Rest is productive. And no, you're not lazy.

ISSUE 2 | JULY 2025

Welcome to the 2nd issue of The Art of Unlearning! It’s been a month since relaunching my newsletter, and the email list has grown to 550 people! Thank you for subscribing and joining me along this healing journey.

EACH ISSUE INCLUDES:

→ one thing i’m unlearning
→ a nervous system or gut healing protocol
→ a recipe or ritual I’ve been loving
→ a book, product or tool worth your energy

if this sounds exciting to you, keep on reading :)

ONE THING I’M UNLEARNING

[REST IS NECESSARY - REST IS PRODUCTIVE]

The last two weeks of July hit hard. I was overwhelmed by:

Content creation (self-imposed deadlines and pressure — love that for me)
Planning a new business venture (can’t say much yet, but it’s been living in my head rent-free)
Client work from my micro agency (yep, I run a social media agency behind the scenes)
And Rokkō, my 9-month-old Pom, waking me up at 3am with crate accidents. RIP to my REM sleep.

On top of that? I was deep in my luteal + menstrual phase — one of the roughest in a while. Ever since I started tracking my cycle, I’ve noticed how little energy I have in luteal. I used to brute-force through it back in my 20s hustle era… but not anymore.

Summer’s also been packed with social plans, which means disrupted routines and late nights. I want to say yes to everything — but I always pay for it the next day.

Eventually, my body said enough.
Despite sleeping 8 hours, I was waking up exhausted. No appetite. Low back pain. Tight abdomen. Acne flare-ups. Irritable AF. I knew something was off.

So I took the week off. But instead of resting, I spiraled in guilt.
"Why are you tired?"
”You should be able to handle this."
"You’re falling behind."

By day three, I realized: This shame spiral was keeping me stuck.

I was putting myself under pressure to perform when what I needed was to pause. All my arbitrary timelines, all the self-imposed standards — they were keeping me in constant fight-or-flight.

So what if I didn’t post?
So what if I skipped the gym?
So what if I needed to sleep in?

Rest isn’t laziness. It’s necessary in order to thrive.

And the wildest part? Back in corporate, I took 2-week vacations every quarter.
Why am I not giving myself that same grace now that I work for myself?

We’re all human, not fucking machines. Even machines need to restart and power down.

ONE HEALING PROTOCOL

[YIN YOGA]

I’ve always loved hot yoga — great for stretching, light cardio, and reconnecting with my breath. But recently, I’ve been trying yin yoga twice a week, and it’s been a game-changer.

If you’ve never done yin before: it’s yoga for your nervous system.
No heat. No intensity. Just a few simple postures held for 3–5 minutes, focused entirely on breathing and body awareness.

I used to think this kind of class was “a waste of a workout.”
But not everything needs to be a workout.

Sometimes, what your body actually needs is the opposite — something that calms your nervous system instead of stimulating it.

In a world where we’re always “on,” yin helps me turn off.
It’s the rare space where I’m not being productive, performing, or pushing — just present.

It helps me disconnect from the noise and reconnect with myself.
And honestly? That’s been just as valuable as any sweat sesh.

Btw, if you end up trying yin yoga and you end up falling asleep, you’re not the only one.

When you fall asleep during yin yoga, it means your body is exhausted and your nervous system is finally hitting parasympathetic mode — aka rest-and-digest, the state we almost never enter in our high-stimulation, always-on lives.

ONE RECIPE

[SUMMER SOOTHER TEA]

This is my go-to tea when I feel internally heaty. Especially in this crazy summer heat!

Chrysanthemum cools the body, soothes heat headaches, eye strain, and skin flare-ups (acne, redness, rashes).
Goji berries boost circulation = better nutrient delivery to the skin, plus they’re loaded with antioxidants.

Best during your follicular and ovulation phase.
Skip during menstruation and luteal, especially if you run cold or crampy.

SUMMER SOOTHER TEA

5 chrysanthemum flowers
10 goji berries
500ml hot water
steep for 10-15 mins

If you’re interested in getting a sample of these teas for free, reply to this email and I’ll add you to my VIP list!

ONE TOOL

[REBOUNDING ON MY MINI TRAMPOLINE]

I’ve been on a lymphatic system deep dive lately — once I learned it doesn’t have its own pump and needs movement to flush out waste!

Last month, I shared how dry brushing helps with lymph drainage… but let’s be real, I stopped doing it because it left dead skin flakes everywhere in my bathroom 😂

This month, I’m testing something new: rebounding on my mini trampoline.
Just 5 minutes a day can stimulate your lymphatic system, boost circulation to your brain, increase energy, and activate your vestibular system — your body’s built-in balance center that helps calm your nervous system.

It’s low-impact, oddly fun, and way less flaky than dry brushing.

Thank you for reading the 2nd issue of The Art of Unlearning! I’m really enjoying the monthly distribution and writing in this format. I hope I’m able to share some interesting thoughts and tools with you every month.

Are there any topics you want me to talk about in the next issue or in a video or post? Drop me a note to hello@artofanna.com. I respond to every email :)

Be sure to stop by my youtube for long form videos :)