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Hi Friend,
Memorial Day Weekend always sneaks up on me! I cannot believe it’s here which means summer is basically here. To be honest, I can feel an old reflex kick in: use the long weekend to “get ahead” or “catch up”. It’s a hard habit to break for me.
Joy doesn’t respond well to pressure, or to that obligatory feeling that we should be doing something. Rest doesn’t arrive because we earned it. And unplugging isn’t just about turning off notifications, it’s about letting your attention belong to where your nervous system needs it. Your mind and body deserve a few hours where nothing is required of you.
So I’m trying something simple, will you join me? I’m choosing one small pocket of time to focus on rest, so joy can actually find me:
✨ A walk with nothing in my ears (and no scrolling)
✨ Ten minutes outside with nowhere to be and nothing to do
✨ A deep sigh with shoulders relaxed
What if the most nourishing thing you do this long weekend is stop reaching for more?
Have a joyful weekend,
Rachel
📖 Know
One study found that spending even 10–20 minutes in nature was associated with lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol—Hunter, Gillespie, & Chen, 2019, Frontiers in Psychology.
When we’re constantly “on,” our nervous system stays in a low-grade stress response — more cortisol, more mental noise, and less access to the part of the brain that helps us feel present, creative, and connected. Rest is what tells your body, you’re safe now—and that safety is what allows joy to register. Even a few minutes of true unplugging (no input, no multitasking) can shift you out of fight-or-flight and back into regulation. Joy isn’t something you force; it’s something you make space for.
🌱 Begin
Choose one transition today (first sip of coffee, getting in the car, right before dinner, or when you crawl into bed) and make it a tiny unplugging ritual:
Put your phone face down (or in another room).
Place one hand on your chest or belly.
Take three slow breaths, and on the exhale, silently say: “Nothing is required of me right now.”
⛰️ Explore
This video is a reminder that nervous system regulation doesn’t require more “fixing”, it starts with simple cues of safety that help you come back home to yourself.
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✨ Reflect
“Rest is not idle, not wasteful. Sometimes rest is the most productive thing you can do for your soul.” — Erica Layne
What would it look like to begin again from where I am today — and what is the smallest next step I can take in the direction of my word?
📍 Currently…
A curated collection of interesting articles, interviews, products that are currently on my radar.
I recently heard that coffee is one of the most chemically sprayed crops! It’s so hard to make the healthiest choices for everything but I figure going organic with the things that are consumed on a more frequent basis is worth it. Here’s a brand I’ve been loving. My nutritionist approved!
Being positive is better than negative, right? Here are morning affirmations to start your day on the right note.
I’ve been receiving functional medicine care through Dr. Mark Hyman’s functional clinic, The UltraWellness Center. If you’re going through a health complication or a challenging condition and are interested in learning more about what it’s like to be a patient with them, feel free to respond to this email. 🙂
Ghosting really doesn’t do anyone any good.
Strength training is all I hear about in my old age 🤪 This is the weighted vest I’ve been using for a few weeks now and I’ve been loving it to just give flat neighborhood walks a bit more.
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