In our fast-paced life, being tired seems to be the norm. We don’t sleep enough, we don’t relax enough, and we don’t get enough time to do either of those even if we wanted to. Working full time while being responsible for ourselves and others, on top of being involved in a community can suck all the life out of a person, leaving us numb by the time we have a minute to ourselves. What a draining way to live.
In a previous post, I had stated that there are times in life where we will be tired. We are finishing a degree, or wrapping up a project at work, or maybe have a new baby. These events have a conclusion, and our tiredness should decrease significantly. But are we intentional in making space for ourselves?
I’ve come to believe that there are a couple reasons for always being tired:
- There is too much on your plate: You have a lot of responsibility that you will not or cannot delegate. I would say, think of the main purpose for each one and focus on the priority. There can be different ways to get to your goal and you don’t have to be in charge of every step.
- You waste your free time: Instead of finding activities that fulfill you, you are going to activities that might solely entertain. In the end, you aren’t refueled to face your daily routine and feel even more tired.
Both of these lead me to think that there is a disrespect for our boundaries. I have learned from my life and those around me, that most of us do have enough time to rest. We just decide to spend it differently. Instead of going to bed at a good time, we stay up looking at pictures or watch a show. Whenever we may have a free moment, we might gravitate to the internet and let it feed us mostly garbage, instead of exercising, connecting with someone, or meditating on the day.
Being tired propels us to anything automatic, because we are trying to save up the last of the energy available: fast food, fast entertainment, and even fast friends. It is a hamster wheel that may stop when a crisis hits and we have to reevaluate our life. We don’t invest time to meditate about our lives: am I going on the right direction? Am I listening to my body? Where am I giving too much?
Thinking is a investment that seems to grow with age. We will arrive to conclusions with time, not immediately. We get to know ourselves as the days go by, not as soon as a change happens. It takes time reach maturity. For this reason, we ought to make time to think and take a pulse check of what is going on in life, and adjust as needed. Going to and fro with the wind leaves our destination to luck.
I encourage you to take some time to analyze where you are today. Giving ten minutes to process your day, where your career is going, how your important relationships are doing, to name a few, can help you remember what is important to you. May your energy be poured into what matters to you. Clear the noise and invest in yourself, so you can serve others much better.
Thriving in Simplicity 