I didn’t sleep well last night and yes, I am tired today. The first thing I need to do is tell my husband so he understands if I don’t respond quite as quickly when he calls. The second thing I need to do is consider whether I nap with him this afternoon to catch up a bit on that sleep I lost. The third thing I need to do is let it go.

Just because I am tired doesn’t mean that anything changes in our daily lives. If my husband has an appointment, we must still go. If he has an exercise class, he has to participate. I still need to make sure that there is food on the table for both of us. Activities of daily living need to continue.

Recognizing those responsibilities that can’t be put off, I can now look to see what I might be able to change. Does the laundry have to be done today? Do I have to cook or could we do take out instead? Can we take a short walk with the dog rather than the mile we usually do? How can I make it through this day without exhausting myself so I am ready for sleep tonight and a better day tomorrow?

My husband proofs these postings for me and after reading this he asked “what if I am the one who didn’t sleep?”. I wanted to say “you take an extra nap” but instead just smiled.