In a world where we can stay connected 24-7 to our jobs, we must intentionally stop to relax, reset and reconnect with our Creator, our friends and our purpose for our health’s sake and our own sanity.

This weekend I finally had the opportunity to relax, reset and reconnect with some of my girlfriends. Two of them were celebrating birthdays so we all met in Tulsa at River Spirit for a weekend of festivities, food, friendship and fellowship. Festivities included two concerts, the Beach Boys and Ann Wilson of Heart, plus three days of eating like queens at Ruth Chris on Friday, Los Cabos on Saturday and Cracker Barrel on Sunday. We even made sure to make time for personal devotionals, our online church service and had communion in our hotel room.

Now even though it sounds like this was a busy weekend, it was still surprisingly relaxing to just chill out with my friends as we dined, laughed, reset and reconnected again.

Though we all live fairly close to each other (Dallas, Eufaula, Muskogee and Siloam Springs) sometimes it’s hard to find time off from working or busy schedules to just get together for a movie, dinner or playing cards. So this was a treat to say the least.

I don’t know about you, but in my everyday life there never seems to be enough hours in the day to get everything done that needs to be done. So I find myself depleted of energy and overwhelmed by the to-do list that keeps growing. There are times I honestly feel like the little hamster running around in circles on her wheel trying to get somewhere in her own little world yet going nowhere.

Saying that I fall short in the self-care category goes without saying. It’s hard being a mom, daughter, wife and coworker who tries to care for everyone and everything. Too often I find myself emotionally and physically drained as I put my needs on the back burner so I can meet the needs of others. However, when I find myself drained and losing touch with my purpose I try to make a point to stop and reconnect again.

Often the problem is we stay so focused on work and family that we lose sight of the bigger picture. The whole picture is when everyone is at their best because they are experiencing enough rest to relax, enough downtime to reset their minds and enough opportunity to reconnect with the ones they love.

My pastor shared his sermon Sunday about “Navigating Not Enough.” He stated it always seems like we don’t have enough time, money, energy, discipline, flexibility, peace, wisdom, sleep, confidence or strength. But what we really need is enough compassion.

We often are chasing other things in our lives like money, prestige and power but what we need is compassion and understanding. We have to remember that God is enough so we have enough and we are enough. So take time out of your busy schedule to relax, reset and reconnect. I promise you won’t regret it.