When we talk about rest, most people think it means just stopping. In our work at Courageous Being, we approach it more holistically, depending on the state you are in, and your circumstances. Our Rest and Receive® framework has a few steps you can come back to anytime: Ready. Rest. Receive. Return. Repeat.
Here is how it looks when you are in the middle of a busy life, don't have time for a vacation, the weekend is far away, and you are getting close to the edge of exhaustion, like I was in the Diary entry above.
1) Ready | Recognize what is actually happening and prepare for what you’ll need to take care of yourself
The signals are usually already there: slower thinking, slight imprecision, decisions just a little off. Pause and name it: “I am running on cumulative under-rest.”
Most people notice this and keep going. Instead, decide that you will address it, and how. Get the logistics going.
2) Rest | Choose it before your body does
Make a small, real shift. Lie down for a 10–20 minute nap if you can. Or step away, change rooms, get some air, slow your breathing. Then let yourself be. If the monkey mind starts monkeying, let it. It’s not realistic to go from full speed to stillness right away. The technique matters less than the conscious choice to interrupt the go-go-go pattern.
3) Receive | Let A-Ha moments happen when you start to relax
Stay in the rest mode long enough to notice what becomes available. Maybe it’s clarity. Maybe it’s, “I’ve gone a bit too far,” a deeper sense of how tired you actually are and that you need to take some more radical steps to address burnout. Or you may receive guidance on something you’ve been postponing. Recognize where support is needed and open to receiving it.
4) Return | Come back honestly
When you re-engage with the world and your obligations, adjust to your actual capacity. Do a little less, move a little slower, end the workday a tad earlier. With shorter resets, there is no need to pretend you are fully restored.
5) Repeat | Catch it earlier next time
This is the practice: tune into fatigue and exhaustion sooner. Earlier in the signal, earlier in the day, earlier in the choice. Make more time to restore your reserves.
Sometimes what looks like rest, such as my unintended collapse-nap, is actually your body stepping in after you’ve already gone too far. The work is to meet yourself before that point.
Be kind to yourself. Self-observation without judgment is key.