We walked away from working for someone else because we thought that doing our own thing would be more fun. We gave up the 9-5 with set vacation time to have the freedom and flexibility of creating our own schedules. We said no to office culture to indulge our love of yoga pants and introversion.

Because we appreciate so many aspects of being a solopreneur, we can easily fall into the trap of thinking that we copped out; that we gave up; that we took the detour down Easy Street.

Then, we remember: Not everything about this is easy.

When we became our own boss, we took away the ease of having someone else tell us what to do, and put heaps of decision making in our own hands.

When we gave up the 9-5, we essentially said yes to the 24/7.

When we said no to office culture and the water cooler, we gave ourselves the task of finding and creating communities so that loneliness wouldn’t prevail.

Simply put: Each and every day that you wake up as your own boss, running your solo business, you’re challenging yourself in ways you never would have had you not stepped up and started your one woman shop.

That’s why, more than ever, it’s imperative that you recognize the power of rest — even as we’re in the midst of the 51st week of the year and the hullabaloo of the holidays.

This week, next week, and right in to 2017, be kind to yourself. Set aside 5-10 minute pockets on super hectic days to meditate, read, or walk. Schedule larger chunks of time where possible to treat yourself to a spa day, go for a drive, or take a dance class. Whatever rest looks like for you, build it in during this inevitably chaotic time.

Because contrary to what you might see floating around the interwebs, rest does not equal rust.

And as you keep setting this world on fire and serving others, remember that you cannot pour from an empty cup.