Replenish Yourself: Rest as Radical Self-Care

If in your body, you do not feel your best self, chances are you don’t need to push harder; you just need to rest. Sometimes the most radical act of self-care is as simple as stopping, closing your eyes, and letting your body do what it knows how to do.

Why We Resist Rest

So many of us resist it. We resist closing our laptops. We resist lying down in the middle of the day. We resist surrendering to the heaviness in our bodies. But if we were brave enough to follow the cues of our own exhaustion, we might find that twenty minutes of quiet could change everything.

The Rhythm of Nature as a Teacher

Rest is not laziness. Rest is nature’s rhythm. The seasons themselves remind us of this truth. As we near fall and winter, nature slows down. Trees release their leaves. Animals retreat into hibernation. The earth teaches us over and over again: after endings, there are always beginnings. But first, there is letting go.

Rest as a Cycle of Renewal

When I lean into exhaustion, when I stop fighting against the collapse and allow myself to feel it fully, something shifts. I find that if I lean far enough into my breaking point, I always loop back into joy. The process isn’t linear, but more like a cycle. Just as the moment before we cry is often the hardest, then comes relief. Rest works the same way.

On the other side of surrender is renewal.

Where are you in your loop today? Are you resisting the heaviness? Are you holding yourself together, afraid to stop, afraid to fall apart? What if the fall is the very thing that makes space for your rising?

The Science of Rest and Repair

Science backs this up: our bodies literally repair themselves in rest. Muscles recover, hormones rebalance, memory consolidates, the nervous system resets. Without rest, we cannot integrate the hard parts of life. Without rest, we cannot begin again.

Aligning with the Natural Flow

So much of self-care is about alignment – learning to mimic the natural flow we see around us. Imagine what it would be like if you allowed your rhythms to mirror the earth’s: longer days and more movement in summer, stillness and quiet in winter. A catnap in the middle of the day might feel indulgent in our productivity-obsessed culture, but really, it’s just nature doing her work through you.

Experimenting with Rest as Medicine

This month, I want to challenge you to experiment with rest as medicine. Let yourself nap. Sit in silence. Stare out the window for a few minutes instead of at your phone. Say no to something so that you can say yes to your own body’s need for stillness.

Rest as Worthiness, Not Laziness

The embodiment of rest feels delicious when we let ourselves truly experience it. Rest is not something to earn; it’s something you are worthy of simply because you are alive.

Rest repairs. Rest reminds us that surrender is not the end, but the very beginning of renewal.

So take the nap. Lie down. Start over tomorrow.

This year, we’re exploring real-world self-care that helps you come home to yourself. Each month, I share simple, grounded ways to reconnect with your body, support your mental health, and create space for what truly matters. If you’d like to walk this path with me, my monthly newsletter offers reflections, practices, and resources to support your growth.

Rachel Gordon, MA, MEd, is a psychotherapist and founder of Humble Warrior Therapy, where she supports individuals in the Denver area with heart-centered, trauma-informed care.