But Are You Actually Lazy?
Have you ever considered that maybe you are not lazy, just exhausted?
Exhausted from carrying the weight of expectations that tell you to do more, be more, and give more until there’s nothing left for yourself. Exhausted from a world that praises “hustle” but forgets that humans are not machines. Exhausted from the silent demands that tell you to prove your worth through productivity, to keep moving, keep achieving, and keep grinding, as if rest is something you need to earn.
As women, we’re handed a script from the start. We’re told to be endlessly capable, effortlessly strong, to carry the invisible load of caring for others while managing the demands of a world that doesn’t see our fatigue. We live in a culture that glorifies the “girl boss” while punishing anyone who dares to slow down, who dares to say, “I need a break.” But this culture forgets a fundamental truth: that rest is not a weakness, and needing it doesn’t make you any less worthy.
You are not lazy for feeling tired. You are not lazy for needing time, for needing space, for needing moments where you are not “on,” not productive, not performing. Maybe you’re just feeling the weight of a world that has told you to keep going, to keep pushing, to ignore the signals of your own body. Maybe you’re feeling the burn of internalized messages that equate your value with your output. Maybe you’re simply human, needing time to recharge, needing moments of stillness in a society that worships busyness.
Exhaustion isn’t something you’ve failed at; it’s a reminder. It’s your body whispering (or maybe shouting) that it needs care, that you are not limitless, that your worth was never supposed to be tied to how much you can produce. Maybe what you need isn’t another push, but permission to rest. Permission to slow down, to honor the cycles of energy and depletion, to trust that you are enough even in stillness.
So the next time you feel that pang of guilt for not doing “enough,” remember this: you are not lazy; you are tired. And tiredness is a valid response to a world that asks too much and gives too little in return. Rest isn’t just an option—it’s your right. To pause, to breathe, to reclaim your time and remind yourself that you are whole, valuable, and deserving of care, even when you are at rest.