Feeling Tired is Part of A Well-Lived Life

I invite you to rethink your relationship with feeling tired.

Women, and especially women in medicine, see being tired as a negative thing.

It is a failure.

Our work makes us tired. It leaves us “depleted” with “nothing left.”

Our menopausal bodies don’t work properly because we are tired.

Being tired isn’t necessarily bad. It doesn’t mean you failed to manage your energy well. It doesn’t mean you have poor boundaries or a job that doesn’t care about you.

Feeling tired might mean that it was a day well spent.

Feeling tired might mean you were fully present for meaningful work and deep connection.

What if you approached feeling tired with nonjudgment and non-striving?

What if being tired meant you needed recharging like your phone or electric car?

What if it’s natural for humans to be tired mid-afternoon? This is likely the why of the afternoon siesta.

What if we embraced the moments we feel tired as a reminder to refill our tanks. An act of kindness and self-care make a big difference in our tired moments. Three deep breaths. One minute of meditation. Fresh air. Even a simple hand to heart.

You might decide going forward that you would like to change your relationship with feeling tired to a more positive one.

Feeling tired also happens after wonderful things. Travel, reunions, great nights out, caring for newborns and toddlers, and long hikes and swims.

Feeling tired is part of a life well-lived.