The Rest Experiment
Six weeks of small experiments to help you slow down in a world that never does.
You keep telling yourself you’ll slow down when things calm down.
After this project. After this busy week. After everyone else has what they need.
But somehow, something else always takes its place.
From the outside, everything probably looks fine. You get things done. People count on you. But lately, you may be noticing the cost of always being on.
You’re tired of pushing through. You miss having enough space to think clearly, breathe deeply, or simply feel like yourself. You may not even think you need “more rest.”
You just know something has to change.
The problem isn’t that you’re bad at resting.
Think about it…you’ve spent years learning how to push through, stay available, and keep going.
But what you may not have learned is how to notice when you’re running low, understand what kind of rest you need, and pause before you reach empty.
That’s what The Rest Experiment gives you space to practice.
Over six weeks, we’ll get curious about rest and what gets in your way. You’ll try small experiments and discover what helps you create a little more room for yourself within the life you already have.
Think of it as part conversation, part experimentation, and part gentle encouragement.
What will we actually do?
This isn't a lecture. And it isn't a book club.
It’s a conversation.
Together, we'll use the ideas in Sacred Rest by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith as a jumping-off point. It will be our starting point for curiosity, reflection and discussion.
Each week, I'll guide our discussion as we reflect on one type of rest, share what's working (and what isn't), and encourage one another as we discover what real-life rest looks like for each of us.
Between sessions, you’ll try one or two small experiments.
Some will resonate. Some won’t.
That’s okay, because this isn’t about getting rest “right.” It’s about noticing what works for you and what doesn’t.
Little by little, you’ll begin to discover what helps you feel calmer, more rested, and more like yourself.
Inside The Rest Experiment
What we’ll explore
Over six weeks, you’ll begin to:
Understand why rest can feel hard to make happen.
Recognize the beliefs that keep you pushing through.
Explore the seven different types of rest - Physical, Mental, Creative, Sensory, Emotional, Social and Spiritual based on the work of Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
Notice which kinds of rest you need and when you need them.
Experiment with small, realistic practices that fit into your everyday life.
Build your own personal menu of what genuinely restores you.
Here’s what it looks like
Over six weeks, you'll receive:
Six live 50-minute group Zoom sessions
A small, supportive group exploring alongside you
Weekly experiments inspired by the seven types of rest
Reflection prompts to help you notice what you're learning
Gentle accountability and encouragement along the way
Why call it an experiment?
Because there isn't one "right" way to rest.
What restores one person may leave someone else feeling restless. That's why this isn't about following someone else's perfect routine.
Instead, we'll get curious.
Each week you'll try a small, realistic experiment, notice how it feels, and discover what genuinely restores you.
And if you don't get to it that week? That's part of the experiment, too.
Together, we'll get curious about what got in the way. That's valuable information…not a sign you've failed.
Imagine six weeks from now…
I won't promise that six weeks will erase every bit of guilt you feel about taking time for yourself. Change rarely works that way. And, I won’t tell you your life will suddenly be less busy. It might not be. But, I can tell you that you will probably start responding to it differently.
What it might look like…
You notice you’re running on empty before you completely crash.
Instead of automatically pushing through, you have a few simple practices you can reach for.
You take a pause without spending the whole time feeling guilty about what you should be doing instead.
You begin treating rest as something that supports your life.
By the end of the six weeks, you’ll:
Understand which types of rest you need most.
Have a small collection of 5–15 minute practices that genuinely restore you.
Recognize sooner when you need to pause.
Feel more comfortable taking time for yourself without guilt.
Begin seeing rest as essential and not something you have to earn.
I’d love for you to join us
If you've been waiting for life to slow down before taking better care of yourself...maybe this is your invitation to stop waiting.
I'd love to spend six weeks experimenting alongside you.
No pressure to get it right and no expectation that you'll leave with a perfectly balanced life.
Just a little more space and a little more awareness.
Meet Your Guide
Hi, I'm Chris.
For years, I kept hoping the world would stop for a day just so I could catch my breath. Think snow day from when you were a kid and school was cancelled!
Spoiler alert...it never happened.
Eventually, I knew something had to change. And honestly, I didn't set out to find “rest”.
I was simply trying to find a little more space…to breathe, to think, and to hear myself again.
And somewhere along the way, I discovered something I wasn't even looking for.
Rest.
And not the kind that happens on a spa vacation. The kind that quietly creates a little more space...even on a busy Tuesday.
Today, I help others discover that same thing: that rest isn't something you have to earn or wait for. It's something you can begin practicing, one small pause at a time.
I'd love to explore what that looks like for you.
Where: Zoom
When: Tuesdays: 9/15, 9/22, 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20
Time: 1 PM ET - 1:50 PM ET
Investment: $125
What’s Also Included:
An email a few days before each call with reflections on that week's type of rest and gentle prompts to explore before we meet.
Recording of each session (life happens!)
Email recap with key insights the day after each call
The Details
Your Questions, Answered
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I hear this one a lot. The truth is, most who join don't have extra time.
Their calendars are already full.
The Rest Experiment asks for one hour a week. For six weeks. That's it.
The experiments between sessions are intentionally small. Most take 5-15 minutes.
This isn't about adding another big commitment. It's about practicing something different within the life you already have.
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Life happens. All sessions will be recorded, so you'll be able to catch up when it works for you.
Plus you get a recap email with insights and reflection questions. -
You're in good company. Many of us have spent years pushing through, staying busy, or feeling guilty when we slow down. This isn't about getting rest "right." It's about getting curious and discovering what actually helps you.
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This experience is for those who are tired of feeling like they're always "on" and are ready to explore a different way of moving through life—one small experiment at a time.
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Only if you want to. You're always welcome to participate in whatever way feels comfortable for you.
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Absolutely. Sacred Rest is a wonderful book, and I highly recommend it.
The Rest Experiment isn't a book club or a summary of the book. It's a place to put the ideas into practice.
Each week, we'll explore one type of rest together, try a small experiment, reflect on what you notice, and learn from one another's experiences.
Sometimes the biggest shifts don't come from learning something new—they come from finally making space to try it.
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There isn't one "right" way to rest.
What restores one person may leave someone else feeling restless. That's why this isn't about following someone else's perfect routine or trying to fit rest into a checklist.
Instead, we'll get curious.
Each week you'll try a small, realistic experiment, notice how it feels, and discover what genuinely restores you.
Because the goal isn't to become better at resting.
It's to build a life with more space for yourself.
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Reach out to Chris directly: chris@connectioncatalyst.com