Just Rest: Burnout Tips for Everyday Radicals
Just Rest: Burnout Tips for Everyday Radicals, hosted by Nicole Havelka, helps everyday radicals and world-changers who are tired, but not giving up to find connection, support, and soul-deep inspiration to keep resisting grind culture while staying true to their values.
Nicole Havelka is a burnout survivor, ordained pastor, yoga teacher, and founder of Defy the Trend. She spent years trying to change the world by working harder, staying later, doing more, but realized that real change doesn't come from depletion—it comes from deep, aligned, joyful living. Now, she coaches others to make rest a non-negotiable part of their resistance. Every week, you'll hear honest, unfiltered conversations about what it takes to build differently and rest radically. Episodes talk about resistance, spiritual practice, failure, boundary-setting, burnout, recovery, and the sacred power of saying, “no more".
Just Rest: Burnout Tips for Everyday Radicals
Your Rest Affirmation for Hard Days (Save This One)
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Season one ends the way it began — with radical permission. In this final episode, Nicole compiles the "Dear Rest Rebels" messages from every guest this season, and the result is something you'll want to save, return to, and play on repeat. Hear wisdom from Dana Tenille Weekes, Jordan Maney, Jacki Hayes, Taina Brown, Elaina Ramsey, Ixchel Lunar, Becky Mollenkamp, Malik Turley, and Catharine Montgomery — each offering their own unique reminder that you are enough, you are worthy, and it is safe to rest. And Anna DeShawn gets the final word, because honestly? She earned it. Bookmark this one. Come back to it when the world is loud and your body is tired. This is your permission slip, on repeat.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Dear Rest Rebels Compilation Episode
02:39 Dear Rest Rebels Notes
07:13 Season Wrap-Up and Future Plans
CONNECT WITH GUESTS
Dana Tennille Weekes: https://therestofuspodcast.com/
Jordan Maney: https://substack.com/@thejordanmaney
Jacki Hayes: https://www.jackihayes.co/
Taina Brown: info@tainambrown.com
Ixchel Lunar: https://ixchellunar.com/
Malik Turley: https://tapasmovement.com
Catharine Montgomery: https://thebettertogetheragency.com
Becky Mollenkamp: https://beckymollenkamp.com/
Elaina Ramsey: https://www.faithchoiceohio.org
Anna DeShawn: https://queernewspod.substack.com
CONNECT WITH NICOLE HAVELKA:
Thank you to the people who helped make this show happen.
Send me a message via Speakpipe.
A proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective.
Welcome to Just Rest, Burnout Tips for Everyday Radicals who are tired but not giving up. I'm your host, Nicole Havelka, bringing you tips and inspiration to help you feel seen and supported on your radical rest journey. Let's go. Where I talk with change makers who are resting without guilt and inspiring you to show up without burning out. I'm your host, coach, pastor, and yoga and meditation teacher, Nicole Havelka. Editing the podcast I'm about to share with you brought me to tears more than once. And for those of you who know me, or even if you don't, that is not easy. I'm not an easy crier, let's just say that. What you're gonna hear in this episode highlights what each of my amazing guests this season said in the Dear Rest Rebels section at the end of every podcast. That's the part where I ask my guests to offer you, my listeners, my beloved Rest Rebels, a note, a nugget of wisdom at the end of each podcast, starting with the phrase, Dear Rest Rebels. Now, the first nugget I'm including is actually from Dana Tenille Weekes, founder of Thrive Architects and host of The Rest of Us podcast. You should definitely check that one out. Because she gave us a juicy definition of rest that counters the narrative of the wellness industrial complex.
