Reclaiming Rest

I have always been a great sleeper up until this last school year. This last school year was a doozy. I started not sleeping well. It almost broke me. Thank GOD it didn’t and so, I am working on healing my mind, spirit and body by reclaiming rest.

I think that I had a notion that resting meant being lazy. But when you actually look up the word rest in the English dictionary it has multiple meanings. Some new definitions stuck out to me: freedom from activity, peace of mind or spirit, to remain confident. I have learned that resting is not actually being sloth-like. I believe that reclaiming rest is essential self-care for the educator and educational leader.

For most teachers, summer is a natural break in which you can reclaim rest and focus on self-care. In Minnesota, we enjoy long beautiful summer days near lakes. We travel to cabins “up north” and physically get away. As an educational leader, this kind of natural break doesn’t happen, or doesn’t happen for long enough to really feel a natural freedom from activity. This makes rest harder to achieve as a leader.

For me resting in the last month was actually very active. I travelled back to Spain, where I studied during university. I visited family friends, ancient palaces and enjoyed museums. I nourished my soul with life-giving food and drink. I bathed in the sunshine of the mediterranean sea. I walked and talked and listened and rested. By reclaiming this kind of rest, the peace of my mind and spirit, I replenished the deep roots of my soul and I remain confident in who I am. I am grateful for strong mental health because I was like a palm tree, well rooted, during a hurricane. I may have lost some bark and leaves, but I am still standing tall because of my roots.

I started this year with one word – striving. You can find my blog about it here. I have realized that word was for the first part of this year. I have decided that striving is the opposite of rest. Starting July 1, my new one word is rest. The kind of rest that makes you come alive and reclaim the kind of rest that allows me to sleep well again. I am grateful for the trials I have experienced and more grateful for what and who I now have in my life that allows me to feel freedom professionally. Here’s to the second half of 2018 and reclaiming rest!