Embrace Rest: Seven forms of rest to renew your life

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.” Ecclesiastes 3:11

Hiring a personal trainer has proven to be one of the most valuable decisions I've made recently. As a working mom with limited time and resources, I knew deep down that I needed to prioritize my physical well-being. However, I didn't have the luxury of researching the countless workout programs available. Despite trying many of them, the outcome was always the same: I pushed myself to an unsustainable extent, leaving my body in agony, drained of energy, and with minimal progress. It was no wonder I would eventually give up.

Considering my responsibilities as a parent and my sluggish body, I was determined to gain more vitality and be fully present in all aspects of my life. Therefore, I took the leap and hired a virtual personal coach. The first follow-up Zoom call with my coach was truly transformative. After completing the initial phase of workouts under her guidance, my main feedback was that I wasn't experiencing the usual soreness in my body.

This revelation puzzled me. For as long as I can remember, I associated the effectiveness of an exercise routine with the level of soreness I felt the following week. However, my coach kindly shared a truth that has stuck with me ever since, imparting a sense of humility and tenderness:

"The true effectiveness of your exercise routine lies not in how hard you work, but in how well you recover and rest."

I realized that exercise is not a quick fix. Achieving physical health, and in fact, overall well-being, requires a balanced combination of