In this solo podcast episode of the August series "The Empowered Yes: Aligning with What You Are Called to Do," Dr. Marleen Greenleaf addresses overachievers and purpose‑driven listeners, urging them to view rest not as laziness but as a necessary act of restoration, obedience, and spiritual health. She debunks common myths that equate rest with weakness, shares a personal story of burnout caused by saying yes to everything, and explains how granting herself permission to rest led to renewed vigor and a sense of divine honor. Greenleaf then offers three concrete steps: (1) recognize personal limits without shame, citing Jesus’ own practice of withdrawing to pray; (2) intentionally build rhythms of rest—Sabbath, walks, naps, stillness—before burnout strikes; and (3) trust that rest yields productivity in the form of clarity, health, and longevity. The episode concludes with a guided breathing exercise, a reflective question about guilt‑free rest, and an empowerment prompt to schedule a dedicated rest appointment, framing rest as integral to sustaining one’s calling.
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Well, hello, my valued listeners, and welcome back to another episode of Living in Your Power. I'm your host, Dr. Marleen Greenleaf, and we are deep into our August series, The Empowered Yes: Aligning with What You Are Called to Do. Now, this week's message is one that speaks directly to the heart of overachievers, high-capacity men and women, And anyone trying to do it all in the name of purpose. Today's episode is entitled Yes to Rest: Honoring Your Capacity While Pursuing Your Calling. Because sometimes the most empowered yes you can offer is a pause. So let's, let's start here. Let's talk about the truth about rest. Rest, my dear listeners, is not laziness. Rest is not weakness. Rest is not optional. Rest is restoration. It's preparation and it's obedience. And if we're really honest, some of us aren't tired because we're working hard. We are tired because we are carrying things we were never called to carry. When you are constantly saying yes to everything, you will eventually say no to your own peace. Now let me share a true moment. There was a time in my life when I felt guilty, yes, guilty for resting. Even when I was exhausted, I would still be responding to emails 10, 11 o'clock at night, and I'd still agree to things, to do things on weekends, still show up when I had nothing left to give. And why? Because somewhere along the way, I equated rest with weakness, with falling behind, with being seen as less than committed. But that wasn't strength. It was a burnout in disguise. So what changed? Well, I gave myself permission to rest. And not just physically, but spiritually and emotionally. And the moment I honored my capacity, I felt God honor that obedience. Now, how do you say yes to rest in a purpose-driven life? First, Recognize your limits without shame. My dear listeners, you are powerful, but you are not limitless. Even Jesus rested. Even he walked away from the crowd to pray and reset. Next, I want you to build rhythms, not just reactions. Now, don't wait until you crash. Start creating rhythms of rest before the burnout hits. Sabbath, walks, naps, stillness. Start creating and building these rhythms. And third, trust that rest is productive. Yes, rest may not produce content, money, or movement, But it produces clarity, health, and longevity. So I want you, dear listeners, to take a moment right now and breathe. I want you to inhale deeply, exhale slowly, and ask yourself, when was the last time I rested without Guilt. Let your body, your mind, and your spirit answer that question honestly. When was the last time you rested without guilt? This week, for your empowerment prompt, I want you to create one intentional moment of rest. Block it off like an appointment. I mean, protect it like your purpose depends on it, because it does. Rest isn't a break from your calling; it's part of the plan to sustain it. So, in closing, I want you to remember, you are not just called You are called to be, and sometimes being means slowing down long enough to let God refill what you've poured out. So yes to your purpose, yes to your calling, but also yes to you. Yes to your healing. Yes to your stillness. And yes to your restoration. Next week, we'll close out the series with a final episode entitled Living the Yes Life: What Alignment Actually Looks Like. So until then, dear listeners, I want you to continue to live boldly in your power. And if it gets tough, just breathe. You still have the strength to rise. Continue to live in your power.
