Rest
Has anyone told you lately that dealing with your shit is a lot of work? Healing is exhausting. When we think of physical healing, we may think of “taking it easy;” however, when we are working to heal emotional pain and trauma, it can involve a lot of emotional labor, tears, and additional pain. It’s pretty much the exact opposite of “taking it easy.”
This is why rest is so important; not just rest in the form of sleep and taking a break from the heavy work, but also taking a pause from places that are triggering for you. When it comes to healing, we aren’t meant to be free of emotional triggers, but rather, the key is working through how we respond to those triggers.
If there are spaces that are triggering and you are not in a place to cope with them, there is no shame in taking a break from those spaces, either temporarily or permanently. You may be able to communicate those boundaries, however that may not always be possible.
Remember, rest may not always look like “rest.” I can’t resist a good acronym, so below are my favorite ways to REST. Full disclosure, I don’t always follow these but I know they help fill my cup.
R-REM. This one is pretty spot on for rest; however, it reminds me that I need more than just a few hours of sleep or a nap here and there. I need some long, deep sleep so my body can heal.
E-ENCOURAGEMENT. Everyone needs a pep talk now and then. Healing is not a linear process. There are bumps and moments that feel like setbacks, yet they are all part of the journey. Opening up to a safe person is essential, so is having a cheerleader to remind you that rest is an essential part of the healing process when you feel like you constantly need to be “doing the work.”
S-SINGING. Isn’t there something about driving with the windows open, radio turned up, singing at the top of your lungs? I often connect with music, especially when I am going through a difficult time. When I am in need of rest, my go-to is playing music I remember from my teenage years. It helps put my brain on pause and I just belt out the words, which is often very cathartic.
T-TED LASSO. It’s a show on Apple TV and I am obsessed with it. My husband, along with a few other friends, have watched it multiple times.
It just makes me happy. There are so many good messages, it’s hilariously funny, and it feels like a big hug. I know I have mentioned it before but it’s simply that good.
How do you rest? I’d love to hear ways that you rest and recharge, especially in the midst of doing the hard work, which is pretty much life in general if you’re dealing with your shit.
This post is written in partnership with #hergrowthcollective, encouraging women to walk the path of self-development together.
