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September 2024: rest & burnout

Each month, we break down our topic into four weekly modules. Catch up on previous editions here.

This week's module: READ

🎯 READ | What is burnout and how does it relate to activism?
WATCH | The 7 types of rest (TODAY)
ACT | Actions you can commit to for true self- and collective-care (9/18/24)
REFLECT | Share your commitment to caring more and resting more (9/25/24)

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes for the action plan

Here's what we'll learn today Reader

Thank you for checking in with yourself (and me!) about your morale in last week's Changeletter on what burnout is and how it relates to activism. Here are some things I heard from some of our 7,700 readers:

"I am actually feeling like if I don’t get some boundaries up I’m going to get ill. [I feel] burnt."
"I'm TIRED. So I appreciate this timely Changeletter topic. AI [is] one of my top macro stressors in life right now. It's so unnecessary and irresponsible for humanity to bring this into existence at scale considering the energy, water, and land it will use."
"I learned a long time ago to unwind and just be. I’m tired but happy."
"Wars, government oppression, corporate greed, climate change, disease, racism, famine . . . there’s no shortage of horrible things going on around the world, including right where you and I live. It’s easy, and normal, to get down, for your morale to drop, to feel powerless. But that’s exactly why community, like Soapbox, is so important. People, together, are a powerful force."

I'm so appreciative to everyone who popped into my inbox and shared a few words on how their morale is this month. It would also greatly boost my morale if you shared our Changeletter with your friends + family (forward it along, post on LinkedIn/Instagram etc.) I would love to reach 10,000 readers by the end of the year! https://soapboxproject.org/changeletter

Today in our WATCH module, we'll learn about the 7 types of rest. I find this video extra important this month as wildfires, floods, imperial violence, and other catastrophes unfold... as politicians simultaneously brag about fossil fuel extraction and ignore the stakes of the climate crisis.

Weird times, but I'm grateful to share them with YOU Reader ✨

P.S. if you live in Seattle, we're doing a community trip to the zoo on Saturday. Come join us!

Your bite-sized action plan Reader

✅ WATCH this video on the 7 types of rest from Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith and tell me which one you'll do today

watch the video

“Many of us are going through life thinking we have rested because we have slept but in reality we are missing out on the other types of rest that we need. The result is a culture of high-achieving, high-producing, chronically-tired, burned-out individuals. Many of us are suffering from a rest deficit because we do not understand the power of rest. Rest is the most underused chemical-free and safe alternative therapy available to us." - Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith

Here are the 7 types of rest, summarized in written format here if you want it:

Physical rest, including passive rest like sleeping/napping or active rest like yoga/massage/stretching
Mental rest that remind your brain to slow down or pause, like taking breaks throughout the day
Sensory rest that repair the damage we bear from the over-stimulated world.
Creative rest which "is especially important for anyone who must solve problems or brainstorm new ideas. Creative rest reawakens the awe and wonder inside each of us." In other words, creative rest is a MUST-DO activity if we dream of healing the climate crisis! This can include enjoying nature or appreciating art.
Emotional rest "which means having the time and space to freely express your feelings and cut back on people pleasing. Emotional rest also requires the courage to be authentic."
Social rest, which can be practiced in-person and virtually. Social rest isn't what you might think of as "rest" because it's not the same as taking breaks from socializing. Social rest is the practice of differentiating between recharging vs. exhausting relationships. "To experience more social rest, surround yourself with positive and supportive people. Even if your interactions have to occur virtually, you can choose to engage more fully in them by turning on your camera and focusing on who you’re speaking to."
Spiritual rest "is the ability to connect beyond the physical and mental and feel a deep sense of belonging, love, acceptance and purpose." Being involved in a purpose-driven community can help you find a deep sense of spiritual rest. In addition to traditional spiritual centers like churches, mosques, temples, and meditation centers, you might seek out communities that are interest-based. Consider joining Soapbox Project's membership community or find a values-aligned place where you can commit more time and energy... which, counterintuitively, can be spiritually restful!

watch the video

Next week, we'll watch a video on the 7 types of rest. If we care about the planet, we've got to care about ourselves and each other, so this month's Changeletter is my offering towards a lil bit of healing.

Reply to this email with which rest you're committing to this week (or more than one)!

And if you live in Seattle, join us at the zoo on Saturday for creative, social, and spiritual rest!

Love,

Nivi