Where is my energy leaking and how do I get it back?

Quiz Questions

• 1.
  How do you feel at the end of most days? 

  • A.
    Overstimulated and on edge, like I need to block out the world
  • B.
    Emotionally drained -- I feel like I’ve carried everyone else’s burdens
  • C.
    Tired from trying to get too much done in too little time
  • D.
    Physically exhausted but restless, like I can’t fully relax
• 2.
  What situations leave you feeling drained the fastest? 

  • A.
    Crowded, noisy places with lots of sensory input
  • B.
    Listening to someone vent or processing heavy emotions
  • C.
    Being pulled in multiple directions with no time to breathe
  • D.
    Skipping meals, missing sleep, or running on empty
• 3.
  When you’re overwhelmed or stressed, how does your body react? 

  • A.
    My senses feel heightened (e.g., lights seem brighter, sounds seem louder)
  • B.
    I feel emotionally heavy, like I’m carrying too much
  • C.
    My mind races with everything I still need to do
  • D.
    I feel physically depleted -- low energy, headaches, or muscle tension
• 4.
  How do you typically handle moments of overwhelm? 

  • A.
    I shut down or withdraw to escape the stimulation
  • B.
    I carry on, even though I feel emotionally drained
  • C.
    I try to keep going, but it feels like I’m running on fumes
  • D.
    I ignore my body’s signals until I’m completely burnt out
• 5.
  Which of these best describes your relationship with emotional energy? 

  • A.
    I’m constantly navigating sensory triggers, which leaves me exhausted
  • B.
    I feel deeply affected by other people’s emotions, even when I try not to
  • C.
    I’m so focused on doing everything perfectly that I forget to pause
  • D.
    I neglect my own needs when life gets busy, which always catches up with me
• 6.
  What does “rest” look like for you? 

  • A.
    Quiet time with minimal stimulation (e.g., dim lighting, no noise)
  • B.
    Emotional downtime, where I don’t have to process anyone else’s feelings
  • C.
    A chance to cross off lingering tasks so I can relax later
  • D.
    Sleeping or zoning out, though it doesn’t always leave me refreshed
• 7.
  How is your sleep quality? 

  • A.
    I struggle to fall asleep when my senses feel overloaded
  • B.
    I have trouble switching off emotionally—it’s like my mind won’t stop
  • C.
    I stay up late trying to finish everything, even if I know I need rest
  • D.
    My sleep is irregular or poor, and I often wake up feeling drained
• 8.
  How often do you feel physically depleted (e.g., low energy, headaches, or sluggishness)? 

  • A.
    Frequently, especially in overstimulating environments
  • B.
    Often, after emotionally heavy conversations or experiences
  • C.
    Regularly, because I’m always on the go
  • D.
    All the time -- it feels like I’m running on empty
• 9.
  What’s your typical reaction to a noisy or chaotic environment? 

  • A.
    I feel overwhelmed and overstimulated — I need to escape
  • B.
    I can stay calm, but it takes a lot out of me emotionally
  • C.
    I keep trying to get things done, but it’s harder to focus
  • D.
    It leaves me feeling physically drained and tense
• 10.
  What’s your biggest barrier to feeling more balanced? 

  • A.
    Finding ways to minimize sensory overload in daily life
  • B.
    Setting boundaries to protect my emotional energy
  • C.
    Letting go of perfectionism and overcommitment
  • D.
    Prioritizing rest and physical care when I’m busy
• 11.
  What do you wish people understood about your energy?

  • A.
    I’m not antisocial -- I just need quiet to think clearly
  • B.
    I care deeply, but I need space to process emotions
  • C.
    I’m not lazy -- I’m just overwhelmed
  • D.
    I can’t function when my body’s running on empty

