"How are you?"
"I am tired..."
Sadly, I cannot remember the last time my instinctive response wasn't "I'm tired, exhausted, or burnt out."
Simply, I am tired of being tired.
A mother of three, in the midst of her hectic schedule, once stated that she felt she was being "the worst version of herself."
I could not relate more.
There are seasons in which we feel as though we are drowning.
Empty and depleted.
A tightness in the chest, an exerted endless effort to catch one's breath, and a web of rapidly miscellaneous thoughts circling, becomes a personal battle to stay afloat.
How can we be 100% present when we have taken on a billion and one things?
Being spread so thinly prevents us from being the best version of ourselves. Lately, I have felt like a carbon copy of myself.
There is the original hard copy: clear, vibrant, open.
As tasks and responsibilities begin to increase, a carbon copy becomes necessary.
It's not quite the original version but it still leaves a similar duplicate mark, only it's slightly faded.
As more copies are made and passed out, the more faded it becomes and the further it strays from the original.
This is a season of endless carbon copies and often times I almost forget what my original self looks like.
Forgetting important dates, not responding to friends and family with an emphatic response, and feeling like everything is one gigantic to do list has taken a toll on not only myself but my relationships as well.
Many of us have experienced periods where life becomes one big blur.
In order to buoy above water, we must remind ourselves to:
1. Stop...Breathe...Prioritize: You can't say yes to everything. And you shouldn't. It is okay and necessary to take time for yourself and recharge. I bet your family and friends would probably encourage you to do the same.
2. Find an activity you enjoy. Ask yourself what is the one thing that makes you feel the most at peace and rested. Go out and do it :)
3. Eliminate Hurry: In order to restore our soul, we must be still. Instead of jumping from one scheduled thing to another, allow yourself to soak up the present and fully engage in the company and task you are currently with.
Ask yourself what it is that YOU want rather than what others want from you. Once you can discover what and how you want your life to look like, the pigment from your original self will shine through.
Hugs! -Judy
Brea, CA