The Great Escape: How Rest Fuels Prosperity
Escape isn’t about avoidance—it’s about renewal. Here’s how to step back and move forward with more energy, clarity, and ease.
When was the last time you truly escaped—stepped out of your daily grind, let go of expectations, and gave yourself permission to just be?
Today, January 30, is National Escape Day. It’s a day to set your worries and tasks aside and focus on the present moment. Sounds kind of Zen, right?
I appreciate that feeling of Zen, especially after a challenging month.
I began the year, and the month, sick. On top of that, Trump's inauguration, a barrage of bad news, and ongoing human rights concerns left me ready to escape.
Schedule Rest and Relaxation
The first change I made was to listen to my body, which was clearly telling me to rest. Let go of my to-do list and start the year with a bang! Instead, I relaxed into a softer start.
Then remembering how I had also begun 2024 with illness, I decided that rather than waiting to be sick to take time off, I would schedule a period of rest and relaxation. In December, I’ll finish the year with reflection and celebration. Then I’ll take a week to ease into 2026.
Treating each other and ourselves with care isn’t a luxury, but an absolute necessity if we’re going to thrive. Resting isn’t an afterthought, but a basic part of being human.
― Tricia Hersey, Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto
Escape the News Cycle
When I look at my Mood Tracker app, you can quickly see how this month has been challenging emotionally. Last week, with the change of administration and the barrage of changes and announcements, was one of the worst I’ve had in some time. Instead of my usual happy emoji, last week was full of 'meh' or even bad days.
Given my mood, I decided, at the end of last week, I needed more of an escape from the news cycle, so I determined that rather than looking at my email, Substack, and Bluesky feeds first thing in the morning, I would return to beginning the day with my self-care practice. I’d only check my feeds once I had done the work to start the day well.
Be present. Lower stress. Start the day with care, not chaos.
Escape an Overburdened Task List
It's easy to think that you need to keep doing, doing, doing. Keep running until you break. But do you really want to break? Does prosperity mean that you have used everything up? Or does it mean that you have more to give? More prosperity. More energy. More time. More good feelings. More connection. More love. More hope.
And rather than finding all of those things in the midst of working hard, most, if not all, of these things are found in periods of rest and relaxation.
When I set out to plan my year, I was tempted, and driven, to create a long list of things I wanted to accomplish. Then I found guidance from Michael Hyatt who argues that too many goals dilute your focus. Instead “aim for no more than 8–12 meaningful goals per year, breaking them down to 2–3 per quarter.”
Revising my to-do list to a simplified list felt like a great escape. Rather than stressing about how I would ever possibly get everything done, I feel assured that I can get things done.
Not only do I want to enjoy greater financial freedom and prosperity this year, I also want to feel really expansive with regards to time. Enjoy an abundance of time rather than feeling like I have limited time and limited energy.
Set the Tone
Setting the tone for the year has been key. Reminding myself that I want to feel relaxed has changed how I approach my plans. I’m asking myself, How can I achieve my goals with a sense of peace? That has caused me to move tasks around, reschedule other tasks, and drop other tasks. It’s also helping me to approach my tasks with a better, more expansive feeling.
Visualize Your Escape
When my family and I went to New York City in December, we only went with a loose idea of what we wanted to do. It’s a big city with a ton of possibilities, we’ll figure it out, we thought. And we did enjoy New York-style pizza: a visit to The Strand Bookstore, some window shopping, and a hurried trip to Central Park. Oh, and I can’t forget, the ferry ride across the Hudson River. But it all felt disjointed to me, as if we had missed out on what could have been.
That led me to thinking about what does my escape look like. What are the specifics?
Make Your Escape
Whether it’s stepping away from the news cycle, simplifying your goals, or carving out time for rest before burnout forces your hand, escaping isn’t about avoidance—it’s about renewal. When you intentionally create space for rest, you cultivate more energy, clarity, and, ultimately, prosperity.
So today, on National Escape Day, ask yourself: What kind of escape do I need? Maybe it’s a quiet moment with a book, a walk without your phone, or a commitment to a more spacious schedule. Whatever it looks like for you, give yourself permission to pause. Not as a luxury, but as a necessity. Because the more you rest, the more you have to give—to your work, your loved ones, and yourself.
What’s your next great escape?
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What’s your favorite form of escape? Let me know in the comments!
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