Somewhere along the way we learned that the harder we work and the less we rest, the more successful we’ll be. We feel we’re in competition with other people, and if we stop to rest, we somehow fall behind our competitors. We think resting makes us inadequate or inferior. The truth is, rest is just as important to our recovery as any of the other elements of our recovery program. Resting is a crucial part of our healing, and when we don’t rest, we actually undermine our progress and derail our healing potential.
Rest allows our minds and bodies, and our spirits, to recharge and recuperate after all of the strenuous work we’ve been asking them to do. We’ve been digging deep and soul searching. We’ve been reflecting on our past experiences, including the trauma we’ve endured and losses we’ve sustained. We’ve been developing all kinds of mental and emotional skills, learning healthier coping skills, changing our thought patterns and transforming our limiting beliefs, practicing thinking more positively, and learning to have faith in ourselves. We’ve been rebuilding relationships, correcting harmful behaviors and making amends. All of this work is tiring to say the least. If we don’t rest, we run the risk of burning ourselves out, of totally depleting our energy and making it impossible for us to keep going. When we are exhausted, we’re less able to integrate all of the lessons we’ve learned. We’re less able to apply everything we’ve learned to our daily lives moving forward. We’re much more susceptible to heightened stress levels which only impair our mental, emotional and physical well-being. We’re more likely to turn to addictive substances to help us cope, because along with exhaustion come impaired willpower and diminished resilience. We’re less likely to be able to hold onto our conviction and tap into our inner strength. We run out of energy, making our healing work next to impossible.
Rest, including meditation, relaxation and restful sleep, allows our minds and bodies to regenerate and heal themselves. When we don’t make time for rest, we’re chipping away at our energy and our strength, never allowing ourselves to fully heal or return to optimal capacity. We’re burning the candle at both ends, causing ourselves more harm than good. We’re stressing ourselves out, giving ourselves even more to have to work to heal from. Rest gives us a break, literally, so that we can actually heal. When we rest, we allow nature to run its course and facilitate the recovery process. We give ourselves a chance to come to terms with all of the growth and expansion we’ve experienced. We let ourselves play catch up with all of the work and lessons we’ve been doing so well with.
Let yourself rest as you’re working to heal. Your recovery will benefit from it.
At The Guest House Ocala, you will be treated with dignity, respect and compassion. Call 855-483-7800 today for more information.