The Shift: How Motherhood Changed the Way I Measure Rest
Nursing naps on the couch on a lazy Sunday
I’m a sleeper. Not a night owl, or a morning person—just a girl who loves her bed, okay?!
Before motherhood, rest looked like long, slow weekends and sleeping in. It meant canceling plans and doing absolutely nothing—or everything that filled me up.
But now, rest looks different. It’s fleeting but sacred. It’s the deep breath I take before getting up at 5:30 am to grab Shai from the crib. It’s the few minutes between nap time and the next task. It’s less about stopping and more about savoring.
Motherhood redefined everything, whether I wanted it to or not. And I’ve realized that it taught me rest isn’t always a destination. Sometimes, it’s a moment you claim.
Here are a few ways I’ve learned to find it:
Micro-moments of peace. A quiet shower, a glass of wine, a stretch before the day begins, or a quiet moment reading before bed—rest doesn’t have to be grand to be restorative.
Redefining productivity. Some days, rest is choosing not to fold laundry right away. It’s choosing presence over perfection.
Creating softness in the margins. Lighting a candle, dimming the lights, or stepping outside for a breath of fresh air—rituals that make even chaos feel intentional.
There have been a few mornings while nursing Shai, I’ve decided to do my meditation in that moment. I’d turn on my meditation app, close my eyes, and take a deep breath in. I’d follow the guide, and the two of us sit there in the dark while I take a moment to recenter.
Motherhood has taught me that rest isn’t something to earn—it’s something to receive.
And even on the days when it feels impossible, those little pauses still count.
So if you’re in a season where rest feels out of reach, remember: it doesn’t have to look like stopping. It can simply be a slow inhale, a moment of peace, and the grace to keep going gently.