Pushing Through the Fatigue

Green Smoothies and a Little Grace

A Saturday I didn't feel like showing up for — and what carried me through.

A dear friend introduced me to bodyrock.tv. Zuzana posts a new workout every day, and "Body Rockers" all over the world try to keep pace with her. I've been loving them — in fact, I'm still sore from the one I did two days ago.

This morning, I did NOT feel like exercising. I didn't feel like moving at all. It was Saturday, I'd gone to bed late, and there was no sleeping in — I had a class to teach that afternoon and five little ones to care for.

I pulled on my workout clothes anyway and headed downstairs, every muscle aching. Zuzana's workout for the day wasn't posted yet, so I clicked into an older one — and then, out of curiosity, into the diet and nutrition tab. That's where I found a comment from a fellow Body Rocker named Grace.

Grace shared that she drinks a big green smoothie every morning and swears by how it makes her feel — stronger, more energized, like she's already gotten her fruits and veggies in before the day even starts. She keeps it simple, and she was kind enough to share her starter recipe:

Grace's Green Smoothie (a starter)

4–5 kale leaves

4 cups baby spinach

2 cups water

1 Tbsp flaxseed oil

1 cup berries

1 banana

1 kiwi

Grace mentioned you can use just about any fruit — she sometimes adds raw beets or carrots — and that easing in with a little extra fruit helps while your taste buds adjust to all the greens.

After reading that, I got out my Vitamix and made my own version: 4 cups spinach, a handful of dandelion leaves (I was out of kale), water, flax, berries, a quarter of a banana, a kiwi, and a little stevia. I blended it up and drank a glass — and within a few minutes I felt my energy start to come back. My kids loved it too. Thank you, Grace, for the nudge.

Pushing through the harder kind of fatigue

I also want to share how I pushed through the emotional fatigue of the day. I set a timer for 4.5 hours and gave myself that long to give the house a good "cleanse" — working room by room, clearing out anything we hadn't touched in a year.

Any mom who's attempted this with little ones home will understand: for every step forward, it felt like the kids took me three steps back. I'd finish a room, turn around, and find spilled glitter, a puzzle I'd just organized dumped in a heap, the laces from a game tied to my stair railing. I could feel my patience wearing thin. I started the day as the calm, loving mommy... and somewhere in hour two, I'll be honest, I turned into the mom whose blood was starting to boil.

When I feel myself getting to that point, I reach for my Frankincense essential oil — some people affectionately call it "God in a bottle." I'll stop, breathe it in slowly a few times, and let myself reset before going back to the task. I did that a few times over those 4.5 hours, and between the green smoothie and a few intentional deep breaths, I made it through the cleaning and still taught my 2.5-hour wellness class that afternoon.

And I did all of it knowing I'd probably gotten a little gluten by accident the night before. Whenever my husband and I eat out, that's always the risk, and I have to push through the fatigue that follows. Last night the exposure seemed minimal, thankfully. I'd wished we could go to Omar's Living Cuisine (raw and 100% gluten-free), but we tried a new Thai place instead — and I took a sip of my husband's drink even though that little voice in the back of my head was whispering, "warning — not gluten-free." Lesson relearned!

If you're facing a day where you just have to push through, physically or emotionally, a good green smoothie and a few slow, intentional breaths can go a long way. And be gentle with yourself — some days, getting through is the victory.

Lots of love to you,

Steffanie

These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Essential oils and other products mentioned here are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Nothing in this post is medical advice; please talk with your own healthcare provider about what's right for you, and always follow safe-use guidelines for essential oils.