What a wonderful post, Heidi! I see so many around me rushing to accomplish this, that, and the proverbial other. That is not me, which is good - but unfortunately I feel guilty for not pushing harder, which is not good at all. Thank you for permission to go at my own pace. 😉
OMG, Heidi. So much THIS. I'm a Capricorn rising, so I feel that drive to do! Do! Do! I'm also a single mom, business owner x2, aspiring artist, Substack writer, homeowner ... the list goes on. I rarely feel like I get the chance to rest, and when I do I often squander it by either letting it slip through my fingers or engaging in faux rest that isn't really restorative but makes me feel like I can check "rest" off on my to-do list. Oh! The irony! I DO, however, take the occasional nap ... but usually only when I don't have any choice. I literally write "involuntary nap" on my Google calendar. OMG. I need help. Thank you for giving voice to these realities and ideas. And thank you for sharing all the excellent resources. I will be thinking about this and looking for ways to bring more rest (sloth!) into my life.💜
Thanks for sharing this Jamie. It's all making so much sense that you are a fellow mountain goat--we are such good mountain climbers! We can take both lessons from the divinely slothful cats who don't need to find a perfect alpine meadow before they can lounge, they have no problem just lying in patches of sun coming in through windows. More of this for us!
“Make rest a habit” should be taught in schools, be a part of family culture, and a cherished principle by women everywhere! I say this as a woman who has spent most of her life pushing too hard, and is now recognizing the deep benefits and joys of really slowing down.
This is a great piece, looking forward to sharing it!
I love this Heidi! And I love how you frame the topic with, "There are many ways to look under the hood of our challenges with rest." I have really struggled with the idea of not resting through my adult life. So much of my life sits on a scaffolding of complex trauma - basically a lifetime of it. It has been a long and winding journey to replace that scaffolding with a healthier foundation of self-care. Mindfulness, for me, allows me to check in more regularly with "self" to see what I need and to explore why I have done the things I've done. I'm an overachiever and realize this comes from high doses of the "good girl" complex. I too am drawn to variety of cultures that give me an additional lens to view my health and healing journey. Your piece is a wealth of information, concepts and ideas we can each bring home to try out and see what feels good and what fits. xx
Thank you Rhaine. I appreciate your perspective and sharing what prompted you to reflect; your self-knowledge is valuable and relatable. I like the approach of "replacing scaffolding"! :)
What a wonderful post, Heidi! I see so many around me rushing to accomplish this, that, and the proverbial other. That is not me, which is good - but unfortunately I feel guilty for not pushing harder, which is not good at all. Thank you for permission to go at my own pace. 😉
Thank you Cathy, I think this is your wise example that I can learn from too!
I do not recommend the guilt part.
OMG, Heidi. So much THIS. I'm a Capricorn rising, so I feel that drive to do! Do! Do! I'm also a single mom, business owner x2, aspiring artist, Substack writer, homeowner ... the list goes on. I rarely feel like I get the chance to rest, and when I do I often squander it by either letting it slip through my fingers or engaging in faux rest that isn't really restorative but makes me feel like I can check "rest" off on my to-do list. Oh! The irony! I DO, however, take the occasional nap ... but usually only when I don't have any choice. I literally write "involuntary nap" on my Google calendar. OMG. I need help. Thank you for giving voice to these realities and ideas. And thank you for sharing all the excellent resources. I will be thinking about this and looking for ways to bring more rest (sloth!) into my life.💜
Thanks for sharing this Jamie. It's all making so much sense that you are a fellow mountain goat--we are such good mountain climbers! We can take both lessons from the divinely slothful cats who don't need to find a perfect alpine meadow before they can lounge, they have no problem just lying in patches of sun coming in through windows. More of this for us!
“Make rest a habit” should be taught in schools, be a part of family culture, and a cherished principle by women everywhere! I say this as a woman who has spent most of her life pushing too hard, and is now recognizing the deep benefits and joys of really slowing down.
This is a great piece, looking forward to sharing it!
So true Rebecca, I'm not the first person to say it and need my own medicine, that's for sure! Thank you.
I love this Heidi! And I love how you frame the topic with, "There are many ways to look under the hood of our challenges with rest." I have really struggled with the idea of not resting through my adult life. So much of my life sits on a scaffolding of complex trauma - basically a lifetime of it. It has been a long and winding journey to replace that scaffolding with a healthier foundation of self-care. Mindfulness, for me, allows me to check in more regularly with "self" to see what I need and to explore why I have done the things I've done. I'm an overachiever and realize this comes from high doses of the "good girl" complex. I too am drawn to variety of cultures that give me an additional lens to view my health and healing journey. Your piece is a wealth of information, concepts and ideas we can each bring home to try out and see what feels good and what fits. xx
Thank you Rhaine. I appreciate your perspective and sharing what prompted you to reflect; your self-knowledge is valuable and relatable. I like the approach of "replacing scaffolding"! :)