author / speaker / urban philosopher

gjb5

So YOU’RE tired, eh?

“I’m tired”.

I occasionally find that slippery statement fall out of my mouth every now and again. You probably do too. It’s invariably when I’ve had one of those days. When I’m just done, I’ve had enough of whatever life I’ve made for myself and I want a break, some kind of respite from the press or the madness of it all. That’s right I want a break from being alive. I want to check out and somehow recuperate from the life I have created.

Which begged the question, well, two questions actually.

  • What is the “I”, I’m referring to when I say “I’m tired”?
  • What is it that’s “tired”?

If you can get yourself past the boring, surface answers to those two questions it starts to get interesting… Firstly as far as the “I” is concerned, it really comes down to two identifiable things. One, your body. Now if you look close enough you’ll notice you are not your body. You are not your hair, you are not your toes or your kidneys or your ear wax. You could lose a few limbs and it would still be you. Your body might be experiencing certain aches and pains now and again but that’s your body, not you. Two, your thoughts. Well what are thoughts? Nothing more than internal conversations that you often repeat via your mouth. Whatever comes out of your mouth more often than not becomes your life. The “I” is therefore nothing more than a stream of conversation. Listen to yourself right now. That’s the “you” you’re referring to when you say “I” or “me” or “myself”

AHA!

Next. What is it that’s “tired”? It’s an experience your body is having. If you’re in the middle of one right now, try and pinpoint where the “tired” is. Is it in your head? Your neck? Your shoulders? What, specifically, is tired?

Well, what the heck is this “I’m tired” thing then?

It’s little more than a stuck conversation in your life that most days you seem to cope with while on others takes over and calls for you to check out, to take a break. A break from what? A break from the conversation you have been swimming in that day or that week or that month or that year.

Stuff like “it’s too hard” or “I can’t do it” or “this is bullshit” or “I’ll never make it”.

That repetitive noise becomes your tired life. Or not.

You see, YOU are NEVER tired, your body sometimes experiences certain sensations that you connect with tiredness or overwhelm or stress. When it does that, treat it appropriately. When you can separate you from your experience you begin to take your power back.

You are a human being, and the source of your power is in declaring who you are, speaking yourself into greatness…and acting on that powerful use of language.

When your words and your actions combine, you are an unstoppable force of nature. Tired body or not.

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