I spent years thinking that moving faster meant I was winning, only to realise I was just revving my engine in neutral. If you feel ‘successful’ on the outside but completely depleted on the inside, this is for you.
There is a specific kind of tired that sleep cannot reach. It’s the exhaustion that settles in when we’ve spent years on the “treadmill of life”—moving faster and faster, yet never feeling like we’ve truly arrived. Most of us don’t even realise we’re on it until our bodies, or our spirits, finally whisper for us to stop.
The Global Pulse of Exhaustion
If you feel overwhelmed, you are part of a massive, quiet chorus. Statistics show that the world is more “revved up” than ever. According to recent Gallup polls, nearly 44% of adults worldwide report experiencing a great deal of stress daily. The World Health Organisation (WHO) identifies stress as the “health epidemic of the 21st century,” contributing to over 60% of all human illness and disease.
The Hidden Price of the Race
The treadmill lifestyle doesn’t just take our time; it takes our essence. When we live reactively—answering every ping and meeting every deadline—we experience a slow erosion of the self. We pay for this speed with our family relationships, our physical health, and our inner joy. We become like sheep following a path we didn’t choose, wondering why we feel so lonely in a crowd.
The Courage to Realise
The most sobering realisation is this: Life does not slow down by default; it only slows down by choice. Time moves far faster than our plans. We assume there will always be a “better time” to seek the quiet, but years disappear while we are busy being busy. To step off the treadmill, you first have to realise that it is spinning beneath you. You have to acknowledge that the only person responsible for the life God entrusted to you is you.
When we finally choose to step off the bandwagon and simplify, we don’t lose—we actually start to win. By refusing to go ‘wherever the wind blows,’ you take back the controls of your own life. You are no longer just busy; you are intentional, focusing only on what truly matters and aligning your days with your purpose. In this quiet space, you don’t just exist; you finally begin to live a full, deep, and meaningful life.
A Question for the Heart
As you breathe in this moment, ask yourself: Who is setting the pace of my life? If the world is setting it, you will always be out of breath. Sometimes, the most faithful thing you can do for yourself is to simply stop. Because at the end of the day, we must face the most haunting question of all:
“What does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose his soul?” (Mark 8:36)
For reflections on simple, rooted living, visit:
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Contact: spht@shibero.com
