When you’ve worked hard all your life, rest doesn’t come easy. After a heart attack, everyone tells you to slow down — but if you’ve spent decades measuring yourself by what you do, stopping feels like failure.
That’s exactly how it felt for me. Rest didn’t feel like recovery — it felt wrong, uncomfortable, almost like weakness.
The Struggle to Sit Still
In the first few weeks after my heart attack, I kept asking the same question over and over: “When can I get back to normal?”
By “normal,” I meant work — the rhythm of early mornings, the fresh air of the hills, the noise of the chainsaws, and that quiet pride that comes from a hard day’s graft. But this time, something inside told me not to rush. My body was still healing, but my mind hadn’t yet learned to trust it again.
So, I made a decision — I wouldn’t go back until I knew, deep down, that I was ready.
Some days, that patience felt impossible. I’d sit by the window or take a slow walk through the woods and think, “You should be doing more.” But that stillness was part of the work — even if I didn’t see it then.
Learning to Rest Without Guilt
Resting is harder than people think. For men especially, it can feel like weakness. We’re taught to keep moving, to stay productive, to carry on no matter what.
But recovery isn’t about proving you’re strong — it’s about letting your body repair. And that’s what I had to learn.
A slow walk by the river became my journey to work. Sitting outside with a coffee, listening to the birds, became my way to clock in. Learning to breathe through the worry — that became my new kind of training.
“Rest isn’t the opposite of strength — it’s what makes strength possible.”
Once I started treating rest as part of my job, not something to feel guilty about, I finally began to heal — not just physically, but mentally too.
Finding Strength in Stillness
The woods became my teacher. I’d walk the same paths I used to carry tools along — slower now, but more aware. The trees didn’t rush. The seasons didn’t hurry. They simply took their time.
And I realised… I needed to as well.
When I finally did go back to work, it wasn’t because someone said it was time. It was because I knew I was ready. My breath was steady. My strength was real. And my mind was calm.
You’re Not Falling Behind
If you’re stuck in that space right now — wanting to move but knowing you’re not quite ready — please, don’t rush.
You’re not weak. You’re healing. Take it slow. Be kind to yourself. This quiet work you’re doing — it’s rebuilding more than just your heart. It’s rebuilding your life.
🎧 Listen to Episode 7: “Why Rest Feels Like Failure” → https://strongerafterthestorm.com/episodes