Running on Empty
We live in a pretty fast paced time, often functioning in overdrive, overloaded with numerous notifications and multiple tasks vying for our attention!
All too often we’re running from pillar to post, saying yes to all the things, over-committing and adding tasks to our already overflowing to do list, all the while neglecting to add our self care to that list!
All this running around without topping ourselves up can leave us dangerously close to empty. So why don’t we choose to take a break before reaching the point of exhaustion? We wouldn’t let our phone battery run dangerously low, so why do we do it to ourselves?
We’re no good to anyone when our energy’s depleted, often functioning in this state creates irritability, resentment and a reduction of quality production and connectivity.
Somewhere along the way we’ve gathered this warped perception that the busier our lives, the more successful or fulfilled we must be, but the truth is, if we look a little closer, we’ll often find there are other areas lacking or slipping away.
Reality is we can’t eat all the pie at once, we can only manage one segment or bite at a time. It’s better to find contentment in balance and not bite off more than we can chew, creating more space for our mental health and well-being to remain intact.
When we’re juggling too many balls, it’s often not sustainable, eventually one drops, if not the whole blinking lot! So, how do we prevent this fall out and create more balance, and give ourselves permission to prioritise our well-being in the process?
We choose it! We choose to define success for ourselves. We add well-being to our to do list and let balance and contentment be our badge of honour, instead of exhaustion.
One good place to start is gathering clarity around what serves us, knowing what fills our tanks and helps create a sense of fulfillment and contentment. It’s understanding our natural ebb and flow, learning from nature, our inner seasons, listening to our bodies cues, when we need to slow down and let ourselves rest. If the tide’s full, it must go out again, if the leaves are brown, it’s time to let go and so on.
By nature, women especially are nurturers, often tending to others needs and being of service, it’s a beautiful quality, but it’s importance to get the balance right, and make time to tend to our self care too.
It’s learning to accept and receive the same love, care and attention we so freely give out. When we’ve been giving a lot of ourselves, we must learn the balance in receiving too. It can be hard to surrender the ‘doing’, but it’s so important to learn to listen and let ourselves ‘be’.
“Do the best you can until you know better.
Then when you know better, do better.”– Maya Angelou
Here are some helpful ways to prioritise self care:
MAKE A LIST Gain clarity on what you need to feel fulfilled and uplifted, more in balance and flow. Whether it’s getting out in nature, being near water, listening to some upbeat music, having a bath, journaling, meditating, learning something new, connecting with friends, moving your body or escaping in a good book, write it down and check in with it when you need to fill your tank.
MAKE SELF-CARE A HABIT Tag new rituals onto something you’re already doing regularly, make a conscious effort to jump into bed 5 minutes earlier to listen to a meditation, install positive affirmations while you’re brushing your teeth, park 5 minutes away from your destination so you can enjoy some fresh air or take in nature on the way, practice gratitude while you’re sitting at a red light or doing the dishes, incorporate ways to tend to you.
FIND YOUR SUPPORT CREW Surround yourself with people that have your best interests at heart, that will gently remind you to take a break, remind you of your value and the importance of taking care of your precious self.
MAKE KINDNESS AND COMPASSION YOUR FRIEND Allow yourself the same kindness and compassion you so freely give and express to others. We are each human, doing the best we can.
About Amy Willoughby
Amy is a writer, content creator and life coach at Be and Bloom. Amy is passionate about connecting people through writing, coaching and the power of storytelling. The first 20 years of her career was spent behind the stylists chair as a hairstylist, where she honed her skills of listening, holding space, connecting and creating clarity through conversation.
Amy’s hairdressing career came to a close after spending 3 years helping clients journey through chemotherapy, fitting and styling wigs. This was the perfect bridge and catalyst for retraining as a life coach which has led to exploration of values, modalities of wellbeing, writing and storytelling.
More about Amy and Be and Bloom…