Let's Thrive Not Strive in 2025!

When Sleep Isn’t Enough: Pursuing Soul Rest (#49)

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We are complex beings—beautifully and intricately made up of three parts: body, soul, and spirit. Last month, we explored how physical rest fuels the body and mind, helping us thrive and stay productive. But what happens when physical rest isn’t enough?

I once saw a meme that read, “Sleep doesn’t help if it’s your soul that’s tired.” I remember it well because the truth of that simple statement struck me hard, to my core. Many times in my life my soul felt tired, deeply tired. Maybe yours has been too.

Soul Fatigue Is Real

Have you ever felt like you were running on fumes, even after a full night’s sleep? Maybe your body wasn’t what needed rest. Maybe it was your soul. Our souls are made up of our minds, wills, and emotions. Sometimes, perhaps too often, we overload our lives with too much on our proverbial plate—deadlines, demands, family needs, chronic illness, or the constant hum of anxiety. We try to press on, telling ourselves to just push through one more task, one more day, one more week. All the while, our souls are crying out for rest. Friends, this isn’t sustainable. And it isn’t how God designed us to live.

Yes, life brings stress and responsibilities. But we weren’t created to white-knuckle our way through every season. We need margin—not just for our schedules, but also for our souls.

Rest for the Mind and Soul

Mental and cognitive rest isn’t about doing nothing. It’s about making space—to pause, to reset, to breathe. When our minds are constantly stimulated and our thoughts pulled in ten different directions, our souls follow. It’s not just the tasks that wear us down, but the mental load we carry. And we carry a lot these days, don’t we?

We must be intentional about protecting our mental space and refreshing our inner life. Just like our bodies need sleep, our souls need stillness and our minds need quiet.

Who Says We Have to Keep Up This Pace?

We often believe the lie that we have to keep going at this breakneck pace. But who says? Who told you that your worth is measured by your productivity? In Blog Post #24: Soul Breath, I asked, “What gives your soul breath? What is life-giving for you right now?” Have you answered that question for yourself?

There are 1,440 minutes in a day. That’s 10,080 minutes in a week. Even if our schedules are full, there is time to carve out even ten minutes of soul-satisfying rest each day.

  • Take a walk without your phone.
  • Sit in silence and listen for God’s voice.
  • Read a Psalm slowly, not for information, but for connection.
  • Breathe deeply and allow yourself to be instead of do.

To Thrive in 2025, we need more than sleep. We need mental margin and soul rest. That means making space for God to fill us, time to breathe, and permission to stop striving. Let’s be people who rest—not just because we’re tired, but because we’re created to thrive. Let’s make room every day to catch our breath and return to what gives our soul life.

Reflection Questions:

  • What is draining your mental and emotional energy right now?
  • What gives your soul breath?
  • What small change can you make this week to invite rest into your mind and soul?

Read more on this in: Blog Post #24 – Soul Breath

Let's Thrive Not Strive in 2025!

The Intangible Cost of Tangibles (#48)

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Last month we talked about the importance of rest. One often overlooked area of our lives which can subtly steal our time and inhibit our rest is the intangible cost of maintaining our tangibles.

In a world where success is often measured by the number of zeroes in our bank accounts and the size of our homes, it’s easy to overlook the hidden costs of our material pursuits. We’re surrounded by messages urging us to buy more, upgrade constantly, and equate possession with happiness. But what we rarely talk about is the intangible price we pay in the process—costs that don’t show up on receipts or credit card statements yet strain our time, attention, energy, and yes even wallets.

Material things, by nature, offer temporary satisfaction. The thrill of a new purchase fades quickly, replaced by the urge for something newer, better, or more expensive. This cycle creates a quiet, creeping dissatisfaction. Instead of filling a void, our possessions often magnify it. The more we chase after material wealth, the more elusive true contentment becomes.

One of the most profound intangible costs is time. Time spent working overtime to afford luxuries, time sacrificed on weekends for extra income, or time lost to the stress and maintenance of storing and managing more things. In the pursuit of material gain, we often trade away moments with loved ones, peace of mind, and opportunities for personal growth or rest.

There’s also an emotional toll. Comparison culture, fueled by social media, turns possessions into status symbols. It creates pressure to keep up, even when it leads to debt, anxiety, or burnout. Our self-worth can become entangled with what we own rather than who we are. This can chip away at self-esteem and authenticity, leading to a sense of disconnection from what truly matters.

Relationships can suffer, too. When material goals take precedence, people may become secondary. Friendships, family bonds, and even the relationship with oneself can be strained or neglected. It’s ironic how we often acquire things to impress or connect with others, yet those very pursuits can isolate us.

This isn’t a call to reject all material comforts—there’s nothing wrong with enjoying nice things. But recognizing their intangible costs helps us make more mindful choices. When we shift focus from what we own to how we live, from accumulating to experiencing, and from our possessions to our true identity, we start to reclaim our time, peace, and purpose.

True wealth isn’t measured in possessions but in freedom, connection, and fulfillment. And those, ironically, are often found in the things we can’t buy. I wrote two short blog posts related to this topic which you may enjoy. Check out The Secret Sauce (#17) and Rich Beyond Reason (#41).

Take time this month to consider the cost – to your mind, soul, wallet, time, and peace – of the material possessions you have. While the costs of our tangibles might be intangible, they can still be calculated. Only you can decide if the cost is worth the price.

Let's Thrive Not Strive in 2025!

