Why You Need a "Permission Slip" Before Rushing into Fall

Summer invites us to loosen our grip and move at a more human pace. But then fall arrives. Calendars fill up, expectations rise, and suddenly, we feel the pressure to shift from resting to producing almost overnight. Healthy leadership doesn’t work that way.

The transition from summer’s slower rhythm into the demands of fall requires a very specific kind of energy. It isn’t frantic energy. It isn’t the adrenaline of trying to catch up or prove ourselves.

It is grounded energy.

The kind that comes when we move from rest and restoration into readiness and authority.

Rest is not the opposite of leadership.

One of the reasons I begin my book, The Life You’re Made For, with a chapter on RESTorative Rest is because I believe rest is foundational to becoming the person—and the leader—we are meant to be.

In fact, that chapter includes something many of us desperately need: a signed permission slip to rest.

Because for driven, responsible, high-capacity people, rest rarely happens simply because we know it is good for us.

Sometimes we actually need permission.

Permission to stop producing.

Permission to stop solving.

Permission to step away from the noise long enough to hear ourselves again.

Permission to trust that slowing down does not mean we are falling behind.

Restorative rest is not about checking out of your life.

It is about returning to it more fully.

When we truly rest, we begin to recover clarity. We reconnect with our values. We notice what has become heavy. We remember what matters. And perhaps most importantly, we create the internal space necessary to lead from intention rather than reaction.

Then comes the shift.

But rest was never meant to become hiding.

There comes a moment when restoration has done its work and we sense the invitation to stand back up.

To reengage.

To make the decision.

To have the conversation.

To lead the team.

To step into the responsibility that belongs to us.

This is where authority begins.

Healthy authority is not controlling everyone around you. It is taking ownership of what has been entrusted to you.

Your voice.

Your choices.

Your energy.

Your boundaries.

Your influence.

Your leadership.

The healthiest leaders know how to move between these rhythms.

They know when to retreat and restore—and they know when it is time to rise and lead.

Before you rush into fall…

Maybe the question isn’t simply:

What do I need to accomplish this fall?

Maybe the deeper questions are:

Who do I want to be as I accomplish it?

What do I want to carry into this season—and what do I need to leave behind?

Where am I being invited to step into greater authority in my own life and leadership?

And perhaps most importantly:

Am I entering this season restored—or simply running again?

Before the pace picks up, give yourself permission to pause long enough to answer those questions.

Because the goal isn’t to move faster.

The goal is to move forward with Clarity, Confidence, and Courage.

Rest when you need to rest.

Restore what needs restoring.

And then, when the time comes, stand up and step fully into the life and leadership that are yours to live.

Your Invitation

If you have a difficult time giving yourself permission to rest—or if you know you are entering a demanding season and want to do it differently—I wrote The Life You’re Made For for you.

Start with the very first chapter on RESTorative Rest.

Take the permission slip seriously.

Give yourself the rest you need.

And then ask yourself:

What might become possible if I stopped leading from depletion and started leading from restoration?

Because sometimes the most powerful way to prepare for what is next is not to push harder.

It is to rest deeply enough that when it is time to rise, you are ready.

If you have a difficult time giving yourself permission to rest, or if you know you are entering a demanding season and want to do it differently, I wrote a guide specifically for you. Start with the very first chapter on RESTorative Rest, take the permission slip seriously, and give yourself the rest you need.

The Weekly Shift

Restore → Recenter → Rise

Before you step fully into the demands of your week, give yourself 20–30 intentional minutes to move through these three steps:

1. RESTORE — What do I need?

Pay attention to your body, emotions, and energy. Where are you tired, depleted, or carrying too much? Choose one restorative action for the week—more sleep, quiet time, a walk, less screen time, prayer, journaling, or simply saying no to something that can wait.

2. RECENTER — What matters most?

Ask yourself: What is most important for me to remember this week? Identify one value, priority, or truth you want to lead from rather than allowing urgency to determine your pace.

3. RISE — Where do I need to step into authority?

Choose one place where you need to move with greater Clarity, Confidence, or Courage. Maybe it is a decision you have been avoiding, a conversation you need to initiate, a boundary you need to hold, or an opportunity you need to say yes to.

Then finish this sentence:

This week, I give myself permission to __________, so I can step more fully into __________.

Rest is not where you stay. It is where you restore yourself for what is next.

So each week, practice the rhythm:

Restore. Recenter. Rise.

By practicing this rhythm, you can trade the frantic hustle of autumn for the grounded energy required to execute your fall goals with true purpose. Embracing RESTorative rest isn't just a summer luxury; it is the essential takeaway for sustaining your leadership year-round. If you are ready to master this rhythm and claim your permission slip, get your copy of The Life You're Made For today.