Balancing Exhaustion
Balancing the pursuit of God, self-care, and personal growth is incredibly challenging. Constant whirlwinds of thoughts eat at your atmosphere, literally yelling out the things you need immediately, the things you're waiting for, and the things you currently have to complete. Frustration is an understatement. So how do you balance everything? I'm still trying to figure that out myself, but I can share how I've been able to balance working out, seeking God, and slowly growing my business. Of course, it's not perfect, but it has worked for me so far.
Have a schedule! It might seem like a duh moment, but it’s true—everyone needs one; we're all adults here. When you write things down, you tend to remember them more, and it allows you to visualize the action. Write down when you're going to pray and talk to God, schedule your workouts or personal time for yourself, and actually do them. It’s the “doing” part that feels like a paper cut. How do you get up when you are mentally exhausted, and the exhaustion is seeping into your physical being? It's almost unrealistic to ask yourself, or anyone for that matter, to do such a thing. I pray about it, and I tell God to help me achieve my goals for the day. I make sure he knows how I feel, every emotion. I trust that he will help me do it, and that will be my motivation for the day. “I told God about it, so I have to get up now; he is waiting to help”. With that being said I don't overexert myself when I know my body is telling me no; I rest.
There's no point in doing anything halfheartedly. If the goal I set is too big for me to face that day, I do smaller tasks. When I initially wrote down the tasks, I likely had the energy required to complete them. However, reality has a way of catching up, and it's not always fair. So, fight back; it’s clear you're low on energy, but you do not have to forfeit the whole day—do something small. I get the same satisfaction from accomplishing micro-tasks. By no means am I encouraging laziness. Please read the words; there is a strong difference between being lazy and downsizing your goals until you're charged back up. Since there is no condemnation in Christ, I don't feel bad about it because I'm trying my best.
Only you know how exhausted you are, only you know how many things you're juggling, and only you know how many pieces of the puzzle are missing, so be kind to yourself. If there are days where it’s a complete nay, remember, no is a complete sentence. Rest completely. This is not a sign of laziness or failure; it is wise to rest because once you recollect yourself, you will get up and conquer. Throughout your unfixed experience, do not lose sight of your self-care. On self-care days, listen to music that fills your soul, read something intriguing, my personal favorite is eating something sweet, etc. Talk to God and tell him how you feel. I have learned this recently, and I'm pretty sure if he had earmuffs, he would use them. It's better to break down all those negative emotions with the Lord than to bottle them up or go tell someone who’s only looking to hear a story.
Another way to help you achieve your goals and maintain balance would be to make friends that align with you. This is coming from someone who loves her own company more than anything. Although being an island can be beneficial, its usefulness is limited. You will be recharged properly if you have wise and joy-filled people around you. If you really do not have anyone, join a group online or watch videos that speak life into you. I joined a ministry recently that focuses on the love of God, and I came across an answer I have been seeking for a long time: how to meditate on God's words. It turned out to be much simpler than I had imagined. Simply select scriptures that resonate with your prayers, and visualize yourself accomplishing those goals and living in those moments as you read them.
"Wonderful," I thought, "now with a sprinkle of scripture, I should be fine." I sieved this piece of gold from one of the many Andrew Wommack audio clips I have been listening to. I, personally, cannot take your emotions away, but there is some comfort in numbers; you are not alone. There are millions just like you. Hearing this does not reduce your burden, but if those people can make it, so can you. They aren’t more special. Things will balance themselves out because God does not fail or lie. You will make it, and most importantly, God's will for you will make it. You’re not a loser.
Matthew 6:34 -“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
Numbers 23:19- "God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind".
Pearl