Take the Time—Because You Deserve It

“Take the Time—Because You Deserve It”

When was the last time you took a moment just for yourself? And I don’t mean squeezing in a five-minute scroll through your phone in the bathroom while pretending to fold laundry. I mean really took time—quiet, intentional, no-agenda time—to simply exist without demands from anyone else.

If you’re anything like me (and most humans), that answer might be: “I can’t even remember.”

We live in a world that practically worships productivity. There’s this strange badge of honor in being constantly busy—working, replying, cleaning, fixing, achieving. Rest? That’s for later. For weekends. For vacation. For when the to-do list is done. (Which, spoiler alert, it never is.)

But here’s the hard truth: if you’re waiting for the world to give you permission to take a break, you’ll be waiting forever.

Taking time for yourself is not selfish. It’s necessary. It’s how you refuel. It’s how you stay grounded when life gets loud. It’s how you reconnect with the person behind the schedule, the emails, the family roles, and the expectations.

For me, that time might be sitting on the porch with a cold drink and a warm corgi. Or journaling for twenty minutes with no filter, no purpose, just letting the thoughts fall where they may. Sometimes it’s driving with the windows down and the music up. Sometimes it’s prayer. Or a nap. Or absolutely nothing.

And you know what? That time always does more than I expect. It reminds me that I’m more than my output. It settles my soul. It lets the dust in my mind and heart finally begin to settle.

But taking time for yourself doesn’t always look peaceful and picture-perfect. Sometimes it looks like saying no to an invitation when your body is screaming for rest. Sometimes it looks like canceling plans without guilt. Sometimes it looks like locking the bathroom door and just breathing for five full minutes without interruption.

It’s in those small pauses that we remember we’re human. Not machines. Not email-sending robots. Not appointment-keeping assistants to the world.

And for those of you who feel guilty about stepping back—let me remind you of something: burned-out people can’t pour into others. A tired heart has a short fuse. A drained soul can’t feel joy, even when it’s standing right in front of them.

I used to think rest was something you earned after a hard season. Now I believe rest is something that gets you through the hard season.

So if you're running on empty, this is your permission slip—no signature needed.

Take the walk. Read the book. Watch that movie you’ve seen twenty times just because it brings you comfort. Take the nap. Sit in silence. Pray. Cry. Laugh. Do nothing and let that be enough.

The world won’t stop spinning because you paused. But you might just find that when you return to the noise, you're more centered, more aware, more whole.

Take the time. You are worth it. Every minute.

With grace and quiet strength,
Dr. Nick