You’re getting things done.
You’re taking care of your family. Working. Running the business. Showing up for other people. Managing the calendar. Remembering what everybody needs.
But somewhere underneath all of that productivity, you’re exhausted.
And strangely, even though you’re tired, you can’t always slow down.
That was the conversation at the heart of our recent Atlanta Wellness Clinic Live, Tired, Wired & Stuck, with holistic nurse and wellness practitioner Ya Ya.
We talked about stress, women carrying the weight of everyone around them, energy healing, Reiki, getting back into nature, sound therapy, movement, and something that many busy women rarely give themselves: permission to stop.
When stress starts feeling “normal”
One of the most important things we discussed was how difficult it can be to recognize stress when you’ve been living with it for a long time.
For many women — and particularly for many Black women — constantly being “on” can start to feel normal.
You’re a wife. A mother. A professional. A business owner. A caregiver. A community leader. Sometimes all at the same time.
And when something needs to be handled? You handle it.
As Ya Ya put it during our conversation, women are often natural nurturers and doers. We see something that needs fixing and jump in.
The problem is that we can become very good at taking care of everybody except ourselves.
Eventually there’s only a tiny piece of the day left for you.
Your body may be talking before you realize you’re stressed
We also talked about learning to recognize stress physically.
Sometimes it looks like feeling overwhelmed or unable to shut your brain off.
Sometimes you may notice tension in your shoulders or stomach.
Sometimes sleep changes.
And stress can affect digestion, although ongoing diarrhea, constipation, bloating, pain, or other gastrointestinal symptoms should always be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional.
The point isn’t to diagnose yourself. It’s to start noticing yourself.
During the Live, we talked about the value of pausing long enough to ask: What is my body telling me right now?
That awareness alone can be powerful.
Start with five minutes of stillness
You do not need an elaborate wellness routine.
Sometimes five minutes is enough to interrupt the cycle.
- stepping outside
- sitting quietly
- taking several slow breaths
- walking around the block
- listening to music
- stretching
- holding a yoga pose
- sitting in the sunlight
- simply doing nothing for a few minutes
For me, anxiety sometimes shows up as tension in my stomach. That has become a signal.
Instead of continuing to push through it, I know I may need to stop for five minutes before that feeling keeps building.
The goal isn’t perfection. It’s awareness.
Why Ya Ya recommends getting outside
Nature came up repeatedly during our conversation.
Ya Ya encourages clients to get outside, spend time around trees, feel the ground beneath them, breathe, and allow themselves to slow down.
She described practices such as placing her hands against a tree or sitting near water as ways she personally uses nature for grounding and relaxation.
Whether your version is that spiritual practice or simply taking a quiet walk outside, there is something valuable about stepping away from screens, responsibilities, and constant stimulation.
And the best part? Going outside is free.
What is energy healing?
We also spent time talking about the work Ya Ya is bringing into Atlanta Wellness Clinic.
Ya Ya is a holistic nurse and wellness practitioner whose work includes Reiki, breathwork, sound therapy, crystal practices, and other complementary approaches.
She described Reiki as a form of energy work sometimes compared historically with “laying on of hands.”
From Ya Ya’s perspective, energy healing is designed to help people enter a calmer state, reconnect with themselves, and release some of the emotional weight they may be carrying.
Some people report feeling warmth. Some feel deeply relaxed. Some become emotional.
When I experienced a session myself, what stood out most for me was a sense of calm.
I remember feeling warmth in different areas of my body and then experiencing this feeling of settling down toward the end of the session. That was my experience.
Reiki and other energy practices should be viewed as complementary wellness services rather than substitutes for medical or mental-health treatment, and the scientific evidence regarding specific health benefits remains limited.
Chakras, stress and energy
During our conversation, Ya Ya also explained the chakra system used within her practice.
She described seven main energy centers:
- Root — foundation and security
- Sacral — creativity and the reproductive/womb space
- Solar plexus — confidence, drive and willpower
- Heart — love and forgiveness
- Throat — expression and boundaries
- Third eye — discernment and intuition
- Crown — spiritual connection
When working with highly stressed women, Ya Ya said she often focuses on the sacral area because women who are constantly caring for others may stop making time for creativity, rest, pleasure, and themselves.
You don’t have to share a particular spiritual framework to recognize the larger lesson: When every ounce of energy is directed toward everybody else, what is left for you?
Sound can be part of slowing down
Our conversation also included sound healing.
Ya Ya uses Tibetan singing bowls and tuning forks within some sessions.
During the Live, she guided us through several minutes of slow breathing while playing a Tibetan bowl.
The exercise was simple: breathe in, hold, breathe out, listen, relax.
After only a few minutes, I said something immediately: “I needed that.”
That moment captured the entire conversation.
Sometimes we don’t realize how badly we need to come down until we finally give ourselves permission to do it.
Choose the kind of music your body needs
We also laughed about music.
Ya Ya suggested softer music when the goal is relaxation.
I pointed out that sometimes what I need is a good beat. And she agreed.
Sometimes dancing, exercising, or turning the music up is exactly how you release something that feels pent up.
Other times, your nervous system may need quiet.
The important question becomes: What do I need right now?
Not what should I be doing. Not what everyone else needs. What do I need?
Movement doesn’t always have to mean pushing harder
Another important part of our conversation was exercise.
Cardiovascular exercise has important health benefits.
But more is not always better, particularly if you’re exhausted and already feeling overwhelmed.
Sometimes your body may benefit from a different kind of movement: walking, stretching, yoga, Pilates, strength work, or breathwork appropriate for you.
Movement that allows you to reconnect with your body rather than constantly pushing it.
Exercise should fit the individual, including health conditions and fitness level.
Turn stress relief into a habit
This is where the conversation moved directly into something we talk about constantly at Atlanta Wellness Clinic: habits.
You don’t have to transform your entire life tomorrow.
Start with five minutes.
Maybe you already walk outside every afternoon to check the mail. Instead of immediately coming back inside, walk a little farther down the street.
Do that repeatedly.
Eventually that small walk starts becoming something your body expects.
This is the difference between relying on motivation and creating something that fits naturally into your life.
Start small. Repeat it. Build from there.
Being well requires learning how to listen again
Perhaps the biggest message from our conversation was this: your body is communicating with you.
But if you are moving nonstop, it becomes very difficult to hear it.
That is why stillness matters. That is why sleep matters. That is why getting outside matters. That is why stress management matters.
And that is why your wellness plan cannot only be about the number on the scale.
At Atlanta Wellness Clinic, we look at the bigger picture: nutrition, habits, stress, movement, sleep, body composition, midlife changes, and the realities of the life you are actually living.
Because sometimes the reason you feel stuck isn’t that you need to push harder.
Sometimes your body is asking you to slow down long enough to listen.
Curious about your own stress patterns?
One of the most common profiles we see in our wellness assessment is what we call the Cortisol Craver — the woman carrying a significant stress load while also dealing with cravings, energy changes, sleep challenges, or difficulty progressing toward her health goals.
Take the Atlanta Wellness Clinic wellness quiz to learn more about the patterns that may be showing up for you.
If you are interested in experiencing Reiki and sound-based relaxation practices with Ya Ya, she is available at Atlanta Wellness Clinic on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11 AM–4 PM.
Atlanta Wellness Clinic
www.atlwellnessclinic.com
770-726-8978
info@atlwellnessclinic.com
Energy healing, Reiki, sound practices and similar services are complementary wellness approaches and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent medical conditions. Consult an appropriate licensed healthcare professional regarding persistent or concerning symptoms.
