Because there were times when I’d have 8 hours of sleep, and still woke up tired.
Or didn’t want to wake up at all.
I thought it was the fatigue, the emotional and physical stress.
But it’s not those things that really tire us out, but something else entirely.
What really tires us out?
Purposelessness
I used to work jobs where I felt I was doing good work.
I also felt that I was going nowhere.
I was eating right, getting my fair share of exercise, as well as getting the right amount of sleep, but I was still so drained and lifeless.
I was so busy, but I was getting nowhere. I was spinning my wheels, and getting nowhere fast.
I realized what was tiring wasn’t the sleep, the food, or the exercise. It was the sense that what I was doing wouldn’t get me anywhere.
Whenever I was in a situation that I didn’t have a goal, I didn’t have a purpose or know what to do next, I would remain stagnant, and the feeling of no progress quickly replaces any feelings of excitement and growth.
It’s either what you’re doing doesn’t have a clear purpose, or it’s not aligned to your purpose.
No progress
Because it’s tedious to repeat the same thing over and over again, and still get the same result.
Or worse, to not get your desired result, at all.
When I say no progress, this also doesn’t mean actual progress, but it also means progress you don’t recognize.
Or progress that you refuse to recognize.
Doing the same things over and over, and expecting a different result, is the very definition of insanity.
You have to figure out how to re-align, and to find how or what needs to change to deliver the progress you want.
Because if you don’t see progress for quite some time, will tire you out and drain your energy.
“The thought that you’ll put in the work, but see nothing in return.”
No challenge
Because similar to doing something repetitively for no progress, if you’re used to doing the same thing over and over again, and getting the same result over and over again, with no significant changes, meaning, or impact, then you’ll get bored of it.
If there’s no challenge, it’s easier to just be tired of it.
It doesn’t allow me to use my strength, ingenuity, creativity, or resources, to improve, and to continue to grow.
I remember me having to do the same thing, over and over again, but the tasks weren’t challenging, and I felt I wasn’t learning anything new, or growing.
It was so hard to get out of bed, and I always felt tired.
Tired from the inability to use my talents and gifts to the fullest.
Emotional drama
Of all the things that tire me out, even though I’m well fed, well rested, and well taken care of, is emotional drama.
Allowing yourself to be sucked in to the drama, problems, and concerns of other people is a recipe for loss of energy, and for loss of sanity.
It’s unneeded, and it’s unhealthy. You’ll never get a good return for the energy and resources that you put in.
I used to think that it was something worthwhile to do, to pour my time and energy in, but as the years went by, I realized that people won’t change just because you tell them to, and that always jumping in to save and fix other people’s relationship problems isn’t healthy for all parties concerned.
More so when you’re the one caught in the middle of the intrigue and issues.
You always have a choice whether to jump in and engage in the drama, or to clarify the situation, and to walk away.
Not taking care of yourself
Because I experienced having slept well, exercised well, and being fed well, yet still not having energy.
I always felt tired and unresourceful then, and I realized that I wasn’t taking care of myself.
I wasn’t getting to know my purpose in life, and taking steps to do something to make it real.
I was just going through the motions of my day, without any purpose, progress, or passion for it.
I was always caught up in the relational and emotional problems of the people surrounding me, and I kept blaming them for my unhappiness.
Never realizing the, that they weren’t making me tired and unhappy.
I was choosing to be tired and unhappy.
I had to take care of myself in the areas of my life that counted, and that mattered most to me.
Then, and only then, did the sleep, food, and exercise, begin to fill me up with energy.
Life isn’t about what tires us out, when I think about it.
Life is about learning how to recharge yourself, so you have energy for what matters most for you.
What tires you out in your life? Please share in the comments below!
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