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Dear friends, Have you noticed something interesting? Relaxation has become almost cliché. It’s on signs, in ads – used to sell everything from manicures to pricey pajamas to luxury cruises. Somewhere along the way, rest has been repackaged as a product. Something to be purchased, curated, and (of course) posted. But here’s the truth: rest is not a reward.
It’s not a luxury.
It’s a birthright. Every living thing rests – bees, birds, even plants. And when we humans go too long without genuinely balancing our nervous systems, we feel it. In our immune health, our mental wellbeing, our relationships. Burnout doesn’t knock. It just arrives. So how do we take rest back? We start by remembering that it doesn’t cost anything. Rest can look like lying on your couch for ten minutes. A leisurely walk watching the cherry blossoms bloom. Sitting quietly with a cup of tea. Rest is not exclusive to a certain tax bracket – and it’s not something you only earn after decades of work, either. You don't have to be retired to deserve a pause. You don’t need a specific loungewear set, the right candle, or a spa day to access deep restoration. You also don’t need to document it. (Unless that bring you joy, of course.) If you know the Gil Scott-Heron song – the revolution will not be televised – I think about rest in a similar way. Your rest practice need not be “televised”. It’s not content. You aren’t required to prove anything to anyone. It’s a revolutionary relationship – with yourself, your body, your nervous system, and your daily life. No one can tell you what rest looks like for you. And you don’t need anyone’s permission to take it – except your own. A simple invitation for this week: Write down three ways you could rest without spending a single dollar. Put them on a sticky note and put it somewhere you’ll actually see it – your mirror, your laptop, your fridge. On the days when everything feels urgent and rest feels impossible, let that little note be your reminder that it’s already available to you. Peace, love, and rest,
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