Is it possible for busy Americans to incorporate rest into their daily lives?

What would our lives be like if we did this one thing like the Italians?

Dear Friend:

The last time I wrote to you, I was contemplating getting away for a few weeks after tax season in order to unwind, recover, and get back into the book I’ve been trying to finish for the past couple of years.

Well, I did it. I escaped.

I landed in Florence, Italy about two hours ago, and I’m sitting in a cafe I discovered the last time I was here.

This trip almost didn’t happen for so many reasons. I almost canceled my flight and AirBNB a week and a half ago, but then suddenly, the stars aligned, and I decided to just go for it.

It wasn’t an easy decision to make. There are pros and cons to getting away for the purpose of writing a book.

There are some obvious pros. For me, traveling always gets the creative juices flowing. I got away from the distractions of everyday life. And, well, I’m finding that Italy is always a good idea.

The cons are also pretty obvious. I left the distractions of everyday life for the distractions of a vibrant city that calls to me in so many ways. (Remember, I came to write a book.) And, of course, the one big glaring con: Cost.

But there were also some pros that might not come to mind at first.

For starters, I’m coming off a long, stressful tax season. I’m suffering a bit of burnout. (Actually, a lot of burnout.) And Italy is one of my happy places—a place that encourages rest. The Italians have a word for the daily ritual of taking a break: riposo.

Shops and businesses in Italy close down for a couple of hours around midday for lunch and rest every single day. In fact, when Mike and I stopped in Vicenza for lunch one day last summer, we were greeted with a quiet, inactive town after we ate simply because all of the shops and businesses had closed for their afternoon riposo.

So, while I hardly ever took more than 15 to 30 minutes for lunch during this past tax season, I’m hoping to embrace the Italian riposo for the next few weeks. (And beyond, if we’re being honest.)

It would be lovely to incorporate the act of a midday rest in my everyday life on a regular basis, but Americans struggle with the idea of rest like this. American’s typically like to go, go, go until they drop.

Unfortunately, that’s where I am at this very moment. I dropped at the end of tax season. I dropped so hard that I almost didn’t come on this trip. It’s a terrible cycle.

But I’m here. Let’s see where this adventure takes me. Hopefully, it will inspire a creative mindset while also encouraging daily rest.

Until next time,

Heather

P.S. Make sure you’re subscribed. I’ll probably be writing this newsletter more frequently over the next few weeks as I get back into finishing the fourth book of the Paynes Creek series.

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