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Hello all,

Last weekend, I crossed the finish line at Ironman Florida, and truthfully it went better than I expected. The swim was smooth, the bike was steady but cold, and the run tested every ounce of grit I’ve built over the past year. After the race I celebrated with some dominos :) It was a great day & racing alongside my older brother made the day even more meaningful and fun.

Now, I’m doing something equally challenging this week: resting.

If you’ve ever trained hard for anything, a race, a big project, or even a stressful season of life, you know the “come down” can be uncomfortable (in endurance they call it the "post race blues"). You go from constant motion to stillness, and suddenly your body, mind, and emotions start catching up to everything they’ve just been through.

This week, I’m coaching myself that: recovery is not passive. It’s a skill to work on and improve on.​
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Why Rest can Feel So Hard to actually do.

After long periods of effort, your nervous system gets conditioned for “go mode.” The sympathetic system (fight, flight, focus) runs the show. It becomes where you get most of your dopamine.

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Even when the work is done, your body can stay stuck in vigilance , checking the clock, scanning for the next task, feeling restless when it’s quiet.

True recovery requires activating the parasympathetic system, the “rest and digest” response that allows your body to heal.
definitely harder than it sounds.

This is where a simple but powerful therapy tool comes in (My physical therapist made me do this during this last part of the training block... He told me since you're a therapist you should've be doing this already lol. He was right.)

Your Tool for the Week: The Grounding Check-In (From ACT + Somatic Therapy modality)

Try this once a day — after work, before bed, or anytime you feel wired but tired.

1. Pause and Notice. Stop for 30 seconds. Feel your feet on the ground, your back against the chair.
2. Breathe Intentionally. Inhale for 4, exhale for 6. Longer exhales activate your vagus nerve, signaling the parasympathetic system
3. Name 3 sensations you feel. Warmth, tightness, calm, tension — just notice. This helps you come to the present moment.
4. End with gratitude.

The 7 Types of Rest

Most of us think of rest as sleepm but real restoration happens across multiple dimensions. Here are seven types of rest that can reframe how you recover:

Physical Rest: Giving your body time to recover through sleep, stretching, or stillness.

Mental Rest: Calming your mind from constant input — through mindfulness, prayer, or silence.

Emotional Rest: Being honest about what you feel and asking for your needs to be met in healthy ways.

Social Rest: Drawing close to the relationships that recharge you and setting boundaries with those that drain you.

Creative Rest: Allowing yourself to be inspired again — through nature, music, or reflection instead of output.

Spiritual Rest: Reconnecting with Christ — surrendering your will, walking in repentance, and remembering you are not what you produce.

Sensory Rest: Reducing external stimulation — turning off screens, lights, and noise so your nervous system can reset.

The key is identifying which kind of rest you’re actually missing.

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This Week’s Challenge

Pick one type of rest you’re missing right now and practice it for five minutes a day.

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Because recovery isn’t what happens after the work. Recovery is part of the work.

— Zach

Mental Health for Men Founder, Clinical therapist
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📵 This Week’s Sponsor: Brick Your Phone​
But how can you reconnect when your phone is constantly stealing your attention?

Enter Brick — a simple, beautifully designed box that locks your phone away for a while.
No apps. No scrolling. No pings.
Just space to think, talk, and actually be where your feet are.

If you’re ready to stop ghosting your own life, this is your cue.
​Use code ZACHARY81610 for a reader discount.

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