We all understand the power of sleep. But, over the years, we’ve truly realized how being in harmony with yourself, your opinions, and your decisions—it truly all starts with a lil’ REM sesh. With that, we implemented a little panel in our minds called the “Sleep Committee.” And today, we’re going to tell ya all about it!
The Dream That Started it All
On one of our most recent podcasts, Kris shared a story from a defining moment in his career and how it could have gone differently without shut-eye.
He was in a pretty crappy job, and the CEO was really tanking the company. So, he had decided that the next day in a board meeting, he was going to save the company by speaking up. He was a 24-year-old who was going to change the world by calling him out. I literally watched him practice his take-down speech in the mirror the night before with a checklist to make sure he made all his points. He was a man on a mission.
But… the night before the big board meeting, Kris had a dream. He walked into an auditorium with a ton of people setting up microphones for the big meeting. And, in true Kris fashion, he made a big ol’ entrance with a “What’s up party people!?” loud as can be.
At that moment, met by devastating glares from everyone setting up mics, one person said, “You just ruined the sound we’ve been trying to perfect. How could you do this?”
And he startled awake…
Now, while this may sound like a silly little dream, Kris knew it was more than that. He knew that it was God downloading something to him. A message he couldn’t ignore.
So, the next day, he went to work and kept his mouth shut.
And in that meeting, the CEO unloaded everything to everyone. Came clean, took accountability, and things turned around from that moment on.
Why We’re Talking About the Dream
Now, you’re probably asking, “What the heck does this dream have to do with anything?”
If Kris hadn’t slept on it and had the dream, his subconscious mind firing to give him the bit of enlightenment that he needed, the whole company could have gone in an entirely different direction with a disruption like he was going to spark.
It was after that day, in our household, that we introduced the idea of “The Sleep Committee.” Any time we had big decisions to make, big conversations to have, and big thoughts to synthesize, we wouldn’t take any action until “taking it to the sleep committee,” aka having a good night’s sleep to regain a little clarity and peace of mind.
Sleep is not always going to provide a serendipitous dream stopping a dramatic occasion from occurring. But it is going to help you be more in harmony with your inner self because it allows that time for connections to be made.
How Being in Harmony with Yourself & Your Partner is Disrupted with Exhaustion
So, how does sleeping and giving in to the sleep community help you when you’re trying to be in harmony with yourself? Well, even if you get one hour less of sleep than you need, it impacts your brain tremendously.
One of the first things that happen is poor decision-making ability. You put more emphasis on the reward and less on the risks. You get irritated and irrational.
And not only do these things affect your personal harmony, but they also affect the harmony of your relationship as well.
When you’re raising kids, living together for the first time, or going through a rough patch—it can be so easy to say or do things you don’t mean when you’re tired. I can’t tell you the number of risky ultimatums I gave Kris in our early days of marriage when I was just simply exhausted.
So… our challenge for you this week:
When you’re tired, over it, and starting to get in your head about your thoughts and decisions… take a deep breath and say, “I’m putting it to the sleep committee.” Similarly, if you are at work and can tell someone is having a tough day or if your spouse seems extra irritated, share the “sleep committee” concept and give them a little grace.
We know that this will impact your relationship with yourself and your relationship with others positively when put into practice.
Give Yourself Some Grace… and Go to Bed
All that said, if one of your goals for the year is to stop letting your emotions rule your relationships, the solution is simple. Take it to the sleep committee, friends!
And listen to the full episode for more examples and stories of how the sleep committee can work for you. We think it’ll be the inspiration you need to start a routine that really maximizes those ZZZs, so you can enjoy a more aligned future.
Catch the full episode here! And don’t forget to subscribe to the Making Together Better Podcast for more tips and tricks to become a better human, with and without your partner.
