We all hear about the Sabbath and as moms, we are like, "Sure! When will we find this magical day of rest from our lives??"  Because rest sounds good, but there are still kids here asking me for snacks and to play with them!

This past weekend I had one of the most restful days I've ever had. It inspired me to share this episode (as I hit record planning to talk about something totally different) and tell you the ways that rest has refreshed me and why I encourage you to do it too!

To me, this day of rest came about from the overwhelming need to address some emotions that were piling up for me (I needed to feel my feelings!). I needed a day to listen to my body and listen to God. 

So I put everything on the back burner and had a day of BEING STILL, rather than DOING ALL THE THINGS!

THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY RHYTHMS

In our home we fall into natural FAMILY RHYTHMS, it is how things get done. And one of our rhythms for a few years has been Church and Chill on Sundays. 

This gives us the framework to make space in our week for the things we value - even if we are still learning to appreciate them and do them well. 

A day of rest has been one of those things. 

WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO REST

When we spend a day of rest, we get a chance to listen closer to our life, our bodies, to God

It also helps us to come out of the constant stress response we have been operating in. When we are stressed we are flooded with stress hormones and even using a different part of our brain. We need to find ways to come down from that stress response by letting our body feel like it is safe, so it can cue the brain to chill out. 

A day of rest lets your body move out of operating in a stress mode. 

It also gives you energy for the week ahead. I felt like I rested until I felt restless (which is rare of a Type 9). 

TEACHING OUR KIDS TO REST

Resting is a skill and it is one we can teach our kids too. 

This doesn't mean we roll into a Sunday telling our kids they are on their own - but to walk alongside them in learning how to do it. 

BECAUSE IT ISN'T COMFORTABLE

Just BEING for a day won't feel comfortable. It might even feel boring. But God calls us to it and it is worth making it a practice for your soul to be refreshed. 

CHOOSE THINGS THAT REFRESH YOU

Pay attention to how you get rest. Avoid things that actually drain you even though they don't require a lot of energy (ahem, social media!). 

 

The full transcript is available at the end of this post. 

FUN LINKS FROM THE EPISODE

Sign up for Simple Saturdays (the virtual coffee date with me that comes out twice a month)

Check out Stef Gass (Mompreneur Mastermind podcast)

Saturday morning chores (the episode on how we started them in our home)

Family Rhythms (what ours are, and worksheets to make your own)

The Enneagram (I talk about it a lot, here are the basics)

Two episodes on mindset shifts that can help moms of babies and toddlers (episode 73  and episode 74)

The free printable of mindset shifts to empower your motherhood (get them right here)

Say HAAAAY on Instagram

Join the Simple Squad in the FB Community Group

 

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FULL EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Hey friends! It's Shawna, your nerdy girlfriend, and life coach from simple purpose.ca. Welcome to the simple on purpose podcast here for moms like you, who want to have the reminder, and the encouragement that it is okay to simplify- it is okay to slow down and it is important to show up for your life on purpose.

That's what we are here to talk about. Welcome. I'm glad you're here. I am Shawna. I am a mom of three, a life coach, and you might know me from the simple on purpose dot ca blog. That's where I've been for about six or seven years before that if you were like an OG blog reader, remember dovetail blog, that was way back in the day. And there was also that period of time where I was at home with three kids.