Last week’s essay named this hidden truth: that stillness can feel actively threatening when your nervous system was wired in environments where vigilance meant survival. So many of you reached out to share how this resonated — how hard it is to stop doing when being the strong one has become your primary identity.
This week’s workbook offers a different way in.
Not more pushing. Not more self-criticism.
Just gentle, nervous-system-informed tools to help your body begin to recognize that rest isn’t abandonment of safety — it’s actually the structural reinforcement your foundation needs.
Understanding Your Resistance Pattern
Before introducing specific practices, let’s create a context for understanding your unique relationship with rest. When I sit with clients navigating rest resistance, I often invite them to explore the specific ways their nervous system responds to stillness.
Place a hand on your heart if that feels supportive, and consider which of these experiences resonates with your body’s relationship with rest:
- When attempting to rest, a subtle anxiety flutter appears in your chest
- Your mind immediately begins cataloging tasks that need attention
- Your body feels physically uncomfortable or restless when still
- A vague sense of guilt or unworthiness arises when you rest without “earning” it
