How can we find Rest?
We continue our focus on to the four “basic” things our bodies need for survival: hydration, fuel, movement and rest.
We covered hydration a few weeks ago (check it out HERE).
This week is all about REST.
Now, I am saying this as it is Spring Break for our kiddos and we are currently on vacation (or should I say a trip since having toddlers on vacation does not always equal rest ha BUT it absolutely can). See more below on the how and why.
A little sidenote: our family loves the show Bluey. It is beyond relatable in our season of life and has some “woah good” life lessons. There is a new episode out (Season 3, Episode 40: Relax) where the family goes to the beach and the mom finds it hard to relax. If you have not already, watch it or any of Bluey for that matter. It paints a beautiful picture of what I am going to dive deeper on below.
The googled definition of rest is to cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength.
Hence its importance and one of the main things our bodies need.
As a society, we put so much pressure on rest and it can sometimes be deemed as a “bad” thing or a means of “laziness.”
Let me prove you wrong.
According to *Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith, there are 7 different types of rest.
Physical: Our bodies need this for basic biological processes and functions - whether it is active or passive. A good example is an athlete training for something. Their muscles and body systems need rest to recover.
Mental: Think breaks to allow your brain to slow down. Deep breaths, scheduled time out of your day to reset, etc.
Sensory: Our world is full of technology and screens and lots of stimulation. How can we unplug for just a bit from these things?
Creative: This type of rest awakens our awe and wonder factors. My personal therapist is doing a lot of work around the concept of awe and it is really cool to talk about it in our appointments and the importance of this one thing: experiencing awe. Read more about that HERE
Emotional: We are human and as humans, we absolutely have emotions. How can we rest with these emotions?
Social: In the world of social interaction and media, this is a big one. How can we set some boundaries to allow rest?
Spiritual: Allowing ourselves to rest in places that bring us back to a sense of purpose and belonging
My challenge for you: find time to rest. Which one of the 7 above need your attention most or speaks to you the most?
*Check our Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith’s Ted Talk here: https://youtu.be/ZGNN4EPJzGk