A Time to Rest – Taking a Break With Xtreme Alaska Spray Foam

Life can be so hectic, can’t it?

We are just starting this new year – and many of us already feel behind!

Why?

Because modern society often views any sort of stillness as failure.

And nobody wants to be a failure…

So we desperately try to avoid taking any breaks from our non-stop lives.

Often that looks like us running around like chickens with our heads cut off, never pausing to reflect, and never making the mental space that our mammalian brains need to function properly.

But, when we don’t take breaks, we are more likely to do our jobs poorly…and more likely to actually fail, instead of just fearing it.

When we push and push and push ourselves, without getting the rest we need, we run up against all sorts of barriers. And we do this so often that we can weaken our immune systems and be more susceptible to illness.

Can you relate? We certainly can.

There are times in all our lives when, if we had just taken a much-needed rest, we would have found the stamina we needed – or the courage, or the spark of imagination – to find a problem’s solution!

Ever had brainstorms in the shower or right before falling asleep/right after waking up?

That’s a prime example of the point: 

When we give ourselves the space we need to think – and the chance to breathe – we are able to function much better! 

Now, before you say this resting stuff is for “sissies” and “geezers,” let’s think about bears for a minute.

Yes, bears.

One of the most crucial survival mechanisms for bears is hibernation…which, as you know, is just fancy-talk for sleeping the winter away. 

That’s several months a year, all dedicated to storing up energy and waiting until the time is right to make the next move.

Do you think them weak for needing to hibernating? Does “giving in” to their survival instincts make bears lazy good-for-nothings that should get their act together, or else?

Of course not! 

Bears are one of the strongest, most rugged creatures on the planet! No one in their right mind considers bears weak. 

But without hibernation, bears would likely not survive the difficult winter months. There simply isn’t enough food to support them during that time. So, they bed down and wait for the spring to spend their energy.

By resting, bears choose to live to fight another day. And so, they survive.

Humans don’t need to hibernate to survive the winter… 

(Although, since we’re on the subject, spray foam is useful for helping us thrive in the winter months…)

But we still need rest.

And nothing about that need is weak.

Taking a break when you need to is not weakness. It is preparation.

Stillness is not failure. It is an act of survival.

We’d all do well to learn from the example bears set and recharge our batteries regularly, so we have energy available for the times we need it most.

And believe it or not, spray foam insulation might just help you find the space you need to rest in this moment, and live to fight another day. 

But before we get to how that’s possible, let’s take a break together.

Take A Break

It’s time to take a real break – one without any input from our devices or televisions. 

So, turn everything off for a few minutes…and maybe even for a whole weekend!

Does that sound scary? Well, that’s a perfectly normal response for this day and age…

But look around! We live in Alaska!  There’s endless possibility here for adventure, if we remember explore it!

Get outside!

Breathe the air! Watch the sun set…and then rise again! Hug a tree! 

Too much for right now? Okay, let’s start smaller.

Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, close your eyes, and breathe. 

In, and out.

And then, just feel what your body feels in this moment.

See what comes up.  

See the emotions, the memories, the minutia of things that are bound to arise…

And notice. Hold space for it all for just a moment.

Then, choose to let it all go…

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And when you open your eyes again, sit with your awareness of this moment.

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When it’s time to return to your to-do list, take your awareness with you.  

Moment by moment.

With that awareness, we can live life more fully, more steadily, more presently.

So that when it’s time to work, we pay attention to one task at a time, and do each job well…

And when it’s time to go home, we can be fully present there, too, and let ourselves relax.  

By being fully invested today, and accepting exactly where we are today, we prepare our minds and bodies for tomorrow.

Accept Where You Are to Get Where You Want to Be. 

Accepting where we are doesn’t mean we can’t work to bring about changes we wish to see!

No!

Being present simply means that, in this moment, you see your life for exactly what it is, and embrace exactly where you are, no matter where that is or what that looks like…

Because where you are is just as important as where you are going!

You won’t ever reach where you’re trying to get to without passing thorough where you are…

So, you might as well relish this moment! 

