Waking Up Exhausted? The Real Reason Isn’t Lack of Sleep—It’s Your Unlived Life

Posted on August 15, 2024 by SUSANNE BLOHM, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.

Waking Up Exhausted? The Real Reason You’re Tired Isn’t Lack of Sleep—It’s Your Unlived Life

Have you ever wondered why, despite getting a full night’s sleep, you still wake up feeling exhausted? I certainly did. In today’s fast-paced world, many of us struggle with chronic fatigue that seems to defy the simplest solutions. But what if the real reason behind our tiredness isn’t physical at all? What if it’s rooted in something much deeper—our unlived life?

The Invisible Weight of Misalignment

Imagine waking up every day, going through the motions of your routine, yet feeling a persistent sense of fatigue that no amount of sleep can fix. Don’t need to imagine it because it is already happening? I get it. This kind of exhaustion is more than just physical—it’s emotional, mental, and spiritual. It’s the weariness that comes from living a life that’s out of alignment with our true desires and purpose.
“The most exhausting thing in life is living a lie—pretending to be someone you’re not, doing things that don’t align with who you truly are. Your energy is drained when your life doesn’t reflect your deepest desires.” – Kathleen Cameron
Most of us have been conditioned to follow a path that seems “safe” or “responsible,” often at the expense of our dreams. We’re taught to express gratitude for what we have, which is powerful, but sometimes this gratitude is misplaced—keeping us stuck in careers, relationships, and lifestyles that look good on the outside but leave us feeling drained on the inside. True gratitude should align with our highest desires, not be used to justify staying where we don’t truly belong.
“When you feel gratitude, you are on the same vibrational frequency as your highest desires.” – Abraham Hicks

The Cost of Ignoring Your Inner Voice

Ignoring our inner voice—our true desires—takes a toll on our energy levels. When we suppress what we truly want, whether it’s a creative passion, a career change, or a different way of living, we create an internal conflict. This conflict requires energy to maintain, leaving us feeling depleted.
I experienced this firsthand about ten years ago when I wanted to leave my teaching career. Allen was training, teaching, and working hard to improve our financial situation, eventually taking a job out of province. I felt that by staying in my teaching career, I was providing stability for our family, being the roots that our kids needed while Allen was away.
Despite my inner voice constantly urging me to move on, I stayed in my teaching career for eight more years, believing it was the responsible thing to do. But as I continued to ignore my true desires, my health began to crumble. Severe arthritis set in before I even turned 35, followed by interstitial cystitis, chronic reflux that stole my voice, and herniated discs in my neck. The final blow was a large growth on my thyroid that had to be biopsied. My body was clearly rebelling against the life I was forcing it to live, so much so that my son began calling me fragile. I was overwhelmed and exhausted, not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually, because I was resisting the change my soul desperately needed.
This experience taught me that when we live out of alignment with our true selves, the cost isn’t just emotional or spiritual—it’s physical, too. Our bodies manifest the misalignment in ways that demand our attention.
During this difficult period, I really leaned into my Daily Method of Operation (DMO), especially meditation. My DMO became my lifeline—a structured set of daily activities that prioritized my physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being. By starting my day with practices that aligned with my true self, such as meditation and exercise, I gradually began to heal and reconnect with my inner voice. Learning about the works of Dr. Joe Dispenza also played a crucial role in this transformation, helping me understand the power of the mind in healing and personal growth. My DMO and my renewed focus on living intentionally ultimately shaped me into the coach I am today.
“When you stop chasing the wrong things, you give the right things a chance to catch you.” – Lolly Daskal

Living on Autopilot: The Fast Track to Burnout

Living on autopilot—where we go through our daily routine without conscious engagement—further contributes to this exhaustion. When we aren’t living intentionally, each day feels like a repeat of the last, which can lead to a deep sense of dissatisfaction and burnout.
“We live by a memorized perception of ourselves. We have to think greater than how we feel, to make choices that are consistent with our new future, rather than familiar feelings of our past. The hardest part about change is not making the same choices we did the day before.” – Dr. Joe Dispenza
The concept of living on autopilot isn’t just about the actions we take; it’s also about the thoughts we think. Repetitive, unchallenged thoughts that align with a life we don’t truly desire create an internal environment of stagnation. This stagnation drains our vitality, making it hard to muster the energy for anything beyond the basic requirements of daily life.
Does any of this sound familiar? Have you lost your enthusiasm in relationships? Are the most important ones coasting? Are you feeling inspired and passionate about your work or your creative talents? Has that faded more than you would like to acknowledge? How are you spending your time and your money? Is there fun and excitement in that for you? And how is your health? Is it as great as it once was, or could be?

