A short video about the inner dynamics that sit at the edge to slow down and take rest.
Here’s Tricia Hersey’s Nap Ministry, mentioned in the video.
Your thoughts?
How do you rest, slow down, or find inner permission to do so? Share in the comments so we can learn together.
Something that has been really important for me in my (ever-evolving) relationship to rest is something you taught me Liz – I know when I’ve had enough rest because I get bored of resting. Seems so simple but I find it just as hard to notice and respect the signals of ‘okay I’ve had enough, time to go do something else,’ just like I find it hard to notice and respect the signals of ‘okay time to rest.’ For me, both are body signals that I find very easy to steamroll over with my brain!
Yes, the practice of noticing our body signals absolutely needs support in cultures that marginalise, demonise and fetishise the body! Like, don’t finish the endless blue sky bits in the jigsaw just for the sake of finishing it if it’s boring you – just do the fun bits then pack it up. Obviously not a lesson for all aspects of life 😉
I slowed down in 2022. Partially to be open to experiencing myself in the world as something other than a blue-tailed fly and partially because I had no idea what the heck I was doing other than being open to making something different out of my productive moments and knowing that would require a slower paced productivity and some light and shade to figure things out. The internal struggle to keep trying this new thing was ridiculous. Detractors frankly said they were worried about me or suggested I do almost anything to stay busy (I often got told I should drive a bus. Bus driving is necessary and important and I have nothing against bus drivers but I did not want to distract myself with that noble skill development). Sure enough, a new approach gave me new results.
Wow, I love how you write about this Tracey, “to be open to experiencing myself in the world as something other than a blue-tailed fly”. Yes, how much of our identity is constructed by what we do, the pace we do it at etc – and who are we when we slow down?