Exhausted but Still Showing Up: How to Rest, Reset, and Reclaim Your Energy

Exhaustion isn’t just about lack of sleep—it’s the weight of grief, stress, perfectionism, and the pressure to hold it all together. In this week’s episode, Rachel Brooks shares her own raw experience of waking up exhausted even after “doing everything right.” She reveals why rest goes deeper than eight hours of sleep, how the body signals what the heart is holding, and what it really looks like to release what was never yours to carry.

If you’ve been running on fumes, trying to “push through” but secretly unraveling on the inside, this conversation will meet you right where you are and hand you permission to pause, reset, and refill.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Why exhaustion isn’t always physical—it’s also emotional, mental, and spiritual
• How perfectionism and pressure steal rest and keep you stuck
• The role grief, loss, and unspoken expectations play in your daily energy
• Why “self-care” can sometimes mask deeper exhaustion
• Four practical ways to pause and reset when you’re running on empty

Episode Timestamps

• [00:00:00] – Opening: life feels like a blur and exhaustion that sleep can’t fix
• [00:02:00] – Seasons of loss, caregiving, and the weight of keeping it all together
• [00:04:00] – The truth about exhaustion: it’s not just physical
• [00:07:00] – The performance of perfectionism and why it costs more than it gives
• [00:10:00] – Asking hard questions: what am I carrying that isn’t mine?
• [00:14:00] – Mirror moments: being honest about limits and capacity
• [00:19:00] – Practical resets: pausing, naming the real weight, journaling, and permission to rest
• [00:25:00] – Why worth is not tied to productivity
• [00:28:00] – Weekly challenge: choose one pause and notice the shift

Ready to Reset?

• I Am… Enough: 10-Minute Reset (Free) A simple guide to pause, breathe, and realign when life feels heavy. → iamrachelbrooks.com/reset
• Chasing Perfection + Bonus Bundle The book that started it all—plus journal prompts, self-love guide, and the 7-Day Fit From Within reset. → iamrachelbrooks.com/chasing-perfection
• I Am… Becoming (6-Week Devotional Journey) A raw, voice-note devotional experience to help you release what’s been holding you back. → iamrachelbrooks.com/iam-becoming

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Stay connected:

• Listen + subscribe: iamrachelbrooks.com/play
• Instagram: @iamrachelbrooks
• Website: iamrachelbrooks.com