Why Rest and Realignment Are Essential for Sustainable Success
Growth isn’t just a constant upward climb. Real growth, especially the kind that’s aligned and sustainable, involves natural pauses, seasons of recalibration, and regular checkpoints to make sure we’re building something that truly supports the life we want.
Recently, I was speaking with someone interested in joining Life First Business, and she shared how she felt the pressure of constant momentum. She was navigating a transition, feeling that her business model wasn’t working for the life she envisioned, and as her income began to dip, she felt a wave of panic.
It’s a familiar feeling. In those moments, our instincts often pull us toward quick fixes. But much like a slingshot pulled back before it launches forward, sometimes the best growth strategy is to pause, recalibrate, and align with where you want to go.
Temporary slowdowns aren’t signs of failure; they’re fertile ground for intentionally releasing what no longer serves you in order to clear the way for meaningful, sustainable growth, even if it means a temporary dip in revenue.
Growth comes from these moments of trust and alignment.
To anyone navigating this season: trust yourself and don’t allow this moment to spiral you into self-doubt or cause you to dig up your seeds.
Staying present with your vision, letting go of quick fixes, and managing your mind are essential because it’s in this pulling-back phase that the foundation for your forward momentum is built.
One of things I love about this season is the invitation to slow down and set intentions.
I approach work cyclically–honoring phases of output and rest, deep work and visibility.
This is the time of year where I retreat, go inwards and maximize the time while my kids are at school to plant seeds that will be ready for me to fully leverage come spring and summer, when I begin to pull away from work and prepare to take time off.
Here’s some of my intentions for both life and business right now:
Fewer Plans, More Intentional Gatherings: After a summer of ‘yeses’ and a lot going on, I can already feel myself wanting to go into hibernation mode. Instead of filling every block of free time with plans, I’m prioritizing fewer meaningful get-togethers and really protecting my energy.
Less shopping, back to my low spend year: I slightly deviated from my low spend year over the summer so I plan on having a bit of a spending freeze to help me get back on track for the rest of the year. I’m pushing myself to get creative and savor what I own when I have the urge to buy something new. I’m so much less overwhelmed when there’s less stuff around me.
Bag
Fewer classes, more active outdoor time: As temperatures drop, I want to stay committed to my morning walks. It’s not just exercise—it’s my time for clarity and peace, so I’m choosing to embrace the cooler season instead of avoiding it by committing to getting out every day, rain or shine.
Prioritizing Rest: I read Katherine May’s book, Wintering, for the first time last year and am making it a tradition to read it each fall. It’s such a powerful reminder for me that slowing down and resting is as vital to growth as action. I recently heard about a study where scientists injected trees with steroids to bypass their natural wintering process. These trees, many of which were hundreds of years old, all died within a year. So I’m really taking that to heart this season.
This year I’ve learned a few things when it comes to embracing rest:
- And the first is to honor where you are. Our body’s signals are not something to push through or override. We’re at our most magnetic when we honor our needs and follow what feels nurturing.
- Next, is that success isn’t tied to constant effort but rather the quality of the systems you’ve built and the energy you bring forth when you’re aligned and do have the capacity to take action. Rest is part of your magnetism – it allows you to show up in your fullest power when the time is right.
- Momentum isn’t lost in rest; it’s strengthened: rest is an active part of creation. Rest and restoration are part of the natural rhythm that allows us to show up fully when it’s time to engage again. We’re never going back to zero after a pause; we’re making space for deeper alignment.
- Oftentimes, we carry the subconscious fear that if we retreat, our traction will be lost. But honoring the needs for rest actually strengthens our long-term consistency. Think of sports – you’re stronger and more able to continue the practice when we allow our body to recover. The same goes for business habits. One missed week doesn’t undo the habit – the commitment to pick back up without judgment, actually reinforces it. Your business and habits will thrive when you trust that you can return after honoring your needs. Instead of seeing your routine as fragile, you can choose to see it as flexible—able to bend with your life and still hold its shape. Rest and momentum can coexist.
These are my intentions as I move into this season.
What are yours?
Where are you ready to slow down, release, and reflect?
Here’s a few snaps from the past week and a bit…
Watching a jazz show in a Brownstone in our neighborhood
The foliage this time of year always gets me
Our Halloween party in our backyard
