FindIng Inner Peace For A Fuller Life - Dr. Dalton-Smith - I Choose My Best Life
Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual Rest
In our hyperconnected world, we’ve forgotten that rest isn’t just about sleep. True rest encompasses multiple dimensions of our being, and when we neglect these deeper forms of restoration, we find ourselves exhausted despite getting enough sleep. Today, I want to share three foundational types of rest that can transform your daily experience: emotional, mental, and spiritual rest.
Emotional Rest: Liberation from Others’ Opinions
How much of your mental energy do you spend worrying about what other people think? If you’re like most people, it’s probably far more than you realize. Emotional rest begins with the radical decision to stop allowing others’ opinions to dictate your peace of mind.
This doesn’t mean becoming callous or dismissive of feedback. Instead, it means recognizing that the time and energy you spend anxiously wondering about others’ judgments could be redirected toward building meaningful relationships with people who genuinely enjoy your company—and whom you enjoy in return.
When you practice emotional rest, you create space for authentic connections. You stop performing for an imaginary audience and start living authentically. The relief is immediate and profound.
Mental Rest: Redirecting Your Thought Patterns
Your mind has a natural tendency to follow familiar pathways, often leading you down spirals of negative thinking. Mental rest isn’t about emptying your mind—it’s about becoming the gatekeeper of your thoughts.
When you notice your mind dwelling on negativity, practice putting up what I call “instant roadblocks.” Consciously redirect your thoughts toward things that generate happiness and hope. This isn’t about toxic positivity or denying real problems. It’s about refusing to let your mind rehearse worst-case scenarios endlessly.
Even in genuinely difficult situations, maintaining an optimistic perspective can be the difference between staying stuck and breaking through to better days. Your thoughts shape your reality more than you might realize.
Spiritual Rest: Your Personal Journey with the Divine
Spiritual rest involves clarifying what you believe about God and why you hold those beliefs. Many people operate from inherited spiritual traditions without ever exploring their personal relationship with the Divine.
I encourage you to risk exploring truth for yourself. If your beliefs are primarily based on family traditions, consider embarking on your own spiritual journey. Open the pages of the Bible not just to learn, but to encounter God personally in each story.
This type of rest comes from knowing where you stand spiritually—from having a personal relationship with your Creator rather than simply following inherited patterns. It’s the difference between secondhand faith and firsthand experience.
Creating Your Rest Practice
These three forms of rest work synergistically. When you stop worrying about others’ opinions, you create mental space for more positive thoughts. When your thoughts are aligned with hope, you’re more open to spiritual connection. And when you’re spiritually grounded, emotional and mental rest flow more naturally.
Start small. Choose one area that resonates most with you today, and take one concrete step toward rest. Your future self will thank you for beginning this journey toward a more restful, joyful life.
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