Overachievers Guide to Rest

I have learned to slow down my body first and then I can slow my soul and find rest and deep calm.

Jan 30, 2024

When was a time when your body was resting but your mind was not?

When were you supposed to be relaxed but you could not stop spinning on the inside?

If you are like me slowing down is a struggle. Here are some ways that I find rest in my busy home and this non-stop world.

5 Practical Tips from an Overachiever

#1. Find a hobby –

There is a fine line between starting something life-giving that is just for me alone and choosing something else to add to my to-do list. You have to find that line. You have to find the tasks that work for you.

What are you creating just for the fun of it?
What do you do when you have an entire Saturday with no plans?
Check out this post for more ideas 😉

#2. Enjoy the Season –

The actual calendar season that we are experiencing right now: Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter.

In the summer we have our lightweight blanket on our bed, we cook with the grill more, we eat more fresh fruit, and I have less decorations up.
In the winter we have fuzzy couch blankets, more candles, the smell of the Christmas tree, and soups in the crock pot.

The trap: “Just keep pushing forward and accomplish more. Things will not change it will always be the same, you have plenty of time to enjoy later…” I fall into this thought pattern often. I think if I miss the small things that it’s no big deal. But then the season starts to change and I have so many things I did not enjoy or get to do.

The Truth: Winter (or whatever season) only happens once a year. If I ignore the spring flowers on the Superstition Mountains I will have to wait until next year to see them. If I do not take the time to read Fall books about leaves with my kids then it will pass and the moment will be gone.

What does this season look like outside where you live? What does it smell like?
How does it look different in your home? What textures are different or what smells do you notice?

#3. Solitude –

What do we find in Solitude? What is the reason for it?

We find our inner voice.
We rediscover who we are. We get back to our identity.
Deep strength and purpose for how we are to move ahead.
We get to “Be still and know that He is God.” (Psalm 46:10)

Time spent alone on purpose to meet with God and get to know myself better. This is a beautiful practice that I am still learning. It can be uncomfortable, wonderful, and awkward all at the same time. Others call it meditation or prayer. It can be short or long but done more often it becomes easier over time.

What does solitude look like for you?
How do you get away from everyone else and talk with God?
Where do you spend time in silence to listen and think?

#4. Nature –

There is something about feeling awe from Nature that grounds me on the inside. The more I go out in nature and get away the more I feel alive and at home with myself. There is something in my soul that feels nourished by the complexity and simplicity of nature.

Practical Nature Ideas:

Short amount of time – walk, gather leaves and draw them, go bird watching, get out a sketch book and draw mountains from memory or from photos, watch the sunset, get some flower pots for your back yard, identify stars in the night sky (this app helps), deep water the shrubs and trees with a hose, look at plants and take detailed photos (like this), open the windows in the early morning and fill the house with a cool breeze, and stare at clouds.

A Sunday afternoon – Find a hiking trail, go for a drive away from the city, find a nature preserve, play at a park with the kids, find a neighborhood walking path, go do some yard work, plant a garden, watch some nature documentaries on Netflix, go to a local Botanical garden and learn names of plants, splash with the kids in nearby river, read nature photography books, and sit on the porch in a rainstorm.

A weekend away – visit a climate that is different than your daily life. Have a weekend getaway alone, with your family, or with friends. Drive to a sandy beach, jagged rustic mountains, a musty green forest, calm tidepools, a deep blue lake, or the rocky desert. A visit out in nature does not have to be expensive. Short frequent trips are better than only one trip each summer.

Now is better than someday. I want my kids to have a full bank of memories camping in Arizona rather than only one big expensive trip we had to save for years to go on.

#5. Daily Rhythms of Rest –

Find spaces of time every day to be quiet on the inside. Just to be without agenda or set tasks. For me this looks like:

This is standing in my dark kitchen holding my morning cup of coffee.
It is getting out my knitting for a few moments of frivolous focus and busy fingers.
Taking a break to pet the cat or play ball with the dog.
Leaning on small yard gate watching the sky change from orange to purple in a beautiful Arizona sunset.

I am reminded that God is good, He makes all things new, He is full of grace, He loves me as I am, God loves my children more than I can imagine, and He is with me no matter what my day holds.

What daily rhythms do you have where you slow down and just breathe?
When do you like to pray or think about God?
How do you slow down on the inside each evening before bed?
What do you do to process the hard things of the day?
Is there a spot in your house that brings you a sense of calm or peace? Why?

I have made so many mistakes!

I’ve steamrolled over so many situations, loved ones, conversations, and life lessons.

I have learned that:

If I am in a hurry to make a decision, I will not trust my gut, or weigh all of the outcomes. I usually regret it.
I have very little patience when I am charging forward to the next thing. Parenting my 4 very different kids is so hard! I say harsh things when I am distracted, multitasking, and rushing.
Moving quickly in conversation damages the relationship. I must allow others the space to share and feel. I cannot listen when I am thinking about what to do or say next.
Words of inspiration can not catch up with me when I am sprinting ahead.
I cannot soak in the wisdom of others when I am rushing on to the next task.
Depth and words that matter take time to soak in.

Rest brings calm and healing to my busy mind. It slows down my racing thoughts and frantic push to do more.

So, I keep leaning into to uncomfortable feeling of slowing down without checking out. I will choose to be intentional.

I hope this helps you too! 💙- April

Photos by Sixteen Miles Out and others on Unsplash

April Edwards [Embracing Home]

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