Finding Meaning When You Are Weary

Does life feel more fractured these days? Do not take weariness as a sign of weakness. Take a deep breath in and let it all go. We want to get back to normal, but from the sounds of it, that might not be possible, at least for a very long time. In times when your body, mind, or spirit is weary, listen to this affirmation.

Transcript

Do not take weariness as a sign of weakness.

Inhale.

Exhale.

This is really important,

So let me repeat it.

Do not take weariness as a sign of weakness.

Take a deep breath in.

Let it all go.

Welcome to a hit of hope.

Life is feeling more fractured and fractious than normal.

And normal is what we want to get back to.

But from the sounds of it,

That might not be possible.

Or at least not for a very long time.

And we've either heard the news or we are living the news.

As I just heard it said recently,

There are lives and livelihoods at stake in all of this.

Inhale.

Exhale.

There might be times when you can handle it,

When you are feeling strong,

Fierce even,

Ready to face down whatever is coming your way.

And then there might be times when you feel trapped,

Helpless.

You are ready to go back to your life,

But you can't.

You just can't.

So your spirit might be weary,

Tired of doing the work,

Of convincing yourself that it's all going to be okay.

That it's worth it.

Inhale.

Exhale.

When I was a first year in college,

My professor had us read Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl.

Frankl,

A Jewish psychiatrist,

Was in a concentration camp in World War II.

His words moved me then as an 18 year old,

And I find his words critical now.

You see,

Frankl observed something very important in the camp.

That often the difference between a person living and dying was whether or not that person could find meaning,

Hope.

Those without hope often didn't make it.

Those with meaning and hope fought on and often survived.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Do not take weariness of spirit as a sign of weakness.

This is hard,

And life can often be hard.

But that's when we need to remember the words of Viktor Frankl,

And I quote,

When we are no longer able to change a situation,

We are challenged to change ourselves.

He also said,

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing,

The last of the human freedoms.

To choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances,

To choose one's own way.

You might be weary in body,

Mind,

And spirit.

Inhale.

Exhale.

And you might even be thinking,

I'm so tired that finding meaning is the very thing I can't do.

I hear you.

It might be helpful to frame this in such a way that finding meaning is the work before us.

If you had crashed your airplane into a snowy mountain,

The work before you would have been to find a way to stay warm,

To find water to drink,

Food to eat.

That's what you would do to survive.

Right now,

Finding meaning is the work we need to do to survive.

Not only this current moment,

But all kinds of things.

There are so many times I wish I had a magic wand,

And I wish I had a meaning magic wand right now.

You are weary in spirit.

Poof.

Here is some meaning to help you make it through.

But I don't.

And anyway,

Meaning is a deeply personal thing.

And yet I've read that there are things that can go a long way in helping a person to find meaning.

One is to be grateful.

And that might grate on your nerves as much as me sitting here telling you to find meaning.

But being grateful has been proven to work again and again.

Focus on what is good.

Hold on to that when you are so very weary.

Another thing is to serve.

Do something kind for someone else.

Again,

It's been proven when we do something good for others,

We feel better.

And we make the world better for someone else.

Inhale.

Exhale.

So maybe this is the work before us.

To find meaning.

To serve.

To love and remember that you are loved.

Yes,

It can be work,

And that means we can get weary of the work.

But it's the work that will save us.

To look around with wonder.

Recall what brings joy.

To remember that you are a beautiful spirit.

There is none other in the world like you.

Remember that.

Inhale.

Exhale.

And I'll leave you with one of my favorite Viktor Frankl quotations.

What is to give light must endure burning.

Namaste.

Reviews

This is just what I needed to rejuvenate myself to do the work. It reminds of some of the wisest words I’ve ever heard: growth and destruction are inseparable. I don’t know that I feel like I’m destroyed per se, but I definitely feel weary, but not quite as much after hearing this meditation. Thank you so very much.

This meditation is wonderful and thought provoking. I try my hardest to make at least 3 people smile 😊 because I took the time to be kind. You are my “magic wand” because listening to your wisdom makes my day better. Thanks 🌸🦋🌺🌼🩷

I realize Betsy, this meditation was made during early Covid, but listening to it today, Canadian Remembrance Day, gave me such a different meaning.. Thx

Thank you, I found this helpful ❤️

Exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you.

I am so very weary but I know I give light to others through sharing my lived experience just as you have with us here 🙏

Thanks Betsy, very powerful . I'm asking a lot of questions of myself these days, wondering if I even know anything anymore. Why am I here? Why am I not making art? If I am the author of my own life, how can I make it better? Why do I have chronic pain? Things like that. I'm trying to stay present with my discomfort, frustration and boredom, not just waiting for it to pass. COVID has made things tougher for all of us, and perhaps part of the meaning of life right now is that we're all in this together, and that we can support each other somehow, even if we can't do it in person. Thanks for your virtual presence.

Powerful. Hits home and resonates with my being at this time in my life. 🙏🏼🙏🏼

perfect night to stumble upon this. 🙏

A daily reflection on gratitude combined with meditation and prayer has made a tremendous difference in my life. You have a unique gift to speak directly to the daily trials and tribulations that we all muddle through as best we can. Today, you my friend, are at the top of my gratitude list. Namaste.

never fails to deliver! rate this teacher and teachings so much.

Bruce Lee once said "be like water." Water is unbreakable and becomes whatever it's contained in, it doesn't resist, it just adapts, and it finds ways through any obstacle. Hope is like water, real love is like water, be like water. Keep flowing. Namaste Betsy 🙏💙

My first thought was “When am I not weary?” It’s easy to blame bipolar disorder and chronic pain and limited mobility and my parents and the clown world we live in, but I know that it’s really about my attitude. That theme has been popping up a lot for me lately (I listened to your What You Say again this week) and I hope those neural pathways of positivity are being forged. When I can’t think of anything to be grateful for, I try for things I appreciate; I’ve read numerous places that it has the same benefits. Regarding Meaning: I think individuals define and create their own Meaning. I’ve struggled with this at times, partly because I’ve never had a career/occupation/vocation, and I’m childfree by choice, two things that people often get Meaning from. For me, it boils down to being happy, and maybe helping others feel happy too. Not just the fun partying kind, but deeper and wider to include joy, contentment, wonder, awe, et cetera. Lately I’ve been learning that inner peace/serenity can be part of it too. What many of your practices say to me, Betsy, is something you’ve said outright in at least one: Not only do I not have to be perfect, I CAN’T be perfect. What a huge relief and burden taken off me! Now I just need to get my mind to stop saying that I need to be as perfect as possible (insert Inner Critic’s villainous laugh here).

Thank you so much. This was truly exceptional. Blessings!

I lost it at the last quote--tears which had been just beneath the surface flowed out in an emotional waterfall that needed to happen to bring healing. I cannot thank you enough for your superb meditation and wise words. Namaste.

I have tears in my eyes as I write this. So needed. You do have a magic wand and you did just use it and I am so grateful. Thank you once again for a hit if hope.

Very relevant, needed & appreciated, Namasre 😊.

Awesome! I've kept his book with me for over 45 years. It opened my eyes at age 15 to find meaning in something. I found my meaning to continue from trees and plants. They kept growing even without being cared for. Now I know mother earth was giving them love and care.
Another book was helpful for me at that age. When bad things happen to good people.
Thank you Thank you.

I am SO glad you are still here......I thought you may not post and concentrate on your "willow" web site.......I tried to enlarge your short video when you initially set it up but couldn't.
Anyway...I watched a programme in Doctors without borders today and you are right we should be grateful for what we have because we have so much. Thank you Betsy and I wish you all the best for your new venture x