This morning, while looking at my to-do list (the same one I’ve been rewriting all week), I realized something I didn’t want to admit:
I’ve been tired.
Not the “I need a nap” kind of tired, but the deeper kind.
The kind that sits in your chest.
The kind you can’t sleep off no matter how early you go to bed.
And I started wondering if maybe you’ve felt the same way too.
It’s strange how we can go through the week doing everything we’re supposed to do… yet feel emotionally worn out by Sunday. Not because life is falling apart, but because you’ve been holding everything together for so long without taking a real break.
Today, I finally gave myself permission to slow down and just acknowledge it.
It’s Okay to Admit You’re Drained
We don’t talk about this enough.
Women, especially single moms or women carrying responsibilities alone, get so used to being “strong” that we sometimes ignore the signs our body and mind have been sending us.
You might say: “I’m fine.” “I just need coffee.” “I’ll rest later.”
But deep down, you know it’s more than that.
It’s the emotional load, the invisible work, the expectations and the pressure to be okay even on days when you’re not.
So let me say this plainly:
It’s okay to be tired.
It doesn’t make you weak.
It doesn’t mean you’re failing.
It simply means you’re human.
Pay Attention to What’s Draining You
Something I noticed today is that exhaustion isn’t always caused by physical effort.
Sometimes, it’s the emotional noise, the overthinking, the people who pull too much from you, the situations you keep trying to understand.It’s not always the things you do, sometimes it’s the things you feel.
And when you finally sit with yourself on a Sunday, it becomes clearer where your energy actually went.
Maybe it’s time to look at your week and ask: “Is this really worth how much of me it takes?”
You’ll be surprised at the answers.
You Don’t Always Have to Push Through
You’re probably used to pushing yourself, even when you’re exhausted, even when you want to cry.
Even when your body is telling you, “Please stop.”
We’ve all learned to be functional even when we’re drained, because life doesn’t pause just because we need it to.
But maybe this Sunday, you can give yourself what you rarely do:
a moment to breathe, a moment to rest and a moment to be honest about how you’re truly feeling
You don’t have to earn rest by being productive.
You don’t have to justify why you need a break.
You don’t have to apologize for slowing down.
Your heart needs space just as much as your schedule does.
A Gentle Reminder for the Week Ahead
Before the new week starts, maybe do a little self-check:
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What made me feel heavy this week?
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What made me feel lighter?
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Where did I say yes when I wanted to say no?
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What can I let go of even a little this week?
Sometimes awareness alone already brings relief.
And if you’re tired right now in the deep, emotional kind of way, please don’t ignore it.
Let this Sunday be the day you give yourself permission to rest, not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.
You deserve that.
You deserve softness, too.
And you definitely deserve a life that doesn’t require you to be exhausted to feel worthy.
Photo by Vladislav Muslakov on Unsplash