In this solo episode of Big Meaningful Life, I open up about something that used to quietly haunt me—feeling guilty when I rested.

As a high-achieving, emotionally sensitive person, I learned to associate rest with laziness or failure. Maybe you’ve felt that too—the inner tension of needing to stop, but feeling like you’re letting someone down. Like rest is something you should earn, not something you’re allowed.

I unpack the deeper roots of that guilt. I talk about how societal conditioning and personal history shape our beliefs around rest—and how we can begin to rewrite them. I also share a few small, practical ways I’ve learned to rest without shame, and how I’m still learning to trust that slowing down doesn’t mean I’m falling behind.

If any of this resonates, here’s what I want you to know:

• There is nothing wrong with you if rest feels hard.
• Guilt often shows up because you care, not because you’re broken.
• Rest is not a reward. It’s a requirement for showing up fully.
• You don’t need permission to pause—you need compassion.
• Tiny moments of rest count—especially if they’re consistent.

Let’s reframe rest as the foundation, not the finish line.

What would change in your life if you believed that rest makes you more responsible, not less?

Tune in every week for a new episode of Big Meaningful Life. Subscribe on your favorite podcasting platform and never miss an episode!

Connect with me on:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallymahamdeh

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sally_mahamdeh/

Join the newsletter here.

Send me an email with ideas for future episodes: [email protected]

Music Credit:
This episode features ”Je n’y suis jamais allé” by Yann Tiersen.