You know that feeling when you wake up tired even though you slept eight hours? When you feel like you ran a marathon even though you just sat on the couch all day?
It’s strange the first few times you notice it. Then it gets even more confusing when that constant fatigue becomes normal. It turns into a pain point that we stop questioning and simply accept.
I used to think this was just part of being an adult. Coffee, and more coffee, was the method I used to get through the day. But even with enough caffeine to give an elephant the shakes running through my blood, I was still always tired.
I began to look more closely to try to understand what was happening and why I’d lost my natural inner fire. While reflecting one day, I had an insight.
We don’t get tired from doing too much. We get tired from holding too much in.
The Three Hidden Drains
I discovered that there are three invisible sources of exhaustion that we confuse with physical fatigue. Once you see them, you can't unsee them.
1. Mental Loops
Your mind is a browser with 47 tabs open, and half of them are playing pop-up videos you didn't ask for. Like the worst recipe website ever (if you cook, you’re laughing right now)
These loops are endless thought spirals, replaying yesterday's awkward conversation, rehearsing tomorrow's difficult meeting, analyzing every possible way things could go wrong. Your brain burns through glucose like a plane burns fuel, even when your body is perfectly still.
The exhaustion isn't from thinking. It's from thinking the same thoughts over and over again, trapped in mental loops that lead nowhere but drain everything.
2. Emotional Armor
We've all got our armor. The carefully constructed version of ourselves that we present to stay safe in the world.
Maybe yours looks like overexplaining every decision, saying "I'm fine" when you're drowning, or people-pleasing until you've forgotten what you actually want. This armor serves a purpose, but maintaining it is like flexing a muscle all day long.
The energy it takes to monitor your words, manage others' emotions, and keep your real feelings locked away is enormous. No wonder you feel drained after social interactions that should have been energizing, or a work day where you make yourself small (invisible) to feel safe.
3. Sensory Overload
Your nervous system wasn't designed for the modern world.
Every notification, every screen transition, every background conversation your brain has to filter out—it all registers as potential threat data. Your internal alarm system stays on high alert, scanning for danger that never comes but never stops coming.
The exhaustion isn't from the stimulation itself. It's from your nervous system never getting the signal that it's safe to rest.
The Weight of Holding
Here's what I wish someone had told me years ago: emotional weight feels identical to physical exhaustion because, to your body, it is.
When you're carrying unprocessed emotions, unexpressed thoughts, and unmet needs, your nervous system treats this internal chaos like external danger. It keeps you in a low-grade state of activation that slowly drains your battery throughout the day.
The solution isn't more sleep or better time management. It's learning to put down what you've been carrying.
Three Ways to Lighten the Load
For Mental Loops: Notice when you’re stuck in a thought loop. Then label the anxious thought or problem. Doing this creates space and takes you out of the story, allowing you to think objectively again. After this, consciously redirect your attention to something positive. The goal isn't to stop thinking. It's to think intentionally rather than compulsively.
For Emotional Armor: This has been one of my main struggles in life. Let me tell you, this method really works. Practice micro-authenticity. Share one real thing about how you're feeling each day, even if it's small. "I'm actually pretty nervous about this presentation," instead of "Everything's great!" The armor gets lighter each time you take it off, even briefly.
For Sensory Overload: Create micro-recoveries throughout your day. Two minutes of silence between meetings. A moment to feel your feet on the ground. Looking out a window without reaching for your phone. Your nervous system needs these reset moments to remember that you're safe.
These three methods are powerful ways to reclaim your energy so you can start feeling your spark again. I’ve used them all, and they work. They work so well, I included them in the lesson for Day 1 of The Clarity Protocol.
If you need support to stop overthinking, let go of what’s draining you, trust your inner voice, or build a path for peace, this course is for you.
It’s a 7-day reset for your mind and nervous system. Through video teachings, interactive worksheets, healing audio, and more, you’ll be fully guided in reclaiming your peace, power, and mental clarity.
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Thank you for this post. I ağğreciate the actionable steps, simple and easy to implement.
I restacked this post and see how it applies to me. Thanks