Radical Rest: Notes on Burnout, Healing and Hopeful Futures

We’re burnt out. Exhausted; anxiety-ridden; over-worked and under-resourced. Yet the ‘solution’ cannot possibly lie in self-care, yoga retreats or the odd massage when this bone-numbing fatigue is a symptom of a desperately unhealthy society. We cannot simply ‘fix ourselves’ under a system that demands and takes so much of us. What is needed is a complete reimagining that puts a thriving life of abundance first and foremost. Through a Black Feminist, abolitionist and nature-allied lens, Evie Muir takes us on a journey of regeneration that reimagines what a world of true rest – radical rest – would look like, how that would feel. As they look to activists and cultural influences past and present for guidance, Evie explores the core emotions associated with burnout: moving from rage, grief and anxiety to the hope, joy and plenty that deep change can bring. Along the way, Evie speaks with those who have been disproportionately impacted by, and working in resistance to, burnout – Black, queer, disabled activists of colour. And what becomes clear as we hear about these lived experiences is that a world of radical rest must exist in community – with one another, with our bodies, and with the natural world. Bold, vulnerable and deeply honest, Radical Rest is a blueprint for change and a salve for the soul. Step in and open the door to a hopeful and healed future. ‘An essential read that gets to the root of burnout and how to truly navigate life with intention, gratitude and a deep commitment to self and community.’ Leah Thomas, author of The Intersectional Environmentalist   ‘Open the door to a hopeful and healed future with Radical Rest: a salve for burnt out souls.’ Minna Salami, author of Sensuous Knowledge