Sometimes I don’t even have the spoons to tell someone else “I just don’t have the spoons.”
For those not familiar, the “spoon theory,” is a metaphor used frequently in association with mental health.
A “spoon” is a quantity of “energy” you are dedicating to deal with “life.”
The theory being that each person has a finite amount of “spoons” to dedicate to each part of their lives.
Being “out of spoons” can mean different things.
Sometimes anxiety can leave you unable to process things you would normally be able to handle.
Sometimes you take on too many tasks and spread yourself too thin.
Sometimes one specific area of your life requires ALL your attention leaving you physically or mentally unable to take on one more ‘thing’ no matter how small.
Sometimes, it can be ALL of the above.
When you are “out of spoons,” any addition to your current mental load can cause you to completely shut down, melt down, or leave you mentally unable to function.
It could be something as small as “replying to a text,” or going to the store.
Lately, for me, it has been a combination these things. I’ve had to step back from a lot of things or decline invitations just because I couldn’t dedicate the energy to it.
Being a parent has been overwhelming this past season. Being a special needs parent, even more so.
I’ve had to take time to recover from “life” … for my own mental health.
Not just “recharging the batteries,” but relieving the anxieties.
Making mental space for other “things.”
Beside the typical parenting and special needs stuff for both my kids, I’ve been juggling trying to work from home and all the anxieties of living through a pandemic.
It’s been tough.
And for those that don’t know, my wife is an ICU nurse and a nurse manager at a local hospital. So you can imagine how the past season has been for HER.
It’s been tougher.
We flew down to Sedona (one of the most peaceful, relaxing places in America) last week for four days… no kids… no anxieties… just relaxing and hiking one of the most beautiful places in the world.
We went down there not just to relax…
We went all that way looking for spoons.
(Thanks to Just a minutemy cape is in the dryer for sharing)