I didn’t sleep well last night.
Not in the tossed and turned but still got six hours kind of way. I mean the stared at the ceiling, contemplated every life decision I’ve ever made, then finally passed out thirty minutes before my alarm kind of way.
Those nights when the dog startles you out of a deep sleep barking in your ear or when the cat you fed at 9 pm decided that wasn’t good enough.
You know those mornings when your body wakes up but your soul stays in bed? Yeah. That’s where I’m at. I feel like I could drink my weight in caffeine and still have the energy level of a damp paper towel.
I shuffled into the kitchen like a cryptid. Hair wild. Face puffy. Mood: aggressively neutral. I stood there in front of the coffee maker like it owed me rent. And when the first drops of coffee hit the pot? A single tear may have rolled down my cheek. The caffeine gods had blessed me.
But even after coffee, I’m still walking around like I’ve got dial-up internet for a brain complete with sound and a body made of concrete and regret.
The truth is, exhaustion isn’t always dramatic. Sometimes it’s just quiet and constant. A background hum of meh. You go through the motions, answer emails like a zombie, forget why you walked into a room (twice), and try not to cry in the bread aisle.
It’s fine. I’m fine. Everything’s just slightly on fire.
So today, I’m giving myself permission to be a little slower. To sip the extra cup of coffee without guilt. To wear the comfy clothes, postpone the non-urgent, and maybe take a nap that turns into a life reset.
If you’re running on fumes too, just know you’re not alone. We can’t all be morning people. Some of us are barely people before 10 a.m.
Go easy on yourself today.
And maybe drink some water between cups of coffee. (Or don’t. I’m not your mom.)
Tessa 