So here's just the highlights, and then I'm gonna let you hear it from her:is that the three things are important to rest: self-acceptance, so the radical acceptance of ourselves, agency that we have absolute choice based on what our bodies need and belonging. What we feel connected to, both community, maybe to a higher sense of purpose. The rest of the guests then offer their Dear Rest Rebels notes that so beautifully embody this definition that Dana offered us in the fourth episode. And you'll be hearing from Jordan Maney, Jacki Hayes, Taina Brown, Elaina Ramsey, Ixchel Lunar, Becky Mollenkamp. Malik Turley and Catharine Montgomery. So without further ado, Dear Rest Rebels ... The definition of rest is very unique than how we typically think about rest or the self-care industry's definition of rest. My definition of rest is a mouthful. It is a liberating form of self-acceptance where you consciously navigate the world in your agency and belonging. Short form, the one to remember is. Rest means you're deeply connected to your rest rebels. It is safe for you to rest. It is safe for you to choose yourself. It's safe for you to enjoy yourself. And I know you would get behind this is y listen to your body. We all have our own unique individual ways that our body starts to tell us it needs rest um before you are just, you know, passed out into exhaustion. Rest Rebels Rebels. Rest doesn't have to look one way or another. It can look like whatever you need it to look like at any given point in time. Maybe it's taking a nap. Maybe it's cooking your favorite meal with a glass of your favorite wine. Maybe it's gardening. Maybe it's going to the movies. Maybe it's maybe it's work. If it's something you're passionate about, maybe because you've been putting it off for so long, it looks like just getting that thing done that you've been putting off that will lead to even greater and deeper rest. And so don't formulize it. Don't uh don't beat yourself up if it doesn't look like what somebody else's rest looks like. Let it look like what it needs to look like for you. Be kind to yourself. Yeah. I know that it can feel like you have to lead and show the way for others at all times. Um but remember that the things that you say to others are the things you s we s should be saying to ourselves. When we give others permission to rest and be and grieve. It's it is also an invitation for us all to say that to ourselves and an offering and a gift that we give to ourselves that we get to rest. We also get to be human and that you matter just as much as the people that you're trying to to change and I wrote a little note. Dear Rest Rebels, you're not behind, you're not failing. You're living in a moment that asks for new rhythms. Time is not your enemy. Just remember how to listen. I would say, Dear Rest Rebels, you are enough. No proving is required. That's this card. There's others. You can also say, Rest Rebels, you are worthy and your value isn't transactional. There's a and by the way, you'll be happy to know, Nicole, there's one that says, Rest is necessary. I think the one that at the core of it for me is, I'm enough. I also really love the one that says I am whole. The system is broken. You are not the the problem. Rest Rebels. problem. Rest Rebels. I would like for you to know that you have value every single day, regardless of before or after New Year's, regardless of resolutions, regardless of the amount of space you take up in the world. You have value. Think about yourself in ten years and how you want to feel. And if you have to do it right now, you have to start today to uh make sure that in ten years you feel like your best self. Um Always thinking long term. I try to think long term about a lot of things. And I think that that is one way to think of it. And I've started doing that a lot for myself, not just like business long term, but you know, what do I need to be healthy and you know successful and everything in in the long term, but um really thinking about my health. So that's what I would tell them. Rest up now so that and you'll be you'll look prettier. Like you'll if you get rest, you know, like The age won't like hit you overtake you. Mmm. Rest Rebels, don't you feel affirmed, valued, and that you are enough? Those clips were so amazing. And with that, season one is a wrap. Yes, Rest Rebels, this is the final episode of season one. Then I'm gonna take a break and dream and plan and prepare and record. Season two before a new one drops sometime this fall. But you're not going to be without anything to listen to. I've had the pleasure of being a guest on several different kinds of podcasts, um, talking about different things this year, and I'm going to be sharing those complete episodes here in this feed about every other week. And I'll probably be dropping in a short solo episode or two. With my life updates. And there is gonna be some really big ones that I am so excited to share with you that of course impact my life, but also impact the community of rest rebels here. So now if you're listening to this podcast right when it drops, you still have the chance to get on my season one rap party. Woo! It's taking place at 12 p.m. Central Time, 1 p.m. Eastern Time on Thursday, June 3rd. 26th, 2026, which will include a few of my favorite moments from season one. We'll get to listen to those again. Have some actual conversations with other rest rebels about those clips, and a guided rest practice from me, yours truly. This party is available just to the Rest Rebel Collective, aka Paid Substack subscribers. So now is your time to support and make this podcast sustainable, and you get to become part of the Rest Rebel Collective at defythetrend.substack.com. Run right over there, and for less than the cost of a cup of fancy coffee, anyway, you get these exclusive gatherings, you get the bonus podcast After the Mic. Which I now do live the day after the podcast drops on Substack, just for you and the Rest Trouble Collective. And some really juicy stuff I'm getting ready to announce related to those big life changes I mentioned. I'm getting ready to announce those for fall. So join us at defythetrend.substack.com for about the cost of one fancy coffee per month. I'm not even asking you to give them all up. I swear. And finally, I wanted to give the final word of this podcast to Anna DeShawn the Ambie Award-winning host of the Queer News podcast and guest of the 10th episode of Just Rest. Listening to her Dear Rest Rebels note lowers my blood pressure every time I hear it. I wanted you to hear that one last. Dear Rest Rebels. It's gonna be okay. It's gonna be okay. Thank you so much for listening to this episode. Remember, rest is not a retreat from the work we do in the world. It is the work. So if you're ready to rest and resist, here's what to do next. If you know someone who's running on empty, please share it with them. Hit subscribe wherever you're listening so you don't miss a single episode. Rate and review us so that other radicals can find us. Consider joining us on Substack at defythetrend.substack.com, where you'll find bonus content, tips for everyday living, community connection, and resources to keep you grounded. Radicals, remember, you are worthy of rest.