Stress. Fatigue. Burn out.

I had just attended a conference at my church. It was of no surprise to discover that the very topics being addressed were the same things that I see in my practice. The same things I have struggled with in my own life.

“I am so busy” and “I am so tired” are pretty common phrases we hear in our everyday discussions these days. We say it. Our families say it. Our friends say it. Our kids say it.

From money to family, work and health – we certainly don’t have a shortage of sources in this life that can cause us stress.

Then throw in living through a pandemic, political discourse, economic uncertainty, a 24-7 news cycle, keeping up with the 500 or so people on our social media accounts, and the list hardly stops there.

Now, stress in and of itself, is actually not a bad thing. Afterall, any weightlifter will tell you – stress actually makes you stronger.

Adversity stretches us. It allows us to grow. It builds resilience.

Stress is vital to our health. Without any stress – we become soft, less resilient and less equipped to handle the challenges that this life will surely bring.

This truth applies to our physical bodies as well as our minds and our souls.

But any weightlifter will also tell you that unhealthy stress loads whether it’s too much weight or just bad form can also lead to injury.

Physiology also teaches us that it is actually in the rest and recovery period in which a muscle gets stronger. When an athlete trains, without an adequate period of rest, failure or injury is likely to occur.

So, when do the stressors in our life become unhealthy and even toxic to our wellbeing?

It’s actually not so different. The same rules apply. We were designed to rest. Rest is how we recover and remain resilient whether we are talking about weightlifting, physical health or mental wellness.

Seems like simple math, right? A stress is applied, then we rest to allow for recovery.

Yet we don’t seem to follow this logic and the evidence of this clear.

It’s estimated that 75-90% of all doctor’s visits are attributed to stress.

⭐75-90% ‼️

According to the American Institue of Stress (yes, there is such a thing and that alone should probably tell us something.)

• 33% of people report feeling extreme stress
• 77% of people report stress negatively impacts their physical health
• 73% of people report stress negatively impacts their mental health
• 48% of people report stress disrupts their sleep

So why don’t we stop to rest?

_{Hustle Culture}

My hustle may be different than your hustle but at the root it’s all the same.

We buy into this notion that we need to go, go, go. That our self-worth is tied up in our productivity or maybe our acquisition of material possessions, growing our bank accounts, getting more followers/subscribers, how we look, our reputation, getting attention/likes on social media, growing our business, over-extending even with good things like programs for the kids, volunteering and church and the list goes on.

Even the pursuit of our health can fall into this rhythm of hustle, as we chase down being well and try to force our body into “behaving like it should.”

I have seen this in my own life even as a holistic health care practitioner. I fall prey to this just as much as anyone else.

_{The Antidote}

If you have stuck around to keep reading this so far, I promise I am bringing some hope here!

How do we break the cycle of hustle?

We lean into the practices of REST. I want to emphasize practice because many of us think of rest as something passive. But rest is actually an active, intentional practice. It is much more than binging on Netflix, numbing out or mindless scrolling Instagram.

The six examples I am sharing below actually came out of my conference this weekend in how Jesus took care of his own body & soul. Surely if Jesus needed to do it so do we. No, this is not about religion, I promise. I believe if you are a person of faith like me, these practices will remind you of what is most important, but I also believe you will find this to be true for your health regardless of your faith.

Keep in mind:

• these are not quick fix solutions
• this is not about perfection but consistency
• the more we practice, the more we see the benefits

Six Practices of Rest

^{Silence & Solitude}

I realize depending on what our season of life is, this may look different. As a young mom, it may be simply stealing a breath of time hiding out in the bathroom or if you are an empty nester like me, you may be able to carve out 10 minutes to an hour each morning as you start your day. I believe whether you have a minute, 10 minutes or more – it is the practice of stopping and being quiet here that counts. This should be an intentional time of quieting ourselves with activities like deep breathing, prayer, meditation, or journaling.

^{Walk in Nature}

Scripture teaches us that nature sings of God’s glory. No matter what you believe, studies show that time in nature has profound impacts on our health – physically and mentally. In fact, a recent study actually concluded a number of 120 minutes a week. This is a great starting point to aim for. If you can’t walk, simply sit. Look at the trees, the sky, the birds. Watch a sunset or a sunrise. Marvel in the simple beauty of nature, let it wash over you. This helps train us to be present and reminds us that life doesn’t always have to be a race.

_{Time at the table}

There is something about connecting with others around good food. Eat well, choose home cooked foods as much as possible, eat as close to nature as possible and “break bread” (even if it’s gluten-free) with others to help support not only your body but your soul too. I have to emphasize here, the importance of eating mindfully and putting technology aside. Practice being present with your food and with others.

_Gratitude

Whether it’s a gratitude journal or simply saying a quiet thank you each day. Training our brain to see what is good around us helps remind us of the gifts we do have. Somedays it may just be the breath in our lungs. That’s ok.

^Worship

Sing, dance, cook, color, play. Worship doesn’t have to look a certain way; it can be quiet and reflective, or it can be a celebration. If you are person of faith, worship connects us with our creator. Whether you are a person of faith or not, celebrating life and doing things that bring us joy remind us of the gift of life.

^{Intentionally Slowing Down}

We don’t have to buy into the hustle. We can live a life that is slower and seemingly “smaller” and discover purpose and joy.

When we slow down, we often find we have more of what we really want. More energy. More gratitude. More patience. More joy. More trust. More faith. More peace. And somehow even more … time.

Yet the more we hustle, the opposite is true. It leaves us in a state of lack. Lack of time. Lack of faith. Lack of energy. Lack of peace. Lack of soul.

To live out these practices, does cost us. It requires our effort, time and intention. It requires letting go of that which is toxic to our body & soul. For some of us this may mean looking at our work, our relationships, our habits, our self-talk or attitude. It does require us to be a good friend to ourselves and not a task master.

Somedays we do well and other days we will not. We are human.

_Health

Rest fills our cup. A full cup allows us to live in state of “flow” versus the hustle that keeps us in a state of chasing, comparing and fearing.

This has a profound impact on our health – physical, mental and spiritual.

I heard someone say recently, perhaps it’s not that we do too much – but it’s that we do too little of what really matters.

So, what REALLY matters to you?

What would you add to this list?

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www.hopehealthwellness.com

drjen@hopehealthwellness.com