If We Were Rested

The Radical Act of Rest: Reclaiming Our Inner Knowing

Reflections on Rest Is Resistance, Tricia Hersey.

When we honor our bodies through rest, we are connecting to the deepest parts of ourselves. But how often do we truly give ourselves permission to rest — not as a reward, not as an escape, but as an essential practice of being human?

We live in a world that glorifies exhaustion. We are taught that our worth is measured by productivity, that slowing down is a luxury, and that rest must be earned. But what if rest is not something we have to wait for, but something we must reclaim?

Rest as a Portal to Truth

In a culture that prioritizes speed, rest is an act of resistance. It is a disruption to the machine-like pace we are expected to maintain. When we allow ourselves to slow down, we create space for something profound — our inner knowing.

What stories are we holding deep inside that remain untold because we are too exhausted to hear them?

What truths are waiting to be uncovered beneath the layers of busyness and burnout?

Sleep doesn’t just restore our bodies — it awakens our minds. Rest allows us to see ourselves more clearly. It helps us recognize patterns, realign with our values, and ask the questions that get buried in the noise of daily demands:

• What am I still chasing, and why?
• What have I missed in my life because I was so exhausted?
• What could I let go of to create more space for rest and presence?

The Fear of Slowing Down

For many of us, the idea of rest is uncomfortable. Slowing down can feel risky — like we are falling behind, missing out, or failing to “keep up.” But what if we are chasing something that is no longer meant for us? What if the real risk is continuing to move at a pace that keeps us disconnected from ourselves?

Rest isn’t about doing nothing. It’s about making space for everything that truly matters.

Rewriting the Story of Rest

How do we shift our relationship with rest? It starts with challenging the story we tell ourselves about why we can’t rest.

• Instead of “I don’t have time to rest,” try “Rest helps me show up more fully in my life.”
• Instead of “Rest is for later,” try “Rest is for right now because I deserve to feel alive today.”

Rest doesn’t make you lazy. Rest makes you more human.

An Invitation

What would change if you gave yourself just ten minutes a day to rest — not as an escape, but as an intentional act of self-trust?

What insights, ideas, and emotions might rise to the surface when you finally slow down long enough to listen?

Join our Sunday free community class as we explore rest. Details and link here.

What could you let go of to give yourself time to rest and live fully?

What story are you telling yourself?

What is a more liberating story you can tell?