Victorious Toddler

Sooooo Tired

During a time of change you may find yourself exhausted beyond all reason. You think, “I didn’t get much done today, why am I so tired?” Even a change you looked forward to may leave you in zombie land by the end of every day.

Your brain is a prediction machine – it continuously looks ahead and signals your body to be ready. Your blood pressure rises before a stressful conversation, and your neurochemicals shift with sunrise and sunset. You have routines and habits that operate independent of your conscious control. You flip on light switches with no thought as to where they are. Your brain does all this to keep you ready to manage your days. When change happens your brain struggles to predict the next steps. It begins to tear down and rebuild automatic responses. This takes a lot of work.

During a liminal time, when life is changing and you are unsure of the outcome, your brain is learning about the changes while anticipating multiple scenarios for what might happen. New patterns and unpredictable events are read as danger until your brain is sure you will be ok. Neural connections are created to form new coping strategies and habits. Old and new memories are consolidated as your brain seeks connections that will aid prediction. Your brain is using a lot of energy while keeping you on high alert since predictions are unclear. You feel tired and distracted even on a good day in your new situation.

What helps?

Give Yourself Credit

Friends of mine who are living in a new country, navigating language, time, and custom changes, report feeling so very tired even on days when they have done “little.” The truth is their brains are very, very busy learning all the new information and scanning for danger every step of the way. The fatigue is real. Getting the basics done during liminal times takes a lot of work. Give yourself credit for the effort.

Take Rests

A colleague is wearing hearing aids for the first time. Her audiologist said it would be good for her brain, because she will be building new neural connections. She feels exhausted and needs sound breaks. She has found herself taking naps. Building neural connections is a two-stage process: new connections are formed when you are awake and are organized when you are asleep. This is human neuroplasticity at work. Sleep gives your brain time to consolidate and solidify new learning.

Daydream

A friend’s house was rearranged for recarpeting, she was writing to a deadline, and her to do list was excessive. Her brain was trying to keep track of all the change, goals and expectations leaving her addled. She took a break to futz in the garden with no specific goal allowing her brain to wander. During low demand tasks your brain switches to the default mode network, integrating past and present, making connections and tying up loose ends. She no longer felt overwhelmed by all the tasks and had an idea for her writing. Daydreaming gives your brain time to sort out all the input, allowing you to tap into your own wisdom or intuition.

Change prompts neural growth in your brain, which is good in the long run. It is also tiring. You can support your brain by giving yourself credit for all the work it is doing, sleeping to allow for consolidation, and daydreaming to tie up loose ends. Over time, your brain incorporates new learning with your long-term memory to create updated layers of knowledge and wisdom. You will develop new habits and predictions skills that will support the next stage of your journey. During liminal times, take care of yourself to allow your brain to do its complicated magic.

Peace,

Laura

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Sooooo Tired

Give Yourself Credit

Take Rests

Daydream

Lower Case Liminal Cycle

Laura’s Liminal Bump

Ch Ch Ch Changes