Rest Is My One Brave Thing
At the start of this month, I chose rest as my One Brave Thing.
Not rest as a reward. Not rest after burnout. Rest as a conscious, consistent act. The kind that doesn’t wait for a crisis. The kind that helps me come home to myself before I reach the edge.
As part of the R in the ROOT framework: Reflect, I’ve been journaling each week about what rest really looks and feels like for me. And what I’ve learned so far is that my experience of rest keeps shifting.
Some of the things I used to call rest were really just moments of pause. Massages, scrolling, taking a break from work. These things gave me temporary space, but they didn’t offer the kind of restoration I was really craving. They didn’t stabilize my nervous system or help me reconnect to myself.
So I tried something different. I scheduled acupuncture and a sound bath.
At the end, the acupuncturist “read the needles,” and I was in awe of how accurately she reflected what I was feeling. For the first time in a while, my thoughts floated by like clouds instead of piling on top of each other like thunderous storm clouds.
I told her I could actually visualize myself trying to hold onto the thoughts as they passed. She gently offered that this might be a mirror of how I tend to hold onto things in my life.
That stayed with me.
It reminded me that rest isn’t just about how things look on the outside. It’s also about how much we’re holding onto internally. And sometimes the bravest thing we can do is loosen our grip.
Here’s what I’m learning:
Rest evolves. What once restored me doesn’t always work now. That’s not failure. That’s growth.
Rest requires rhythm. One moment of stillness is a start, but lasting care asks for consistency.
Rest is resistance. It challenges habits and systems that were never designed to support our wellness. Choosing rest often means choosing ourselves in new ways.
This month, I’ve been asking myself more honest questions. What does real rest require from me? What am I willing to release in order to experience something different?
It’s not always easy. But it is healing.
Before You Go:
Take a moment to pause with me.
This short Brown Heart Mindful Moment is your invitation to come back to yourself. You don’t need to fix anything right now. Just breathe.
🎥 Press play to take a breath with me:
📝 Want to reflect more deeply? Try this journal prompt:
What stories have I been telling myself about what rest should look like?
What does rest feel like in my body right now, and what do I need more of?
One Last Thing:
If rest has been calling you too, I’d love for you to join me in the One Brave Thing Challenge.
This month, we’re choosing rest. Not once. Not perfectly. Just one brave thing at a time.
🤎
Samantha