We naturally assume that exhaustion comes from doing too much. From overcommitting, overextending, and carrying too much on our plates.

And of course, this absolutely contributes to a sense of feeling physically exhausted and depleted.

But often, there is a deeper layer to our exhaustion, which we may not perceive.

It comes from giving without being met.

Pouring out without being poured into. Offering support without being acknowledged.

It’s the emotional exhaustion of being so reliable and endlessly available that our giving becomes invisible.

This kind of exhaustion is rooted in a lack of reciprocity, and beyond leaving us tired, it leaves us feeling hollow…