We all need rest for different reasons, and these needs can change day by day. Sometimes, rest is just because we need it, without any particular reason. Other times, we need rest to prepare ourselves to return to something important, where rejuvenation and readiness are required. This type of rest can be challenging to make space for because the task we need to return to might linger in the back of our minds, making it hard to fully relax.
In these moments, focus on making room for rest however you can. And even if you didn’t end up resting exactly how you wanted to, you can still view this as a moment where you are practicing being kind to yourself in this way:
-Even if you set out to take a nap but end up just sitting quietly, consider that this still makes room for rest in a meaningful way.
-If your attempt to rest is interrupted, you are allowed to acknowledge that that was frustrating, and try to return to rest later when possible.
-If you planned to rest by doing something relaxing but ended up doing something else, don’t be hard on yourself for not resting “properly.”
These moments of making room for rest, even if imperfect, are valuable. They help create rhythms and spaces for rest, which you can return to again and again. When you need rest to feel rejuvenated and ready to return to what you need to d, you will appreciate having allowed yourself to create this space. It may not have been perfect or ideal, but it was a process you engaged in—a way of being present and gentle with yourself that matters. – Morgan Harper Nichols
