Learning to Rest

We often talk about rest as if it’s a luxury — something we “earn” after we’ve been productive enough, helpful enough, or strong enough.

But rest is older than all of that. Rest is human. It’s built into our bones, our rhythms, our seasons. And December, with all its softer light and slower mornings, is one of the few times the world gently reminds us that we’re allowed to stop.

But stopping to rest is hard, isn’t it?

Even when our bodies are tired, our minds keep rehearsing responsibilities. Even when we want to slow down, something inside whispers, “Not yet. One more thing. Keep going.”

Rest invites us into a kind of honesty that productivity never does. Because when you rest, you can hear what’s actually happening inside you:

• the fatigue you’ve ignored,
• the longing you buried under obligations,
• the emotions you kept postponing,
• the small truths that only whisper when things get quiet.

Rest isn’t passive. It’s deeply active. It’s the work of returning to yourself. Maybe rest doesn’t look like lying down. Maybe it looks like:

• stepping away from a conversation that drains you,
• closing the laptop even when your inbox isn’t empty,
• choosing quiet over noise,
• choosing enough over perfect,
• letting December soften the edges you’ve held too tightly all year.

There’s No Guilt in Resting

The real skill isn’t resting — it’s allowing yourself to rest without guilt.

Because guilt is the shadow that follows so many of us.
“I should be doing more.”
“People need me.”
“Rest is lazy.”
“I’m falling behind.”

But here’s the truth we forget: Your worth is not earned through exhaustion. Rest doesn’t make you fall behind. Rest lets you return to your life as someone whole.

So if you feel tired, worn down, stretched thin… let this month be a gentle invitation:

You don’t have to prove your need for rest. You don’t have to earn it. You don’t have to justify it.

You only have to say: I’m human. And that is reason enough.

---

Quiet Question for You:
What would taking a rest look like for you, if it didn’t need defending or explaining?

---

The Listening Post
A quiet place to be heard — and to hear yourself. The Listening Post is like a quiet conversation with yourself. It listens carefully, asks thoughtful questions, and helps you find what’s true for you. And it’s completely private! Try it out today, for free!