Rest as Rebellion: Why Doing Less is the Most Radical Act of the Season

Boxing Day is when it hits. The noise quiets. The plates are stacked. The wrapping paper is still in the bin. And suddenly, your body realises how tired it is.

Rest isn’t indulgence here. It’s rebellion.

The Hustle of the Holidays

Christmas often becomes another hustle:

• endless lists,

• back-to-back social events,

• the performance of perfection.

We collapse at the end and call it a break. But what if rest wasn’t the reward for burning out — what if it was the point?

Nervous System Wisdom

Your nervous system can’t run at full tilt forever. Hyperdrive through December, and you’ll hit the freeze that feels like depression in January. Rest is the in-between. It’s the practice of letting the system recalibrate before it crashes.

Trail Tools for Rest

1. Permission Slip: Write yourself one. “I am allowed to rest without earning it.”

2. Seasonal Rhythm: Notice how the land slows — bare branches, hibernation. Follow its lead.

3. Micro Rest: Not just naps. A warm mug held in both hands. A book. Ten minutes of nothing.

4. Boundary Rest: Decline invitations. Leave early. Protect the time you need.

The Radical Bit

Why call rest rebellion? Because we live in a culture that despises it. That calls it lazy, unproductive, wasteful. Every time you choose rest, you’re choosing to resist.

The Forest’s Reminder

The hedgehog in its nest. The fox curled in its den. The earth itself resting beneath frost. Nature doesn’t shame rest. It relies on it.

So if you find yourself craving stillness today — trust it. It’s not failure. It’s survival.

Rest is not what you do once everything else is finished. Rest is what keeps you alive enough to begin again.

Sarah x