Quiz Outcomes

• 1.
  SENSORY OVERLOAD

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  Your Energy Drain Archetype Is… The Overstimulated ObserverAKA: Sensory OverstimulationYou’re not imagining it. It really is too much sometimes. Too bright, too loud, too many things happening all at once.Your body has been trying to process everything it takes in, and it’s tired.Even when you think you’re doing “nothing,” your nervous system is still running in the background, adjusting, filtering, and bracing. Over time, that constant alertness eats away at your energy until even small things start to feel unbearable.You might notice...Feeling jumpy or tense for no clear reasonWanting silence or darkness more than usualFeeling like you need to escape certain places or peopleTrouble focusing when there’s background noiseIrritation, headaches, or sensory fatigue that builds throughout the dayWhat’s draining youYour system is overloaded. There’s too much input and not enough recovery between exposures. It’s like living next to a speaker that’s always turned up just a bit too high. You start to adjust until you can’t anymore, and suddenly everything feels like “too much.”This isn’t a lack of resilience. It’s your body telling you that your environment has been too demanding for too long.Try this micro-reset"The Sensory Anchor"When things start to feel overwhelming, pause and give your body one safe, steady thing to focus on. It might be the weight of a warm mug, the texture of a soft blanket, or the sound of your own breath.Stay with that one thing for a couple of minutes. Let it be the only sensory input your body has to manage. That small moment of focus helps signal safety to your system and gives it a break from processing everything all at once.Movement tipMovement doesn’t have to be loud, bright, or intense. In fact, your body probably needs quiet movement... walking in nature, stretching in dim light, or strength work at home. Keep the environment as calm as possible (music is obviously welcome if it helps you!) and notice how your body feels before, during, and after.Nutrition tipWhen your senses are already overloaded, food textures, smells, or prep work can feel like too much. Keep a few comfort meals on rotation that are easy, familiar, and don’t require decisions. Repeated meals are sensory stability.Your strengthYou notice what others miss. You pick up on tone, energy, subtle shifts in a room. That sensitivity is a deep intelligence. The key is learning to protect it, not override it.When you start giving your body more space to rest from input, you’ll notice your creativity, focus, and calm begin to return. The goal isn’t to become less sensitive but to feel safe in that sensitivity again.If you want help lowering stimulation and calming your system without adding more “to-dos,” my free 7-Day Nervous System Reset was made for you. It walks you through simple daily resets that help your body find quiet again and build back your capacity, one gentle shift at a time.You can start whenever you’re ready.
• 2.
  EMOTIONAL OVERLOAD

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  Your Energy Drain Archetype Is… The Emotional AbsorberAKA: Emotion(al) OverloadYou feel everything. Yours, theirs, the energy in a room, the tension someone isn’t saying out loud. You probably pick up on it before anyone else does.And even when you try to let it go, it sticks around because your nervous system is still processing the emotional load long after the moment passes.This isn’t because you’re “too sensitive.” It’s because your brain and body were wired to notice. The problem isn’t feeling deeply; it’s never getting the space to process what you’ve taken in.You might notice...Feeling heavy or foggy after social interactionsGetting irritable or withdrawn without knowing whyCraving alone time but not always finding it restorativeCrying more easily or snapping faster than usualFeeling like you have to be “the calm one” for everyone elseWhat’s draining youYour energy is leaking through emotional absorption. You’re constantly taking in other people’s moods and stress while trying to regulate your own.It’s kind of like holding a dozen unmarked emotional bags, not realizing half of them aren’t even yours.Over time, your system starts confusing “connection” with “carrying.” And that’s what leaves you feeling wiped out, even on quieter days.Try this micro-reset..."The Emotional Separation Reset"When you notice yourself holding more emotion than feels manageable, pause for a moment and check in. Ask yourself, “Is this feeling mine?”Take three slow breaths, longer on the exhale than the inhale.As you breathe out, imagine setting down what doesn’t belong to you, not to reject it, but to release it. You can care without carrying.Even two minutes of this small practice helps your body sort what’s yours to hold and what you can move on from in grace.Movement tipYou don’t always have to process emotions by thinking about them. Sometimes it’s more effective to let your body move through them. Walking somewhere quiet, slow-paced strength training, or pacing while listening to music can help you release emotional tension that words can’t reach. I also find that a shower can wash away the day’s emotional leftovers (the kind of tension you can’t really name but feel sitting under your skin). The water helps your body release some of what it’s been holding, almost like you’re rinsing off the emotional static that built up from everyone else’s energy, the noise, and the small stresses that just stick to you. It’s a reset without needing to overthink or explain anything to yourself. Just use that visualization to reset.Nutrition tipEmotional intensity burns through energy fast, even if you’ve barely moved. You might forget to eat or crave quick comfort foods when you’re overwhelmed. Try to keep something balanced and easy nearby, like a wrap, yogurt and granola, or eggs and toast. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it just has to happen.Your strengthYou care deeply. You hold space for others without needing to be asked. You bring empathy, insight, and calm into rooms that need it. That’s not something to fix or toughen out of you. It’s something to protect and honor.When you start giving that same attention to yourself that you so easily give to others, you stop drowning in emotion and start floating again. Feeling doesn’t drain you as much when you’re not carrying it all alone.If you’re ready to feel lighter and learn how to calm your system without shutting down your sensitivity, my free 7-Day Nervous System Reset was made for you. It gives you simple, low-effort ways to recover from emotional overload and build emotional steadiness over time (no overthinking required ;)You can start whenever you feel ready.
• 3.
  TASK OVERLOAD

