i rest my case

cheerio cool cats,

ever caught yourself feeling guilty for catching a break?

🙋‍♀️ 

this is always or sometimes the case for 62% of merry makery readers.

so today, we’re real talking about rest. not the i’m gonna do a quick face mask while i frantically clean & call it self-care kind of rest. i’m talking the deep, soul-soothing kind that we all desperately need, but often ignore.

running on empty is not the vibe.

if we don't hit pause every now & then, our bodies will hit it for us. usually at the worst times. hello, inconvenient sick days!

so it’s time to tackle this sneaky saboteur of our peace.

shaming siestas

it's really bizarre if you actually think about this from an outside perspective.

we hustle, crush it, & yet, when we take a moment to just be, that icky guilt creeps in. our society so loudly de-prioritizes rest that we feel like recharging our batteries is committing a crime.

we treat rest like a luxury for some, when rest is essential for all.

there’s a reason why recovery is one of the most important metrics tracked by all the health wearables. our brilliant bodies are always keeping score.

they know when to push AND more importantly, when to slow down.

but, if we don't listen…

well, they tend to shout—illness, burnout, a breakdown, you know the drill.

we must tune in & turn off before our systems force a shutdown.

rest without regrets

one important clarification: true rest isn't about cramming every spare minute with face masks & yoga (although i love those, obvi).

i’ve discovered that many of these “healthy” habits are actually just ways i’m avoiding real rest. i was shocked when i realized how much stress & shame i feel around my self-care routine.

these feelings basically cancel out the rest!

true rest is physical, emotional, & mental relaxation that gives you recovery from the stresses of daily life.

according to dr. saundra dalton-smith, we actually need 7 types of rest:

1. physical

2. mental

3. emotional

4. sensory

5. creative

6. social

7. spiritual

each of these serve a unique purpose & together they’re encouraging you to explore different ways to just be.

removing the pressure to perform in favor of prrrrrrrrrrresence.

the art of doing nothing

the benefits of rest are endless from boosting creativity to sharpening decision-making and promoting healthier living in general. etc. etc. etc.

so let’s reframe our view on rest!

consider your energy as a bank account.

just as you can’t withdraw cash endlessly without eventually going into the red, you can’t keep spending energy without making some r&r deposits.

here are a few tips to embrace the art of doing doing:

• unschedule yourself: remove what isn’t important to make space.

• quality over quantity: even a 15-minute break can reboot your brain.

• make rest non-negotiable: guard your downtime fiercely

• give yourself permission to pause: time to believe you deserve it.

as you shake off the old expectations and embrace a new, gentler rhythm, remember that taking a break isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of wisdom.

merry partner: tim ferriss newsletter

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cheers to a summer of slow purrrrrrs,

p.s. i’ve been dating (& ghosting) many social media channels for a while & can’t decide which one to commit to. curious which one you use the most 📲