Reframing Rest and Self-care
For the past few weeks, I’ve been wrestling with the idea that rest and self-care are not wasted time. As a teacher, I look forward to summer as a chance to dive into all the fun things I love. But this year, after a few weeks of being constantly on the go, I found myself craving stillness. The strange part was that—even though I knew deep down that I needed it—I couldn’t shake the guilt that came with slowing down. So, I’ve been practicing listening to what feels right in the moment: sometimes that’s binge-watching Emily in Paris, sometimes it’s going for a paddle, and sometimes it’s spending time with friends. It makes me wonder—what if, as a society, we reimagined how we view rest and self-care? How might that shift the way we live?
Food for though....
Here are five journal prompts that pair beautifully with your reflection on rest and self-care:
When do I feel most guilty about resting, and where do I think that guilt comes from?
What does true rest look and feel like for me—not what I think it “should” be, but what actually nourishes me?
If I trusted that rest is productive in its own way, how would that change the way I spend my free time?
Think about a recent time when you allowed yourself to slow down. What shifted—physically, mentally, or emotionally—as a result?
How might reframing rest as an act of self-respect (rather than laziness) ripple into other areas of my life?
Feel free to share your thoughts with me and the community in the comments.
Be well. 💜