Changing your mindset around rest at this time of year
As the leaves fall and temperatures drop, autumn and winter offer us the perfect opportunity to prioritise rest and reconnect with ourselves. One of the many benefits of a more seasonal way of life is that it allows us the natural space and opportunity to slow our pace.
Rest is hugely important for our health & wellbeing inn so many ways, and without it we can end up depleted, drained, and getting regular illness. Whereas when we focus on more balance in our lives and begin to include regular times of rest (especially during Autumn and Winter), we can create more energy for your mind, body, and spirit.
While the Winter season is often associated with hustle and bustle of the festive period, the harsher weather, shorter days, colder temperatures, all lend themselves to taking time off and slowing down. This slower pace, the additional space and time it gives us is the hibernation we see reflected in nature. A time to turn inward and focus on your dreams and ideas, nurturing your body, mind, and spirit.
This not only recharges your energy levels but also positively impacts physical and mental health, creativity, and productivity. With that in mind, lets delve into the benefits of rest and more importantly give you some insights into how to change your mindset to be more willing and open to slowing down and taking time for yourself.
These are just some of the benefits to your health, wellbeing, mindset, outlook on life, capabilities, and daily life that slowing down from Autumn until the Spring can have:
Energetic Rejuvenation:
Resting during autumn and winter allows us to regain our energy levels, both physically and mentally. As the days grow shorter, our bodies naturally crave more rest and sleep. Embracing this natural inclination ensures that we recharge our energy reserves and stay healthy throughout these seasons. By giving ourselves the gift of rest, we allow our minds and bodies to revitalise, heal & repair, and promoting overall energetic wellbeing.
Optimal Health and Well-being:
Rest is essential for maintaining optimal health and wellbeing. During autumn and winter, flu, colds, and other illnesses are more prevalent. Engaging in regular rest periods boosts our immune system, reducing the chance of falling ill. A well-rested body is much better equipped to combat stress and its detrimental effects, such as increased blood pressure, inflammation, and compromised immunity. By prioritising rest, we lay the foundation for sound physical health and mental resilience both through the Winter, as well as the rest of the year.
Enhanced Mental Clarity & Emotional Balance:
Resting during autumn and winter not only rejuvenates our physical body but also promotes mental clarity and emotional balance. Our minds are constantly bombarded with information and stimuli, which can lead to mental fatigue and burnout. Taking time off allows our brains to process and integrate experiences, fostering mental clarity and improved cognitive functioning. Moreover, rest affords us the opportunity to reconnect with our emotions, fostering emotional balance and overall well-being. As well as diving into reconnecting with our beliefs and values, taking time to reassess the year past, and dream up your goals and plans for the coming year.
Nurturing Creativity and Productivity:
Contrary to popular belief, resting is not synonymous with laziness. In fact, periods of rest can fuel our creativity and boost our productivity. Rest is an essential part of the productivity cycle that we have been programmed to ignore in exchange for churning our more, assuming that more is better.
Stepping back from the usual grind allows our minds to wander and explore new ideas, unlocking fresh perspectives and creative solutions. Moreover, sufficient rest prevents burnout and enhances productivity by ensuring our energy reserves are replenished, enabling us to approach tasks with renewed vigor and focus.
Ways to Start Changing Your Mindset:
Changing your mindset around rest and taking time off is crucial to fully embrace the benefits it offers. Let go of the guilt around prioritising yourself and taking time off.
Here are some practical tips to shift your perspective:
Recognise its Importance: Understand that rest is not a luxury but a necessity for your holistic wellbeing. Notice the difference you feel in yourself — mind, body, spirit, passion, creativity and energy — the next time you take some time off for yourself, sleep a little longer, or relax and take a day slowly, doing something you enjoy. The more you notice, celebrate, and appreciate these changes the easier it will become to keep resting more frequently. After all you have positive experiences of what happens when you rest now; you know it works!
Prioritise Self-Care: Remind yourself that taking care of your mind, body, and soul is essential for long-term productivity and success. That doesn’t have to mean face masks and bubble baths, there are many things that equal self care and rest, and many different ways you can give yourself the rest you need. Take some time to think about the times, people, and things in your life that, when you spend time doing or with them, leave you feeling refreshed, rejuvinated, and energised.
Set Boundaries: Establish boundaries and protect designated rest periods. Start to block of a few hours or a day where you will rest, focus on yourself, and do things that YOU enjoy. Communicate your needs to others, and learn to say no when necessary. Don’t change your mind because you feel low on time, and instead put that rest as your number one priority.
Embrace the Joy of Being Present: Instead of constantly focusing on future tasks, your to-do list(s), or the next thing you have to do try savouring the present moment, what is going on around you right now, and allow yourself to fully engage in activities that bring you joy and relaxation. A short exercise that can help you with this, and keep you grounded in your body, is to focus on your senses; what can you smell, hear, see, touch, and taste in the moment.
A Full Cup: When you feel the guilt creeping in find ways to change your narrative and remind yourself that you can only keep giving, creating, serving, and taking care of others from a full cup. Take some time now to think of the usual narratives your inner voice tends to tell you when you feel the guilt creeping in. Once you have a list of negative narratives, the next step to to write a new affirmation that is a positive twist on that negative story. Write yourself a new story! and then the next time you feel that guilt creeping in, repeat those positive affirmations to yourself. You can even have them written down somewhere you will see them.
By changing our mindset and understanding that rest is not a sign of weakness, we open ourselves to the incredible rejuvenation and growth that rest can bring. So, slow down, take time for yourself, and let rest nourish your mind, body, and soul during these beautiful seasons.
xo Emily
