When the Body Says “Rest”: Lessons from a Cold and Flu Weekend

It started on Friday, that familiar scratchy throat and the mental debate that always follows: Am I sick? Am I just tired? Maybe it’s allergies?

By Friday night, I admitted defeat and went to bed early. Saturday morning arrived with that same tug-of-war in my head, but deeper down, I knew the truth. I was sick. Some virus had found its way in, and my body was waving the white flag.

Being sick as a single mom is its own kind of marathon. There’s no backup team to tag in. The laundry still piles up, the kids still need rides, meals still need to appear on the table, and homework doesn’t magically get done. Even medicine runs low at inconvenient times.

And then there’s the work part, the inner debate of whether to use paid time off when every day counts. The scarcity mindset whispers, What if I run out? while another part of me quietly asks, What if you just rest?

By Sunday morning, I slipped into a bit of denial again. Maybe I was getting better? I managed a light strength training session at home, tidied up, and shuttled kids to activities. But by late afternoon, the exhaustion hit like a ton of bricks. I tried to sneak in a nap before another pickup, and in that half-dream, half-meditative state, I heard it clearly, You need to take a day off work.

That voice, calm, intuitive, undeniable, carried a truth I’ve learned to trust more and more. Saying yes to rest can be harder than saying yes to productivity. It can feel rebellious, even selfish. But that message landed deep.

Monday came, and I followed through. I got my kids off to school, then crawled back into bed and slept for hours. My body drank it in. The house was still. For the first time in days, I didn’t have to take care of anyone but myself.

That, I realized, is growth. Knowing when to turn down the noise of “I have to do it all.”Knowing when to let go of perfectionism and people-pleasing.Knowing when to trust that the world won’t fall apart if you pause.

Because rest isn’t a reward, it’s a requirement. And when I take care of myself, I can show up better for my kids, my students, my clients, and even the strangers who might just need my smile that day.

Reflection Questions

• How do you know when your body is asking for rest, and how often do you listen?

• What stories do you tell yourself about taking time off, and where do those stories come from?

• When was the last time you gave yourself permission to truly stop and replenish?

• How do you balance caring for others with caring for yourself?

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