Issue # 106 | February 13, 2026 | Previous issues​

Hey Reader,

How have ya been?

Last week, my son was sick (read: mama got little rest 🥱). And just when I thought I was beyond catching it—yep, you guessed it—I got sick too 🤧.

So that means, not one, but TWO weeks of resting 😮🙈.

The old Anna would've suffered what I recently heard coined "rest guilt". Know the feeling? The one that says resting is the right thing to do, and yet you feel guilty anyway?

Because your to-do list is piling up.

Because no one's picking up your slack (even though you're the one managing everyone else's slack).

Because even while you're cozy in bed sipping herbal tea, your mind is 🤯 ablaze 🔥.

Your inner Bob is having a field day. (Remember Bob? If not catch up here: Tell your Bob to shove it).

Anyhoo...the new Anna didn't feel guilty resting. It's true. I'm getting closer to graduating from the University of Guilt, though I have a "few" more semesters to go.

But something came up that surprised me.

I felt disoriented.

Have you ever zoned out mentally while driving and suddenly you can't remember where you were going? (Please say that has happened to you...that it's not just me).Or maybe you missed your turn because you were so deep in thought (that happens to everyone, right?).

This is what living on autopilot looks like.

Resting takes us out of autopilot. It slows things way down. It takes away the noise of life. And for some people, like myself, this can be unsettling.

Resting forced me to come face to face with myself. It was as if my nervous system said, "OK, you can 'rest' but now who are we?"

My nervous system didn’t know what to do with all that unstructured white space in my calendar. I had no external boss, schedule, or to-do list to tell me what to do.

You might recognize this if you're:

• tired but unable to stop
• overstimulated
• over-functioning
• secretly afraid of 'nothingness'
• anxious when things get quiet
• quick to fill your free time with distractions

So what's the antidote?

Not optimizing rest.

Not “using” the time better.

But learning how to be with yourself.

Rest isn’t the absence of doing. It's deeper than that — more productive. It’s the presence of self. Or being grounded within your body.

Once we are grounded in the present moment, in the now, we can start to listen to what our body actually wants, needs, and craves.

Here's a gentle question to ask yourself whenever you feel anxious, worried, guilty, etc.:

What would feel 5% more nourishing right now, in this moment?

Not life-changing.

Not productive or problem-solving.

Just orienting back to the self with a simple choice that answers that question.

If your mind draws a blank and you can't answer that question right away, then I invite you to sit down with a hot beverage and journal it.

Books I read this week

One thing I love to do while resting is catch up on book reading.

I'm literally surrounded by books-to-be-read in my bedroom. They sit there patiently waiting for me (at least I think they are— it's a good thing books can't talk 🤣).

You might want to pick up a book and read too, but feel that life's too heavy or too busy right now to dive into a long, deep book.

I hear ya.

Here's what I recommend: read a shorter book or even better a children's book.

There are plenty of books that can be read in one sitting, or in a day or two. There are also good-quality short stories or plays.

If you haven't read the play Arsenic and Old Lace by Joseph Kesselring, I HIGHLY recommend it. It's a fun read and sure to put a smile on your face.

What I love about children's books, though—especially the classics—is that they awaken the imagination. Plus, they generally have pictures and are written in simpler language (requiring less brain power 😊).

Here are two books that fit these categories that I read this week:

• The Cafe on the Edge of the World by John Strelecky
• The Puppets of Spelhorst by Kate DiCamillo

If you've never read a Kate DiCamillo book, you're missing out!

And if you'd like to read one simple article about 'rest guilt", this article was awfully indicting: Do You Struggle With Rest Guilt? What it Is & Where it Comes From.

Until next Friday...

With love, sniffles, and a good book,

Anna

P.S. Feel free to reply and tell me what some of your favorite books are—I can share them with our community.

​aferalhousewife.com​