Resting is not a sign a weakness, its a sign of strength.
Last month I started working out again. I made it a habit because I wanted to get used to moving my body and being more active again. The last time I worked out this frequently was after I gave birth to my daughter. I desperately wanted to feel like “myself” again, as my body felt like a home I’ve never been in. Through working out, I learned a lot about myself, my limits, my confidence, and I also learned about the importance of rest – which is not something I’ve been taught much about.
While you’re working out, you’re obviously building muscle, endurance, and overall getting stronger both physically and mentally. But one important thing people tend to leave out when talking about working out, is the power of rest. Yes, weights help us get stronger – but it’s through rest that truly helps our muscles to repair themselves and sustain us so we can continue building ourselves up each day. When working out we rest in between reps, sets, and in between specific days. Rest is integral, and absolutely necessary, to strength training.
The gym is a microcosm of life. We are constantly tested, and constantly going through changes that feel heavy, like weight lifting, and all these experiences can cause us to feel defeated. And sometimes, it gets to a point where it could just be a bit too hard to carry on as usual. And that’s why rest is so needed. The experiences and the challenges we go through make us stronger indeed – but it is through a period of rest and reflection that sustains us to keep going.
You’ll also notice that most people who take the gym seriously, also take self care seriously as well. While lifting weights is a part of the equation, so is rest and proper care. That includes being intentional about hydration, nutrition, stretching, and overall wellbeing. It’s a no brainer that going to the gym is a trait amongst highly successful people. It’s not just about looks, it’s about the intention to pour into yourself, and take care of yourself. Imagine, what it would be like if we did that on the daily and applied these same principles to our life whether we’re in the gym or not?
We know, hustle culture wants us to believe that we have to keep going no matter what – don’t sleep, and take no days off. Society wants us to believe that we’re only entitled to a specific number of sick days, and paid time off. It also wants us to believe we should retire at a certain age because only then is when we should enjoy our life. Honestly, we deserve much, much more. We have to get to a space again where we view rest as productivity and as a necessity. Rest restores us. It empowers us. It sustains us. It keeps us creative, happy, and at peace. And when we have peace, we thrive. We’re able to be the best version of ourselves. For us, and for others.
If you’ve come across this today, I hope you take this as a sign to rest without guilt. And listen to the signs that your body is telling you when it needs a break. Remember that your body is your true home, and if you don’t take care of it, it will be hard to keep going.
Take care.
For Women With Dreams 