Yes, I know that sounds very strange. Most people probably wouldn’t choose the word “embrace”.

I might not have chosen it, either, until very recently. It seems to me now that it’s important to not just accept something like fatigue, which is a clear sign from your body that it needs help from you. It is important to embrace it in loving arms, to nurture it – and yourself – back to health.

Many of you may also be suffering from chronic fatigue. You live in a system that encourages you to work yourself ragged and shames you for needing to rest. It keeps you trapped in unsustainable energy-sucking job situations, constantly chasing an unaffordable standard of living. You may feel as if you are screaming into the void and no one cares enough to listen. I often did. It’s a scary time in the world.

First you must accept the fact that your fatigue is real and it’s not going away. That’s not how fatigue works – you can’t just ignore it and hope for the best. Not only do you need a serious lifestyle adjustment, you have to then realize that recuperating your system will take time. That’s difficult, especially if you’re impatient like I am. I’ve been working on this for over a year and a half, and while things are better, my health is far from perfect. This is not an overnight miracle, my friends.

Recovering from adrenal fatigue means choosing to aggressively guard your well-being. If you ended up fatigued in the first place, it’s likely that this doesn’t come naturally to you anymore. You got here from putting your needs last for years and years. That won’t cut it now. You must choose yourself over everything – your job, your (probably exhaustive) fitness routine, your social life, your family, all of it. You must fiercely embrace yourself and your health if you hope to feel better someday. I’m guessing you don’t enjoy feeling exhausted all the time.

Even if you hate the way you feel, it can be very hard to change your habits. This is real work, but it’s worth it. You can do it. You may have to heal some underlying trauma to get there, like your lack of boundaries or people-pleasing tendencies. Health is often complicated and about more than the obvious symptoms. But, with commitment, consistency, and fierce self-love, you can make it happen. Embrace your fatigue and hold on tight until you melt it away with the strength of your desire to feel better.

You’ve got this. I love you.