The Rested Woman Sees Clearly
It’s January. A new calendar year. The world around us is quick to tell us to start strong - to set goals, make plans, push forward, begin something new. But nature tells a different story. In the northern hemisphere, nothing is beginning yet, the trees are bare, the seeds are asleep, the earth is still. This is not the season of blooming or new beginnings; it is the season of rest. And yet, we’ve been conditioned to override this natural rhythm, to launch into action, to perform newness, even while our bodies whisper that they are not ready.
“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.”
Over the holidays, I made an intentional choice - I didn’t travel or chase experiences and didn’t fill my days with noise. I slept as much as my body needed, cooked slow meals from scratch. I read books, real ones, with paper pages. Put devises away, so I don’t reach them any time to fill the gap. I let the quiet in, and allowed my system to unwind after years of running on empty. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was profound. That was my holiday. This kind of rest is not easy when you’ve spent a decade performing energy you don’t have. But it revealed something I can’t ignore anymore: most people aren’t just tired - they’re disconnected.
Because here’s the truth we rarely say out loud: a tired human is easy to manipulate by external world. When we are depleted, we’re more likely to follow someone’s expectations. We conform and strive. We keep participating in systems that no longer serve us - not because we believe in them, but because we’re too exhausted to pause and re-evaluate. And so we keep building lives that don’t reflect our true values, following paths that feel increasingly misaligned, convincing ourselves we’re doing what we “should.” But should is not the same as true.
When we finally rest - truly rest - something vital happens. Our nervous system begins to regulate. Our thoughts slow. Our real voice and inner vision begins to return. We remember who we are beneath the noise, and we start to see clearly what no longer works. And that’s why a rested woman is powerful. Not because she’s more productive, but because she becomes unshakably honest with her self. She starts to feel the weight of roles she no longer wants to perform. She sees through false urgency and artificial success. And once she sees, she can’t unsee.
“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes… including you.”
This isn’t just about self-care or work-life balance. It’s about sovereignty. When you reclaim your energy, you also reclaim your power to choose. Not just what you do, but why you do it. You start asking deeper questions: Is this goal actually mine? Am I building a life I want, or simply performing what looks successful? Do I want to keep running, or is it time to pause and re-root?
The danger of never resting isn’t just burnout. It’s that you stop hearing yourself. You live someone else’s life without even realising it. And the longer you postpone the pause, the harder it is to find your way back.
So let this winter be your invitation. Not to launch, but to listen. Not to force momentum, but to feel what’s true. You don’t need to prove anything right now. The earth is resting, and you are allowed to rest too. Everything begins in spring, let yourself arrive there whole.
“The moment of exhaustion is not a failure. It is a message. ”
If you thew one who also struggles how to truly rest, you’re not alone. Many of us were never taught how. Especially that crazy modern hustle culture made rest feel unsafe or lazy. Its not only going holidays, even dough travel is my favourite thing to do. Try simple rituals - sleep in plenty, cook nourishing food, eat slowly with your loved ones, read a book that nourishes rather than stimulates. Step into nature and let your nervous system soften. Brew a pot of calming herbs. Journal with no agenda. Light a candle and just sit. Even a few days of honest presence can begin to change the pattern.
If you're curious, here are a few beautiful reads on this theme:
And if you're more science-inclined, look into Dr. Andrew Huberman's work on neuroplasticity and rest - especially how deep rest helps us rewire thought patterns, not just recover energy.
Because when a woman rests, she doesn’t just feel better.
She remembers what really matters.
She sees what no longer fits.
She stops living on autopilot.
And from that clarity - she begins to reclaim her purposeful life.
Happy Wintering, Elena x
