year or so I haven’t been very active on my blog nor have I been creating as much art as I used to do. I was putting in work in other ways, ways that aren’t as easy to recognize.

I was finally giving myself the rest and relaxation that I needed. As a result, I gained over 20 pounds of much-needed, healthy weight, and it was as if nearly all of the mental stress I had as a result of the pressure I had put on myself was gone.

In the years before I had somehow convinced myself that if I wasn’t hustling every minute of the day that I was basically being a worthless human being who would never amount to anything.

I put crushing pressure on myself which did help me accomplish a good amount, but it was an unhealthy way to live and my body reflected that.

I had stayed on the work side of rhythm for too long. I needed to sway in the opposite direction towards rest, and because I had avoided rest for so long I needed even more of it once I actually got it.

I was conditioned to think that if I couldn’t see the progress happening in front of my eyes, then it wasn’t happening. I wasn’t familiar with rest, the silent worker who restores, recovers and rebuilds.

I burned myself out, and it’s okay. I learned a valuable lesson about how to listen to my body and to rhythm, and I’ve never felt better. Don’t be prideful like I was and think you’re somehow not a human being like the rest of us and burn yourself into the ground.

Be unbiased. It’s not always about what you want, it’s more about what’s necessary for the situation and by listening to rhythm you can stay in tune and keep up with the beat instead of letting it run you down.

It’s okay to take a break. It’s okay to rest. It’s also okay to work hard. Everything in moderation. Be the moderator and listen to rhythm and you will see results.

The painting featured on this post is an unfinished piece of mine that I started yesterday. I hadn’t painted or done anything artistic in quite some time, but inspiration hit me yesterday and I listened to it and I know this piece will be one of my best yet.

Would that have happened if I forced myself to paint even when I didn’t feel like it? Would that have happened if I hadn’t let my creativity rest for a while? Probably not. I rested when it felt right, and I put in work when it felt right and the result was incredible. Listen to the rhythm.