I Don’t Know Who Needs to Hear This, But…
Feeling emotionally exhausted is valid, especially for Black individuals navigating strength, survival, and unspoken burdens—this is your reminder that rest, softness, and being enough without performing are all your birthright. We discuss it here!
Photo Credit: Boogich via iStockPhoto.com
By: Jamila Gomez
You don’t have to keep pretending that you’re okay just because people are used to you being strong.
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but your exhaustion makes sense. Not just the physical kind—the soul kind. The kind of tired that doesn’t go away after one good night’s sleep. The kind that lingers after you’ve checked off every box but still feel like you’re falling short.
This world asks a lot of you. And if you’re Black, it asks for even more—your time, your brilliance, your patience, your resilience—and rarely pauses to return the favor. You’re expected to be dependable even when no one checks to see if you’re depleted. And you’ve probably learned how to smile through it. To keep showing up. To hold space for others when no one holds space for you.
But what about you?
You, who is grieving things you never got to name.
You, who is tired of performing strength while no one sees your softness.
You, who doesn’t feel good enough—even when you’re doing more than most.
Let me say this clearly: You are not weak for feeling weary. You are human.
Feeling tired doesn’t mean you’re doing something wrong. It might just mean you’ve outgrown the life you had to build just to survive. It might mean your spirit is asking for more rest, more truth, more honesty. Not just naps and spa days—but real permission to not always be okay.
You are not behind. You are not broken. You are not less than.
You are carrying more than most people will ever see. And even if no one claps for you today, even if no one texts to check in, even if no one says “I’m proud of you”—you’re still doing something sacred.
You’re surviving systems not made for you.
You’re trying to heal without a map.
You’re showing up in rooms that weren’t designed with your rest in mind.
That deserves more than just validation. It deserves relief.
So, if no one has told you lately: You matter. You’re allowed to pause. You are enough—right now, without proving a thing.
You don’t need to be everyone’s anchor. Sometimes, you just need to float.
And maybe this is your permission to do just that.
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