Invitation to Rest

The topic of rest has been a heavy theme in recent sessions and it is important enough to explore the concept a bit here and offer some suggestions for those seeking rest for themselves.

Rest defined: to “cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength.”

It is a verb, meaning it’s an action or state of being. For our purposes, we are considering rest as action and being. Let’s break this down below.

Rest as Action: we must actively, intentionally, cease work or movement. Of course, at a basic level, this looks like having boundaries around work and tasks, getting a good night’s sleep, and using our weekends as a break from work (and tasks!). The purpose of this, according to the definition, is for refreshment and/or recovering strength.

It’s not optional, meaning our bodies will demand rest if we do not provide it, and sometimes it shows up as illness, depression, isolation, or lacking creativity or motivation.

In the United States, we are a culture that values hard work and action. And believe me, these are values I hold as well. A value for action and hard work is not the problem. The problem is that too often it means we are “busy” and our doing is automatic and mindless; quite frankly, it is exhausting, stressful, lonely, and anxiety producing. We crave meaningful connection but don’t feel like we have the time, or when we make the time, it is difficult to be present. There is always a lot to do, more than we have time for, so we must be able to discern what to do and when and what to let go and when, but making such decisions is difficult, especially without the perspective that rest provides. For example, there are plenty of studies that show taking a break from a task to catch some fresh air or otherwise allows you to perform and problem solve better once you return to it. Rest allows us to work better and smarter.

As a side note, in 2018 I took a month off and ventured off to the wilderness of Wyoming with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS). First of all, let me acknowledge what a privilege and unique opportunity for me to unplug for that amount of time. A huge shoutout to my husband for keeping our world running while I was gone and my employer at the time for allowing me to take a full month off work! Secondly, I was surprised how busy we were every day of that trip. It’s a lot of work to tear down camp, pack up, make meals, keep things clean and organized, find time to clean your clothes, filter water, hike to the next destination, set up camp, etc. We hardly ever had a moment to ourselves and I was desperate for rest. Third, upon returning home, I felt overwhelmed by all the noise (literally and metaphorically) after spending 23 days fully away from it all. These things together helped me reflect on the needless tasks I found myself doing prior to NOLS (and currently, because old habits die hard…) and gave me perspective on what is important. And honestly, what is important seems to boil down to taking care of myself and my relationships. Yet, in the midst of all our responsibilities and busyness, those are the two things most of us neglect first! At the time, I was better able to filter the noise and see what was most important. Obviously, I need a refresher from time to time and I’m guessing you do, too.

Below are a few ideas to help you practice rest as action:

1. Know your goals and examine them alongside your values

2. Learn to say no, without giving a reason

3. Schedule rest time

4. Take a vacation

5. Find a quiet spot to sit outside… and yes, just sit.

6. Put your phone away

7. Practice self-care

Rest as a State of Being: this is a bit more nebulous for many of us, so maybe this will help: have you ever known someone who seemed to be at ease, at peace… who was fully present and engaged as if nothing else in the world mattered but the time they were spending with you? When you’re with them, you feel like you have room to breathe…. room to be yourself… room to connect and to have fun. It’s as if their very presence let’s you know “it’s going to be okay.” If you’ve never experienced this, I pray that you do because it is a gift!

I am sure there are a lot of opinions out there as far as how one experiences rest as a state of being, but I believe it is inherently spiritual. It is rooted, grounded, and connected to something greater than us, that allows us to see beyond our present pain and circumstances. It allows us to trust and to hope.

I believe when we actively rest, as discussed above, we give room for rest as a state of being. The two go hand in hand because intentional action to rest leads to rest as a state of being and rest as a state leads to restful actions. The good news? That means you can start anywhere and experience a difference!

A few suggestions for practicing rest as a state of being:

1. Pray

2. Meditate/practice mindfulness

3. See a therapist who can help you connect with yourself and others, explore values and patterns, set boundaries (and so on!)

4. Observe a Sabbath - the elements of Sabbath, according to Peter Scazzero in his book Emotionally Healthy Spirituality include the following:

   1. Stopping: which helps us acknowledge our limits and God’s limitlessness.

   2. Rest: “whatever delights and replenishes you,”

   3. Delight: including being present with others, joy, wonder, and play.

   4. Contemplation: pondering God’s great love for us.

5. Read

6. Journal

7. Allow for silence

8. Spend quality time with friends and family

Ironically, it takes work to rest. And it’s worth it. In case you need it, consider this your prescription for rest! Enjoy!