Welcome to September, as we continue our self-directed, at your own pace, monthly self care journey.
To start, whose tired out there? Raise your hand. Are all the hands raised?! Literally everyone I know is tired. The summer was busy. School starting up is busy. Work and family are busy. We are constantly running around, and resting less and less.
I could use this blog to talk about the roots of "grind culture" stemming from capitalism and white supremacy. I could talk about how if "the people" are constantly kept exhausted then the less chance they have the energy to rebel. (Is that why big businesses keep their employees so busy, less chance of unionizing and actually being treated decently?)
I could use this blog to talk about the physical and mental health benefits that come from rest and the damage that stress does to our bodies. Or talk up the potential flood of creativity and imagination that can come to a mind at ease.
I could explain how resting can look. Yes, it is sleeping at night, but it can also be naps, closing our eyes for a bit, breathing, relaxing our body, daydreaming... I went to rest the other day and while I was laying on my bed I kept picking up my phone and looking up totally random things (dogs I wanted to adopt but couldn't, clothes I wanted to buy but wouldn't, movie times for movies I wasn't planning on seeing etc). This was not restful, and eventually I tossed my phone as far away from me as possible so I could just get in a few minutes of quiet, with my eyes closed, while I slowly and deeply breathed. That was better.
But I will never explain this concept as well as Tricia Hersey's The Nap Ministry: Rest is Resistance so I will simply say this- read her book. Practice it.
Now lets wrap it up. Take the next few minutes that it would have taken you to read a full sized blog to close your eyes and rest. Enjoy!