What is Rest?
Image from The Nap Ministry
Writing: Nura Saleh, Founder
REST is not what I thought it was. My re-introduction to rest was through the care and safety provided to me by a close friend as I uprooted myself from the life I had known. I had lost myself in grind culture. After leaving NYC, then my job, I fell into deep recovery. I was sleeping 12 hours a day and was immersing myself in the comforts of watching shows and playing video games. I thought I was resting, but really I was just starting my healing journey from extreme burnout. My friend gifted me a book she had just read: Rest Is Resistance, by Tricia Hersey. You will see quotes and lessons from this book throughout our reflection on rest. While I’ve shared key lessons, I cannot recommend this book enough; please read it as part of your rest journey so you can find what resonates most with you.
I have learned that REST is about reconnecting with yourself. It’s about finding time to dream, recharge, and give yourself access to life. We are not our work. We are not our hustle. We just are.
I write this knowing that I still have so much to learn about the act of resting. I find myself constantly chasing the adrenaline I find in achieving an external goal or reaching a deadline. But that adrenaline isn’t a healthy fuel. It’s not sustainable. We must find fuel that is.
In the past, if someone asked me how I rest, my answer would be streaming or scrolling through the internet. I was just pressing pause on life until it was time to work again. I didn’t know how to rest as an act of care. But now, I’m finally finding ways to rest that actually recharge me. Sometimes I go for walks with a friend. I spend time in my garden. I sit with my coffee and stare into space. I dance. I dream. I write. I paint. I’m often still streaming or scrolling, but I am learning to recognize the difference and how each type of rest makes me feel.
When I alternate between rest and action, I find my thoughts are clearer. My work is more authentic and genuine to who I am. As Hersey says in her book (pg 27):
“Rest makes us more human. It brings us back to our human-ness”.
Explore our REST reflection for more, and ask yourself: how do I rest?