My Friends and Supporters:
You worked really hard this year. I know you did, because I know you.
And now we're heading into the holidays, and I wanted to give you something more valuable than another gift card or fruitcake.
I wanted to give you permission to actually rest.
But here's the honest truth: I'm terrible at this.
I'm writing this broadcast as much for myself as for you. Maybe more for myself, if I'm being real.
I'm the person who:
- Feels guilty sitting still
- Checks email on vacation
- Can't watch a show without scrolling my phone
- Calls rest "lazy" in my head
- Doesn't know how to just... be
Sound familiar?
That's why I started studying at the Awakened Academy with Michael Mackintosh. Because I realized I was running myself into the ground and calling it "work ethic."
I'm still learning. I still mess this up constantly. But what I'm learning is too important not to share with the people I love.
So this isn't me as the expert telling you what to do. This is me as a fellow student saying: "I'm learning how to rest. Want to learn with me?"
The Truth About Rest (That I Wish I'd Known Sooner)
Real rest is NOT scrolling in bed, binge-watching shows, or "relaxing" with your phone in hand.
Real rest is:
- Your nervous system actually calming down
- Your brain getting space to process
- Your body releasing held tension
- Reconnecting to what matters to you
- Feeling genuinely at peace
Here's what changed everything for me: We need seven different types of rest, and most of us are only getting one (maybe).
This explained why I could sleep 8 hours and still wake up exhausted. Why weekends didn't restore me. Why vacation felt like just another thing to manage.
I wasn't resting. I was just... not working. And that's not the same thing.
The 7 Types of Rest You Actually Need
- PHYSICAL REST - Your body is tired
Quick fix: Go to bed 30 minutes earlier tonight
- MENTAL REST - Your brain won't shut off
Quick fix: Write everything in your head on paper, then close the notebook
- SENSORY REST - You're overstimulated constantly
Quick fix: One hour tonight with ZERO screens
- CREATIVE REST - Everything feels like work
Quick fix: Look at something beautiful for 10 minutes without taking a photo
- EMOTIONAL REST - You're always "fine"
Quick fix: Tell one person how you actually feel
- SOCIAL REST - People are exhausting you
Quick fix: Cancel one social obligation this week
- SPIRITUAL REST - Life feels empty or meaningless
Quick fix: Sit in silence for 10 minutes. Just breathe
Want the full breakdown of the 7 Types? Read the detailed guide here
YOUR REST PRESCRIPTION FOR THE HOLIDAYS
Pick ONE of these. Just one. Commit to it.
I'm doing Options C, D, and E. Three feels doable.
OPTION A: The Phone Funeral
24 hours completely phone-free on December 26th
OPTION B: The Morning Ritual
30 minutes alone every morning before anyone else wakes (Dec 23 - Jan 2)
OPTION C: The Full Stop ✓ I'm doing this one
Three days with absolutely nothing scheduled (December 27-29)
OPTION D: The Boundary Practice ✓ I'm doing this one
Say no to one thing you don't want to do this week
OPTION E: The Nature Hour ✓ I'm doing this one
One hour outside alone every day during the break
My commitment: Nothing scheduled Dec 27-29. Saying no to one draining thing. One hour in nature daily Dec 23 - Jan 2.
Will I succeed at all of it? Probably not perfectly.
Will I try? Absolutely.
Want to join me? Pick whichever one(s) call to you.
The Question That Changes Everything
When was the last time you felt genuinely restored?
Not just "not working." Not just entertained or distracted.
Genuinely rested. Recharged. Renewed.
I asked myself this last month and couldn't remember. That scared me.
Can you remember?
Final Thoughts (From Someone Still Learning)
Listen, I get it.
Rest feels impossible. Selfish. Unproductive. Like you're falling behind.
I feel all of that. Every day.
But here's what I've learned through my studies at the Awakened Academy:
You cannot pour from an empty cup. You cannot do your best work from a depleted soul. You cannot serve others while running on fumes.
Rest isn't the opposite of success. Rest is what makes success sustainable.
So rest, friend.
Rest deeply. Rest without guilt. Rest knowing that when you return, you'll be more capable of all the beautiful work you're here to do.
The world needs you rested, not exhausted.
I'm learning this alongside you. We're in this together.
Mathias Ihlenfeld
(737-600-6142)
mathias.ihlenfeld@birthingofgiants.net
