For the Sensitive You Who Gets Tired from Being Too Aware

When fatigue builds up, there are moments when thorny thoughts suddenly dominate your mind, such as "that person's gaze is cold" or "I feel like people are talking behind my back." This is not a personality flaw, but a sign that your brain is "running out of energy" and is spiraling out of control as it tries to over-protect itself.

In this article, I will provide tips to help you return your brain to its original "healthy state" without being swayed by the reactions of those around you.

What is a "healthy state" for the brain?

A healthy brain does not simply mean being positive. It is a state of "calm," like a mirror.

• Reflecting facts as they are: A state where you can accept the fact that someone is "just expressionless" without interpreting it as "they are angry."

• Being conscious of the "here and now": A state where you are not swayed by past regrets or future anxieties, and can honestly feel the scent of the tea in front of you or the comfort of the breeze on your skin.

• Having a moderate amount of "insensitivity": A state where you have the leeway to not react to every piece of information, selecting only what is important to you and letting the rest slide by.

When in this state, the mind is supple, possessing the flexibility to return to a relaxed state without snapping when something happens.

The example of Person A, who learned to let even "partial facts" slide

Person A used to be exhausted both mentally and physically, as every whisper at work sounded like an attack on them. One day, they realized that a part of a conversation they overheard was indeed a critique regarding their own mistake.

Although shocked, Person A decided, "Perhaps not everything is a delusion. But if I, in my current exhausted state, face this any further, I will only make the situation worse."

Person A did not dig deeper into the topic and set it aside as an error message from their brain. After returning home, they focused on satisfying their five senses with the feel of a towel scented with their favorite fabric softener and a warm drink. By returning their brain to a state of "calm" before the next morning, they were able to calmly accept yesterday's words as "just a point for improvement" and return to work with a steady mind.

3 actions to tune your brain

1. Dismiss it as a "brain bug" and provide a play-by-play commentary: When paranoid thoughts arise, try saying to yourself, "Oh, my brain has entered error mode now." Even if part of it is true, when you are tired, it is important to detach yourself from it as a "bug that cannot be handled right now."

2. Switch on your five senses (grounding): To stop the runaway thoughts in your head, the best thing to do is return to the sensations of your body. Let's relax the brain with pleasant stimuli, such as touching smooth pottery or smelling your favorite scent.

3. Entrust "judgments" to your tomorrow-self: Conclusions made when you are tired tend to be extreme and negative in most cases. "Going to sleep without reaching a conclusion" is a form of excellent self-care. Please give yourself the gift of sleep, the most powerful recovery medicine.

A Prescription for the Anxiety That 'Procrastination' Will Last Forever

You might feel anxious, thinking, 'If I put off making a decision, won't I be unable to move forward forever?' However, the reality is the opposite.

When your energy is being drained by the 'noise' of paranoia, you cannot make correct decisions or take action. It is the same as trying to force an app to run when your smartphone battery is dead.

Once you rest properly and your brain's energy recovers, the answer—'Oh, I should do it this way'—will naturally come into view. That anxiety, which seems like it will last forever, is actually just an illusion created by your 'current fatigue'.

Conclusion

Reset your life to 'easy mode' and spend your time with your shoulders relaxed. Such a choice will lead your brain to its healthiest state. No matter what happens on the outside, you can protect the 'calm' of your own heart yourself. For today, first of all, pamper yourself for simply breathing.