122. Rest isn't just a nap – The Rest Revolution with Heather Boersma
All Figured Out with Andrea Barr: Figuring Out Work, Life and ParentingShow Notes
The REST Revolution thesis is that rest is not an activity, it's an approach to life that's rooted in worthiness. So rest isn't about doing less, it's about believing you're worthy regardless of what you accomplish. Coach and author Heather Boersma shares her journey from burnt out motivational speaker to discovering that rest is a foundational agreement with your own worthiness. After experiencing panic attacks that forced her to step back from everything, Heather rebuilt her life around the understanding that her value isn't tied to her to-do list. This conversation dives into the REST framework (mindset, emotions, nervous system), why motherhood often makes the hustle unsustainable, and the simple breathing technique that can regulate your nervous system in 90 seconds. In this episode, we cover: (00:00) Intro
(06:09) From a random stage in Australia to touring as a motivational speaker
(13:35) The first panic attack on an airplane—what it felt like and what it revealed
(18:07) Genetic testing, grief, and the anxiety spiral that followed
(21:54) Why motherhood makes the hustle stop working
(31:48) Why we resist feeling our emotions and how it steals our rest
(37:03) Building the belief "I'm worthy" one thought at a time for 63 days
(39:41) The basketball analogy: slowing down to grow
(44:40) Microdosing rest
(48:39) The three pillars of rest and creating schedules that align with your values
(52:46) What Heather is still figuring out: integrating all parts of herself
Check out episode 103, a similar episode, with Joanna Brewster → Spotify, Apple or YouTube
KEY TAKEAWAY Rest isn't an activity you add to your calendar—it's the foundational belief that you're worthy exactly as you are, without needing to prove, perform, or produce anything. When you live FROM worthiness instead of FOR worthiness, you can still have a full life and big goals, but without the frantic energy that leads to burnout. The shift happens one thought at a time: spend 63 days practicing "I'm worthy" (or "It's possible I'm worthy"), and your brain will build a new neural pathway that becomes your default setting. This is the rest that actually restores.
About Heather Boersma Heather Boersma is a speaker, author, and certified life and business coach who helps ambitious women create sustainable success without burnout. Drawing on over 20 years of speaking experience and her neuroscience-based coaching approach, Heather supports female entrepreneurs in finding work-life flow and building emotionally healthy businesses. She is currently completing her Master of Counselling Psychology, further integrating evidence-based strategies with her coaching practice. Heather’s passion is helping women reclaim rest, regulate their nervous systems, and redefine success on their own terms. The Rest Revolution is her third book, following two earlier titles that have inspired readers across Canada, the US, and beyond. She lives in Vancouver, Canada, with her husband and three children.
Connect with Heather Boersma Website | https://www.heatherboersma.com/ Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/heatherboersma YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@heatherboersma-lifecoachfo2930 Book | The REST Revolution – https://amzn.to/4refQr8
About Andrea Barr, host of All Figured Out: Andrea is a certified career and life coach for parents. Through her coaching, she supports parents in finding better work-life rhythms so they can continue to grow personally and professionally without sacrificing family time.
Connect with Andrea Website | https://www.andreabarr.com/ Vancouver Events | https://www.andreabarr.com/events Andrea’s Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/allfiguredoutandrea Podcast Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/allfiguredout.podcast
🖤 Watch on YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@allfiguredoutANDREA
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