It’s The New Year! You Can Still Rest When You Need

On Monday, December 27, I noticed something interesting...TONS of people were jumping on social media with one common message:

DO NOTHING THIS WEEK.

If you've been here for a bit, you know that I'm all about disconnecting our worth from productivity and breaking the ties from hustle culture as best you can.

So, yes, I hope you got rest and rejuvenation and whatever else you needed from the holidays.

But I noticed a subtle underlying message to most of these posts that I didn't like and don't agree with at all.

It was like they were saying...

You better hurry up and rest this week because you're not going to get this opportunity for a whole other year. You better take this state-sanctioned time of rest because then it's the new year and it's all about big goals and resolutions and working hard and changing yourself for the better. So rest now, because it's comin' at you right quick!

Nope. I'm not having it.

You get to rest at any point simply because you need (or want!) to rest. You don't need to wait for a state-sanctioned holiday to do nothing. You can do nothing tonight if you want!

The key is to do what YOU need. Listen to what your body is telling you. Follow its direction.

I've noticed there are days, weeks, and sometimes even months when I'm in the zone. I'm energized and new ideas are flowing and I'm getting a ridiculous amount of stuff done. I'll admit -- it's fun!

And there are also days, weeks, and sometimes months when I need more rest. When I make a to-do list for the day and only half of it gets done. When I need to just be still and quiet and do less.

I didn't used to allow myself those days, weeks, or months of doing less. I pushed through them, telling myself I didn't have time to slow down - there was too much to do! Or I didn't want to miss out on that work opportunity or fun thing with friends, so I better just say yes to everything.

If you've read my book, you know it's been a slow unwinding to disconnect my worth my achievement and let go of the need to prove myself so that I can slow down and do less.

This isn't something that changes overnight. It's a journey -- one that still creeps up on me from time to time. But you can start in small ways, like saying no to something you would have previously said yes to. Or giving yourself total permission to absolutely LOUNGE. Or going for a slow walk instead of your usual run because your body is tired, but you still need to get some fresh air.

So, yes, it's the new year. Have dreams for 2022. Know where you want to make an impact. Take time for joy. And rest when you need along the way.