Tuesday Thoughts and Rest

Isabelle
15 minutes ago
3 min read

Hi Friends,

I trust you were challenged by last week’s release exercise. The offer still stands to have me help you through the exercise for free.

Rest, But Not Retreat

We’ve all been told to push through. To keep going, stay strong, and not let life “get the best of us.” We have been caught in the boss babe era. And we needed that. It was a stepping stone to where we are now; in a softer, more aligned place. A place that allows for more femininity. Here’s the truth: sometimes the bravest thing you can do is stop.

Rest is not retreat. Rest is wisdom. It’s your mind, body, and soul agreeing that it’s time to pause, not quit. There’s a huge difference between the two.

Retreat comes from fear or defeat, it’s when life feels too heavy, and you pull back to avoid the next blow.Rest, on the other hand, is intentional. It’s sacred space. It’s a deep breath before your next step forward.

Why We Confuse Rest With Retreat

Many women, especially in midlife, struggle with this. We’ve spent decades doing. Caring. Fixing. Showing up. And somewhere along the line, we started believing that our worth is tied to our productivity. So when we need rest, we feel guilty. Lazy. Like we’re falling behind.

But here’s what I often tell my clients: It’s perfectly okay to rest. It’s perfectly okay to pull the covers over your head some days. Just don’t stay there.

That cocoon can be a beautiful, healing space for a while, but if you stay too long, it becomes a cage. Rest is meant to restore, not to trap you.

The Quiet Rebuild

Think about the times in life when you’ve needed to stop, maybe after a breakup, a big transition, or a deep disappointment. It’s natural to want to disappear for a while. But healing doesn’t come from hiding. It comes from allowing. Allowing yourself to feel the exhaustion, the confusion, the ache, and to let your nervous system catch up with all you’ve been carrying.

Rest gives your body time to rebuild. Your heart time to soften. Your mind time to clear. Retreat keeps you looping in the story of “I can’t.” Rest whispers, “I can, just not today.”

A Midlife Truth

In midlife, rest becomes not only necessary but non-negotiable. It’s not about slowing down because you’re older. It’s about slowing down because you’re wiser.

You’ve earned the right to pause, and to choose your next move with intention, not impulse.

This isn’t the season for proving yourself. It’s the season for becoming yourself again.

So take that nap. Say no without explaining. Cancel the thing you said yes to when you were tired. Walk outside. Breathe. Let your shoulders drop. You’re not losing time, you’re regaining presence.

Closing Reflection

If you’ve been in “retreat mode” lately, hiding, hesitating, or holding back, I want you to know it’s okay. You don’t have to sprint forward. Just start by resting with purpose.

Rest, but not retreat. Pause, but don’t disappear. Gather your strength because the next chapter of your life is still waiting, and you’ll need your energy for it.

Affirmation

I rest to renew.

Isabelle

A Gentle Invitation

If this message speaks to you, if you know it’s time to rest but you don’t want to lose yourself in the pause, I’d love to walk with you through this season.

Together, we can find your rhythm again, rebuild your confidence, and rediscover what lights you up, one intentional breath at a time.

Write to me to schedule a free clarity call, and let’s talk about what your next chapter can look like, rested, but not retreated.

PS: Message me for a free consult to start moving toward a more confident you.