Somewhere along the way, many of us were taught that rest comes after achievement. After the kids are sorted. After the inbox is cleared. After the house is clean. After we’ve done enough to “deserve” it.

But rest was never meant to be a reward.

It’s a rhythm.
A pulse.
A returning.

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about this, especially as I notice my own energy shift with the seasons, the moon, and the quiet calls from my body. There are days when I feel fired up and full of ideas, and others when I want nothing more than to nest, soften, and slow down. Instead of pushing through that contrast, I’ve been leaning into it.

And it’s reminded me of something I know deep down — that rest isn’t something to “fit in.” It’s something we live *with.*

In my classes and conversations lately, I’ve heard so many women share how tired they are. Not just physically tired, but energetically stretched. Holding everyone else. Holding so much. And yet when rest appears — a pause, a gap, a moment to breathe — it’s often met with guilt, discomfort, or that little whisper: “But have I done enough yet?”

Here’s the thing: the enough-ness doesn’t come from the doing. It comes from the remembering.

Remembering that you are already whole.
Remembering that rest is not a retreat — it’s a return.
Remembering that your worth isn’t tied to your output.

And again today, this message resonated even deeper while listening to Dan Harris’ podcast, '10% Happier.' He was in conversation with Claudia Hammond, an award-winning broadcaster, author, and psychology lecturer, who beautifully explored the science of rest and how psychological and medical research can actually support our day-to-day wellbeing. It was such a timely reminder that rest isn’t a luxury; it’s a human need. Backed by science, not just spirituality.

Sometimes, the most radical thing you can do is stop. Let your nervous system exhale. Let your spine drop into the bolster. Let your thoughts have a moment without being managed.

When we rest — fully, consciously, kindly — we don’t fall behind. We actually catch up to ourselves.

So if you’ve been needing permission to pause, this is it.

Whether your version of rest looks like a restorative class, a walk without your phone, a longer shower, or simply lying down in a quiet room for 10 minutes, it counts. You don’t have to earn it. You only have to honour it.

Because rest isn’t lazy.

It’s life-giving.

And you were never meant to live in a constant state of depletion.

You were made to ebb and flow. To give and receive.

To inhale and exhale.