JumpStart International Snail Papers Day (4/7/25)

QUOTE:  " I believe rest, sleep, naps, daydreaming, and slowing down can help us all wake up to see the truth of ourselves.  Rest is a healing portal to our deepest selves." (Tricia Hersey)

MESSAGE:  Tricia Hersey, the ‘Nap Bishop’, writes (and I paraphrase) that we can’t resist the grind culture without resisting capitalism and white supremacy - that those two institutions gained power on the backs of black and brown people.  I believe that to be true.

I also believe that our grind culture is exacerbated by our American sense of individualism.  My mother used to tell me and my sister all the time that there’s “no rest for the wicked,” indicating to my 9-year old self that a) we are wicked, and b) we need to keep on keepin’ on despite weariness.  In my old age, I’ve decided that both of those concepts are not productive. (side note:  that quote is actually based on Isaiah 48:20 and 57:20-21.  “There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked.”  Since then, ‘no rest for the wicked’ has served as inspiration for many songs and films)

American grind culture refers to the belief that constant, relentless work and a hustle mentality are the keys to success, often at the expense of personal well-being and work-life harmony.

My third belief this week is that - as in so many aspects of life - there is a fine balance to walk here.  On the one side is exhausting hustle and on the other side is the deadly sin of sloth. Somewhere in between is the Goldilocks Spot where we can be active and productive without wearing ourselves (and others) out.

But where is that balance?  It depends.

What is too much for some people is not enough for others. I cannot say what is excess and what is sloth for you because I do not know your limits or your capability in pushing those limits. Once again, self-awareness and curiosity are key here, along with our agency and ability to communicate our limits to ourselves and others with honesty.

How will you resist by resting this week?

THIS WEEK TRY THIS:  Take 30 seconds and write down everything on your mental to-do list.  Next, go through and choose the top 5.  For the remainder, ask yourself, “What would REALLY happen if I didn’t get to any of these things?”  Not what might or could happen based on your fears, but what will most probably happen.  For example, if you didn’t respond to your emails for a day, people MOST LIKELY wouldn’t do anything (and for those who do - it’s more about them than you).

DAD JOKE:  My wife calls me 'The Computer.'  It's nothing to do with intelligence; I go to sleep if left unattended for 15 minutes.