What to Do When Life Becomes too Exhausting?

by SINGLE EDITION, on Tue Jun 30, 2009 7:37am PDT

When my phone rang the other week I was excited to hear the voice on the other end. It was Diane, my first roommate in Montreal who had disappeared from my life when she decided to go to culinary school several years ago. Now a professional chef, this former take-out junkie was painting pastries while I was still focused on helping millions of Americans cut out their carbs during my extended stint in the diet industry.
It only took minutes before she blurted out the words "I'm exhausted," which for me conjured images of a primer, plumper Demi Moore from that scene in St. Elmo's Fire where she said something along the lines of "I never thought I would be this tired at 24." But at 37, it was not a make-believe Hollywood coke habit that Diane was tired of supporting, it was the demands of life faced on her own.

There's no denying that the constant pressures of single living can slowly chip away at the soul. Almost everyone I know, male or female, has reached that tipping point at least once in their lives. But you know the saying "too much of anything is not always a good thing?" The same principle holds true when it comes to your life. That's because being over or poorly committed will often trigger anxiety as well as feelings of detachment and disappointment. When this happens, you need to examine if you are being properly nourished by yourself and those around you.
A good place to start is by checking your calendar. If it's always booked solid with superfluous appointments or plans, then keeping busy may be a coping mechanism you use to avoid being alone or disappointing those around you. The problem is that being "occupied" does not necessarily yield the return on investment you need to feel satisfied. To the contrary, it can leave you emotionally and psychologically empty.
Amidst all the obligations, it's easy to lose touch with yourself. The key to staying centered is finding time for commitments that matter and mean something to YOU. When the world gets too overwhelming, something as simple as touching a wall or taking a shower can help restore a sense of connectedness. That's why it is important to find outlets for creative expression, physical activity and contemplation.