Ep 15: The Power of Rest: Your Path to True Self-Love

Explore the transformative power of rest as the ultimate form of self-love. In this episode, we dive into why rest is essential for mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Discover how prioritizing rest can boost your self-care routine and improve your overall health. 

#SelfLove #RestIsSelfCare #MentalWellness #SelfCareJourney #RestForWellness

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Transcript

Today we’re diving deep into something that’s mostly overlooked in the hustle culture we live in. This month, we’re focusing on a theme that’s very close to my heart, especially for all the busy gals, moms out there—the importance of rest and self-love. February is the month of love, and I want to remind you that true love starts with how you treat yourself.

We often hear about love for others, but do we really talk about the love we need to give ourselves? And no, I’m not talking about the occasional pampering or a quick spa day. I’m talking about rest—the kind of rest that rejuvenates not only your body but also your spirit. And most often than not, many of us dont associate rest with love but we should.

As moms, we tend to be the glue that holds everything together. Whether you’re managing a household, a career, your own passions, or all of the above, it can feel like there’s always something else to do. And in the middle of all of that, it’s easy to forget about yourself. You might even wear busyness like a badge of honor. But here’s the truth—you are not a machine. You are human, and just like any other human, you need rest.

Rest isn’t just about taking a break. It’s not just about getting enough sleep. It’s about how we honor ourselves. It’s about how we care for our minds, our bodies, and our souls. Because truthfully? The way we rest is a reflection of how much we value ourselves. And yet, most of us are running on empty.

So today, I invite you to pause and ask yourself—when was the last time you truly rested? When was the last time you slowed down, not because you had no choice, but because you deserved to?"

We live in a world that glorifies doing.

We feel validated when we’re busy. We take pride in how much we can juggle, how productive we are. And when we’re not doing something, we feel guilty. As if rest is a sign of weakness.

But here’s the truth—rest is love.

If you truly loved yourself, would you push yourself to the point of exhaustion? Would you ignore your own needs? Would you only stop when your body forces you to? No, right? So why do we do it every day?"

"Rest was never in my vocabulary. I used to be the woman on the go—always hustling, always chasing the next thing. I never saw myself resting. It was almost like a foreign concept to me. I thought rest was for the weak or the lazy. I believed that if I slowed down, I would fall behind.

But that mindset led me down a path where I was burnt out, emotionally drained, and physically exhausted. It wasn’t until I had to go through this personal journey—my health battle—that I truly understood the power of rest.

And let me tell you, it’s not just about sleep. Rest is deeper than that. It’s about creating the space to breathe, to pause, and to reflect. It’s about honoring your body and soul, acknowledging that you deserve moments of quiet, even when everything around you is loud.

"We think rest is a luxury.

We think we’ll rest once we’ve finished everything on our to-do list. Once we’ve taken care of everyone else. Once we’ve ‘earned’ it.

But what if I told you that rest is not something you earn—it’s something you are worthy of by default?

Let me ask you—what happens when your phone battery runs low? You charge it. You don’t wait for it to hit 0% and die before plugging it in, right?

But when it comes to ourselves, we do the opposite. We push and push until we are completely drained. We don’t recharge until we have no choice. And even then, we feel bad about it."

"You might be thinking, ‘But I do rest. I watch Netflix. I scroll on my phone. I take breaks.’

But let’s be honest—are we really resting?

We wake up and the first thing we do is grab our phones. Our minds are constantly overstimulated. We scroll endlessly, consuming content, filling every quiet moment with noise. We never really let our minds settle.

Even our ‘me time’ is spent watching other people’s lives on social media. And we wonder why we still feel tired.

True rest is not just about stopping work. It’s about creating space for yourself. Space to breathe, to reflect, to listen. And for those of us who believe in something greater, rest is where we hear God the loudest."

I know, I get it. As moms, we have a never-ending list of things to do. It can feel like there’s always someone or something that needs our attention—our children, our partners, work, our communities, our homes. But what if I told you that the best way you can take care of others is by taking care of yourself first?

Imagine this: when you’re on a plane, and the oxygen mask falls, what do they tell you to do? Put your own mask on first before helping others. That same principle applies to life. How can you pour from an empty cup? How can you give your best self when you’re running on fumes?

Rest isn’t just about hitting the pause button—it’s a form of self-love. It’s a recognition that you are worthy of time to recharge, and that by prioritizing your own well-being, you’ll be able to serve others in a more balanced and loving way."

"Have you ever noticed that when you’re constantly busy, you struggle to find clarity?

You pray for answers, but your mind is too full of noise to hear them.

But when you finally slow down, when you sit in silence, when you truly rest—that’s when the answers come.

That’s when you hear God.

That’s when you reconnect with yourself, when you start understanding what you truly need, what your heart is trying to tell you. But we don’t allow ourselves those moments because we’re always rushing.

So today, I want to remind you—rest is not just physical. It is mental, emotional, and spiritual. It is where we realign with what truly matters. And yet, it’s the first thing we sacrifice."

"Now, I know what some of you might be thinking—‘But I can’t afford to rest. I have responsibilities. I have kids. I have work. I have deadlines.’

And I hear you.

Rest doesn’t mean abandoning your responsibilities. It doesn’t mean neglecting what needs to be done. It means learning to take care of yourself alongside everything else.

For a mother, rest might look like a quiet morning before the kids wake up.

For a working professional, rest might look like stepping away from the screen, taking a deep breath, and resetting.

For someone healing—whether from an illness, heartbreak, or burnout—rest might look like giving yourself permission to slow down without guilt.

Rest is not one-size-fits-all. It’s about finding what fills you up again. What makes you feel alive instead of just existing."

"Now, I want to ask you—what’s your relationship with rest? How do you feel when you stop? When you create space for yourself without any guilt?

For me, it took a health crisis to learn how to slow down. I had to be forced to rest. But through that, I realized how much I had been neglecting myself. It wasn’t until I learned to embrace rest that I could see the beauty in it. It wasn’t about giving up or being weak. It was about reconnecting with my body, my spirit, and my heart.

"So as we celebrate love this month, I want to leave you with this challenge—how can you show yourself love today?

Maybe it’s going to bed earlier.

Maybe it’s stepping outside for fresh air without your phone.

Maybe it’s allowing yourself to rest without guilt.

And it doesn’t have to be big. It doesn’t have to be a weekend getaway or a week-long vacation. It could be as simple as a 10-minute quiet time, a 20-minute nap, or an evening of sitting with a book or journaling your thoughts.

Because at the end of the day, the way we love ourselves sets the standard for how we allow others to love us.

And rest? It’s one of the purest, most powerful acts of self-love you can give yourself.

So today, I want you to choose you. Choose to rest. Not because you have to. Not because you’re forced to. But because you deserve it."

 "So, as we wrap up today’s episode, I want you to take a deep breath with me. Inhale… Exhale… Feel the weight of the world soften, even if just for a moment. Remind yourself that you are deserving of rest. And when you allow yourself to rest, you are honoring yourself. You are practicing self-love.

Remember, rest is not a luxury. It’s not selfish. It’s essential. And the more you rest, the more you can grow, both personally and in the relationships you cherish. So, let’s all take a step toward prioritizing ourselves this month.

Thank you for joining me today on The Awakened Soul Podcast. If you found value in this message, share it with a mom who needs to hear this today. And remember, you are loved, you are enough, and you deserve rest."