The past few weeks I’ve been running on fumes, 1% battery and no charger in sight. If I’m being honest, it’s been pure emotional overload. Both my partner and I were hit with redundancy, a close friend opened up about a long-term illness that shook me more than I expected, and then there’s the relentless cycle of life, motherhood and never stopping. Add turning 39 into the mix, realising I’m not looking after my body, mind or spirit the way I should, and it all just took its toll.
Eventually, I just shut down. Work got the bare minimum, I stopped exercising, stopped writing, stopped blogging. I barely even spent proper time with my babies. The truth? I plummeted. Brain fog is real.
On top of that, I found myself scrolling, seeing everyone else’s “perfect lives”, the holidays abroad, the cultural experiences, the carefree family memories. I wanted that for my kids and it left me frustrated. Why can’t I get out of my own way and find a way to make that happen? That kind of thinking only dragged me further down the hole I’d dug.
Weeks slipped by, bad habits formed, and suddenly I was sat wondering: how did I even get here? Just two months ago life felt almost perfect. Summer had me buzzing with motivation, and when the sun disappeared, so did my drive. People say sunshine makes you happier, I wholeheartedly believe that.
But now? Enough is enough. No more moping around like a teenager convinced the world owes them something. It’s time to snap out of it, or at the very least fake it ‘til I make it. Because sometimes, even when motivation is nowhere to be found, you have to ‘make the decision’ to crack on anyway. Nothing improves unless you’re actively trying. Sitting still only makes the fog thicker.
That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t rest. You absolutely should take a few days to recharge, but don’t stay stuck there. Take the rest, then draw a line in the sand: “On Monday, I’ll do this.” Make a plan. The more you do what you set for yourself, the more momentum you build, and slowly but surely you pull yourself out of the rut.
And don’t underestimate the healing that comes from time with your people. I’ve just come back from my best friend’s hen weekend, surrounded by my closest friends and some I grew up with. Aside from the hangover, I came home with my cup emotionally filled. We laughed until our faces hurt and, honestly, it did me the world of good. Good enough to make me want to write again.
Sometimes you just need to switch off those million mum-tabs in your head. To stop spinning all the plates for once and just… be. That’s when the reset happens.
I’m learning to remind myself that resting isn’t failure. Burnout doesn’t mean you’ve lost. It means your body and mind need a break. And when you’re ready, start small. Do one thing. Then another. Bit by bit, the momentum returns.
None of us are perfect. We’re all just figuring it out as we go. Gratitude for what we do have, and a willingness to keep growing, is what matters. As long as you’re trying to be a better version of yourself than yesterday, you’re on the right track. Yesterday’s you is your only competition.
So if you’re sat in the same fog right now, hear this: it’s not permanent. You will get back up, and when you do, the world feels lighter again. 💛
We all fall into the grind sometimes. I’d love to know, how do you pull yourself out of it?