The Courage to Rest
The urge to slow down, to go inward, to sleep and rest comes on strongly for me in December. This urge begins in the fall, as the air chills and the days grow shorter. But as we approach the Winter Solstice it intensifies. Nothing sounds quite as appealing as snuggling up with a cozy blanket, a mug of tea, and a good book in front of the fire in the evenings. Heading to bed early and sleeping late feel more like necessities than luxuries.
If this rings true for you as well, consider this your permission to slow down. In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need permission. We would feel wholly worthy and deserving of taking time to nurture ourselves. To slow down, to rest. In a perfect world, we wouldn’t equate rest with laziness
We are not living in a perfect world, but we can choose to take an intentional step in that direction today. These words you are reading now, are your permission to slow down. And if permission isn’t enough, think of it as a prescription. When I was working as a midwife I would often write “rest” prescriptions for my clients to take home and show their partners. This external pressure to take more rest made it easier for them to actually do it… sometimes.
In this, the darkest month of the year, our bodies physiologically require more rest and sleep. Yet we often get less as we rush around after work shopping for gifts, baking cookies, or heading out to social events. If you find yourself craving more hours of sleep over the next few weeks, can you let yourself take it?
Can you shift your habits to make more sleep a priority and a possibility? Perhaps watch a little less Netflix before bed. Set your apps to go dark at 8 so you can be in bed for 9 and ready for sleep. Say no to commitments that feel like too much. Can you allow yourself this extra sleep without letting thoughts of laziness creep in?
This is not an easy task. In a society that praises busyness and puts productivity on a pedestal above all else, it takes real courage to claim your right to rest. It takes courage to say NO to the hustle and grind demanded by our culture. To rest despite the messages of laziness, and unworthiness, and not-enoughness that we are bombarded with if we dare to opt out of constant productivity.
It is my passion to empower people (most especially women and female identifying folx, for whom this pressure is greatly magnified) to find their courage and take back their right to rest. In a time when society as a whole is in the midst of burnout, the right to rest is absolutely essential. If we cannot rest, replenish, and restore ourselves, we will collapse. If we all collapse at once, who will help us back to our feet?
If you are searching for the courage to rest, please reach out. I would love to chat about how I can support and empower you on this journey.
