We have been conditioned to view rest as what is permitted to happen after extreme effort, or maybe as a suggestion of how to look after ourselves when we present as exhausted – when we have pushed ourselves physically or mentally to the limit. Rest is not laziness. Rest is not negligence. Rest is a right, not a reward. It enables us to pause, reflect and be still. In the restful moments, we find restoration – a feeling of returning to ourselves. Rest should be a priority on the ‘to-do’ list, not the thing to collapse into once the jobs' list is complete.
So don’t only make time to rest when you are at breaking point; rest because the process of doing so allows a greater sense of focus, purpose and is a gift of kindness to yourself.
'My arms grew tired
From constantly reaching
So I wrapped them around myself
And allowed them
To rest.'
