There’s one common theme when it comes to fatigue. Stress.  It’s the one thing that almost everyone overlooks because people think it’s not a big deal and it’s just a part of life. But the truth is it’s a BIG deal and we are making a huge mistake by choosing not to acknowledge it.

It’s the reason why you choose to overeat. It’s the reason why you choose to couch-plant and do nothing. Stress is the one thing no one wants to face.

No one wants to admit they’re stressed. No one wants to admit they’re in a bad relationship, or in a negative work environment, or surrounded by toxic friendships they won’t let go of. We tell ourselves that stress is no big deal because “everyone is stressed.”

The truth is, your body responds to your stress. Stress comes in many different forms — physical, mental, environmental, emotional, nutritional, even negative self talk — and your body picks up on these stressful cues. It’s the biggest cause of depression, anxiety AND weight gain.  Umm, need I say more?  Stress has an impact on your health, energy levels, weight, skin, attitude… everything!  Yet it’s the one thing most people (myself included) have the hardest time dealing with.

You can’t negate the fact that your stress matters. We all tend to say we’re fine, but are we really fine?  I have to CHOOSE to not be stressed, so I actively take steps to relieve and even prevent myself from getting stressed.

What can you do to relieve stress?

Take time for yourself daily

Make time for yourself everyday. Whether that’s early in the morning or a pause in the middle of the day.  For me, I like to take a few minutes in the morning to get my head in the right place,  sip some coffee…

Soak up the sun!

Get out and get some vitamin D! Seriously, sunshine and oxygen are the best stress relievers and they’re unlimited and free!  Take advantage of it!  I promise you’ll feel better.

Distance yourself from negativity

Stop surrounding yourself with negative people. Don’t let others put so many expectations on you. Give yourself permission to say “no” and to remove yourself from toxic relationships or toxic friendships.  You don’t have to say yes to everything and you don’t have to have a reason for not wanting to do something!  You don’t owe anyone anything.  Free yourself up to work on you. You’re not a douche for doing what’s right for you.

“Fatigue is the common enemy of us all – so slow down, rest up, replenish, and refill.” Set boundaries around your rest. You deserve it. You need to recharge. If you think you’ve hit a wall, it’s okay to just say “I have done enough today”.
Both physically and mentally: when you want to grow and improve, rest days aren’t a representation of laziness, they’re a vital companion. Learn to say “no, not today” without feeling guilty because sometimes the best thing you can do to take care of your body is rest.<jg> <undressed> 

1. You’re constantly striving to understand the human condition.

You notice everything – the way someone hesitates before they speak, the way their eyes light up when they see someone they love. You often notice all the things other people seem to miss and you seek understanding for the logic and motivation behind how people behave. You want to understand the human condition from every angle because it helps give you insight and perspective on your own life.

2. You’re inherently curious about the way other people live.

You love talking to people from varying cultures and backgrounds because you love learning about how other people live and what makes them tick. You enjoy seemingly random interactions with strangers because that’s where you can often learn the most about other people.

3. You’re self-aware about your shortcomings and strengths.

You know the things about yourself that make you not such an ideal person and you’re also aware of the things that make you really great. You know you have a bad habit of procrastinating on projects until the last minute or maybe you know you can be a bad communicator at times, but because you’re aware of these things you actively try to work on them when they come up. You also know what makes you excel in life and you’re always looking for ways to improve on those traits.

4. You place an emphasis on living in the moment rather than in the past or in the future.

You don’t believe living in the past or hoping for the future has any value here, in the now. You would rather experience what’s currently happening as deeply and fully as you can instead of reliving the memories of yesterday or the stories of promise for tomorrow. You have accepted your past for what it is and know you can no longer go back, just as you understand your future is merely a dream you like to live in to give you hope but have yet to actually experience.

5. You actively try to understand your moods and change them when they go bad.

When you get angry, sad or jealous about something you have a self-awareness about it. You experience your emotions as they’re happening with the perspective of trying to understand why exactly you’re feeling this way. You understand emotions are the way your body processes your thoughts and because of this, you attempt to alter your thoughts before spiraling emotionally out of control.

6. You confront people as issues arise instead of letting them fester within.

When an issue comes up between you and another person you would rather deal with it right away than not saying anything at all and letting it create residual problems between you.

7. Your motivations come from within yourself, not from outside influences.

You live for yourself and the motivations within. You listen to what people say – your peers, friends, parents, people in your industry – but ultimately, you’re going to seek out a life and achievements based on what drives you deep within yourself.

8. You’re always working on personal development.

You feel restless when life becomes stagnant so when you’ve hit a lull you begin to think about how to get out of it. You start considering your interests, job, friends, relationships, and how you could do things differently to improve upon these areas.

9. You genuinely enjoy listening to other people and helping them with their problems.

You have an ability to make other people feel calm and accepted in your presence. When they’re around you they feel like they can say anything and you aren’t going to judge them for what they’ve done but instead, you’ll actually listen and give constructive feedback. It’s not just one way for you though. You genuinely enjoy connecting with people, whether it’s your friends or family, or random people that talk to you, and listening to what’s going on in their life.

10. You have an empathetic nature for everyone.

When people talk to you about the struggles they’re currently experiencing, you can often feel and understand their pain, even if it’s something you haven’t personally experienced. You can imagine what it must be like for them and how this obstacle is affecting the rest of their life.

11. You’re somewhat of a social chameleon.

You change your behavior based on who you’re with. This doesn’t mean that you aren’t genuine in your personality but that you’re aware of other people’s moods and you try to match their energy level so you’re on the same wave length.

12. You listen to your intuition and let it guide you when making tough decisions.

As soon as you get that subtle hit of your intuition telling you something isn’t right you know you should listen to what your body is telling you and look a bit deeper into the situation before proceeding further.

13. You don’t have a problem saying “no thanks” if you need to.

As much as you understand other people’s desires and you want to help them out, you also understand what’s best for you and your situation. You’re not afraid of other people’s feelings and telling them no when you have to.

14. You can read people well.

You have an inherent sense about people and understand what they want or what they’re thinking without them having to say anything directly about it. Through social cues and behaviors you just get a feeling about things and know when someone is telling you something, even when they’re not saying anything at all.