Midlife is a season of transition, and over the past nine months, I experienced one of the biggest changes yet, downsizing from a single-family home to a condo. In the midst of that upheaval, I found myself constantly putting my needs last. When I did find time to “rest,” it often felt empty. I’ve since learned there’s a real difference between mindless rest and joyful rest—and that difference truly matters.
Now that I’m more settled and most of the boxes are unpacked, I’ve been able to return to something that resembles a normal routine. In periods of high stress, the only kind of rest many of us can manage is mindless rest: doom-scrolling, watching TV, napping on the couch. Sometimes, that’s all we have the energy for—and that’s okay. It was certainly true for me. But it’s also easy to mistake that for true rest.
So how did I shift toward joyful rest?
It all started with a book and workbook called The Artist’s Way. The 12-week course (I’m currently in week three!) encourages daily morning journaling, and through that simple practice, I began to notice how absent joy had been from my day-to-day life. One of the course’s core practices is taking yourself on a weekly “artist date”—a solo outing that brings you joy. For me, that might be a long walk, a trip to the bookstore, photographing nature, seeing a show, or meeting a friend for coffee. These intentional moments became a powerful form of joyful rest.
Now, when I sip my coffee on the balcony and my dog sleeps peacefully in the chair beside me, I feel something I hadn’t felt in a long time: joy in stillness. We simply are. Adding these moments of joyful rest to my days has brought back a quiet peace I didn’t realize I’d lost—like reconnecting with an old friend I didn’t know I missed.
Have you noticed the difference between mindless rest and joyful rest in your own life?
What’s one small thing you could do this week to rest with joy?
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