Rest Is a Form of Resistance (and Self-Love)
Learning to slow down without guilt
For the longest time, I didn’t know how to rest.
I could sleep, sure. I could sit down. But true rest? That deep, nervous system reset — mind, body, and spirit in stillness?
I didn’t know what that felt like.
Because even when my body stopped, my mind didn’t.
There was always something to do. Something I should be doing. Something I wasn’t doing well enough.
The Guilt Around Rest
For many women, especially mums, rest can feel like a luxury. Or worse, a sign of laziness. We’re raised in a culture that praises hustle and productivity, often at the cost of our health.
And for a long time, I wore my busyness like a badge.
I felt guilty when I slowed down.
Resting felt uncomfortable, like I had to earn it by doing enough first.
Even when my body was clearly asking me to stop, I ignored it. I’d push through, override the signs, and keep going.
Sound familiar?
What Changed for Me
Eventually, the constant push caught up with me. I felt flat, anxious, depleted, even though I was “doing all the right things.” Fitness, nutrition, work, parenting… I ticked all the boxes, but something was off.
That’s when I realized: rest isn’t the opposite of productivity. It’s what makes true productivity possible.
It’s what makes wholeness possible.
So I started practicing rest as a skill, just like I did with strength training, mindfulness, or mobility.
Not perfectly. But intentionally.
I gave myself permission to:
Pause without guilt
Say no without needing an excuse
Nap or do nothing, not because I earned it — but because I needed it
Rest before I hit the wall, not after
Rest as a Form of Resistance
Choosing rest in a world that tells you to keep going is an act of rebellion.
It’s reclaiming your energy. Your time. Your peace.
It’s saying: My worth is not measured by how much I do or how hard I push.
Now, I build rest into my week like I build in strength training.
I schedule it. Honor it. Protect it.
Because the stronger I rest, the stronger I return.
What Rest Looks Like for Me Now
These days, rest isn’t just about collapsing at the end of a long day.
It’s intentional. Nourishing. Grounded.
It looks like:
A slow walk in nature without my phone
Breathwork and mobility before bed
Sitting in silence with a warm cup of tea
Turning off the to-do list and tuning into what I feel
Not filling every moment with noise or movement, letting there be space
I rest now not because I’m weak, but because I’m strong enough to know I need it.
A Reminder for You
If rest feels foreign or uncomfortable, you’re not alone.
But the more you practice it, the more natural it becomes.
So here’s your permission slip:
You don’t need to do more to be enough.
You’re allowed to rest.
And you’re still powerful when you pause.
