Why am I so Tired?

Tiredness is something I’ve wrestled with personally and something I hear about from nearly every client I work with. What’s fascinating is that it doesn’t seem to matter whether someone has spent the last decade avoiding exercise or whether they’re actively working out—the exhaustion persists.

At first, I was puzzled. I’d look at a client who hadn’t exercised in years and wonder, “Why are they so tired?” Meanwhile, I’d finish a workout and feel drained too, but deep down, I knew my fatigue wasn’t just physical. Something bigger was going on, and I wanted to figure it out.

One day, I asked a client about what was going on in her life. She started listing things off: managing the kids’ screen time, meeting work deadlines, caring for a sick child, juggling household chores, holiday shopping—it was a never-ending stream of responsibilities. As I listened, it hit me: her exhaustion mirrored my own.

The problem wasn’t just what she was doing physically—it was how mentally stretched she was. Neither of us was present. Instead of being grounded in the moment, our minds were racing miles ahead, trying to tackle a dozen future problems all at once.

This realization shifted everything for me. I thought about a weekend I’d spent with my son. We ran over eight miles together, but it wasn’t exhausting at all. Why? Because we were playing—creating imaginary games and laughing. My son wasn’t focused on the next thing; he was completely immersed in the moment. And unlike me, he wasn’t tired.

It became clear that much of our tiredness isn’t just about how much we’re doing; it’s about where our mind is while we’re doing it. When we’re not “where our feet are,” we’re constantly pulled into the future, overwhelmed by possibilities and tasks that haven’t even happened yet. That mental tug-of-war creates fatigue far greater than any workout ever could.

So, what can we do about it? Over time, I’ve discovered tools that help anchor me to the present. Some are small daily practices, while others are mindset shifts that take time to build. What I’ve learned is this: being present isn’t just about mindfulness—it’s about freedom. Freedom from the mental exhaustion of living in the “what ifs” and the “what’s nexts.”

If you find yourself tired all the time, take a moment to ask: Am I where my feet are? When you ground yourself in the present, you might be surprised at how much energy you actually have.

Coach Royce