THE ART OF QUIET COMEBACKS: Part 6. Recognizing Weariness Is Strength

Part 6. Recognizing Weariness Is Strength

A series about starting over gently, honestly, and without apology

We live in a world where it takes a lot of courage to admit you are tired. It takes a blend of courage and humility to declare, “I need rest.” It is wisdom when a man/woman possesses the mentality that “to rest is not retreat, it is simply renewal.”

Recognizing your weariness is strength, it is one of the strongest things you can do for yourself.

Having established the fact that weariness is not weakness (in part 5), it is crucial to discuss the point of recognizing weariness, this is extremely important, it is the crux of the issue.

Contrary to what many people think, contrary to the mentality they plod the world with, there is strength in recognizing your point of weariness, it is a state of Self- Awareness, and there is strength in Self-Awareness. Let’s take a step further to discuss what it means.

Strength in Self-Awareness

First, let's understand what Self-Awareness means. To be self-aware is to recognize, and understand your own thoughts, your emotions, your values and how they affect your behaviour. It is like a mirror within you that reflects how you appear but doesn’t stop there. It goes further to reflect why you feel the way you feel, why you think the way you think, and why you act the way you do.

Self-Awareness plays a vital role in everyone’s life. It is very essential to living a meaningful life for everyone. When you are self-aware, it is easy to recognize when weariness sets in.

Having discussed what Self-Awareness means, now, let’s dive into the strength in Self-Awareness. Why is there strength in Self-Awareness?

1. To recognize your weariness is honouring your humanity.

Dear reader, you are not a machine, you are not a robot. You are a soul with needs. The human soul craves deep connection, it craves emotional safety, spiritual growth, and even an authentic purpose. All these are needs that nourish the soul just as food sustains the body.

You are a body with needs, a heart that feels, a heart that can be hurt. We are humans with needs, and these needs attract limits. We must possess the mentality that acknowledging weariness does not mean giving up, it is simply giving yourself the permission to heal.

2. Taking a break is a protection of purpose.

Dear reader, burnout is not a service to your calling. Fatigue can never fuel your future; it will rather drag it into destruction. There is something that possesses the ability to restore your vision and rescue it from the claws of fatigue. It is called “Rest.”

Rest helps to clear your mind; it possesses the ability to strengthen your resolve. Therefore, rest should be our friend. Recognizing weariness is a path that keeps you on track, ensuring you remain in the race. However, if you ignore it, fatigue or burnout can kick you out of the race. Taking a break is a protection of your purpose.

3. Resting is resisting the lie of invincibility.

Dear reader, when the world tells you to keep going no matter what, you need to think twice. Please note that strength cannot be found in pretense. Pretending you are invincible is not strength. True strength is deeply rooted in the knowing of when to stop, breathe, and start again.

The lie of invincibility declares that we should be always strong, untouchable, always enduring. On the other hand, when we see weariness in a positive light, it exposes that illusion.

The Lie:

Invincibility declares: “You are absolutely fine, keep going, you don’t need any rest, you don’t need any help. Don’t be soft because you don’t need it. You are invincible!”

The Truth:

Weariness declares: “You are tired because you are human. You need some care. You have carried a lot; it is okay to be soft at this point because you need some rest.”

When someone accepts the lies of invincibility, the signs of exhaustion are ignored. He/she pushes past burnout, silencing their own needs. They take up a wrong mentality; the mask of thinking vulnerability is weakness.

On the other hand, weariness is not weakness, when seen in the right perspective, it becomes a signal, a very sacred signal. To recognize weariness can be said to be reclaiming humanity. Acknowledging weariness in a right perspective is declaring:

• “I am not a machine.”
• “I am not a robot.”
• “I am allowed to pause.”
• “I am allowed to take a break.”
• “I am allowed gentleness.”
• “I am allowed to rest.”

The above declarations crumble the lie of invincibility. Please note that true strength is not in never falling, it is in knowing when to rest, recognizing when to ask for help, understanding when you need to be tender with yourself.

Therefore, if weariness sets in, it is not a flaw, neither is it a detour from strength. It is part of the journey. The feeling of tiredness is not a feeling of failure. It is the acknowledgement of the fact that you have been brave enough to bear some burdens, to care and continue caring. In that acknowledgement resides a deep-rooted power: the courage to rest.

When you recognize your weariness, you are not strolling away from purpose, you are only strolling towards sustainability. You are making a choice to honour your limits, so you can return with energy, renewed conviction and clarity. Can that be a weakness? Never! That is wisdom on display.

In conclusion, always remember:

“You are allowed to pause.”

“You are allowed to take a break.”

“You are allowed to breathe.”

“You are allowed to be human.”

In doing the above, you are not diminishing in strength, instead, you are deepening it.

Remember, JS Havilah cares about you, yes, you!

Part 7 of THE ART OF QUIET COMEBACKS is quietly on its way.

Come back for every installment.
Come back to remember you are not alone.
Come back, not to catch up, but to catch your breath.

Still becoming,

JS Havilah