Have you ever been tired, slept 8 hours, and realized you were still tired?

I'm not talking about the kind of fatigue that comes from a late night or a packed week.

I'm talking about the kind that makes you think, “I cannot keep doing this.”

Sometimes what we're calling tired is actually drained.

There's a mental and emotional fatigue that can come from spending too much of your life doing things that frustrate you, deplete you, or no longer fit.

I've noticed something interesting about energy. I can be physically tired and get a phone call from an old friend or start doing something I love and suddenly I find energy I didn't know I had.

You’ve probably noticed it too. You're in a conversation that stimulates you. Working on something that excites you. Creating. Traveling. Spending time with people you love.

You look at the clock and wonder, How did it get so late?

Your body may still need sleep.

But you feel alive.

I think that's worth examining.

Because our energy can tell us things we're sometimes reluctant to acknowledge.

The work that once challenged you may now drain you.

The responsibility you once accepted willingly may have become a source of resentment.

Something you've dismissed as a hobby may be one of the few places where you still feel completely like yourself.

The idea you keep telling yourself is impractical may be the thing you can't stop thinking about.

What energizes you may be giving you information about what you need, value and desire now.

And what consistently depletes you may deserve more than another attempt to manage it better.

It may need to be questioned or revamped.

So instead of asking only, “Why am I so tired?” try asking:

What am I tired of?

Tired of being everyone's problem solver?

Tired of a schedule that leaves no room for you?

Tired of being excellent at something you no longer enjoy?

Tired of postponing something you deeply desire?

Tired of telling yourself, “This is just the way it is”?

Don't rush to find a solution. Just be willing to tell yourself the truth.

Sometimes exhaustion is asking for rest.

Sometimes it's asking for change.

If “What am I tired of?” brought something immediately to mind, don't ignore it.

On a Next Chapter Call, we'll examine what's draining you, what you want instead, and what needs your attention now.

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You only get one life. Start living like the priority that you are.