P24: Unplug. Unwind. Come Back Stronger

Welcome to Just One Pivot, where we explore how a single shift in perspective can transform our lives. If someone shared it with you, you can subscribe here.

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Before you reach for more coffee or another scroll, consider this:

What if what you really need… is rest?

This is my story.

For decades, I lived with the sense of an ominous shadow just waiting to fall. Some might call it depression.

For me, it felt like a slow-moving fog of sadness that would settle in and stay awhile.

I could usually see it coming, like a dark cloud hovering above. And I’d do whatever I could to outpace it.

My go-to move?

Staying busy. Projects, goals, anything that made me feel productive.

When social media came on the scene, I added scrolling to the list. A few minutes here, a quick break there… and suddenly, hours would pass.

It was easy to get lost in it. I didn’t realize how much that constant noise was messing with my brain.

Later, I learned about dopamine, the brain chemical tied to reward, motivation, and addiction. It’s what keeps us refreshing our feeds, checking our inboxes, and reaching for one more hit of distraction.

The more I fed that loop, the more depleted I felt.

And the more depleted I felt, the more I wanted to escape.

Vicious cycle, right?

At one point, I even considered medication. I wasn’t against it. I just wanted to explore something else first.

PIVOT POINT

Before making any final decision, I did one of the wisest things I’ve ever done:
I gave myself a three-day weekend to pause.

No social media. No news. No reading. No pressure. I turned off all the noise.

Just three days of walking in nature, praying, journaling, and silence.

I didn’t know exactly what I was doing. I just knew I needed to hear myself think again.

That weekend changed everything.

Not long after, I came across a book that helped me make sense of what I’d stumbled into:

Sacred Rest by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith.

And then came the aha moment:

You’re not lazy. You’re depleted.

THE SHIFT

Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith—a respected physician, researcher, and author—explains that the key to restoring our energy, peace, and sense of wholeness lies in understanding that depletion comes in seven different forms.

According to her research, these seven types of rest are essential for a balanced, sustainable life:

The 7 Types of Rest We All Need

• Physical Rest – Sleep, naps, stretching, or anything that lets your body recover.

• Mental Rest – A break from decision-making, problem-solving, and brain overload.

• Sensory Rest – Stepping away from screens, bright lights, and background noise.

• Creative Rest – Time in nature, music, art, or anything that refuels your inspiration and intuition.

• Emotional Rest – Letting go of the need to perform, please, or pretend.

• Social Rest – Time away from draining interactions, and time with people who give you life.

• Spiritual Rest – Connecting to something deeper — faith, purpose, stillness.

When I saw this list, I immediately recognized the gaps in my life.

I wasn’t broken.

I was just empty in places that really mattered.

PIVOT CHALLENGE

The 3-Day Digital Detox

Pick a weekend, or any three-day window that works for you, and try this:

Day 1: Unplug
Log off social media. Silence the noise. Go for a walk. Journal what comes up.

Day 2: Rest
Choose two types of rest from the list above. Be intentional. Let your brain and body breathe.

Day 3: Reflect
Ask yourself: What felt hard? What felt healing?
Write down what you’d like to keep doing.

Bonus: Consider taking Dr. Dalton-Smith’s Quiz to find out what kind of rest you need. Then, schedule one kind of rest on your calendar every day next week, even for just 10 minutes.

Rest doesn’t have to be long to be powerful.

 Quote of the Week

Here’s to finding rest, reclaiming your spark, and becoming more fully you.

Until next time,

P.S. I’m scheduling new talks for spring and summer. If you’d like me to explore how I can inspire your team, send me a note and let’s chat.