Reclaiming Joy Through Radical Rest with Jordan Maney
There's something profound that happens when you sit in conversation with someone who has learned to live authentically. As I recorded this episode with my dear friend Jordan Maney, radical joy coach and creator of Rest Lab, I could feel the quiet power of a life reclaimed from the grip of constant productivity.
Jordan doesn't just talk about rest. She embodies it. And in our culture that equates busyness with worthiness, that makes her work nothing short of revolutionary.
When Success Becomes a Prison
Jordan's story begins where so many of ours do: trapped in the cycle of achievement at any cost. She described her former life as "highly regimented," driven by rigid expectations that left little room for authentic connection with herself or others. It's a familiar narrative for many high-achievers, particularly women and people of color who carry the additional burden of representation and the pressure to be twice as good to get half as far.
But here's what struck me most about Jordan's journey: her transformation wasn't born from a single moment of clarity. Instead, it emerged from a series of experiences that gradually revealed the cost of living disconnected from her own needs and values. Through personal trauma and the demands of a career that was slowly consuming her, Jordan began to recognize that boundaries weren't barriers to success. They were essential to it.
The Radical Act of Claiming Joy
What makes Jordan's approach unique is her understanding that prioritizing joy is subversive. In a society that profits from our exhaustion, choosing rest becomes an act of resistance. Through her coaching and Rest Lab community, she helps "bleeding hearts" (progressive leaders, service providers, and change makers) learn that sustainable advocacy requires sustainable practices.
"Claiming joy is a radical act," Jordan shared, "especially for women and people of color who have been conditioned to believe that our value comes from our productivity." This insight cuts to the heart of systemic issues that go far beyond individual wellness. The work centers on dismantling the narratives that keep us running on empty while believing we're not enough.
From Individual Healing to Collective Transformation
Perhaps the most profound aspect of our conversation was Jordan's insight that true healing cannot happen in isolation. She emphasized that understanding our own limitations is actually the first step toward reconnecting with our communities. This perspective challenges the hyper-individualistic approach to wellness that dominates our culture.
Jordan and I explored how our society lacks spaces for collective grief and joy, and how this absence contributes to the epidemic of loneliness plaguing our communities. Her work creates those missing spaces, offering people permission to pause, feel, and process together rather than pushing through alone.
This goes beyond self-care. The work recognizes that our individual well-being is inextricably linked to the health of our communities. When we model healthy boundaries and prioritize our own restoration, we give others permission to do the same.
Building a Different Kind of Success
What lingered with me long after our conversation was Jordan's quiet certainty about the future she's helping to create. She's not just building a business. She's cultivating a movement that redefines what success looks like. In her vision, productivity serves people, not the other way around. Rest becomes a practice of self-respect rather than a reward we have to earn.
Through Rest Lab and her coaching work, Jordan provides practical tools for this transformation: boundary-setting strategies, community building, and most importantly, permission to prioritize your own well-being without guilt or justification.
The Invitation Forward
Jordan's journey offers us a blueprint for what becomes possible when we have the courage to step off the hamster wheel of constant achievement. Her transformation from a "tightly wound" high-achiever to a radical joy coach offers instruction alongside inspiration.
The path forward redefines ambition rather than abandoning it. True success includes joy, rest, community, and the space to process both grief and celebration together. The work builds lives and businesses that sustain us rather than drain us.
For those ready to explore what this might look like in their own lives, Jordan's work offers both permission and practical guidance. Because ultimately, choosing rest and joy creates individual transformation while building the world we want to live in, one boundary at a time.
Connect with Jordan
Ready to explore the radical practice of rest in your own life? Here's how you can connect with Jordan and dive deeper into her transformative work:
Connect with Jordan:
Website: jordanmaney.com
Instagram: @jordanmaneyLinkedIn: Jordan Maney
Work with Jordan: Jordan offers coaching for progressive leaders, service providers, and change makers who want to learn the radical practice of rest to reclaim their joy and sustain their advocacy. Through her coaching and Rest Lab community, she provides the tools and support needed to build sustainable practices that prioritize well-being alongside impact.
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