Joyful rest is a necessity



Evolving attitudes towards taking it easy

Getting your rest is a necessity


Although we all intuitively understand the necessity of rest, many Americans – particularly parents – are in an almost constant state of exhaustion, fending off fatigue, pushing ourselves to the limit. In an expansive Popsugar feature, Domari Dickinson notes how African-American moms in particular need to buck cultural pressure to be always “on the go,” and, like her, figure out ways to ease off the gas pedal, or risk serious health issues. She offers helpful tips for all parents.

A decade ago, Domari was operating at full steam from four AM to ten PM, running a business, being a wife, and mothering four kids aged five to 19, every single day. It was partly out of necessity, but also out of a fear of judgment. When her eldest child found it necessary to start filling in as a parent, Domari had a moment of clarity.

She tells Schweitzer, "We've been conditioned to believe that if you're not chauffeuring your kids around to 17 different activities on the weekend, you're not doing a good job as a parent. Or if you're not spending your whole weekend cooking and cleaning and meal-prepping, then you're doing it wrong."

READ MORE: The #1 way to quiet your mind and relax your body

According to Schweitzer, Domari “decided to no longer subscribe to that unrelenting version of motherhood and set to work finding rest. Joyful rest, or, as she put it, rest as a form of resistance.”

Domari realized that resting wasn't only good for her and her family, but also a way to “push back” on a cultural norm in which people "believe that our worth or our value is tied to our productivity. The idea that the more I'm able to do, or the more I can produce, the better I am.”

A few of her suggestions for parents trying to carve out that time:

Add Mindfulness to Mindless Activities
Domari washes dishes “as a form of joyful rest and decompression.”

Practice Eye Gazing
Stand in front of your mirror and look into your eyes. Tell yourself you’re beautiful and deserving of rest, and a good life.

Sleep-Train Yourself
If possible, keep to a set bedtime, and try to nap.

Foster Independent Children
Teaching your kids to make their own breakfast, and self regulate themselves regarding screen time, will help you get the rest you need.

Find a Like-Minded, Rest-Focused Community
Surround yourself with people who won’t try to shame you for not showing up at a Zoom birthday party, for instance.

Rest up!



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