I was at the gym earlier this afternoon, working out beside a gentleman twice the size. Though superficially it may have seemed we had nothing in common other than our shared commitment to physical fitness, the most amazing thing happened between sets: we rested. For those of you who regularly go to the gym, this might already be common sense. Even one of my closest friends who earned the title Mr. Junior World Bronze (fyi: Arnold Schwarzenegger is Mr. World) takes time to rest in between sets. Likewise, in my yoga class, there is great emphasis on pranayama, the art of breathing, as well as taking the child's pose, which you are recommended to take anytime during class to recenter yourself. Now what does all this talk about exercise, bodybuilding, even yoga, have to do with leadership?

Through YP4's Leadership Capacity Building Program, I had the invaluable opportunity to work with Cathy Wasserman, who challenged me to think about the connection between leadership and my physical well-being. The more I thought about it, the more I saw the similarities between the two. However, one point I recognized gets overlooked, even among progressive leaders, is the importance of rest. We seem to come up with some of the most innovative solutions to addressing global warming, ending genocide in Darfur, and creating coalitions among seemingly polar groups on campus. However, in the process, as I've learned, it's easy to allow our passions overwhelm us, ironically, to our own expense. So what's the end result of pumping too much iron at the gym or fighting so hard for issues that mean so much to us without resting? Burnout.

All the world's coffee, energy drinks, and other artificial stimulants cannot compare to the value of something as organic as rest. Over time, and after making mistakes, I've learned how to step back from my own work in the progressive movement, and be still. In doing so, I've been able to return to my work refreshed and reenergized.

If the heart, the human body's strongest muscle, spends more time in its resting state, then surely even mighty progressive leaders can do the same.