Rest Is Work

That’s when the first—and maybe the most valuable—lesson landed.

Rest is Work (too).

So many of us in life live on the hamster wheel, unaware that we are driving ourselves into the ground. Our strong minds push through with self‑talk like: “C’mon, be strong, push through—pop a painkiller and soldier on.”

Time flies and we’re oblivious. Other times, we know damn well we’re on this road to nowhere—and we hate it. We feel strangled at work, suffocated at home, and consciously stuck. Does your throat seize up? Can you breathe? When you finally become aware of how deeply frustrated, angry, and unhappy you are, that is the shittiest. place. to. be.

For me, rheumatoid arthritis was the wake-up call. At 38, I was diagnosed with what’s known as “the old person’s disease.” I nicknamed her Ruby, because personifying her made the battle real. I pictured Ruby as this grotesque, heavy ogre who plonked herself on top of me and growled, “You’re not going anywhere, girl. You’re staying right here with me for a while.”

I hated Ruby. I was angry I was the victim. Have you been there?

So there I was, pinned down in forced stillness by Ruby. And in that stillness, I had to learn my first big lesson: rest.

I was deadly tired. Years of grinding on the hamster wheel had worn me out. My last corporate job was 80 hours a week in a big executive role, and it killed me slowly. I didn’t even realise how close to the edge I was.

But Ruby forced me to see it: rest is not laziness. Rest is not procrastination. Rest is not failure.

For anyone who thinks taking a rest, a lay down, or a nap is lazy or procrastinating—you are SO WRONG. Rest is also work. And work doesn’t always have to mean toil. When your body or mind is tired, let it rest. Or your own version of Ruby will come uninvited and force you to.

Rest is Work.

When your body is resting, it’s repairing. When your mind is resting, it’s restoring. Giving yourself permission to rest guilt-free is one of the hardest but most important things you can do.

Because if you don’t give yourself that permission, nobody else will. And if you don’t listen to your body, your own Ruby will force you to listen.

Ruby and I are now friends. I am grateful she is my trip alarm. Whenever I’m overworking, overstressed, or need to address something in my life, she sounds the alarm with a reminder of pain in my hands, ankles, and wrists.

Don’t wait for your Ruby. Start listening to your body now. I bet it wants you to rest more.

As an Energy Coach, I help people recognise these patterns before their Ruby arrives. Click here to read more insights in my blog and discover how energy awareness can shift your life.

This blog is a continuation of my previous post: The Hiroshima Moment: Life’s Crises Triggers Awakening

When I got critically ill with rheumatoid arthritis at age 38, I was forced to stop. Suddenly I had a lot of time on my hands. Not just to sit in despair about how my life had blown up like my Hiroshima Bomb, but because I was literally forced to do nothing but rest. I couldn’t do ANYTHING.

My hands, wrists, elbows, ankles—all the key joints that enable mobility—were swollen and locked in pain. My hands looked like monster claws.

Are you aware of your Energy?