The REST AS REVOLUTION Challenge, Prompt 5

A 7 Day Creative Challenge that will change your relationship with resting

The language we use when we speak about ourselves is a large part of how we treat ourselves. If the lexicon we hold for ourselves, for instance have the word “lazy” or “useless” or “guilty” or “regretful”, we will treat ourselves poorly because within our heads, we have validated ill treatment of ourselves and our bodies. This is when your inner critic’s voice is more powerful that your inner empowering voice and it leads to untold damage.

The inner critic has its uses but when its voice is the only voice, it does nothing but wear us down and wear us out. For a long time rest has been seen as a physical reaction to physical tasks but rest is also essential for the tired, worn mind.

Do your thoughts constantly race? When you are trying to read or nap or take a walk, are you constantly disturbed by the loud voice of the inner critic telling you how guilty you should feel for taking time for yourself? This is where we need to build a vocabulary that replaces the dialogue of that voice with the voice of empowering kindness to ourselves.

So here we are with PROMPT 5 of this challenge: