As the primary caregiver of a family member, I have a 24/7 job. Fortunately for my survival, I have discovered that prioritizing time to get outside and walk offers me a chance to just be me with my thoughts and the outdoors. Without that rest, I’d be a mess.
Caregiving is the most exhausting because there is really never a time that you can't be available, so it's a role where deliberate rest is ABSOLUTELY critical. Alex's book has an entire chapter dedicated to walks. In there, stories about Charles Darwin and others are featured, as well as some pretty cool science highlighting the recharging benefits of walking outdoors.
I love this--yoga really is a powerful and restful practice because it forces your brain to be in the present, being instead of doing. And you are so spot on, it's as if we are always waiting until the next thing is done before we give ourselves permission to rest. Which means we are in danger of always waiting...
As the primary caregiver of a family member, I have a 24/7 job. Fortunately for my survival, I have discovered that prioritizing time to get outside and walk offers me a chance to just be me with my thoughts and the outdoors. Without that rest, I’d be a mess.
Caregiving is the most exhausting because there is really never a time that you can't be available, so it's a role where deliberate rest is ABSOLUTELY critical. Alex's book has an entire chapter dedicated to walks. In there, stories about Charles Darwin and others are featured, as well as some pretty cool science highlighting the recharging benefits of walking outdoors.
Forever grateful to you for introducing me to REST and to Alex Pang for writing it! It truly has helped me reframe my attitude towards rest.
Right?! I worry that I sound hyperbolic, but it is truly a book that changed how I approach both work and rest in such meaningful ways.
Oof, I hope next week is less exhausting. 🤞
This was a wonderful conversation; I loved your suggestion about work and rest as having a yin/yang dynamic rather than a competitive one!
I love this--yoga really is a powerful and restful practice because it forces your brain to be in the present, being instead of doing. And you are so spot on, it's as if we are always waiting until the next thing is done before we give ourselves permission to rest. Which means we are in danger of always waiting...