How do you unwind after a demanding day?
“Know the enemy and know yourself, and you will never be in peril.” This famous quote from Sun Tzu’s The Art of War highlights the importance of self-awareness as a prerequisite to winning in all that you do.
Successes are costly. Some people are happy to work 20 hours a day without needing to unwind, while others call an eight-hour workday demanding. How to unwind after a demanding day is therefore a personal matter, subject to individual needs. One may choose whining over meditating, fanatical shopping over window shopping, or a five-mile run over a quiet walk in the park—it all depends on what one needs.
During my career, every working day was a demanding day, so every night was an unwinding night. Since I did it every night, I didn’t let it become an additional demand on top of an already demanding day. I did what my body told me: a gym workout or an outdoor run, a long shower or a spa-like bath, or doing nothing but going straight to bed. The goal was a refreshed body for another demanding day.
Today, my usual routine is not as busy as it was during my career years. Every day I exercise and meditate—not to unwind my body, but to enrich my life. If I’ve had a long day out doing volunteer work, or after a long day of writing blog posts, I’ll wind down in my comfy chair, closing my eyes, listening to my breath, and taking a short nap. Knowing how much my body can handle and giving it what it needs is how I’ve lived through daily challenges, then and now.
While there is wisdom in Sun Tzu’s point—that knowing the enemy and knowing yourself will never put you in peril—I believe you have to know yourself first before you can know your enemy, for the greatest enemy is yourself. If you know your strengths and weaknesses, and those of your enemies, you may win without conflict.
My wisdom comes from God, so my way of unwinding lies in looking to God’s words. When I lay down and sleep, I awake knowing that the Lord Jesus Christ will sustain me.
“In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for He grants sleep to those He loves (Psalm 127:2). I pray that you lie down in peace and enjoy your sweet sleep. When your heart is set in peace, the sweet sleep that follows will become your best unwinding.
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Joshua 1:8-9: “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
✨✨💖 ~
en yan hua fang 