As a child, my grandma would announce her nap time. She closed the door to her room looking a little worn and emerged refreshed about 30 minutes later. Although I am not a ‘napper,’ I admire her for it. She taught me the value of rest. I just do it differently.

We live at a faster pace than our grandparents. Busy is the new normal. Our work-rest routines often remain imbalanced. We are aware rest helps our mental and emotional wellbeing, and our physical health. Others tell us of the spiritual benefits. Yet, we press on.

I wonder why many of us find it hard to pause. Does it make us feel important? Does it assure us we are indispensable? Do we experience guilt when we are not productive? Does our society ever tell us it’s enough? Are we considered lazy if we take our foot off the pedal?

I’d like to consider what opportunities we have to rest and how we might find slices of time to counteract the ‘going, going, going’ mindset so prevalent in our lives.

Could we find 2 or 5 or 10 minutes to rest?

Maybe we’re not official meditators, but a few moments to notice and follow our breath releases tension.
Perhaps we might:
Enjoy a bath
Savor a scent
Light a candle
Go for a walk
Stretch
Sketch
Paint
Write
Listen to music
Read a good book or an interesting article
Find solace in nature
Journal our thoughts and perceptions

Experiment with what works for you.

Use a few moments to consider our next actions or next ‘non-actions’. Moments where we might choose peace. Choose love. Choose compassion-for ourselves and others.

If our children never see us rest, they may not give themselves permission to rest either. We can be a positive role model when we remember to take time to rest.