'Tis The Season For Rest
Radical. Revolutionary. Rest.
“Doing those deeply unfashionable things—slowing down, letting your spare time expand, getting enough sleep, resting—is a radical act now, but it's essential.”
Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times - Katherine May
December has arrived, ushering in all the hustle and bustle of the busy holiday season. The time of year that’s typically filled with shopping, celebrations, travel and visitors.
No matter what midwinter holiday you observe - Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Christmas, Yule - the next few weeks are bound to be full of excitement.
Maybe, a little too much excitement?
Between family gatherings, holiday parties and everything else that goes on in December, the month often passes in an exhausting blur.
This year, I’m inviting you to ask yourself some simple questions…..
What if you decided to do something radical and create a new holiday tradition?
What if you gave yourself the gift of rest?
If that feels like an answered prayer, you are in luck. Rest is the theme for December and we are spending the entire month learning how to prioritize it.
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Why Rest?
There’s a reason rest feels so radical: we don’t get nearly enough of it.
Most of us spend the majority of our days racing from one thing to the next. Our children need to be fed, raised right and dropped off at school. We have spouses and jobs and laundry. There are sporting events to sit through, friendships to maintain and the million mundane tasks of everyday life to attend to.
We cannot relax because we are being pulled in so many different directions. There is no time for rest. We have 30 hours of life to live in every 24 hour window.
Rise (too early), Run (as fast as you can), Rest (if you’re lucky), Repeat (with no end in sight).
It’s a hamster wheel of overwhelm and expectations. We never manage to do it all, so we end up feeling like we’re failing at life.
In reality, we are failing at life because we are overworked and overcomitted. We’re running on fumes. We are the walking, talking manifestation of an empty cup. We’re pouring but nothing’s coming out anymore.
Sound familiar?
What I’ve just described is the chronic state of stress most of us are living in. It’s called “Survival Mode” and it’s not only unsustainable, it’s wildly unhealthy.
The good news is, we all have the power to stop the madness in our own lives. I know it feels like the world will collapse if we aren’t personally holding it together, but trust me it won’t.
It’s time for rest, the healing balm our weary souls have been waiting for.
Ask any physician and they will tell you rest is essential for physical health. Ask any athlete and they will tell you rest is essential for physical training. Ask yesterday’s philosophers and they will tell you rest is essential for the mind. Ask corporate leaders and they will tell you that rest is essential for productivity. Ask most religious leaders and they will tell you rest is essential for the soul.
The Lost Practice of Resting One Day Each Week - Becoming Minimalist
Rest comes in many forms. A quiet walk in nature is said to restore the mind. We all know the power of a nap. Sometimes, an afternoon movie is the perfect break.
I’m sure you can think of a variety of ways, you would love to rest, on any given day. The questions is, why don’t you?
Giving Myself Permission
I haven’t always allowed myself the luxury of rest.
Before I stopped drinking alcohol four years ago, my leisure time was almost always induced by hangovers. Miserable days, spent lazing around and regretting my decisions.
When I quit drinking, I did not miss those hangovers, but I did miss the excuse to retreat from the world for a day.
That’s when I started looking forward to getting sick. Not really, of course, but I would romanticize waking up with a sore throat or a fever.
I knew my mom, who is retired and lives nearby, would show up with soup and popsicles. She would give my son rides to school, giving me the freedom to lay on the couch and watch Netflix all day.
It sucks to be sick, but it does not suck to rest fully, without obligations or interruptions.
It took a long time, but I have finally learned that I don’t need permission to rest. I don’t have to wait until I’m sick, hungover, or otherwise debilitated.
I deserve the healing power of rest in my life. I take time for rest, whenever I need it, and i’m better, in every way, when I emerge to re-engage with the world.
Do Nothing Days
I invite rest into my life in lots of different ways now. Practicing Yoga Nidra, watching an episode of Survivor, and long, lazy mornings are a few of my favorite ways to relax.
A quick recharge here and there is nice, but when I want to radically renew my body, mind and spirit, nothing beats an entire, restorative day.
That’s why, when I’m feeling especially burnt out, I treat myself to a “do-nothing-day”.
A do-nothing-day is a day when I clear my schedule to spend time doing things I enjoy. I don't plan anything. I prefer to follow my whims.
