‘The guilt strikes me. I think about the long list of things I have to do. And then, I wonder, ‘What is wrong with me?’: Tired mama vents to a friend and is reminded it’s OK to need rest

“Sometimes, I hide under the covers for a little bit in the afternoon.

I dream about sleeping until the next morning.

Sometimes, when my hubby is home, I sleep for an hour and am up for dinner time and ready for bed time duties.

But sometimes, I feel like I never want to get out of bed. I want to stay in my warm covers and shut out the world a little bit.

Then, the guilt strikes me.

I think about the long list of things I have to do.

Working, being a mother, cleaning, entertaining, grooming, and getting pretty.

I think about how I should be up doing them, instead of being selfish and wanting to sleep.

And then, I wonder, ‘What is wrong with me?’

Instead of letting it internalize, and keeping it allllll to myself, like good mothers and women do, I vented to a friend.

I asked her, ‘What is wrong with me?’

She wrote back: ‘Nothing is wrong with you.

Maybe it’s because you don’t have a moment to scratch your backside?

I praise you for having three kids (plus a fourth big, man child), a job, a blog, and a house to keep in order. After all that, when is it your turn to just turn off or feel normal?

There is only so much one can take babe.

Our bodies and minds don’t work 24/7.

They’re not built that way!

Now, go look at yourself in the mirror, tell yourself you’re superwoman, and make those little buggers dinner (or get KFC like me). Then, tell your husband you’re going to bed to recover from being everything.’

There is nothing wrong with you. There is nothing wrong with us.

We can’t be everything. It’s exhausting to do all those things. No wonder we want to run and hide under the covers. The pressure is enormous, and it’s okay to reject that pressure once in a while and tackle things when we feel physically and mentally ready.

And, just like that, I remembered I was superwoman who needed rest. I sent my husband on his way to KFC and snuggled into the blankets.”

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Laura Mazza, where it originally appeared. Follow Laura on Instagram here. Do you have a similar experience? We’d like to hear your important journey. Submit your own story here. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.

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