To Reset or to Restart, That is the Question. Or is it?

I've been preaching the message of resetting for the past five years. Here's why.

It started when I was getting to know myself the most. I was seeking my purpose and becoming more aware that writing was included. I don't quite remember the moment when I decided to become a Certified Wellness Coach, Certified Barre Instructor, and Certified Mind-Body Fitness Coach, but I'm happy I did. While reading, studying, and researching, I started to understand how connected everything was in my life and identified areas needing more love. My coursework spoke to the holistic nature of life and how we must ensure we are well in each area or dimension. I learned how to honor my body, mind, relationships, and feelings. It was a life-changing season that led me here.

I also discovered just how tired I was from all of the work we had been doing in the youth sports community. It was youth football six days a week, for sure. But it didn't stop there. After days of practices and a long day at the field on Saturdays, we went home to watch college football and then woke up on Sundays to watch the Saints play. We lived football. Now, anyone who knows me knows I LOVE football, so I'm not necessarily complaining. I'm that jump-up-in-the-stands type of fan. I'm serious about it. However, I was burnt out after 13 years of back-to-back seasons, a sports performance business, starting a youth football organization, and volunteering in leadership positions for other organizations. Crispy. Stick a fork in me, and it may not come out. I was done.

Reset with K. was born out of my desire to reset. It has always been an invitation to join me so we can reset together. It's a reminder to pause, breathe, and then resume. Because life gets crazy sometimes, we must be reminded to pause and return to where we need to be. We want to get back to our flow.

Coincidentally, I've been included in conversations where "restart" was introduced, which sparked conversations about the differences between both processes. Even though the definitions were being discussed from an IT or tech perspective, my invitation to reset has nothing to do with those meanings at all. Besides, as of three weeks ago, I worked for a giant tech company and had been for seven years. Restarting and resetting a computer is different from restarting or resetting in wellness. Or is it?

What do I mean by "flow"?

I want to share what I mean by your "flow." Think of your flow as your 'zone.' According to Wikipedia, it's the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity (source: Wikipedia). You tend to lose the sense of time and space, and you're getting things done. It's also where you're the most creative.

An IT Reset vs. Restart

I respect the explanations below from minitool.com, which will give you a greater insight into what both reset and restart mean in IT. Take a look at them below.

Restarting/rebooting

"Computer reboot is the process of restarting a running computer system, either intentionally or unintentionally. Rebooting a computer can help repair Windows 10 problems like slow application response, apps like word not responding, software crash, internet connectivity problems, and more. By conduct, a reboot in Windows may make them work properly again."

Resetting

"Restart/reboot vs reset, reset is different from reboot/restart. Reboot/restart doesn’t change things on your computer, while reset will change things in your computer.

Resetting means erasing and restoring. To reset a computer is to revert it back to the status when it was first purchased. Therefore, reset is often called a factory reset. It will wipe the computer apps and settings and reinstall the system to the factory status with the apps that came with your PC."

Perfectly explained! However, I won't spend too much time elaborating on the differences as much as I will highlight the similarities. Since their meanings are often discussed from an IT perspective, I wanted to share the explanations before moving to my creative wellness point of view.

But first, let's lean into good old, reliable Merriam-Webster for the overall definition of each word.

Reset - to set again or anew.

Restart - to set again or anew; to resume (something, such as an activity) after interruption.

I'm sure you're wondering why I detailed the meaning of each word from different perspectives. It's because, in my Creative Wellness practice, I am heavy on "to set again or anew." As you notice, both words share the same definition. Regardless of whether you call it a reset or restart, a disruption in your flow requires action. Both processes cause you to pause all DOing in some way. If you google restart and reset in wellness, they are used synonymously. Why? Because they both require you to do something about the issue that is causing you to be unproductive or slowing your progress. They both require you to shut down for a while to get back into your flow.

Why did I choose to invite you to "reset" with me and not "restart"?

When you are in your flow, you're at your best. You're creating, productive, and feeling great about your BEing and DOing. Your flow is interrupted by life, and it either blocks or stagnates your creativity. When you hit the reset button, you decide to prioritize your well-BEing to see greatness manifested in what you DO. The reset will change things in and around you because you go through the processes of erasing and restoring. You are reverting to your flow minus the things that were limiting it in the first place. Makes sense?

Whichever word resonates with you, please use it to describe the season of your experience! I didn't choose to use "restart" because it didn't resonate with me. "Reset" was and is the one that does. Regardless of which word resonates with you, prioritize pausing to obtain or maintain peace, purpose, and balance in all dimensions of wellness. You will reap the benefits of BEing well creatively and in every area of your life.

Be well!