How to tell when your cup is empty:
in the next few days, we'll be going through a series on filling your own cup in fulfilling and healthy ways, starting with journaling ideas and finally picking our own activities. but first -- how do we know when our cup is empty? it's a little different for every individual, but there's often a few things you can familiarize yourself with to understand in your own physical and emotional space.
-- what is your 'cup?' your cup is your emotional, energetic, and often physical energy. think of waking up well rested and energized for a new day! now compare that feeling to the sensation of coming home after work after a long day, complexly drained and exhausted. this is the feeling of an empty cup. you might also feel....
~ fatigue. this is the most common symptom! often when your cup is empty, you're drained by emotional and energetic events. you have very little energy to give to yourself and others, which is why self-care becomes much more difficult when we're working on empty (often this translates to the physical as well -- we crave sweet and salty things to help boost our adrenal glands and combat fatigue.) this also leads to irritability, because our energy is so drained we revert to internal and external negativity.
~ a felt weight. when my cup is empty or dangerously close, I can feel a heavy sensation centering in my chest; almost this huge emptiness. it's good to create mindfulness around these sensations, because it helps heighten awareness of warning signs.
~ worry and anxiety. you might feel as though you're being helplessly pulled in different directions, without the time or energy to finish anything. you're trying to pour from a cup you haven't replenished!
questions to ask yourself:
~ when do I often feel empty?
~ what activities drain my cup?
~ do any of my own habits help drain my cup?
~ how do I give my energy away and fill other people's cups?
~ how do I feel afterwards?
~ what's my usual habit when my cup is running low? how do I instinctually try to fix it?
~ do those habits serve me well?
in the upcoming weeks, we'll be discussing ways to fill our cups and tweak our individual habits to serve us better :)) have a lovely day, and tune in soon!
drop any questions in the askbox :))
