Why Taking a Break Is the Work: Listening to Your Body and Honoring Your Health

The past two weeks reminded me—yet again—that rest is not weakness. After getting hit with the flu, my body gave me no choice but to slow down. All the routines I typically rely on—Pilates, yoga, and packed days—had to pause. And instead of pushing through, I made the conscious decision to surrender.

Why Taking a Break Is the Work: Listening to Your Body and Honoring Your Health

I went to bed by 8:30PM most nights. I read. I took slow, short walks when I had the energy. I allowed my body to reset without guilt.

In Get Grounded, I dedicated an entire chapter—Chapter 5—to Optimal Health because I truly believe that well-being isn’t just about what you eat or how often you move. It’s also about how deeply you listen. Listening to your body is an act of self-respect. It’s the quiet work that lays the foundation for sustainable energy, resilience, and leadership.

Optimal health includes honoring your body when it whispers before it has to scream. It means knowing when movement is nourishing—and when rest is medicine.

Too often, we’re conditioned to believe that pushing through is admirable. That if we miss a workout or cancel a plan, we’re somehow falling behind. But real strength? It’s in knowing when to pause. It’s in building a relationship with your body rooted in trust, not control.

This experience was a gentle (okay, maybe not-so-gentle) reminder that my body is my partner—not my project.

So if you’re in a season where your energy feels lower, your schedule overwhelming, or your body is asking for stillness, I hope you give yourself permission to not perform. Let rest be part of the rhythm, not a break from it.

And if you’re craving a deeper reconnection to your health and your inner compass, Get Grounded is here to guide you. Chapter 5 is a great place to start.