Hello, Squirrel Day: A Gentle Reminder for the Hard Days
Some days just feel… heavy. They arrive unannounced, bringing a tangled mix of exhaustion, overwhelm, and a longing for something softer, something easier. Maybe today is one of those days for you.
Perhaps it started before you even opened your eyes, with a mind already full of all the things that need to be done. Or maybe it crept in slowly, as you tried to gather the energy to meet the day, only to feel like you were already running on empty. These days can be tough—especially when you’re carrying the weight of responsibilities and expectations without much space to pause and just be.
If today feels like a ‘squirrel day’—where your thoughts dart in different directions, worries pile up, and it all feels too much—you’re not alone. And you don’t have to have it all figured out right now.
The Weight of It All
It’s a lot, isn’t it? When just getting out of the house feels like an uphill climb. When the mental checklist seems never-ending. When you’re trying to prepare for something that shouldn’t feel so big, yet it does, because it involves stepping outside of comfort zones, making decisions, and holding emotions—your own and those of others.
And if you’re also navigating this without the kind of support you wish you had, it’s no wonder the load feels heavier. The reality is, what you’re doing is hard. Not because you’re not strong enough, not capable enough, or not ‘handling it’ the way you think you should be—but because life, in its fullness, asks a lot of us. And sometimes, we are simply stretched too thin.
You’re Doing More Than You Realise
It’s easy to overlook just how much energy is going into every moment of your day. The practical tasks, the emotional labour, the quiet mental calculations of what’s needed next. The constant balancing act of ensuring everyone else is okay, often before you even consider your own needs. The truth is, you are doing an incredible amount, even if it doesn’t always feel like it.
And when you’re running on empty, it’s natural to feel wobbly. It’s natural to long for the version of yourself who moves through life with more ease, who doesn’t feel quite so depleted. But that version of you hasn’t disappeared. She’s still here. She’s just tired. And she’s carrying more than usual right now.
The ‘Messy Middle’ of Growth
Life isn’t always about being our best selves, even though that’s what we often aim for. Growth is uncomfortable, and change—whether it’s in our circumstances, roles, or the way we see ourselves—often comes with difficult emotions. Brené Brown calls it the ‘messy middle’—that place where things feel uncertain and hard, before clarity and ease return.
If today feels messy, that doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re moving through something. You’re learning, adjusting, growing—even when it doesn’t feel like it.
You Are More Than This Moment
Yes, you are a wonderful parent, friend, partner, colleague. But first, you are you. A human being with your own needs, feelings, and experiences. It’s easy to lose sight of that when life demands so much from you. But you matter, too. Your well-being matters. Your need for rest, for gentleness, for moments of stillness—they are just as important as everything else you take care of.
So if today feels like too much, take a breath. Acknowledge that this is hard, and that it’s okay to feel what you’re feeling. Let yourself be kind to yourself, as you would be to a dear friend. You don’t have to have all the answers today. You don’t have to push through with forced positivity. You just need to take it one small step at a time.
Sending you warmth and kindness on this squirrel day. You are doing so much more than you realise, and you are not alone in this. 💙
