Embracing Rest as a Stepping Stone for Growth

Have you ever paused to think about how we, as humans, find ourselves immersed in a world of active devices, gadgets, and endless information? These tools operate around the clock, consistently producing and consuming content. However, it’s intriguing to note that our human nature doesn’t quite align with this constant operational mode.

I find it fascinating that we humans are more aligned with nature, seasons, and the universe but we hardly ever appreciate the similarities. Just as these natural patterns of bloom and fall, rise and set, so do our lives follow a comparable course.

Welcoming and embracing this is one of the best things we can do for ourselves.

Yet, when we take a break, a sense of guilt often sneaks in. We feel like there’s always something needing our attention, always something left to do. It’s as if we believe we should be constantly busy, checking tasks off our lists.

Personally, I can be really hard on myself sometimes if I feel like I am not being productive enough. I forget that resting our brain, taking a step back, are actually things that help to recharge us and feel our best mentally and emotionally.

Especially during the pandemic, when work and personal boundaries blurred, I found myself caught in-between. I couldn’t be fully productive when needed, nor could I truly rest and reap the benefits of relaxation.

I experienced a constant sensation of needing to be elsewhere, which led to a growing sense of unease. That’s when I read a few books on productivity, watched a lot of videos on how different people tackled similar struggles.

What became clear was a recurring theme that resonated deeply with those I could relate to. It was the understanding that rest is not in opposition to growth, but rather a foundational element that supports and enhances it.

I got really intrigued and looked into various ways to incorporate it into my daily routine. Here are some key methods I adopted:

1. Prioritize Self-Care: Prioritizing self-care involves nurturing our physical, emotional, and mental well-being. I set a strict time aside for regular exercise, sufficient sleep, and engaging in activities that brought me joy.

2. Embrace Mindfulness: I practised sitting in silence for about 15–20 minutes regularly in the morning. Sometimes I meditate, sometimes endless thoughts put me in a state of meditativeness. Whatever it is, I make sure I acknowledge and thank myself for taking the time out to be present and foster awareness of my thoughts, feelings, and surroundings.

3. Set Boundaries: Boundaries are the protectors of our balance. I set clear timeframes for work, ensuring Work stayed in its time, not creeping into free hours. This is actually when my love for coffee and spending time by myself began.

4. Cultivate Curiosity: Curiosity fuels growth. Learning constantly makes our minds grow and our world widen. Also, allowing ourselves to try different things boosts creativity and makes our inner self richer. I found ways in which I could learn about something that made me joyful and excited. It was the perfect balance between growth and leisure.

5. Connect with Nature: I cant stress enough on how nature truly rejuvenates us. During the pandemic, I began taking relaxing walks by a river, and by the time I returned home, my stress had melted away. Those times connecting with nature felt like safe havens for thinking deeply and feeling renewed.

By integrating moments of mindfulness into our routine, we create breathing spaces that allow us to recalibrate, reduce stress, and ultimately enhance our ability to absorb and utilize the lessons of growth.

While it is great that we all have the drive to grow, the urge to learn, achieve, and progress, wisdom also lies in knowing when to take breaks.

The careful balance between aiming for progress and taking time to pause and refresh is one we all need to strive for.

I hope this helps all of us remember that true success lies not just in the distance we cover, but in the richness of the experiences in every step of our journey along the way.