Where did my energy go?
Recently, a counselor friend of mine mentioned that she is coming across clients and other professionals who are dealing with fatigue and lethargy. We discussed what could be the cause of this. My friend noted that masks remind us that there is something to be fearful of; that there is danger. With masks and social distancing, we have been so vigilant that it has been hard to relax. And now that the pandemic is letting up and most can go out without masks, there is a letdown. My wife said it’s like when you’ve finished the big project, or you have the big holiday, and afterward you get sick. Sometimes we hold ourselves together until we get across some finish line that we have pictured, and then we let down. Maybe that is what is happening right now.
On the other hand, vigilance is still needed sometimes. Taking off the mask is the signal there is safety, but masks are still required in some places. And we hear that there are other variants of the virus out there doing great damage. So, there is letdown but still the need to be vigilant at times. We’ve had restrictions, and now loosening restrictions. People feel out of control, and that’s exhausting.
Right now, try with me to be in this moment, in this place, wherever you are, as a way to deal with the fatigue and lethargy. Find a comfortable position, whether that's lying down or sitting in a chair, and try to gather your thoughts. One way that I do this is to take a quick inventory of what's on my mind. Then I just set aside for now what I have been working on and thinking about. It’s not repressing thoughts, it’s just setting those aside; you can work on them again later.
Take a few moments and notice your breath. Take in a few deep slow breaths. You might try breathing in through your nostrils and exhaling through your mouth. Feel your body settling.
Now just notice some of your five senses. Notice any smells or aromas in the place where you are. Notice the air around you; is it moving or is it still? Notice whether you are warm or cool or just right. Notice any pressure points you feel. Notice your clothing touching your body. Is it tight at any place? Does it feel light or heavy? Just notice how you feel. And allow however you feel to be OK. If something is uncomfortable and you can adjust it, then adjust it.
If you have found this difficult you may not be relaxed. I encourage you to give yourself permission to struggle with this a bit. But if it raises your stress or tension, then stop. You can stop at any time or you can keep this going longer after the sound of my voice stops. You're in control of this; this is for you.
Sometimes when we try to relax, we can go through phases of relaxing. First we let go of the obvious tension. Then we may notice there is still some tension or tightness. These are reasons we may want to give this plenty of time, because it can take a while to go from our usual tense, tight muscle way of living, to a calmer, more relaxed state.
It just may be that as you settle down, you may get some new insight. Pay attention to that. Sometimes in meditating we will have great revelations. Other times we just have random thoughts. With some discernment and patience with yourself you can tell one from the other. Perhaps when you sit with yourself you will get a clearer picture of what is the most draining for you. When we know what is taking energy away, we may be able to do something about it.
What is happening now may be calling you to increase your self care. A health care provider told me recently the demand for care has just increased during the pandemic and stayed high. That is true in mental health and other forms of supportive care as well. What I heard was, that it's OK. It's OK to need more help right now. It's OK to need more time to yourself, or rest, or fun, for things that leave you energized, because so much of helping is draining. And helping in hard times is even harder.
So, allow yourself to be tired sometimes. And allow yourself to be in need of care sometimes, because you're human. Eat when you need to eat, sleep when you need to, and rest when you need to. Get away from the stress when you need to, allow yourself to breathe, and you will be better able to care for others.