Let’s bust FOUR super-common MYTHS around REST today:
Here are 4 traps we pretty much all fall into:
1. We pretend that rest IS sleep. So, if we are getting some zzzzz’s we are good in terms of rest. NOT SO! Sleep is just ONE form of rest.
2. We tend to utilise the same rest and coping practices through the different chapters of our life. Thing is, what we need to rest and recharge in our 20’s, is WILDLY different to what we need to replenish in our 40’s or our 60’s. We need to CHANGE THE CONVERSATION and the coping strategies here, big time.
3. And most importantly, and the TRAP I was caught in myself… we tend to equate rest with LAZINESS, and that we are some sort of a LOSER! It’s that old 1980’s pervasive “I’ll sleep when I’m dead” mentality. This means REST gets relegated to the very bottom of the To Do list once you have cleared out the garage and organised all your old photo albums. It becomes the lowest priority form of self-care, so it doesn’t happen in any kind of structured or targeted manner. Wrong!
4. We think rest is BORING and that it’s “DOING NOTHING”. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Not if you are doing it right, anyway!
The benefits of rest are many, and they affect all areas of our lives.
Physically, rest is essential for our bodies to repair and recover from the stresses of daily life. Rest helps to reduce inflammation, improve our immune system, and promote healthy digestion and allow us to function at optimum.
Mentally, rest allows our minds to unwind and recharge, leading to improved focus, creativity, and productivity. We get mentally fatigued when we have been “under the gun” with relentless work or personal issues.
Emotionally, rest can help us to reduce stress and anxiety, improve our mood, and allow us to respond appropriately (hello being emotionally overtired and over-reacting to everything!).
Spiritually, rest creates space for introspection, helps us be present in the moment, and connect to our purpose and passion. When we are spiritually fatigued, we can feel the world is against us, and just getting through from one day to the next is a grind.
There are three other specific and VERY important types of rest that I go into in detail in the Rest Up course, but for today, just consider these 4 types of rest… PHYSICAL, MENTAL, EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL. Which one could you do with a boost in? Where are you tired and what are you tired of?! I am willing to guarantee there is something you are truly tired of, that sleep will NEVER fix. Wrong type of rest, you see!
So, this is your sign, to prioritise rest for yourself this week and, if you are ready to learn more about the RIGHT kind of rest, let me know!
