Rest

Dear reader,

This week, our word is REST. And for those of you who receive this by email, you are getting it on Friday as a reminder to give yourself a whole HEAP of gentleness, rest and care this weekend and in the days to come. For many of us, our bodies and souls are particularly weary as we process election results that awakened fear, anger, disbelief, and a whole lot of exhaustion. So today, our word is *rest*.

“You are worthy of rest. We don’t have to earn rest. Rest is not a luxury, a privilege, or a bonus we must wait for once we are burned out. … sleep helps you wake up– it helps you wake up to the truth of who and what you are. “ (Tricia Hersey, Rest is Resistance 28-29)

What does your body feel like when you are exhausted? Take a moment now and start with your head and work your way down to your feet and all the way to your toes. What does your head feel like when it’s exhausted? Your eyes? Your mouth and jaw? Your neck… shoulders… back? Your stomach?  Work your way down and see what you come up with. 

If you’re anything like me, your body has a lot to tell you about the impact of exhaustion! 

Now– take a moment and ask yourself a similar question: What does your body feel like when you are rested?  Again, take a moment and scan the body with this question. What does your head feel like when it’s rested? Your eyes… mouth… jaw… neck… back? Again, work your way down to the tips of your toes and see what you come up. 

I’m guessing I don’t need to say much more about how exhaustion and a lack of sleep contribute to the feelings of stress and dissociation and even illness that we might attribute to public speaking (and to so many areas of our lives!). And tragically, we live in a world that constantly tells us that rest is a privilege or a reward for AFTER we’ve accomplished our to-do list or AFTER we’ve worked ourselves to the bone.

I am grateful beyond words for scholars and writers like Tricia Hersey who are shining a light on this soul-sucking lie. They remind us that “We don’t have to earn rest. Rest is not a luxury, a privilege, or a bonus we must wait for once we are burned out.” 

In our work to become authentic, confident , and even joyful public speakers, rest must actually become an integral part of our preparation for any presentation or speaking event. Rest is not a reward for a “job well done” or something to be earned after the “real work” is done– but rather, rest is a basic human right, a key to our survival, the place where dreams and visions take root, and a very basic building block to bringing our fullest and freest selves into any room that we walk into. 

Rest is not a reward. You are worthy of rest today and every day and your body will thank you for it.

Ready for more? Click here to book a free exploratory session with me where we can discuss public speaking coaching or bringing me in to work with your team, organization, or group. Visit my website to learn more about how to become a more confident, authentic public speaker while boosting your personal flourishing along the way!