I usually stay in, so I make sure to have plenty of my favorite snacks on hand. I like to binge watch shows and play board games with my family. I love tucking in to a mystery novel and cooking complicated, time consuming recipes.
I spend a little time scrolling TikTok, an activity that usually makes me feel guilty, but feels mindlessly appropriate on a do-nothing-day.
Sometimes I go out - to the movies, or to get takeout from my favorite Thai restaurant and supplies for a hobby.
The point of a do-nothing-day is not actually to do nothing. It’s about only doing things that I want to do and nothing that I have to, or should do.
Do-nothing-days are a fulfilling extravagance that leave me feeling pampered and refreshed. It doesn’t matter what I do, as long as it’s exactly what my heart desires in that moment.
I recently decided to spend a do-nothing-day with my niece. We went shopping, listened to her favorite song ten times in a row, snuggled and ate candy canes.
Let me tell you, I was exhausted at the end of that day, but my soul was singing.
That’s the power of a do-nothing-day. When I let my heart take the lead, magic happens. Sometimes that magic looks like couch, pajamas and a bag of Doritos. Sometimes, it’s an energetic six-year-old reminding me of my own inner child.
Put it into Practice
What if you could set aside one do-nothing-day this month? A day to do all the time wasting, non-productive, deliciously frivolous things you’re normally too busy to enjoy?
If that feels impossible, start by setting aside some time for yoga. Specifically, the classes below. Commit to being fully present with the experience of rest, and open to the idea of inviting more of it into your life.
Show up repeatedly for these small moments of renewal and see what happens.
In the meantime, start making a mental list of all the things you’re going to do with your do-nothing-day.
Rest Day Yoga | Beginner and Plus Size Friendly | 30 Minute Class
30 Minutes | All Levels | Beginner Friendly
Jessamyn is an excellent yoga teacher. Her cues are precise and anatomically helpful. I am in awe of her ability to teach in such a down to earth yet technical way.
I’ve been turning to this class a lot lately. It is perfect for mornings when I wake up tired. It’s gentle and Jessamyn’s personality always cheers me up. She is so spunky and fun.
One caveat - this video has ads in it. They aren’t too disruptive, they’re short and you can skip most of them. Honestly, the class is so good, I don’t mind.
Day 8 - Rest | Move a 30 Day Yoga Journey | Yoga With Adriene
32 Minutes | All Levels | Beginner Friendly
If you are looking for a reverent, peaceful experience - this is your class. It is calm. It is comforting. It is yummy.
Adriene nails yoga for rest in this beautiful, restorative sequence.
Seasonal Serenity | A 5 Week Course of Breathwork and Meditation practices to support you through the holiday season | Victoria Czarniecki
5 Week Course | Quick 15 minute practices
I don’t normally share resources that cost money, but I’m making an exception for this Seasonal Serenity course.
I signed up for it and I had to share it with all of you. It feels like the perfect compliment to our month of rest.
First off, it’s only $7!!! That is a steal of a deal. The course is a beta, meaning the facilitator is doing a test run and wants feedback, so she’s offering it at an extremely low price.
Second, it’s a low commitment course. Each Monday, Victoria will email a new audio recording with a short (15 minute) practice.
I personally cannot wait to get my first email tomorrow! I hope you’ll join me.
If you’d like to check out more of Victoria’s work, you can follow her on instagram: Victoria Czarniecki
The course sign up can be found at : Seasonal Serenity Sign Up
Final Thoughts
I hope i’ve convinced you to slow down this month and give yourself some, much deserved, moments of rest.
This issue is just the beginning of your rest revolution though.
We’ve got FOUR more weeks in December and every one of them will bring a brand new, rest themed, issue of Root&Rise to your inbox!
If you know someone, or a lot of someones, who could use some REST, please share this post!
See you next week when we’ll be talking about sleep!
Let me know in the comments what types of activities you plan to include in your do nothing day. I would love to hear how everyone spends their leisure time.
I needed to read this today. Thank you! I’m physically exhausted today as I prepare a casserole for a second family ‘Thanksgiving’ and we’ve been on the go since the traditional one with out of state travel. Tomorrow it’s back to work to jam 2 weeks of work into 1 because we were gone. With the pressure of Christmas just around the corner I just want to hibernate for a little while. As women we take on so many tasks during the holidays to keep family traditions going. Thank you for the reminder to rest.