The First Bite: Making Radical Rest Manageable

A lone elephant in an African safari broken into puzzle pieces, with one piece highlighted in a contrasting color.

“You were not just born to center your entire existence on work and labor. You were born to heal, to grow, to be of service to yourself and community, to practice, to experiment, to create, to have space, to dream, and to connect.” - Tricia Hersey

Looking at the entirety of what needs to change in your relationship with rest can feel overwhelming. The elephant is enormous. But you don't have to eat it all at once—you don't have to eat it at all. You just need to take one small, manageable step.

This metaphor resonates because it addresses the paralysis many leaders experience when confronting necessary change. We see the full scope of what's broken and freeze, convinced that unless we can fix everything, we shouldn't start anywhere.

But transformation doesn't require massive overhauls. It requires consistency in small practices. Today, that might mean taking five minutes with your favorite snack, fully present and disconnected from work. Tomorrow, it might be a ten-minute walk without your phone.

The beauty of incremental change is that it builds both capacity and confidence towards the four freedoms. Each small success proves that change is possible. Each boundary you maintain strengthens your ability to establish the next one. Each moment of rest reminds your nervous system that safety exists outside productivity.

For leaders accustomed to thinking big and executing complex strategies, this approach can feel insufficient. Surely meaningful change requires dramatic action? Not necessarily. Often, the most sustainable transformations emerge from barely noticeable shifts repeated consistently over time. Below are three suggestions to reclaim your rest.

Eliminate items from your schedule.

You don't need to clear your calendar entirely. Start with one non-negotiable hour per week dedicated to something that restores you. Protect it the way you would protect a critical meeting. Show up for yourself with the same commitment you show up for others.

Examine your technology use.

You don't need to go completely offline. Begin by silencing notifications from specific apps during certain hours. Create one boundary around when you'll check email. Let people know you won't be immediately available.

Expand your vocabulary to utilize the word: Delegation

The staff capacity challenge feels overwhelming when you imagine building a full team immediately. But what if you started by identifying one task you could delegate or one volunteer you could train? Progress isn't always hiring—sometimes it's working smarter within your current resources.

Internal barriers require similar patience. You can't dismantle decades of conditioning overnight. But you can notice when guilt arises around rest and question it. You can catch yourself in negative self-talk and choose a different narrative. You can practice extending to yourself the grace you offer others.

The accountability piece becomes manageable when you focus on one day at a time. You don't need a perfect system immediately. You need one practice you'll commit to today. Tomorrow is tomorrow.

What makes this approach trauma-informed is the recognition that change itself can be triggering. Going slowly, building safety, celebrating small wins—these aren't signs of weakness. They're wise strategies for sustainable transformation.

So what's your first bite?  What's one small, specific action you'll take this week toward rest? Not the whole elephant—just one tiny piece that feels achievable right now.

Start there. Trust that small steps, taken consistently, create the path forward.

Don't know where to start? Our People-Powered Workshops offer practical, high-impact training on Performance without Burnout and Leading with Emotional Intelligence—giving you concrete tools to take that first bite. Or, explore Coaching for personalized support in identifying your most impactful first step with Co-Active coaching methodology that meets you exactly where you are and draws out your inner wisdom to create change that lasts. Book your discovery call today and let's make radical rest manageable together.

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At AllProfit HR, we empower employees and business owners to build people-centered, resilient workplace cultures by centering well-being, psychological safety, and trauma-informed principles. We transform traditional HR functions into tools for inclusive, compassionate, and sustainable organizational growth.