The Power of Rest in Achieving Success in 2025

The first two weeks of January have come and gone. While this month usually marks the start of a busy and often stressful semester, this year feels different.

I’ve always felt the pressure to reinvent my life every January, turning it into a competition with myself to make each year better than the last. Have you ever found yourself caught up in that pressure to start fresh, to outdo your previous year? I tend to measure my success by how much I’ve accomplished, which often leaves me feeling discouraged when I don’t meet my own high expectations.

But this year, I started 2025 without any meticulously planned resolutions or lofty goals. Instead, the first days have been surprisingly calm. I’ve spent time binge-watching my current favorite TV show and having FaceTime marathons with my closest friends—simple joys I rarely get to indulge in with my always-moving, ever-changing schedule.

Take a moment today to reflect on how the beginning of your 2025 has been.

Relaxing and “doing nothing” has never come easily for me. There’s always this whispering voice in my head telling me I’m wasting time, as though relaxation is something I shouldn’t allow myself to indulge in. Can you relate to that? It’s easy to feel guilty for taking time to rest when there’s so much we should be doing. But what if rest is just as important as productivity? What if, in moments of stillness, we find the clarity and energy we need for the bigger things ahead?

Clarity is exactly what I’ve found during this time. My soul and mind had time to recharge, finally rest and truly process all of the wonderful things that have been my life recently. Making the most of your life is important but not without the time to fully present in each moment. 

“Life is not measured by time. It is measured by moments.”

― Armin Houman

Much of November and December were filled with stress and anxiety due to medical complications and preparing for my next chapter after high school. The last six weeks of the semester left me completely depleted while also craving my next “project.” After finishing The World through Our Perspective—a compilation of poems written by those with physical differences—I found myself craving my next project. Though I have several things in the works that will completely change my life, those things won’t be happening until this summer or the following school year. In the meantime, I was searching for instant gratification. Yet I was looking for it in all of the wrong places.

 Although great, big things like getting to help with this book serve as gratification, true fulfillment comes from the Lord. The FaceTime marathons, binging my favorite TV show, and getting to spend time with loved ones have all been reminders of what really matters.

Take a moment today to reflect on how you’ve started your 2025. Are you feeling the pressure to reinvent yourself or chasing after a version of ‘success’ that feels more exhausting than fulfilling? What small moments have you allowed yourself to enjoy so far this year? If you haven't given yourself space to just be, I encourage you to do so. Sometimes, the best way to move forward is to slow down and let things unfold naturally.