The Productivity of Being Still. (#47)

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This month’s focus is a message that I desperately need myself. In a culture which constantly emphasizes productivity, the notion of slowing down or taking time to rest can seem counterintuitive.

We are often led to believe that success is measured by the hours worked, the tasks completed, and the hustle that accompanies our daily whirlwind. However, there is growing evidence that true productivity cannot be sustained without intentional periods of stillness, downtime, and rest. And just scrolling social media or mindlessly watching TV do not provide the rest we need. While you may not be bodily active during those tasks, your mind and emotions are not at rest.

Rest is essential for cognitive function, yet every waking moment we are bombarded with stimuli – the ping of notifications, the overwhelming stream of information from news outlets or social media, and the constant advertisements. This overstimulation leads to burnout, decision fatigue, and diminished creativity. The brain, much like any other part of the body, requires time to recover and reset.

We all need intentional pauses which allow our bodies, souls and spirits to be still. These moments of quiet are not only necessary for physical and mental well-being but are also essential for sustained creative and cognitive output. In fact, rest has the power to enhance productivity in ways that constant activity cannot.

During periods of rest, the brain processes and consolidates information, which leads to better memory retention and more effective problem-solving. Neuroscientific studies show that during sleep, the brain strengthens neural connections and clears out waste products that accumulate during waking hours. By ensuring adequate downtime, we allow our minds to work in the background, improving clarity and focus when we return to our tasks.

A great piece of advice is found in Psalm 46:10. Most English translations say, “Be still, and know that I am God.” The Christian Standard Bible translation says, “Stop fighting, and know that I am God.” Yet another translation, the New American Standard Bible, says, “Stop striving and know that I am God.” When we stop striving and fighting the whirlwind and instead get still and focus on the fact that God is firmly on His throne, our bodies, souls and spirits thrive!

Taking intentional breaks, spending time in prayer or reading Scripture, or engaging in quiet activities such as journaling or walking in nature can foster a mental and spiritual reset. When we pause and disconnect from the noise around us, we are able to meaningfully reconnect with God and ourselves. Ironically, it is in these moments of stillness that our most innovative ideas can surface.

By embracing the importance of downtime and rest, we give ourselves the chance to reconnect with God and ourselves, recharge, reflect, and ultimately become more productive, creative, and resilient. It’s amazing how a little intentional rest can be so powerfully productive!

Let's Thrive Not Strive in 2025!

Opportunity Cost (#46)

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Last month we discussed the difference between striving and thriving. I asked you to consider that rock, that thing which demands an inordinate amount of your effort and attention that could otherwise be intentionally devoted to more important and soul-satisfying activities. This month we will take that thought a bit further and look at the costs of pursuing that rock.

While we all have more or less of certain resources – like money, friends, health, energy, intelligence or creativity – we all have the same amount of time in a day. How we spend that time makes all of the difference in the quality and satisfaction we have in life.

When we spend our resources haphazardly or in ways that do not support our highest goals, we miss the opportunity to spend those resources in more effective ways. In business, this is called an opportunity cost. If we spend our time and other resources in ways that do not lead to progress in goals or our definition of success (see blog post Enough Success (#22)), then those spent resources are wasted. This is particularly tragic when our resources are spent on someone else’s goals or definition of success.

The point is that you will expend time and effort regardless of the outcome, the goal is to have the time and effort pointing in the direction of that which is truly most important to you…not to other people. Your goals should not be dictated by The Joneses, and certainly not influenced by social media posers. See the blog post What I Love About Tiny Houses (#29) for a good illustration of this idea.

How tragic it is at the end of a life spent climbing the ladder of success only to realize too late it was leaning against the wrong wall. Take some time this month to intentionally examine where your ladder is leaning. What is the opportunity cost of your current lifestyle? Is the long-term cost of pursuing that rock worth the investment? I hope the answer is an enthusiastic “yes!” If not, maybe it’s time to look for another opportunity.

Let's Thrive Not Strive in 2025!

That Rock. (#45)

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What does it mean to thrive rather than strive? Merriam Webster defines thrive1 as “to grow vigorously” (i.e. to flourish) and “to progress toward or realize a goal despite or because of circumstances” and strive2 as “to devote serious effort or energy” and “to struggle in opposition”. One word is life-giving, one word is soul draining. One word draws you higher toward your calling, one word reminds us that the struggle is real.

One of the most famous quotes from the movie Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.” Life moves fast. One day you’re getting off the school bus and the next minute you’re wondering what the heck happened to your neck! Sometimes we need to hit the proverbial pause button and take some time to examine our assumptions and paradigms.

Does your definition of success really match the track you’re on? Are you striving simply to meet the expectations of others, or are you thriving in your “so that” purpose? Of course we have obligations…the mortgage won’t pay itself…but there is also a lot more space between our necessary obligations and the exhausting expectations we assume are requirements.

I know that was true for me. (You can learn a bit about my Enough Life journey in blog post #34, “So That”.)

This month, spend some time examining your definition of success. Perhaps blog post #22, “Enough Success?” can help. What would your life, calendar, and wallet look like if you traded striving for thriving? Would there be one less meeting a week and one more walk in the park? Would there be one less, unnecessary drive through coffee drink and one more good book getting read?

Thriving takes intentionality, growth won’t just happen on its own. Whatever your “enough” point is you will find joy, peace, and satisfaction. Give some thought today to how you can flourish in 2025 rather than devoting all of your energy to pushing that rock uphill…whatever that rock is for you.

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1“Thrive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thrive. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.

2“Strive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strive. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.