Can I Finally Rest?

July 9th, 2026

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Next ONLINE Breathing Journey: Wednesday, July 15 at 7:00pm ET

Next IN-PERSON Cacao & Breathing Journey: Friday, July 17 at 6:30pm ET

First In-Person Fall Vitality Retreat: Sept 18-21 (Scroll to the end for details)

Dear one,

I wrote this poem, not for you, but for me. I wrote it on a day I felt insignificant, confused, and helpless.

This poem has helped me many times since, specifically the first few lines. When I start to spin or worry, I’ve been reminding myself to “Make a bed…”

If you’d like me to read it to you, and share a little more context, listen on the podcast:

Make A Bed

Make a bed
in your well of despair.
Not because you’ve given up,
but because you’ve tried
everything
else.

Denial. Distraction.
Pride. Override.
Fantasy. Blame.
Resentment. Resistance.
Re-commitment. Commiseration.
Freneticism. Collapse.

Settling in
to feeling bad
doesn’t mean you’ll be here forever,
only that you can finally rest
right where you are.

Despair may be uncomfortable,
but it belongs.
Anguish is proof of love.
You cannot despair
unless you care.

So make your bed.
Surrender.
Let yourself finally die
to your undeniable prayer
for the peace that comes only
through acceptance.

Thank you for reading.

make a bed poem image

BONUS: For those times when you are feeling intolerable feelings, and there is just nothing to do about them, here is a guided exploration.

The First In-Person Vitality Fall Retreat

In September, Dr. Rob Williams and I are hosting the first Fall Vitality Retreat. Four days in Vermont’s Mad River Valley, just as the leaves begin to turn. Mornings of breath and movement, afternoons on the land, evenings by the fire — time built for putting everything down.

If some part of you has been longing to rest (really, rest) this may be your bed to make.

Join us here: bit.ly/vitality-fall-retreat