Rest in Practice: Emerging Lessons from our Rest Fellowship
February 28, 2025
At the start of the fellowship, many fellows carried a deeply held belief that “their worth was tied to productivity.” These sentiments were underscored by themes of our focus groups from our first in-person retreat that made space for self-exploration to guide personal reflection on their individual relationships to rest.
Fellows shared the desire to “release the need to overwork and shift toward sustainable, balanced leadership.” Some viewed rest as “something to be “earned” than an essential component for sustainability in leadership.” In all, most fellows felt grateful to be selected and envisioned a future where rest is normalized, celebrated, and understood as integral to movement and nonprofit justice work.
This complexity dovetails with findings from ProInspires research and findings from its Thriving Leaders and Communities, TLC study. The TLC report features the perspectives of over 60 grassroots and community-based leaders of color on thriving- noting the importance of investing in healing personal workplace trauma as recommendations for leaders. For many of the fellows that meant (as one powerfully articulated): “Unlearning guilt around rest and receiving support without justification.”
From the beginning, it became clear what would be the focus of our journey ahead- guiding fellows from “seeing rest as a luxury they couldn’t afford” to embracing it as a birthright, a critical leadership strategy, and an embodied practice to resource both themselves and their work as environmentalists and justice leaders.
We are gaining insights about what it truly takes to shift rest from an ideal or value to an embodied practice. Below are emerging lessons:
> Learning in community through practice
Fellows benefit from both tangible and experiential learning opportunities. We did not want to leave anything to chance; we wanted to take advantage of every opportunity to practice embodiment. By intentionally integrating rest practices into the program, fellows can move from rest as an intellectual value to one practiced and embodied in real time.
> Identity beyond work supports embodiment
Despite assumptions, tension has been absent in this cohort because participants could fully be themselves. Their work was important, but it did not define them in this space; they were people first, professionals second. Their roles do not define their entire identity in this fellowship; they do not have to lead with their titles or affiliations. This allows for greater ease in their interactions with each other.
> Boundaries and community are essential ingredients
Establishing boundaries within the fellowship created accountability and a safe space to surface challenges and access support. We were clear on our role in holding space and their roles in co-creating what this experience would become. Also, since the space is free from competition or posturing, fellows can work at their own pace and connect authentically with those who resonate with them most.
> Flexible support helps sustain well-being
We can not emphasize the importance of incorporating coaching and a flexible wellness stipend, whether for interventions, personal development, or simply addressing practical needs to access tools to embody rest practices with ease. This also creatively extends our reach and support (without unintentionally creating harm) beyond the constraints of the program.
Practice With Us
The journey to embracing rest as a leadership strategy is ongoing. Rest must move from an accepted idea to an embodied practice. As we continue learning together, we invite you to choose one insight that resonates with you and explore how you can weave it into your life leadership and communities.
About Fellowship for Liberated Futures
About Fellowship for Liberated Futures – Fellowship for Liberated Futures (FFLF) is an 18-month transformative program co-hosted by Dr. Chera Reid, The Chisholm Legacy Project, and ProInspire to support and empower Black women and femmes in the social sector. FFLF centers rest and provide space for healing, creativity, and thriving for leaders working at the intersections of climate, racial, and gender justice. Through virtual gatherings, retreats, and coaching, the fellowship fosters collective care by championing rest and well-being as essential for sustaining leadership and advancing justice.
For more information, visit www.liberatedfuture.org