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  Your Energy Drain Type Is… The Overcommitted AchieverAKA: Task OverloadYou’ve been in go-mode for a long time.You’re the one who keeps the list, remembers the small things, and picks up what everyone else drops. It’s not that you don’t want to slow down, it’s just that slowing down feels like losing control of something important.At this point, even when you’re sitting still, your brain is still moving. There’s a low-level hum of pressure that never really turns off. It’s exhausting, and also weirdly hard to stop.This kind of exhaustion doesn’t come from one bad week. It builds over time from running without recovery.You might notice...You feel tired but wired, always half-thinking about the next thingSmall interruptions make you snapYou have a hard time relaxing because something always feels unfinishedYou fall asleep late or wake up thinking about your to-do listYou feel guilty for needing a breakWhat’s draining youYour body isn’t getting space to reset between demands.The constant mental switching, the background worry, the multitasking... it’s all energy output. And your nervous system never gets the chance to refill the tank.Try this micro-reset"The One-Thing Pause"When your thoughts start racing between tasks, stop for a few seconds.Put your hand somewhere steady like your desk, your leg, or your chest and ask: “What’s the one thing that actually matters right now?”Name it. Take one slow breath. Then do just that one thing.This small interruption gives your body a sense of focus and safety, like telling your nervous system, “We’re okay. We can land here for a minute.”Movement tipYou don’t need a routine or structure right now.Choose movement that helps your body feel a little lighter like walking to clear your head, stretching between tasks, standing outside for a few minutes. Let it feel natural and doable.Nutrition tipWhen your brain is full, meals tend to slide down the list.Keep a few things nearby that make eating easier. Something you can grab without planning. Steadier fuel helps your mind slow down enough to think clearly again.Your strengthYou’re someone who cares deeply and follows through when others drop the ball. That’s one of your greatest strengths but it’s also what burns you out. You don’t need to do less because you don’t care. You need to do less so your body can keep up with how much you care.When you start giving yourself permission to pause, your focus sharpens, your body softens, and your mind starts to trust that it can rest without losing momentum.If you’re ready to start finding small ways to unwind the constant “on” feeling, my free 7-Day Nervous System Reset is designed to help sensitive and neurodivergent bodies find steady ground again. It offers gentle, practical ways to lower stimulation, release tension, and rebuild capacity without asking you to do more.Tap below to give it a try.
• 4.
  PHYSIOLOGICAL DEPLETION

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  The Depleted Doer(Physiological Depletion)You’re not just tired, your body is straight-up outta fuel.You’ve been running on stress, caffeine, and adrenaline for so long that “rest” doesn’t even feel like it works anymore.Your body’s been whispering that it’s done. You just haven’t had the space (or capacity) to listen. And when you can’t slow down, those whispers turn into full-blown shutdowns such as foggy thinking, irritability, tension, waking up already tired.What’s really going on...Your body just doesn’t have the raw materials (food, sleep, hydration) to keep up with everything you’ve been asking of it.You’ve learned to push through because that’s what the world rewards.But your body’s not asking you to push harder. It’s asking you to stop fighting it.Common signsYou forget to eat until you’re starvingYou grab coffee before food because it feels fasterYou stay up too late scrolling because it’s the only quiet time you getYou wake up groggy no matter how much sleep you getYou keep telling yourself you’ll “rest later,” but later never happensWhat actually drains youUnder-eating or waiting too long to eatRunning on caffeine instead of caloriesTreating rest like something to earnIgnoring your body until it’s screaming at youThinking your “basics” don’t matter because they feel too simpleWhat your body’s really asking forYou don’t need a total life reset. You need the basics done gently and consistently.Food that stabilizes you. Movement that gives more than it takes. Real rest.You don’t have to "fix" yourself. You just have to feed yourself, water yourself, and stop pretending you can regulate a nervous system that’s starving ;)Try this tiny resetNext time you hit that wall where your body feels heavy and your brain won’t cooperate, eat something with a mix of protein, carbs, and fat.Something quick you don’t have to think about, like yogurt with granola or a banana with nut butter.Then stop for a few minutes. Sit, breathe, and notice how you feel. You don’t have to interpret it or do anything about it. Just notice.That’s the reset. It’s simple, but it works because it gives your body what it’s been missing...food and space.MovementMovement doesn’t have to mean workouts. You can start by standing up, stretching, walking to the window, or swaying your body a bit. The goal right now isn’t to “get fit," it’s to get blood moving without draining your tank even more. Build a small habit or two of getting up and moving around throughout the day. You can build on those habits later.FoodStart your day with something that’s not coffee.Even if it’s a few bites, protein and carbs first.Eggs + toast, oatmeal with nut butter, a smoothie, whatever you can manage.If that’s too hard, try pre-grabbing snacks that are easy to reach for later.What’s nextYou’ve been surviving on empty for a long time, and that’s not a failure, that’s proof you’ve been trying. Your body’s not the enemy. It’s just been waiting for you to stop overriding it long enough to help it recover.Feed it. Water it. Rest it.That’s where things start to shift, not because you’re doing more, but because you finally stopped fighting yourself.In case you need to hear it, you’re not weak or lazy, you’re depleted. Your body’s been running on fumes for way too long.If you want help rebuilding your energy from the ground up, start with my 7-Day Nervous System Reset that walks you through gentle daily practices that help your body shift out of constant survival mode so it can actually rest, refuel, and recover.You can start any time you’re ready to give your body a real break.