After fatigue, what next?
"How do I 'make the most' of this time without being driven by shame and capitalism?"
Ever had a period of burnout, low energy, low mood, etc. and you feel like you have to 'catch up' to 'make good'?
That might be capitalism speaking ;)
In all seriousness, it’s extremely easy to get caught up in “I’m back to my old/normal energy levels. I need to make up for lost time!” (We live in our society, we can’t help but absorb our culture.)
However, this adds pressure. And pressure might not be what you want right now — especially if you’re coming out of a period of burnout, fatigue or low energy.
So, how do we know if that stirring we’re feeling inside is coming from a place of genuine enthusiasm… or whether it’s capitalism trying to get us to push faster and harder?
Sometimes it’s really hard to know. And sometimes there’s a mixture of both. It’s not always binary or an obvious delineation.
But the first thing you can do is check in with yourself. Take a moment to pause, and ask. Be curious. Be open to the answer. Don’t pre-judge yourself. (‘Of course it’s capitalism! Everything is!’)
And whatever answer comes up for you, I would gently remind you that:
Whatever pace you have been operating at, doesn’t mean anything about the pace you need to operate at now.
Whether you can’t wait to get cracking on a project, or feel like you need more time to figure out your next move, what would it look like you give yourself this time, without feeling the need to rush?
If 'being behind' wasn’t a thing, how would you like to meet this period?
Here’s some questions you may like to play with:
What do you want to focus on?
What do you want to bring? (In terms of energy, attitude, feelings, approach?)
What do you want to explore?
What feels important or meaningful?
And finally…
Is there anything you need to give yourself?
Much love,
Kathryn
PS. When you’re ready, if you’d like to work together, I have a really wonderful coaching package, just for you. It’s a 6 month container where we get to help you get unstuck and take action; but also, just as importantly, help you feel more confident and clear in who you are and who you are being.
If you’re the type of person who has questions — big and small — and you don’t know how to work out all of this stuff on your own (or are tired of trying to do it all on your own), then a coaching relationship might be what you’re looking for. Take a look at my coaching page and see if it might be for you.