The Kirsty Files: Finding Rest & Not Monday.

Why is it so hard for me to give myself permission to rest? Does anyone else feel this way?

The combination of this last week kicking our butts, worry over the health diagnosis of someone close to me, and a to-do list that is giving me heart palpitations has me longing for stillness and beauty and rest today.

The thing is, I really don’t want to run the race worn out, especially as we enter the next couple months, so with the intentions of this day in mind I took a nap, we ate our favorite (easy) foods for dinner - ahem mac-n-cheese and spicy sausage, watched a movie, drank tea, and I also visited the new Not Monday showroom.

It's light-filled and well thought out and serene, and full of the bestest coziest sweaters.

Cindy has put her heart and soul into her luxe knitwear brand and her dreamy cashmere line for fall filled my beauty bucket. Bonus, her showroom is directly across the street from my shop, adding wonderful energy to our block.

Yes! These cashmere sweaters are a dream, the details are spot on and completely slurge-worthy. I wore this warm soft hug all day long.

And then I bribed my 10 year old to take my picture.

I wrote about some of the above - needing rest but feeling guilty - on my Instagram post and was surprised at the response of women who feel this same way. Why is this?

Lately I have been feeling the burden of not getting enough done, and I hate that because at the end of the day I feel defeated. I don't see what I have accomplished, only what is left to do. Ugh. Right? UGH.

And it's so interesting to me how fiercely I protect this need to rest for my children. Yet not for myself.

So I am off to bed. There is so much more brewing in my brain now on this topic, but rest is key for me right now. When emotions run high it's my bed that I need. I did not intend this to be the topic of my blog post but I'm so intrigued, and challenged, at finding ways to incorporate stillness into our lives over the next 50 days. TILL CHRISTMAS. and cue heart palpitations.

In the meantime...

"It takes courage to say yes to rest and play in a culture where exhaustion is seen as a status symbol."

-Brene Brown.