Permission To Rest

Stopping in life can be challenging when we are used to 'doing' all the time, or if we have unhelpful narratives about rest being 'lazy'. But we need a balance of rest and action, like we need breathing in and breathing out.

Rest can come in many forms, all of which require us to surrender, release tension, and put down the to-do list. This is an invitation into a space of rest, beginning with thoughts and science around the challenge of rest and the impact of not resting, moving on to some inquiring for you, and then transitioning into a place of stillness and release.

Background music is Deep Meditation by Grand Project.

Transcript

If you are anything like me and the people I support through coaching, Stopping to rest can be particularly tricky, Especially when you need it most. Our systems get into a state of being, Of tension, That can be challenging to release ourselves from. The impact of this, Of course, Is that we go deeper into that state. This is the survival zone, Where cortisol and adrenaline are higher than is helpful, Inhibiting other hormones, Which impacts our access to flexible thinking, Creativity, Confidence in ourselves, Our ability to connect well with ourselves or with others, Motivation, Reward, Compassion, And many other things that are deeply useful to us. Sometimes we get to this place because of stressful events, Or we may have ended up here because we have been in the zone of flow, Creativity, And performance too long for our systems to sustain it. Either way, We need to have ways of shifting into a space of renewal and replenishment. Otherwise, Our system will start to take itself into rest anyway, Which may show up in ways such as decreased ability to concentrate and decreased ability to manage our emotions. And if we continue to resist, The extreme end of the system's response is what we may recognize as burnout, Where we experience inattention, Fatigue, And collapse. So, Giving ourselves permission to rest is crucial. It is productive even, And kind to ourselves and those around us. Before I invite you into a space of rest, I invite you to check in with yourself reflectively. What in you is resisting rest? What are your judgments around rest? And then, Take a moment to close your eyes and imagine what it would be like and what it would mean to you to feel deeply rested. How would you be showing up? What would be different for you? Stopping to rest as part of your regular nourishment needs to be a proactive choice. And we need to allow ourselves to simply try to rest, Even if our system is resisting. It is okay for it to be work in progress. You and your nervous system, Which lays the foundations for your feelings, Thoughts, Beliefs, Actions, And results, May need to go through a process of learning to form a healthier relationship with rest and to gradually lean in to full permission to rest. Given the space to do so, Your system is capable of remembering that it is safe to let you, That the world will keep on turning. So now, I invite you into a place of rest. Begin by finding a position that allows you as much ease and release as possible. Close your eyes, If they're not already, And breathe. And begin by simply noticing your breath. The ebb and flow, The rise and fall. And as you breathe, Allow it to expand a little, Just gently, Stretching out. And imagine those breaths flowing through the body, Easing out expansion and space even between yourselves. Notice which parts of you are holding on to the tension, And which parts of you are willing. Simply notice with loving compassion, And perhaps kindly encouraging the parts that are holding on by inviting your breath into those spaces. And from here, Taking your whole system by a loving hand, Drift into a space of rest, Replenishment, And nourishment, Just for you. And if you are ready, I invite you to take a nourishing and enlivening breath in, And breathing out with gratitude for giving yourself this time. Wriggle your fingers and toes, Maybe spiraling your hands and your feet to invite some movement, Some flow into your body. What has shifted? And where are you at now, With permission to rest? Again, I invite you to take a nourishing breath in, And as you breathe out, Perhaps commit to the next place of rest. For yourself. Marking it along your way, Committing to taking that time. And perhaps a little smile to yourself knowing that that pause is there along the way, Waiting to invite you in.

Reviews

Thank you so much Bryony, so good to be reminded to stop and rest… I will save this in a folder all on its own to practice frequently, thank you. Blessings John. 🙏