My spouse and I have successfully sold our house, relocated to an apartment, shipped our belongings to New Zealand, and stored the remainder in nearby storage.
After completing the task of packing and unpacking all our belongings, we can finally say that we have settled in. It’s safe to say that we are feeling drained and overwhelmed from the move, both physically and mentally.
Feeling exhausted …but what to do?
Feeling tired can significantly impact us. Unfortunately, many people experience tiredness regularly due to too much work and not enough sleep.
But what do you do today when I am still tired?
What can I do tomorrow if I’m tired then too?
I am currently prioritizing my well-being by taking a break and indulging in some much-needed relaxation at home. I recognize the importance of allowing myself time to recharge, and I am not putting unnecessary pressure and stress on myself to complete everything on my to-do list.
Usually, we distract our tiredness with junk food or procrastination, but I think instead, we should feel the actual tiredness, like any other experience.
Feel the tiredness like any other experience.
I sit on my couch or lie on my bed, close my eyes, and think about what it is like. Pause and breath. How do I feel my eyes behind my droopy eyelids? What does my face feel like? What about my chest? My back and neck? Legs? Arms?
I try to feel it as an experience, not something I need to get rid of.
My mind feels my body and my Mental Exhaustion, so I give myself some love: I say to myself-“I feel tired and down; I wish for my suffering to end”
If you realize this is the same feeling if someone you loved were feeling anxious or hurt. How would you send them love? Do the same thing for yourself. This is a physical feeling of sending love to your tiredness, not an intellectual concept.
I don’t have energy in the morning. Maybe I can just answer a couple of emails. Don’t have the capacity to write a blog post? Maybe I can just write two paragraphs. So I’m not entirely abdicating my responsibilities when I’m tired. I’m just trying to do a small amount. It makes a huge difference.
If I decide to go for pizza or ice cream, that’s nothing to feel guilty about. But for goodness’ sake, don’t do it mindlessly! If I’m going to eat ice cream, I want to be entirely present with the sensation of the sweetness on my tongue, the coldness in my mouth, going down my throat. Savor it. Experience it entirely.
That’s my mindful method, and I am imperfect at it. I try to practice in the middle of the tiredness, which is sometimes unavoidable, and when I do, it’s always wonderful.
Mindfulness is a way of befriending ourselves and our experience.
Jon Kabat-Zinn