by Jarrette Wright-Booker MA, LPC-S, CAADC
The Hustle Is Hustling You
Somewhere along the way, “rest” got rebranded as laziness. In a culture where your worth is tied to how much you can produce, taking a nap or even pausing to breathe can feel like you’re falling behind. Especially if you’re Black, a woman, or both—grind culture doesn’t just whisper, it shouts: “You have to be twice as good, all the time.”
But here’s the real deal: constantly being “on” is a trauma response. The anxiety that creeps in when you try to rest? That’s your nervous system stuck in overdrive, confused by silence because it’s been surviving in chaos. Hustle culture has normalized burnout—but burnout isn’t a badge of honor. It’s a red flag.
How Grind Culture Fuels Anxiety
Let’s call it what it is: grind culture is performance anxiety wrapped in capitalism and coated in Instagram filters. You wake up tired. You go to bed wired. Your to-do list is never-ending. You might even feel guilty for resting, like you’re not doing “enough” even when you’re at your limit.
If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone:
- You feel anxious when you’re not “productive”
- You say yes to everything, even when you’re tapped out
- You have trouble sleeping—even when you’re exhausted
- You secretly resent the expectations placed on you (but feel bad about it)
Anxiety doesn’t always show up as panic. Sometimes it looks like overworking, perfectionism, people-pleasing, or staying busy so you don’t have to feel what’s under the surface.
The Intersection of Culture, Race, and Rest
For many of us—especially Black people —grind culture isn’t just about ambition. It’s survival. We’ve internalized that if we stop grinding, we’ll lose everything we’ve built. That if we rest, we’ll fall behind. That softness is weakness.
But the truth is, you can’t heal in the same environment that made you sick.
Rest isn’t a luxury. It’s resistance. It’s reclaiming your time, your peace, your nervous system. And no—rest doesn’t mean you’re lazy. It means you’re human. And deserving of care.
What Rest Can Actually Look Like (It’s Not Just Naps)
Therapists (the good ones—the culturally responsive, emotionally present, no-fluff ones) will tell you: Rest is multifaceted. It doesn’t have to be spa days or silence. It’s whatever grounds you.
Try:
- Active rest – Gentle movement like yoga, stretching, or dancing in your kitchen
- Mental rest – Logging off, saying “no,” or canceling a meeting you didn’t want to take anyway
- Spiritual rest – Prayer, meditation, journaling, or just breathing with intention
- Relational rest – Spending time with people who don’t drain you—or being alone on purpose
And therapy? That counts too. Sitting with someone who sees you, affirms you, and doesn’t expect you to “perform” is one of the deepest forms of rest there is.
A Therapist’s Perspective: You Don’t Have to Earn Your Peace
At Introspective Counseling, we see you. We know the pressure to be everything for everyone—while holding your own pain in silence. Our skilled and culturally attuned therapists create space for rest, healing, and real conversations. We understand that behind the grind is often grief, anxiety, fear, and the aching need to just be.
You don’t have to keep running on fumes. Let’s talk about what it looks like to slow down without falling apart.
Let’s Start Your Rest Revolution
Anxiety doesn’t have to run your life. If grind culture has you anxious, disconnected, and running on E, we can help you reset. At Introspective Counseling, our compassionate and culturally responsive therapists are here to support your healing—not just your hustle.
We proudly serve Detroit, Southfield, Farmington Hills, Bloomfield, West Bloomfield, Troy, Ferndale, Royal Oak, Warren, Sterling Heights, Livonia, Redford, Dearborn, and Dearborn Heights, MI.
Let’s build a life where peace isn’t something you chase—it’s something you live.
👉 Schedule your first session today. Your rest is overdue.
