Today,
Let's give ourselves permission to rest.
Start by finding a comfortable position.
Allow your body to feel supported and gently close your eyes or soften your gaze.
Feel your breath as it flows naturally in and out.
No need to change anything.
Just noticing.
This moment is for you.
You are safe to pause.
You are allowed to rest.
Let the rhythm of your breath guide you.
Inhale and exhale.
Slowly,
Gently and fully.
Bring your attention now to your body.
Gently scan from the top of your head slowly down to your toes.
Notice where you're holding tension.
Maybe it's in your forehead or your jaw.
Allow them to soften.
Maybe it's in your shoulders or your belly or your hips.
Wherever there is tightness or tension,
Invite it to soften.
Breathe into it to relax.
You don't have to hold everything right now.
Let yourself be held by the ground beneath you.
Now gently turn inward.
Begin to notice the thoughts or beliefs that arise when you think of the words rest and relax.
What stories have you been told or told yourself about slowing down?
Maybe I've got too much to do.
I can't take a break.
Rest is lazy.
I should be productive.
Or I haven't done enough to deserve rest.
If any of these beliefs live inside you,
You're not alone.
But ask yourself now,
With curiosity and without judgement,
Are these beliefs helping me to live well?
Can you imagine who you might be if you let them go?
Let there be space now,
Not to fix,
Just to feel and to observe.
You are not your productivity.
You are not your to-do list.
You are a living,
Breathing being.
You deserve rest.
Not because you've earned it,
But because you exist.
Turn your attention for a moment to the animals with which we share this earth.
The bear does not apologise for resting all through winter.
The cat feels no shame for curling up in the sun for hours on end.
And the bees and the birds opt for micro-naps spread across the day.
Rest is part of the natural cycle.
It is not a pause from life.
It is a part of life.
The animals around us listen to their bodies,
To their natural rhythm.
When you listen to yours,
What does it say?
Allow yourself permission,
Right here,
Right now,
To rest without conditions,
Without guilt,
Without needing to justify or explain.
Breathe in this possibility.
Breathe out the old stories or beliefs that weigh you down.
Place one hand over your heart and say inward or aloud,
I give myself permission to rest.
I am allowed to pause.
Rest is necessary,
Not selfish.
What might permission look like for you today?
Could it be just allowing yourself to listen,
Here and now,
Without any guilt?
Could it be saying no to something that drains you?
Or could it be taking a nap,
A walk,
Or a moment of stillness between tasks?
There's no right way to rest.
It doesn't have to be earned.
It can be quiet.
It can be messy.
It can be five minutes of breathing or a whole day of retreat.
Listen to your body and its needs.
Rest is a return to balance,
To yourself,
To nature.
Let this moment be an act of reclaiming that.
I give myself permission to rest.
I am allowed to pause.
Rest is necessary,
Not selfish.
Now feel into your body once more.
Notice what rest feels like here.
Not just as an idea,
But as a sensation.
Maybe it's softness,
A lightness in your shoulders,
A slowing of your breath,
A lightness in your body,
Or a weight off your mind.
When you feel ready,
Bring your awareness back to this space.
Wiggle your fingers and toes and open your eyes softly.
Carry this permission with you today to rest without guilt,
To honour your needs,
And to be gentle with yourself in every step.
