You're exhausted because you do so much...

Here is your validation and your permission to say that you are exhausted.

Not just tired, but down to your bones and into your spirit exhausted. The kind of tired that you feel in every part of your body. Maybe today was no different than yesterday, but today you feel it just a bit more? No, you probably didn’t sleep well, yes, your mattress probably is uncomfortable, and yes you did take your vitamins (the ones that are supposed to boost immunity and energy).

Now that I have validated your experience, it is time for you to validate, own and take action. Our noisy internal voices tell us that we have no right to say we are tired or that we didn’t work hard enough to feel exhausted. Those same voices convince us that mental fatigue is not real or the physical symptoms you feel will just go away. Why do we have such a difficult time acknowledging and giving ourselves permission to be tired, like we didn’t EARN it?

This week, I encourage you to take one day and chart your activities in 30 minute increments. Seeing what you do and how much you do down on paper can change your perspective in hopes of validating your external experience. In reality you may be doing more or less than you think, but the data will give you real information. After you have charted your time ask yourself:

WHAT COULD I DO MORE OF, WHAT SHOULD I CHANGE, AND WHERE CAN I INCORPORATE REST?

I look at my time log and I can see 2 instances in which I am eating while doing other things. I would like to eat my food and take the time to taste it, that is a self care goal of mine.

I didn’t even eat my pancakes with a fork, I tore off bits and shoved them in my mouth with my fingers like a savage. Nobody is perfect.

If you are exhausted then that is what you are, you need to figure out how to get some rest and incorporate more self-care into your day. You can’t incorporate self-care if you do not know how you are spending your time to begin with. So take a day and track how you spend your time in 30 minute increments.