Rest is Revolutionary: The Mental Health Journey of Black Women

Since it's Women’s History Month, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it means to truly care for ourselves as Black women. We talk about strength. We celebrate resilience. But let’s talk about something we don’t hear enough--rest is not a reward. It’s a right. And for Black folks especially? Rest is resistance.

We come from generations that were taught to hustle, grind, and earn rest—like it was some kind of prize we had to work ourselves to the bone to deserve. But let me tell you something: rest is not something you have to prove you’re worthy of. You do not have to be exhausted to take a break.

I know how deep this conditioning runs. Black women have been holding it all together for everybody—our families, our jobs, our communities—while neglecting ourselves. And if we’re being real, a lot of us don’t even feel comfortable resting. The moment we sit down, we start thinking about what we “should” be doing.
But rest is not a luxury. It’s survival.

When we rest, we disrupt the idea that our value is in how much we produce. We stop feeding into systems that benefit from our exhaustion. We break generational cycles of burnout and overwork. We choose ourselves.
And let me be real clear: Rest is NOT laziness. Rest is self-preservation. And self-preservation? That’s power.

As we honor Women’s History Month, we need to recognize the Black women who fought for our mental freedom just as much as they fought for our rights. Women like Audre Lorde, who told us, "Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare."
So here’s my challenge for you: Make rest a priority. Normalize it. Protect it. Because you don’t need permission to rest. Take it.
💜 Rest is Revolutionary. Take yours.
Until next time,
Cherie Edwards, LPC-S