Why Now: Rest, Resilience, and the Power of Story

Dr. Melanie B. Hoskins
Oct 16
2 min read

The Stories That Shape Us—and How We Redefine Resilience

I’ve learned that the stories we tell—especially the honest ones—can heal, connect, and lead us toward purpose.

For years, I’ve poured into my work, my family, and my community—often at the expense of my own rest. Like many of you, I believed resilience meant pushing through, showing up, and staying strong no matter what.

But what I’ve learned—through loss, leadership, and life itself—is that resilience isn’t built by constant motion. It’s built by learning to pause. By giving ourselves permission to breathe, to heal, to be.

Rest, I’ve come to learn, is also a form of faith—the quiet trust that we can step back and still be held.

At a women’s empowerment conference recently, I heard a speaker say, “This next season will require a different strategy.” That resonated with me.

Somewhere along the way, we were taught that being strong was the goal—and that strength meant never breaking. But that’s not strength; that’s survival mode. There is no reward to be gained by running on fumes. Real resilience isn’t about pretending the cracks don’t exist. It’s about discovering that light can still get through them.

And then there’s what organizational psychologist and Shatterproof author Dr. Tasha Eurich calls grit gaslighting—that subtle, toxic message that tells us we just need to try harder, push through, or “be strong” no matter how empty our tank has become. The truth is, it’s okay not to keep pushing forward when your soul is begging for rest. It’s okay to pause. It’s okay to be human.

A Different Strategy for a New Season

This website was born from that truth—a reminder that sometimes the most powerful thing you can do is stop. To rest, reflect, and rebuild on your own terms.

Here, I’m sharing what I’ve learned about navigating both policy and pain, leadership and loss, purpose and peace. Because our stories connect us. They remind us that we’re not alone, and that healing is possible—even in the aftermath of everything that tried to silence us.

You’ll find reflections on rest and resilience, insights from my work in public policy and service, and glimpses into the creative projects that have helped me heal and help others do the same.

This isn’t just a website launch—it’s an invitation.

To lay down what’s heavy.

To stop measuring your worth by your endurance.

To rest—not because you’ve earned it, but because you deserve it.

Welcome.

Take a deep breath.

You are not alone.

I hope you’ll explore, reflect, and find something here that helps you exhale.

Pause & Reflect

What does rest look like for you in this season of your life? Where might you be mistaking endurance for strength? What would it mean to give yourself permission to pause—without guilt? How might your next season require a different strategy?

With gratitude,