The Courage to Rest

I’m exhausted today. Completely drained. I had other topics in mind to write about, but my brain isn’t cooperating. And instead of forcing myself through it, I decided to do something different: write about rest.

Because if I need it today, maybe you do too.

I’ll admit it—resting has never been my strong suit. I was raised on the idea that pushing through, working harder, and staying busy was the only way to get ahead. Rest? That’s what you do when you’re done. Except… you’re never really done, are you?

There’s always something else to do, another project to finish, another goal to chase. And that’s where the problem starts. When you’re constantly running on empty, pushing just a little further each day, you don’t notice the toll it’s taking—until you crash.

Today, my body and mind made the decision for me. I could try to push through, force myself to write something deep and challenging, but that wouldn’t serve me—or you. Instead, I’m reminding myself (and you) of something important:

Rest isn’t weakness. It’s strategy.

Think about it.

• Athletes train hard, but their real growth happens in recovery.
• Muscles don’t build during workouts—they build during rest.
• The most brilliant ideas don’t come when we’re overworked but when we finally step away and let our minds breathe.

So why do we think we’re different? Why do we treat exhaustion as something to be proud of?

I know what you might be thinking—But I have things to do! If I stop, I’ll fall behind. I think that too.

But here’s what I’ve learned:

• Rest doesn’t slow you down. It prepares you to go further.
• A well-rested mind is smarter, sharper, and more creative than an exhausted one.
• When you give yourself permission to pause, you don’t just recover—you come back stronger.

I don’t need to push through today. Neither do you.

If you’re feeling tired, overwhelmed, or just running on fumes, take this as your sign. Rest is not the enemy. It’s the fuel that will get you where you actually want to go.

And if your body is telling you it’s time to slow down—listen.

Because real strength isn’t in pushing through exhaustion. It’s in knowing when to stop.