Are You Exhausted? 3 Ways to Do What You Need to Do

Sharing is caring!

This is for you, the one who’s exhausted. The one who feels like they’ve poured themselves into others until there’s just nothing left.

You know “goodness does.”

You want to pour out love and care for others but for today . . . you are goodnessed out!

Your tank is empty and you’ve got nothin’ left.

Exhausted? 3 Ways to Do What You Need to Do

Exhausted? – Fill Your Tank

Spend time alone with God

It’s so easy to push my quiet time aside when life gets busy . . . but when life gets crazy and I’m spent, I need time in prayer and the Word. I need God’s impossible to understand peace.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Eat a healthy diet.

“If you don’t take care of your body, where are you going to live?”  ~Unknown

If you’re like me, you crave sugar and junk food when you’re exhausted. Gotta love that sugar rush. Right?! But I’ve learned I do much better when I eat healthy, and…

Take time to rest.

When I get enough rest. It’s better to cross a few activities off your list than to regularly deny yourself enough sleep.

“Sleep deprivation is an illegal torture method outlawed by the Geneva Convention and international courts, but most of us do it to ourselves.” ~Ryan Hurd

Have fun with family and friends.

There is something about laughter that energizes me like nothing else. It’s a wonderful way to put aside stress and forget what’s troubling . . . even if it’s just for a little while.

“How would your life be different if…You decided to give freely, love fully, and play feverously? Let today be the day…You free yourself from the conditioned rules that limit your happiness and dilute the beautiful life experience. Have fun. Give – Love – Play!” ~Steve Maraboli

Simplify where possible.

Rev and I are organizing and simplifying around our home. Keeping it simple gives us less to take care of and worry about. It’s awesome!

“The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak.” ~Hans Hofmann

Worship

Praise God for who He is and all He does. Thank Him. Turn up your favorite worship tunes and sing with your heart and mind focused on just how very much your Father loves you.

I bow before your holy Temple as I worship. I praise your name for your unfailing love and faithfulness; for your promises are backed by all the honor of your name. Psalm 138:2

Exhausted? – Set Clear Boundaries

Know God’s will.

Spend time with God. Know His yeses and nos. What He approves. What He doesn’t. Ask Him to make His will clear to you.

“My dreams had to be His dreams, the ones He placed in my heart. They couldn’t be the ones I thought I should have, or needed for the purpose of making other people like me.” ~Stormie Omartian

Live your priorities.

 You can’t do everything for everyone. Have a mission statement and live by it. Plan. Plan. Plan.

“You have a purpose in life. You know in your heart what’s most important to you. In fact, your mission and values are expressed every day, by how you live–you just may not realize it.” ~Stephen Covey

Expect respect.

You don’t have to accept unkind words or actions. It’s perfectly acceptable to make it clear you will not allow others to treat you cruelly. Then treat everyone as you want them to treat you.

“Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets.” Matthew 7:12

Be willing to say “no.”

Saying “no” is hard for me. I don’t like to disappoint anyone. But living out too many yeses is exhausting. It stresses me out and makes me miserable. Maybe you have the same struggle.

“I know saying ‘no’ now is hard, but you’ll only have to feel bad for a little while. If you say ‘yes’ you’ll worry and feel bad until the event, through it, and probably long after. I think I’d rather shorten the misery.” ~A Very Wise Friend

Guard your heart and mind.

Social media. News. Gossip – personal or celebrity. Entertainment.

Be aware that what you put into your mind may be a huge source of stress and anxiety.

Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Philippians 4:8

Happiness boundaries.

You are not responsible for the happiness of others and they are not responsible for yours.

Trying to please everyone is a recipe for stress and frustration. You can’t control other people’s happiness. Live for God’s glory and let the rest play out as it will.

Exhausted? – The Most Important Thing You Need to Remember

Live for God’s glory.

I’ve realized that living for God’s glory has more to do with my attitude than it has to do with my actions. I can be doing all things for all people . . . but if I’m doing it all while grumbling it’s hard for people to see Jesus in me or for me to feel His presence.

When I keep my eyes on Jesus and trust Him to give me whatever I need to do God’s will, then . . . I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

I don’t believe there is one great thing I was made to do in this world. I believe there is one great God I was made to glorify. And there will be many ways, even a million little ways, I will declare His glory with my life.” ~Emily P. Freeman

Not to us, O Lord, not to us,
    but to your name goes all the glory
    for your unfailing love and faithfulness.
Psalm 115:1

Yes, goodness does. We can see God’s goodness in who He is and what He does.

And…

If you and I want people to see God’s goodness in us we absolutely must (and I’m talking to myself here…):

1. Keep our spiritual, emotional, and physical tanks full.
2. Set healthy boundaries.
3. Live for God’s glory.

Now to follow through by His grace and with His help.

Leave your prayer requests…

and pray for others who have left requests.

I always enjoy hearing from you! Please take a minute to say ‘hi’ and share your thoughts in the comments below.

And if this article blessed or helped you today — would you share it with someone? Maybe a friend, family member, coworker, or through the links below…

Sharing is caring!