Reevaluating the Holiday Pause: On the Hypocrisy of Preaching about Rest

It’s that time again.

The feed is dusted in winter-coded fonts telling you to “slow down, soften, log off.” Candles. Cocoa. Captions about ease. B-roll of snow falling on a laptop while someone types about boundaries and #cozyvibes.

I used to save those posts… maybe I’d recreate my own version of them next winter? Only now they make me feel a little… ick.

The same girlies whispering “permission to do less” are also the same ones casually launching a new December offer suite, a podcast mini-series, and a bundled summit-style gift guide.

Preaching about ‘soft vibes’, but giving an ‘all-out’ output.

And while I have no interest in calling anyone out (genuinely, bless them for figuring out their own rhythm ) — we have to acknowledge that there is a difference between resting and disappearing.

But your favourite creators? They’re handing out hall passes for both, while completely disregarding the advice for themselves.

Let’s unpack:

The Comfort Economy (and why it Performs so Well in December)

Comfort content spikes in December because it meets our mood. We are tired. We want out. And when a “do less” carousel from your favourite influencer slides in… it’s liked, saved, shared. It doesn’t help that the comments chime “I needed to hear this today.”

So then? We listen and we disappear. Into our quiet. Into our spirals. Into our “I’ll figure it out in January” folder.

But watch their behaviour after their message. Those same creators saying “log off if you need to” are running their December content like a well-oiled (and well-batched) machine. They’re not necessarily lying… they’ve just built a system where they can sound off without switching off. And that’s the part we’re not talking about enough.

Let’s break down the contradiction:

They say: You don’t have to show up in December.
But they’re posting every day.

They say: It’s okay to log off.
But they’re running 12-slide stories, churning out Reels, and somehow are mid-launch.

They say: Do less.
But their “less” is more organized than most people’s full-time strategy.

And again, this isn’t about moral failure. It’s about messaging confusion. If your audience watches you promote rest while you’re still sprinting — they’re not resting. They’re spiraling because they think they’re doing it wrong.

Rest as Aesthetic (and the Pressure to Disappear Productively)

Somewhere along the way, “rest” became just another brand pillar. One more system to design. Even our stillness (or lack there of) has been made into spectacle. You can tell because when your favourite creator “logs off”, it’s is rarely ever quiet. It always comes with an announcement and ends with an apology. They schedule their caption that says, "just a reminder that you don’t have to earn rest" two months in advance… they talk about burnout a in pre-recorded video series. They show up soft but operate sharp.

And I’m not mad about it… But I have to call it out.

Because when “permission to rest” becomes a brand message, but never an embodied behaviour, it sets the expectation that we should disappear while they (still) stay more relevant than ever. And STILL continue growing.

Rest Isn't the Problem — Pretending to Is

I’m not against rest. I am so, so, so for it. But rest that is aestheticized, leveraged, and strategically positioned as a brand play is not rest. It’s still content.

The Internet Doesn’t Need Another Rest Post — It Needs a Reframe

What if we stopped pretending rest meant ghosting? What if we didn’t need to disappear completely to feel legitimate or productive in our pause? What if we gave ourselves actual permission — not to stop creating, but to stop performing the creation?

So maybe the question isn’t:
> “How do I log off for the holidays?”

Maybe it’s:
> “How do I stay present without pretending I’m at 100% capacity?”
> Am I seeking relief or practicing avoidance?
> Is this pause protecting my energy, or my ego?
> Will January Me feel rested — or behind?
> Does this advice make me a kinder human or a quieter leader?

A plea for creators:

If you’re resting — rest. Don’t make 12 posts about it. If you’re not… no need to pretend. We can tell. Don’t hand out permission slips you won’t cash in yourself. Don’t whisper softness while running a backend blitz. Don’t tell us to do less while you’re doing the absolute most.

You don’t have to be a martyr. But don’t be a mirage either.

Your audience needs you to show them a version of “slowing down” that doesn’t include going silent.

And if you’re a newer creator whose getting sucked in to all this madness, remember, you’re building a business. Someone selling you an ideal that success can be obtained without hard work is just another form of false advertising.