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It\u2019s Monday morning. With matcha in-tow, you\u2019ve settled into the office and are exchanging pleasantries with your co-workers, filling in gaps from the days off, and reliving weekend adventures. Someone chimes in; they spent two days doing absolutely nothing. Nothing?<\/em> The thought of a wasted 48 hours creeps into your mind. Shockingly, their declaration was stated without remorse or embarrassment. They were, instead, both\u00a0delighted and contented<\/em>. Gasp!<\/p>\n Our environment breeds the notion that productivity is paramount. Electronics invite us to be more efficient, do more, accomplish more. This mad dash toward progress in a digital world<\/a> that never snoozes, however, makes it necessary to embrace downtime, to find more room for it in our abundant lives, and to\u00a0<\/em>encourage others to do the same. But first, we have to undergo a major mindset-shift. We need to abolish the idea that taking time for you is selfish or lacks productivity.<\/p>\n Because it’s ultimately anything but. According to renowned Wanderlust teacher, co-founder of Rock Your Bliss<\/a>, and\u00a0foster mom to a sweet baby boy, nicknamed \u201cBaby A\u201d Mary Beth LaRue, if you\u00a0don’t<\/em> take time for\u00a0restoration, you’re not only hindering our physical and mental wellbeing, but also starving the community of your best self.<\/p>\n Mary Beth is no stranger to moving parts. Her roles involve frequent travel to lead classes, workshops and retreats. They also require her to show up whole, as her best self. \u201cI require alone time,\u201d states Mary Beth, \u201cif I don’t take time to restore I feel zapped.\u201d Though she doesn\u2019t get a great deal of time to herself, she indulges in these moments wholeheartedly.<\/p>\n \u201cI don’t require heaps of alone time like I did a few years ago but just being fully present for the time I do<\/em> have helps me to shift,\u201d says Mary Beth. She takes advantage of these minutes by reading at home (a prolific book worm, Mary Beth reads at least one book a week), writing in the cozy confines of a coffee shop, and\u2014the most impressive habit given her new role of motherhood<\/a>\u2014with daily meditation. \u201cI also meditate every single day, even when I have a small child hanging on me. It’s essential for my peace of mind.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked about her career, commitments and family, Mary Beth describes her life as \u201cfull.” Not busy, not hectic:\u00a0full<\/em>. That word alone reminds us we hold the reins to our life through mindset, perspective and personal choices. Though with so many projects underway, it\u2019s easy to overcommit. Mary Beth\u2019s restoration has occasionally fallen by the wayside. When it has, repercussions become lessons learned.<\/p>\n \u201cA couple years ago I really overbooked myself. I had three retreats back to back: one in Ojai, one in Ohio, and one in Northern Canada. The night before I was supposed to leave for Canada my bowel twisted in two. No joke. It’s something that happens to 80 year olds!\u201d An exhausted Mary Beth landed in the emergency room, followed by three days in the hospital a morphine drip. The message was received loud and clear. \u201cSlowing down is essential for my mental and physical well being,” she says. “And slow and easeful is what feels good to me. Even if I miss out on an opportunity or two.\u201d<\/p>\nTime Alone is Time Well Spent<\/h3>\n