Permission to Rest: Why Slowing Down in Summer Is Powerful Medicine
Summer often arrives with pressure to do more. Travel. Hike. Camp. Host. Run around with a smoothie in one hand and a to-do list in the other. The season of light and warmth gets mistaken for an endless invitation to pack our schedules — and before we know it, we’re exhausted under the guise of “living our best lives.”
But what if summer wasn’t a time to maximize — but to relax?
Summer comes with its own energy, rhythm, joys, benefits and challenges. It brings longer days, more light and a natural pull to be out in the world. It can be a time of connection, joy, and outward movement — but without balance, that outward energy can leave us feeling scattered or drained. Sometimes, the most supportive thing we can do is pause and create space to stop and rest.
Summer’s Energy Needs Balance
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, summer is considered the most yang time of year — full of warmth, activity, and energy. It’s a season of joy, connection, and passion. But even the brightest fire needs tending.
If we push too hard, stay too busy, or stay “on” all the time, we can quickly shift from feeling energized to feeling used up and exhausted. This is why rest — even in the heart of summer — isn’t just helpful. It’s essential.
Rest helps us stay connected to the joy of the season without burning ourselves out.
Rest Is More Than Sleep
As I shared in Rest is a Verb, rest isn’t just about sleeping or zoning out in front of the TV. It’s about making space to restore your energy, attention, and spirit — in ways that are meaningful to you.
Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith describes seven types of rest we all need:
Physical (sleep, stretching, stillness, gentle movement)
Mental (quieting the mind, unplugging, journaling)
Sensory (reducing noise, screens, clutter)
Emotional (setting boundaries, being honest with yourself)
Social (choosing uplifting company, or taking a break from people altogether)
Creative (allowing beauty and inspiration in)
Spiritual (connecting to something bigger — purpose, nature, meaning)
Tuning in to which type you’re missing is the first step. Rest isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Rest That Moves With the Flow
In Radical Rest, I shared the concept of wu wei — a Daoist idea that means working from a place of rest and flow. Not pushing. Not forcing. The effortless action associated with wu wei invites us to move through life with more ease and less resistance.
Summer naturally invites us to engage and connect — and that can be beautiful. But we don’t have to say yes to everything. There’s power in moving at your own pace. In intentionally choosing where your energy goes. In letting go of the pressure to do it all.
Small, Seasonal Ways to Rest
You don’t need a total life reset to rest. Here are a few gentle ways to find balance this season:
Hydrate with intention: Cucumber, berries, citrus, mint tea — or water infused with fruit — help cool and replenish.
Track your joy: In Vibrant Growth: Ancient Wisdom for Summer, I suggest grabbing a notebook and writing down one thing that made you happy each day. It builds proof that good things happen and that joy can exist even when things are hard. These are called Glimmers.
Protect your energy: Boundaries aren’t selfish — they’re essential. Notice what leaves you feeling full vs. what leaves you feeling frayed.
Let creativity in: You don’t need a plan. Just do something that feels good — bake, doodle, dance, rearrange a shelf, go for a walk, explore a new neighbourhood, go to a farmer’s market… the possibilities are endless (check out our 100 Activities to Enjoy this Summer).
Choose connection, not obligation: Prioritize people who leave you feeling like yourself. Let go of “shoulds.” Check out Friendships - the Good, the Bad and the Ugly if you’re navigating tricky dynamics or wondering which relationships are truly supportive.
You Don’t Need to Earn Rest
You’re allowed to pause. You’re allowed to change your mind. You’re allowed to do less — and feel good about it.
There is no right way to rest. There’s just what works for you, right now, in this season.
Maybe that’s a quiet moment in the morning with tea or coffee. Maybe it’s saying no to something you don’t really want to do. Maybe it’s choosing to see the joy in the smallest, simplest things. Maybe it’s choosing exploration and discovering something new.
However it looks, you have permission to rest — not just this summer, but always.
Andrea
