Today’s Thought of the Day and Question of the Day take us somewhere we rarely give ourselves permission to go: stillness. Rest. Reset. The kind that doesn’t feel productive—because it isn’t meant to be. In this post, I’m diving into what rest actually means (hint: it’s not just sleeping), how to recognize the warning signs of burnout, and why lying on the grass might be the most effective thing you do all week.
Thought of the Day: “Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass… is by no means a waste of time.” — John Lubbock
This quote hit me like a sigh I didn’t know I was holding.
I grew up equating rest with laziness. If you weren’t working, fixing, helping, producing, doing, then what exactly were you good for? But here’s the quiet revolution hidden in Lubbock’s words: rest isn’t the absence of value. It’s what allows us to restore our value.
Lying in the grass isn’t idleness. It’s reconnection—with your breath, with the sky, with a world that doesn’t ask you to earn your right to pause. And let’s be real: sometimes the only way I realize I’ve been going too hard for too long is when I finally sit down… and immediately fall asleep mid-thought.
Rest gives us the clarity to ask better questions. Sometimes even just five quiet minutes can save you from five weeks of spiraling.
Question of the Day: How do you know when it’s time to slow down before you burn out?
For me, it’s simple: if my patience drops below a 3 out of 10, I’m officially running on fumes.
If you’re chewing loudly and I start fantasizing about hurling your sandwich across the room, it’s time for a nap. Or at least a walk. I know I’m in trouble when minor inconveniences feel like personal attacks. And when someone says, “You seem a little on edge,” and I want to respond, “Oh, you noticed?”—that’s the cue.
We each have tells. Some people get snappy. Some shut down. Some start binge-watching reality shows they don’t even like. (Don’t ask how I know.) The trick is to catch yourself before your internal engine throws a rod.
One of the best questions I ever asked myself was: What’s the kindest thing you can do for someone else? Often, the answer starts with being kind to myself—taking the break, breathing deeply, giving grace, and remembering that productivity isn’t the point. Presence is.
💬 What About You?
How do you know it’s time to rest? What’s your personal “burnout warning light”? Drop your thoughts in the comments—or better yet, take a deep breath, close your eyes, and give yourself a minute. You deserve it.
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