If the place you find yourself in (metaphorically or literally) isn’t where you want to be, recognizing where you are, and that there is room for improvement, is the first step toward change.

As you can see, goals are absolutely worth setting, and they are absolutely worth working toward!  

But if you miss the journey, the destination won’t feel as meaningful. 

If we are constantly striving for one goal and then the next, without ever taking stock of where we are, without ever pausing to look at how far we have come, we are bound to feel unfulfilled by all the striving, and burn ourselves out.

That’s no way to live. 

We need the mental space that rest creates to live fully.

And you know what? As radical as it may sound, spray foam might be able to help us create that space!

Spray Foam Keeps You Cozy and Secure

Spray foam is, first and foremost, insulation! It helps to keep you, your family, and your valuables safe and cozy, no matter the weather.

Even in Alaskan winters!

With spray foam in our homes, we can appreciate the beauty of Alaska’s seasonal snow and ice, rather than worry about how we will weather the storms.

As the snow sparkles outside, we can sip a hot cup of coffee and warm our toes by the fire – after the snowball fight with the kids, that is! What a perfect way to prepare for our ice fishing adventure later, eh?

With a safe, warm place to come back to, we can explore the beautiful wilderness that surrounds us more freely, and rest easier after we get home.

The safer we feel, the easier it is for us to ground into what our daily life brings – especially if there’s increased peace and quiet from the spray foam in our walls!

Spray Foam Helps Drown Out the Noise

If you’ve ever tried to “soundproof” a room, you’ll know that the process can be frustrating. The word “soundproof” implies that an area of your home is impervious to sound passing in or out of it…but that is often not a realistic expectation. 

There’s very little that is truly soundproof – but if you have enough sound dampening materials in/around a space, a noisy problem can be turned down drastically…

And spray foam insulation can help do just that!

So your daughter’s saxophone practice is, for the most part, contained to her room until it’s time for the living room recital!

And your son and his friends can play video games and roughhouse in the basement to their heart’s content (provided they don’t put holes in walls, of course) – all while you enjoy the peace and quiet of the kitchen, eating some of that moose sausage you worked so hard to make.

Spray foam is there for you when you need it. 

And not only will you sleep better because you’re cozy in your warm AND silent bedroom, you’ll also rest well knowing you’re saving money on your energy bills.  

(How’s that for cozy!?)

Spray Foam Saves You Money

Money isn’t everything – but it sure helps sometimes, doesn’t it?

It never hurts to save a few dollars when we can. And when any savings we can find add up, we all want to do something much more desirable than throw it into the winter wind!

No one wants to waste their hard-earned savings on energy bills, not to even mention the problems escaping heat causes for Alaskans – like ice dams. (Okay, we mentioned it…but you can consider your ice dams history with spray foam in your attic!)

That’s where spray foam insulation comes in!

Spray foam insulation is a safe, energy efficient, and reliable option for Alaskans dealing with energy loss in their homes. 

In fact, spray foam is so energy efficient that you can even qualify for a tax credit when you install it in your home!

When you have spray foam in your home, barn, or toy trailer, you don’t need to worry, no matter what the weather!  

This stuff is the real deal.  

If you have questions about how spray foam can save YOU money, call Xtreme Alaska Spray Foam today.

Conclusion

This moment is a vast landscape of opportunity – if we see it for what it is.

So, let’s take a break and notice what it’s like to be alive today!

Spray foam creates a safe haven for you, your family, your valuables, and every moment you spend in your home, so you can drop into the here and now, and reach your potential. 

When we are more aware, more present, in our day-to-day lives, we can better support ourselves, our families, and our communities.

Spray foam can help you take a break from the constant external noise, so you can remember what it means to be you, and help others do the same.

This life is an amazing gift! Let’s wake up to it together, and use the energy reserves we find by taking a break to explore this amazing world we live in!

Do you have questions about spray foam, or need someone to talk to about finding meaning in life? Call Xtreme Alaska Spray Foam today! We’d be honored to know you.