Rest Is Revolutionary.

Rest Is Revolutionary.

Dear you,

Somewhere along the way, you were taught that exhaustion is proof of excellence.

That if you are tired, overextended, running on fumes, and still showing up for everyone — you are doing it right.

You learned to wear strength like armor.
To be the dependable one.
The fixer.
The nurturer.
The provider.
The strong Black woman.

But let me tell you something bold and true:

You were never meant to survive your own life. You were meant to live it.

Burnout is not a badge of honor.
Overworking is not a personality trait.
And being everything to everyone is not your divine assignment.

Rest is not laziness.
Rest is not weakness.
Rest is not falling behind.

Rest is resistance.

In a world that profits from your labor, your creativity, your caretaking, and your emotional endurance — choosing to pause is a radical act. Choosing softness is revolutionary. Choosing yourself is powerful.

You do not have to earn rest.
You do not have to break down to deserve a break.
You do not have to prove your worth through depletion.

You are worthy because you exist.

There is a quiet violence in constantly pushing past your limits. In silencing your body when it whispers, “I’m tired.” In ignoring the heaviness behind your smile. In believing that slowing down means you’re letting someone down.

Dear You, hear me clearly:

You are allowed to disappoint expectations that are destroying you.

You are allowed to say no without explanation.
You are allowed to log off.
You are allowed to take the nap.
You are allowed to not answer the call.
You are allowed to choose peace over performance.

Softness is not the opposite of strength.
It is strength, unarmored.

And softness looks different for each of us. It might look like therapy. It might look like delegating. It might look like closing the laptop at 6 p.m. It might look like booking the trip. It might look like asking for help instead of carrying it alone.

You do not have to carry the world to prove you can hold it.

The truth is, generations before you survived so that you could have options. So that you could rest without apology. So that you could experience joy, not just endurance.

Rest honors them.
Rest honors you.
Rest honors the life you are building.

So today, I want you to release the guilt. Release the pressure. Release the invisible cape.

You are not a machine.
You are not a mule.
You are not a myth.

You are a woman. A whole one. A worthy one.

And revolutionary women rest.

With power and permission,
— Ayshia Renee