Thank you for writing about this. We went through Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina but we were only without power and internet for a week and all the trees fell on our shed and not our house. I felt like I had no right to be traumatized when so many lost their homes and many lost their lives. I had survivors guilt, too. It has taken me a long time to accept that my trauma was real and I deserve to give myself time to recover from it. The grief I felt for what happened to friends and neighbors and all of us in this part of the country was and still is very real.
I’m glad you came through the storm ok. I’m glad you’re giving yourself some time to, too.
Benefitting from excellent advice on Substack today, including this article, Lori. I would love to rest (and I cherish rest in all its forms) however I'm throwing myself a birthday party tomorrow so there's lots to do. 😜I'm trying to stay calm, grounded, and present and not get anxious about all the myriad details. After the party, and after Mother's Day, I will rest. I'm glad you're doing so now. 🌷
Happy belated birthday, Lisa! I hope you enjoyed yourself and that honoring your social needs was nurturing! May your Mother’s Day be well and the rest come to you as you need and wish. 💚🌷
Rest is restorative and a necessity for sensitive folks. It is hard to embrace this in a society that exalts productivity and action. It can feel shameful to say we need time to withdraw and restore our energy. Thank you for sharing this and encouraging us to take care of ourselves.
Thank you for your compassionate response, Gail! I agree, there’s an element of shame that comes up when we assert our limits. I’m happy that I’ve seen great models of wise rest and was able to overcome my own resistance to resting in this situation. I hope you find rest when you need it, too! 💚
Lori, I'm inspired by how you're taking care of yourself. I do give myself the gift of rest or at least doing little to counter acti more productive or stressful times. Yesterday was the first day I felt relaxed since my medical crisis and ironically, it was an active one.
Thanks, Sandra! What I’m learning is that there are many kinds of rest, and some of them may look active, but they all represent a shift from our ordinary ways of doing things. For me, being in nature is a kind of spiritual, mental, and emotional rest. Even though my body may be moving when I’m outside, those other parts of me are resting from their habitual states. Rest isn’t just napping or sitting around (although those are important, too). Thinking of rest in this way makes it feel more accessible to me. 💚
Lori, I like that perspective. It reminds me of how they say rest looks different for people with ADHD and Autism. It can mean engaging in your special interests, which regulates your nervous system.
Good points, Sandra! I wonder if rest is one of those things where we know it when we experience it, even if it can’t be easily or universally defined. 🤔 Great food for thought. Thank you! 💚
Thank you for writing about this. We went through Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina but we were only without power and internet for a week and all the trees fell on our shed and not our house. I felt like I had no right to be traumatized when so many lost their homes and many lost their lives. I had survivors guilt, too. It has taken me a long time to accept that my trauma was real and I deserve to give myself time to recover from it. The grief I felt for what happened to friends and neighbors and all of us in this part of the country was and still is very real.
I’m glad you came through the storm ok. I’m glad you’re giving yourself some time to, too.
Benefitting from excellent advice on Substack today, including this article, Lori. I would love to rest (and I cherish rest in all its forms) however I'm throwing myself a birthday party tomorrow so there's lots to do. 😜I'm trying to stay calm, grounded, and present and not get anxious about all the myriad details. After the party, and after Mother's Day, I will rest. I'm glad you're doing so now. 🌷
Happy belated birthday, Lisa! I hope you enjoyed yourself and that honoring your social needs was nurturing! May your Mother’s Day be well and the rest come to you as you need and wish. 💚🌷
Aw, thank you, Lori. How sweet. 💕
Sorry to hear about the storms!
Rest is restorative and a necessity for sensitive folks. It is hard to embrace this in a society that exalts productivity and action. It can feel shameful to say we need time to withdraw and restore our energy. Thank you for sharing this and encouraging us to take care of ourselves.
Thank you for your compassionate response, Gail! I agree, there’s an element of shame that comes up when we assert our limits. I’m happy that I’ve seen great models of wise rest and was able to overcome my own resistance to resting in this situation. I hope you find rest when you need it, too! 💚
Lori, I'm inspired by how you're taking care of yourself. I do give myself the gift of rest or at least doing little to counter acti more productive or stressful times. Yesterday was the first day I felt relaxed since my medical crisis and ironically, it was an active one.
Thanks, Sandra! What I’m learning is that there are many kinds of rest, and some of them may look active, but they all represent a shift from our ordinary ways of doing things. For me, being in nature is a kind of spiritual, mental, and emotional rest. Even though my body may be moving when I’m outside, those other parts of me are resting from their habitual states. Rest isn’t just napping or sitting around (although those are important, too). Thinking of rest in this way makes it feel more accessible to me. 💚
Lori, I like that perspective. It reminds me of how they say rest looks different for people with ADHD and Autism. It can mean engaging in your special interests, which regulates your nervous system.
Good points, Sandra! I wonder if rest is one of those things where we know it when we experience it, even if it can’t be easily or universally defined. 🤔 Great food for thought. Thank you! 💚
Powerful message, Lori. Thank you. Wishing you and your community ease in the rest and restoration process!
Thank you, Morgan! I think as the work is getting done to repair and rebuild, those opportunities for rest and restoration feel more accessible. 💚✨
Rest is medicine. Thanks for being a role model for using this essential ingredient in life's toolbox.
You’re right, rest is vital medicine! And it helps me to see others modeling rest, so I’m glad to share my own process. 💚
Sending you hugs 🤗 🤗🤗
Thank you so much, Marina! I’m so grateful you’re in my world! ❤️❤️❤️