I didn’t go to the Dominican Republic expecting a revelation. I went to celebrate an anniversary. I booked an adults-only all-inclusive in Cap Cana, imagining beach walks, tropical drinks, maybe a few excursions if we were feeling ambitious.

What I didn’t expect was that I’d spend most of the trip doing absolutely… nothing.

At the time, I was working as a director in a nonprofit that supported survivors of sex trafficking. It was meaningful, intense, full-body work. And while I didn’t feel burned out, I also didn’t realize the weight I was carrying until I stopped moving.

And then I couldn’t really start again.

I spent those days either at the pool or on the beach, not out of laziness, but because I genuinely couldn’t engage my brain. My body was on pause, like it finally had permission to let go. No one needed me to make decisions. No one was asking me for anything. I didn’t have to do—I just got to be.

That stillness, honestly, shook me.

It was the first time I realized how deeply rest matters, not just as a treat, but as a form of leadership. If we’re constantly in go-mode, we never hear the quiet messages from our own bodies. We start living from the neck up, and we miss the cues telling us “hey, you need a minute.”

And sometimes, we need more than a minute.

Oh….and let’s not forget this hammock moment. The resort had this picture-perfect setup, and I had the vision: a serene shot of me lounging in paradise. I told my husband, “Stand right here. Don’t move. I’ll get in and you snap it.”

Well, I flipped right out of that hammock. Full send. No photo. No dignity. Just a gentle reminder that rest doesn’t always look the way we expect.

But it’s still worth it.

Now, when I help people plan travel, I carry that lesson with me. I don’t just want you to go somewhere. I want you to feel safe enough to slow down when you get there. I want your nervous system to exhale. I want your trip to feel like a reset, not just a reward.

Rest isn’t weakness. It’s wisdom. And sometimes, it’s found poolside in Punta Cana… right after a hammock flips you on your back.

Ready for a trip that helps you actually rest?