The learning to rest thing is not easy, but it’s worth every effort given. I see ancient patterns resistant to change because they’ve been with me for a lifetime.
As a child I don’t recall taking time for rest. Mama kept us busy because she believed if we had too much time on our hands we’d find trouble. When my daughter and I moved into our first home together, I recall after the movers left, laying across the bed and falling sound asleep. I woke up some time later and thought, “That was the first nap I allowed myself to have in 30 years.” I never saw Mama take a nap, but Daddy took one everyday like clockwork.
I’ve been in relationships where they took daily naps. Sometimes, I’d take one too, but I always felt guilty for napping. There’s an old saying, “You can sleep when your dead,” but I’m learning to rest while alive in hopes of adding quality years to live.
I want to fall in love with this notion of rest and I’m not head over heels in love just yet, but I’m full of willingness. This photo was taken after a meditation in my sacred space. I was seated on my Zafu cushion, looking up at the corner of my bed and it made me feel more restful by simply seeing it. You see, I created a space within this space that calls for me to take a rest.
It contains my favorite blanket and pillow and I set the stage every morning after making the bed, just in case today is the day I’ll use it. This space waits for me all day to surrender and say yes to rest.
What comes up for you when you think about rest?
Inbarbsworld 
I can relate to your aversion to napping. I can’t remember anyone in my family taking an afternoon nap unless they were ill. You are right, we need to allow ourselves to rest. 🤍
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I’m glad this resonates and it was the same in my family. If we napped mama took our temperature! It’s odd looking back on it now and my body has shut down many times in my adult life forcing rest. I don’t think it supposed to go to that extreme, but we can change it by listening to our bodies and resting before it decides for us. Thank you lovely. 💖
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As a child I remember Sunday’s were a day of rest and that was my parents napping days.
Me, I would be in my bedroom as a child in my own world, playing. I don’t remember napping until it was time for bed and then I would try and stay up sometimes. I wouldn’t have lasted if I was allowed.
Now, as an adult, if I need a nap or a sleep, I will take it in the early afternoon for an hour or two. Guilt free.
I learnt to allow naps after how I became exhausted with the deputyship work I used to do before I was removed from it.
But after I had covid which left me even more fatigued than I ever been that I slept a majority of the day and still be able to sleep at night, I had to learn not to be frustrated when I was like that and just allow it.
Now, on average, its just once a week I need that extra sleep of 2 hours the most.
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Thank you Liz for sharing. I think that’s the key is ‘allowing’ it to happen without frustration. 💖
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Yes. I agree. 🙂
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Hi Barb,
I cannot take naps either. I always feel I am wasting time that should be better served doing something else. I am trying to change my thinking and embrace napping, whenever there is time.
Blessings!
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