The Role of Emotional and Spiritual Misalignment

Emotional and spiritual misalignment are significant contributors to chronic fatigue. When we suppress emotions, such as frustration, sadness, or the desire for more in life, we create blockages in our energy flow. These blockages manifest as physical symptoms, like fatigue, headaches, or even more serious health issues over time.
“The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it.” – Eckhart Tolle
Spiritual misalignment occurs when we are disconnected from our purpose or when our daily life does not reflect our core values and beliefs. This seemed difficult to detect for me at first, so here is an example. I value my family. I value quality time and fun with my husband and children. However, in my daily life of 2014, this was not showing up for me. My husband was working 21 days of the month out of province to earn more money for our family, but we never saw him. I was teaching full-time with two sons and a granddaughter we were helping to raise at home. We drove to school together and ate together, but there was no real fun involved. It was a hurry-up-and-get-done time so I could then do my marking and preparation for classes. This disconnection led to a sense of emptiness and lack of fulfillment, which contributed to that deep, unshakable exhaustion I mentioned earlier. Sadly, this can happen to us all.
How did things change for me? Well, my husband lost his job. He was in management and was downsized. Yippee! But foundationally, at that moment we decided to honor our values. We would no longer live in separate cities. Our family would stay together, period. Even if the money wasn’t as good. We were both ecstatic. At the time, we stepped into a network marketing company and my husband went back to teaching. No, we didn’t do great things in the marketing company, but we learned a lot and had much more time together to do quality activities and strengthen our relationships. Our reading and personal growth through the network marketing platform fed my soul and Allen’s. We also started to set goals and work toward them. At the beginning, we mostly fixed our finances and aligned our values. But honestly, that is where our focus was, not with the business.
One of the most significant outcomes of this journey was that I finally left teaching, much sooner than I had ever imagined. This decision opened the door to my true calling—learning about the power of the mind, the principles of manifestation, and ultimately becoming a coach in this transformative field. Now, I work from home, fully aligned with my purpose, and I’ve never felt more energized. My family remains strong, seeing each other often at Monday night suppers. Allen and I, as empty nesters, have rekindled our relationship—we’re living like honeymooners again, cherishing every moment. This shift in our lives reaffirmed to me that when we honor our true desires, the universe aligns to support us in ways we never thought possible.
This transformation showed me that embracing change, no matter how scary, can lead to a life filled with joy, fulfillment, and the energy to truly live, not just survive.

Reclaiming Your Energy Through Alignment

The good news is that this type of exhaustion is reversible. The key is to begin living in alignment with your true self—your passions, values, and purpose. When you align your daily actions with what truly matters to you, you begin to restore your energy and vitality.
“Your energy is the reflection of your alignment. If you’re tired, you’re out of alignment.” – Tony Robbins

Start by asking yourself some crucial questions:
What do I truly want in life?
What brings me joy and fulfillment?
Am I living according to my values?
These questions can help you identify areas of misalignment. Once you’ve identified these areas, begin making small changes. It could be as simple as dedicating time each day to a passion project, reassessing your career path, or setting boundaries in relationships that drain your energy. If this work seems unclear, or you have done it before without the results you were looking for, I invite you to consider the idea of having a personal coach to discover areas of misalignment and to guide you further.

Practical Steps to Realign Your Life

Reconnect with Your Passions: Dedicate time each day to activities that genuinely excite you. This could be anything from a hobby you’ve neglected to exploring a new interest. For me, focusing on my value of physical health was a priority. I made it part of my DMO—my Daily Method of Operation—to ensure I didn’t miss out on activities that energized me. Whether it was Pilates, walking, or working out, I prioritized these actions first thing in the morning. This routine not only built my energy but also reinforced my sense of worthiness and purpose. From here, my life soared!

Practice Mindfulness: Engage in mindfulness practices that help you stay present and connected to your inner self. This can be as simple as daily meditation, journaling, or mindful walking. Mindfulness helps you become more aware of when you’re living out of alignment, allowing you to make adjustments more quickly.

Evaluate Your Environment: Look at the people and situations that surround you. Are they supportive of the life you want to create? Sometimes, making changes to your environment—whether it’s your social circle, workspace, or home—can have a profound impact on your energy levels.

Set Intentional Goals: Start setting goals that reflect your true desires, not just what you think you “should” do. These goals will naturally align you with your purpose and help you regain your energy. Notice I set value-driven goals and worked toward them daily and felt such a huge shift in my energy.

Embrace Change: Recognize that growth requires change. Stepping out of your comfort zone might feel uncomfortable at first, but it’s essential for living a life that energizes rather than drains you. I didn’t start work until 8:30 in the morning, but I woke up at 4:50 to complete my DMO the way I wanted to, before work. If you don’t think my coworkers thought I was crazy, you’re wrong. But change was required if I wanted different results.
“You can choose courage or you can choose comfort, but you cannot choose both.” – Brené Brown

The Power of Living Your Truth

When you start living in alignment with your true self, you’ll notice a shift in your energy levels. You’ll wake up feeling more refreshed, engaged, and excited about the day ahead. Your body, mind, and spirit will begin to thrive as you release the burdens of living a life that’s out of sync with your deepest desires.
Now I spend my days preparing for my coaching clients and teaching what I am learning. I continue to carry out my DMO, adding learning and business growth to my daily repertoire of tasks. Realigning my life with my true desires and purpose has transformed my energy and overall well-being. You can do the same thing. Take your first step today! And if that requires a personal coach, you know where to find me.

Conclusion

Chronic exhaustion isn’t always about lack of sleep—it’s often a sign that we’re not living the life we’re meant to live. By taking steps to realign our life with our true desires and purpose, we can restore our energy, reignite our passion, and wake up each day feeling ready to embrace the possibilities that lie ahead.