Lately, I've been experiencing a lot of physical pain in my body. It's slowed me down in ways I didn't choose and has kept me from many of the things I normally do.

As I've been seeking to listen to what my body is asking for, a one of the questions (there have been many ...) I've been sitting with is:

What does rest actually feel like in my body?

Not what I think rest should feel like. (This has personally been hard for me to set down).​
​Not what someone else says it should feel like.

But what does rest feel like for me?

Many of us have spent years disconnected from our bodies. We know what our minds think about rest, but we may not know how our bodies experience it.

So today, I want to invite you into a gentle exploration to figure some of this out.

1 - If you were resting right now, what position would your body naturally want to be in? Physically...

Would it want stillness - to lie down?
Sit in a chair?
Lean against a tree?
Stretch out on the floor?
Wrap up in a blanket?

Or perhaps a more active rest - like a leisurely walk or bike ride?
Yin or Restorative Yoga?
Sway, rock or dance to music?
Sing or play a favorite instrument?
Paint, color, make ceramics or do a puzzle?

2- Notice what your body imagines.

3- Then see if you can become curious about the sensations of rest.

4 - How does your breathing feel in this position and with noticing these sensations?

5 - What happens in your body - your shoulders, jaw, belly, hands, feet or somewhere else your body needs you to notice?

Is there warmth?
Softness?
Heaviness?
Ease?
Space?

There is no right answer.

Just the invitation to notice.

6 - And then, if it feels okay, ask yourself:

What is my definition of rest?

You may discover - as I did - that your answer is influenced by a combo of new narratives & old narratives.....

If new narratives - I invite you to soak those in and let them nourish you.

If old narratives - I invite you to explore them a little.....

Maybe rest was viewed as laziness.

Maybe productivity was praised and slowing down was criticized.

Maybe rest feels undeserved until everything on the to-do list is complete.

Maybe a part of you believes there is always something more important you should be doing.

If any of those stories - or others specific to you - show up, simply notice them.

Not to argue with them.
Not to tell them they are wrong or to fix them.

Just notice.

Because sometimes what prevents us from resting.....isn't our schedule.

It's the story we've been carrying about rest.

And sometimes those stories are connected to another fear:

The fear of getting stuck.

Many people tell me they worry that if they slow down, they'll lose momentum.

That if they rest, they won't get going again.

That rest and stagnation are the same thing or too close to the same thing.

But are they?

Here I will invite an exploration....

See if you can explore that question from your body instead of your mind.

1- Think about a time when you felt stuck, stagnant, or unable to move forward.

2- What sensations were present?

3- What position did your body naturally take?

4- How was your breathing?

5- What was the quality of your energy?

6- What did your body feel like from the inside?

You may notice some similarities between rest and stuckness.

Both can involve slowing down.

Both can involve stillness or movement.

Both can involve less outward action or more outward action.

But if you stay curious, your body may begin to teach you the subtle differences.

For many people, real rest eventually brings a sense of ease.

A little more space.

A little more clarity.

A feeling of being restored, nourished, or ready for the next step.

Stagnation feels different.

Heavier.

More contracted.

More draining.

The next step feels farther away rather than closer.

Forward movement feels more overwhelming rather than more accessible.

The body often knows the difference long before the mind does.

This week, I invite you to live in your body with this thought.

If there is an area of your life where you feel stuck, can you pause before trying to push harder....

Can you Try resting....

And while you rest, can you become curious....

What is happening in your body?

Are you experiencing real rest?

Or are you settling into stuckness?

Can you notice the difference?

Because when we allow ourselves genuine rest, even in the middle of fear, uncertainty, or challenge, we often find something waiting on the other side.

A little more energy.

A little more clarity.

A little more capacity.

And sometimes, that's exactly what helps us take the next step forward.

It's helped me take the next step forward over the last 4 months....I invite you to try it out.

Remember, ❤️

You Matter. Your Healing Matters. You Are Worth It!

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P.S. If you want to chat about rest and stagnation in your own body and need a little help figuring out what your body is trying to tell you, I invite you to jump on a call with me. Check out my availability by clicking below and let's find a time to chat.