Write to Rest
Hello Dear One,
How are you? Exhausted? Me too. This letter, therefore, is short.
Perhaps you’re already thinking Write to rest? I’ll just rest thanks, don’t give me something else to do. In my experience, it isn’t always that simple.
This year I’ve worked hard on the art of doing nothing, but it doesn’t come naturally. I recently found I had trouble relaxing, labelling myself as lazy, instead of leaning into the recuperation I needed. This was a deep-rooted belief from childhood, but bringing it into my consciousness enabled me to reframe it. I’m not lazy, I say to myself now, I’m taking time to replenish my energy. I find it amazing how quickly we can change our narratives, when we dig a little.
I also remember feeling there simply wasn’t time to rest. In a taxi in my twenties, late for a client meeting, the driver looked at me and said ‘Take a breath love, the world will be there in another minute.’ In the grip of anxiety, I couldn’t believe him. Something struck me then - the feeling that this was a deeply disturbing way to live. It was a catalyst for leaving my career.
If you have those voices, the ones that say ‘Shouldn’t you be…’ know that you are not alone. As Brené Brown’s says, “It takes courage to say yes to rest and play in a culture where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol.” We can choose to say yes, we have courage.
I hope it helps.
My voices like to tell me I’ll fall behind if I don’t keep going, that other people will get there first. I ask: get where? I’m right here, enjoying my life. Being in my life. There’s a lot to be said for doing very little. Nothing at all, if you can manage it.
Thanks for being here, and being you.
All love,
Jo
SOME NEWS
I’m holding an end of year workshop to reflect on 2020 and set meaningful intentions for the New Year. Tickets by donation, get them here.
My January course is now live! Go here for all the details.
I’m publishing a prompt a day on Instagram in January if you’re looking for a thoughtful nudge into regular writing.