A Different Kind of Love Letter

An invitation to rest

I’ve been sending a different kind of love letter lately. 

I usually prioritize a pause — a little rest — at some point(s) daily. On any given day, this can look like my legs up the wall after a run, a few restorative stretches to transition from my desk to my school run, a screen-free cup of tea in the suntrap on my patio…

Look, it’s simple: Rest is really important. Recovery is just as important and equally as productive as everything else we do. So why do we feel like we have to do allll the things before its available? Or we have to earn it? Or need permission?

You don’t have to know me well to know that I’m pretty passionate about rest. I mean, I even wrote a book about it. Work IN, rest, relax, recover… call it what you like, it can look like whatever you need it to, in whatever time you do have. Like many practices, all that really matters is that you pay attention. 

Sometimes I take a photo and send it to a few friends. No words needed. The most delightful part of sharing some of these moments — aside from the rest itself — is the love letters sent back. It’s like having a rest accountability buddy sending high fives for slowing down amid a collective urgency to do more, speed up. These visual invitations can help balance your nervous system in an instant.

Here’s one from my dear friend, Steph (Thank you, homegirl!)… she’s a pro ultra runner and toddler mom amongst many other things. The woman gets the value of a reset. We nudge each other weekly — shifting charged moments into opportunities to rest and start again. “Good one!” I smiled. And then realized it was time for me to take a break, so I put my feet up and admired the sky for a few moments, thinking about nothing in particular, exhaling… and then feeling the difference.

Restful reminders
gentle invitations
acknowledgements
permission, granted
love letters
Yes — rest.

Take a rest and take a photo — send a love letter.