The Difference Between Rest and Avoidance

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Lately, I’ve been learning how to tell the difference between when I need to rest… and when I’m avoiding something important.

It’s not always clear at first. Both feel like pulling back. Both ask for stillness. But one feels nourishing. The other feels stagnant.

When I’m genuinely tired, rest leaves me feeling better—clearer, softer, more myself. When I’m avoiding something, it leaves a weight. A tension that doesn’t lift even after hours of scrolling or sitting in silence.

The trick, for me, is to pause and ask:

“What am I protecting myself from right now?”
If the answer is exhaustion, I rest fully. Guilt-free.

If the answer is fear, I get curious. I remind myself I can start small. I don’t have to force anything—I just have to be willing to show up, even a little.

There’s wisdom in rest.

And there’s power in not mistaking fear for fatigue.