Resting tends to feel like something that's taboo, like hustling is the only acceptable way to work. It's not healthy to be going and going every day, pumping out new ideas even when we're close to burnout. But we all have different personalities, energy levels, and ways we work best, plus we deserve to take the rest that we need. I've felt myself forcing my mind to get me through a task, "just one more hour" I'd say to myself, knowing I desperately needed to stop. I could feel the thoughts leaving my brain as I tried to keep it all together. But I've pulled myself out of that mode for (hopefully) the last time: I don't need to finish each task when I start it, and I don't need to do it all in one day. Telling myself that it's okay to rest was step one.
Since I first started working, I haven't known what it feels like not to hustle for money. I didn't know I could rest and allow things to happen; I thought I always had to be going. And I would keep myself going until my body couldn't take it anymore. Although I had a feeling that a long 8-10 hour workday wasn't right for me or my energy, I kept pushing through because I thought I was just tired. But no matter how much I rested after work, I never felt my energy fully replenished. Randomly one day on Twitter, a few months ago, I saw one creator writing about the "Human Design types" and how each of us works differently depending on our energy. After doing some research of my own, I found out I'm a Projector who works well working 3-5 hours/day and taking the rest of the day to recharge my energy. It was like all of the problems I had were solved in an instant: why I was so tired most of the time, and why I didn't feel authentic sending out cold emails for partnerships. What worked best for me in business was sharing my work, being myself, and allowing the invitation to come (whether that's an email, an order, or a message). I wasn't supposed to be going door to door (metaphorically and literally) asking for people to work together - I was supposed to let them come to me. Honestly, I was sending hundreds of emails, spending hours a day researching, and no wonder I was so exhausted! I wasn't spending my energy correctly. And knowing my Human Design type has changed how I run my business and express myself online.
As soon as I understood and started implementing my Human Design type, it opened my eyes to the right way for me to work and rest, and what "successful" means for me. Being successful is more than making money - success can be found in how strong our relationships are; how present we are with your loved ones; completing a workout that we had no motivation for; or reading 1 book each week. On days when we feel like napping, we can find success in taking that nap without fighting it! Even making money doing something that feels effortless to us is successful. Choosing to do what fulfills us at each level in life is the ultimate form of success.
Sometimes I do fight the urge to call myself "lazy" for resting because that's also something I've been taught. Instead of beating on myself, I should be praising myself for getting this far, for recognizing that I don't need to destroy myself just for money. I'm trying to heal familial beliefs that have been detrimental to me: I'm doing what my mission is in this lifetime instead of doing what others think is "safe" or the "right thing". I'm facing my fears when others were controlled by them. I'm doing what feels right to me, even though it's terrifying. I was taught to hustle and grind and lose my sanity over minimum wage, settling for scraps even though my hair was literally falling out from my job (yes, this happened last year). But I'm allowed to rest, recover, and take care of myself because the work will still be there 3 days from now. It's not healthy to pump out new material every day when I'm forcing myself to come up with something new. Creating can happen for me once a week, or once a month, but it should be something I feel really excited about and proud of - rather than forcing myself to post daily in order to keep up with an algorithm. I would much rather take care of myself and work a few hours a day, as my energy requires, than force my body to do something it doesn't want to do. I can rest and still make money, still make sales. My body isn't meant to work 8-10 hours each day; my energy needs to be replenished often. This is how my energy works and that's how it is. The money will always find a way, and the more I listen to what my body and intuition are telling me, the easier it will be.
Resting is a vital part of life; it should be balanced with the work we do, never supplemented or forgotten. While you can be successful at your job, you can also find success in finishing a workout; meeting your reading goal for the month; or staying present while with your loved ones. While working is part of our lives, it should be balanced with resting and doing what we love, without overworking ourselves.
- JS