12 Nov Rhythms of Rest 

The air is crisp and the leaves fall more each day as we inch closer to Thanksgiving. Perhaps you feel some anxiety and stress rise up just reading the T-word just mentioned. As soon as November ends, we come crashing into a month full of activity — some refreshing and some depleting. This week’s post will hopefully give you a few practices and rituals that will maintain healthy rhythms of rest throughout the upcoming weeks. Here are three things that can help you to slow down and remember what matters most. 

Practice turning your phone all the way off for one hour a day and one day a week.

It sounds a little wild, but trust me this practice is life-giving on every level. Andy Crouch in The Tech-Wise Family writes about the benefits to your personal well-being and health and explains all the reasons why regular shutdowns are a needed rhythm in our lives. Try it these next two months and watch the impact ripple out into the rest of your life. 

Cultivate a ritual of gratitude.

We are familiar with all the ways to practice thankfulness around Thanksgiving, but establishing a daily ritual of gratitude is powerful. Before the ritual of reaching for your phone to text someone or scroll through social media filled our days, we humans had other rituals. I challenge you to swap the habit of picking up a screen for picking up a pen and writing one thing your grateful for. Maybe start an ongoing list in a notebook and see how long it can get. Rituals are a powerful brain exercise and we get to choose the strength of our thoughts through the daily habits we cultivate. 

Create space to spend time with one person who leaves you feeling full after hanging out. 

Sometimes our calendars become filled with events and outings that can drain your energy. Think of one person who makes you laugh and cry and encourages you to be the best version of yourself. Now text that person and set up a date to do something together before 2019 ends. Your future self will thank you.

April Best is a wife, mom, and author/writer.  She is gifted in sharing her insights on faith, rest and minimalism while also diving into a good book on a cozy chair in her living room.  She’s a local girlfriend that cares about taking care of the planet (and the body) and empowering others to do the same.

If you want more wisdom for simple seasonal living, you can read from April at stillsmallmomentsblog.com.