Taking a Break
We are a culture obsessed with the "bright." We crave high engagement, the perfect beat, the constant hum of productivity, being busy and the dopamine hit of the scroll.
One minute, you’re feeling alive and focused; the next—bam. You’re irritable, frustrated, and drowning in brain fog. The person you loved being—that bright, capable version of yourself—has vanished. Even the foods you love start to lose their flavor.
What happened? It’s the paradox of pleasure: too much of a good thing eventually depletes the very system designed to enjoy it.
The Horror Show of Overstimulation
When we talk about burnout or even addiction, we are often talking about a nervous system under siege. Whether it’s caffeine, social engagement, or the endless "doom scroll," these are all forms of arousal. On the flip side, depressants like alcohol force a state of calm, forgetting that it acts as a toxin to the system it’s trying to soothe.
When the body becomes habituated to constant stimulation, "normal" life starts to feel like a horror show. We stay in the cycle because the alternative—stopping—feels even worse.
The "Shock" of the Quiet
Shifting from a state of constant high-alert (the sympathetic nervous system) to a state of rest and digestion (the parasympathetic) isn't always a smooth transition.
Because we have spent so much time in "overdrive," the quiet feels:
Unfamiliar
Uncomfortable
Even threatening
This is why people flee from silence or solitude. But here is the secret: This unfamiliarity is the gateway to liberation.
Changing to a Story that serves
The story we tell ourselves changes the experience. If taking a break is seen as punishment, a forced act of discipling it makes it painful. It can be easy, we can learn for it to be enjoyable. When we intentionally practice separation—fasting, taking space, or going offline—we are allowing our neurochemistry to rebuild itself. There is a deep joy and pleasure in the parasympathetic place of clam.
Embracing the Space
Taking a break is a gift. Yes, learning how to do it in a way that serves is painful and awkward, but they are also beautiful. Learning to listen to that part of your body resorts you and has pleasure all its own. It has wisdom that grows, freedom to choose the life you want to live.