What if Rest is the Answer?
This Saturday, the Winter Solstice reminds us that the longest night of the year also marks the light’s return toward the Summer Solstice.
The lighter, sunnier months may feel far away now, but how can we take nature’s cue to rest, rejuvenate, and reflect? ❄️
I love the imagery of the light returning to us, but I’m a sucker for the darker months. As someone who has struggled with equating productivity to personal value, I find immense solace in the coziness and stillness of winter. This season offers a kind of permission to sink into rest. On the stormiest days, the best thing we can do is stay inside and wait it out. 🌦
And waiting is its own kind of challenge. 😟
For those of us who find dopamine in striving for perfection, patience can feel like a lurking demon. Yet, I’ve learned that when we stop running from it, that monster softens. In stillness, the chase ends, and we find something unexpected: relief.
Rest often gets a bad reputation. For so many, waiting feels like non-productivity or even laziness. But thanks to voices like Tricia Hersey, we’re learning that rest is a powerful, active stance of resistance against oppressive systems. As she beautifully puts it: “Rest is reclaiming our power and our right to simply be.” 💪
Rest is power. And just as the darkness of this season won’t last forever, neither will the darker moments in our lives.
Sometimes, it feels like our days are consumed by uncertainty, pain, or hardship. But like the light after the Winter Solstice, joy and clarity inevitably return. Both good and bad moments are fleeting; neither exists consistently.
So, how do we hold our darker moments with the same compassion and curiosity as we do the joyful ones?
Lately, my personal mantra has been:“Something big is coming. I can feel it.”This belief has sparked an almost physical sense of excitement and anticipation in me. It’s fascinating how our thoughts can shape our emotions and bodies. This hope isn't here to dismiss pain, but rather to remind us:“I acknowledge what’s happened, but I also believe that something incredible is on its way.”
As we journey through this winter, I offer you a small challenge to consider:
🎅What moments of joy surprised you this year?
🎅What does rest mean to you, and how might you invite more of it into your life in 2025?
I'd love to hear what you discover! schedule a session with me to explore your intentions for the coming year.
As we move through the Solstice, my heart overflows with gratitude for each of you. May this season offer you the rest and renewal you so deeply deserve. 🥳