The Sweetness of Rest
How are you? I mean, really? How are you? How are you feeling? How is your energy these days?
Late summer is upon us now. We will soon be shifting into the darker and cooler months in this hemisphere. This is often a time of turning more inward, and seeking more opportunities to rest. Spring and Summer are a time of Big Doing. Autumn and Winter are about restoration.
As we wind down toward Autumn, I want to start orienting you back toward rest. Most of us have all but forgotten about this precious and much-needed part of life. We live in such a fast-paced world, and one that encourages constant forward movement and action. Our culture literally rewards us for doing more and more. And yet…. Our human bodies need to rest. How well do you rest in your life?
I’m going to be 100% honest: In my days of extreme exhaustion, I was a TERRIBLE rester. And the truth was, I needed to just lay down and rest a whole lot more than I did. I was working too hard, and not listening to my body enough. I think too, even when I heard what my body was saying, I wasn’t acting on it. I was overriding my body’s requests.
I suspect this is true for so many women. In fact I’ve heard a lot of women say, ‘If I sit down, I’m never getting up.” Can you relate? We call this “tired and wired”. If this is you, then you are profoundly tired, and it’s time for serious change, serious intervention, and skilled help. And let me remind you- you are worth tending.
The truth is, feeling tired is a big invitation. This is the invitation your body is offering to set new boundaries with others, and perhaps most importantly with yourself. Feeling tired is a big request to tune in. Listen. And then actually do the thing your body is asking for, as often as you can. If you are in the midst of a very busy life, you may need to get creative about this.
Where can you create a boundary? What can you release from your busy lifestyle? I’m going to get a bit stern here. Very few things are as important as your sense of wholeness and wellbeing. If you are tired, you absolutely need to begin the daily practice of putting yourself first, even in tiny ways.
Do you remember that delicious feeling of letting go and napping when you were a child? It’s time to find ways to feel that from time to time. Here are ideas:
Sit with a cup of tea. And maybe a novel. Start with 5 minutes, and see if you can stay put for even a bit longer.
Wake up before everyone else and take some time for yourself. Journal. Connect with gratitude. Do some gently yoga or meditation.
Actually take a nap. 10-20 minutes is enough. Even if you don’t sleep, close your eyes for a bit, curl up under a blanket, and let your body soften. You will feel a difference.
Sit, close your eyes and just breathe. Gently, slowly. No force whatsoever.
Stop and listen to the world around you. Really connect with the sounds, whatever they are.
Schedule body work- massage, chiropractic, energy work, cranio-sacral. Whatever relaxes you is the right choice. And then let your body soften and melt into the table as you receive this.
If all of these feel impossible right now, just find a corner of your couch, wrap your body in a blanket, stop moving and just sit for a few minutes.
Taking time to rest is one of the foundational habits required for wellbeing. You know this, but perhaps have forgotten. We truly can not be well, or in balance, without it. Start today. What little (or big) thing you can you do to rest today?
Mwah,
Rebecca
