10/09/2026
You're waiting to feel better before you start doing the things that will help you feel better. And that's exactly what's keeping you stuck.
I hear some version of this almost every week in the office. "I'll start working out when I have more energy." "I'll clean out the pantry when life slows down." "I'll start cooking healthy meals when I'm not completely exhausted by 6 PM." And listen, I'm not judging anyone for saying these things. I've said them myself. We ALL have. We convince ourselves we're being responsible by waiting until we have the time, energy, or motivation to make changes that will actually stick. But sometimes, that's just a really convincing excuse to avoid doing hard things.
I had a woman come into the office earlier this year who had been exhausted for almost FOUR years. Not just tired after a long day. I'm talking about sitting in your car in the driveway for ten minutes because the thought of walking inside, making dinner, and taking care of everything else feels impossible. She had a gym membership she'd been paying for over a year and had used it twice. Her pantry was full of foods she knew weren't helping her feel her best, but she never had the energy to clean it out. Her plan was simple:
Get her energy back FIRST. Then she'd start making changes.
But what if some of the things you're waiting to have energy for are the very things that could help you CREATE more energy?
Think about it this way. You don't wait until you're warm to gather firewood. You gather it when you're cold, when it's dark, and when the LAST thing you want to do is go outside. You gather the wood, build the fire, and THEN you get warm. We've completely reversed the order of operations when it comes to our health. We want the results before we're willing to do the work.
And here's where the physiology gets interesting. Your body doesn't just magically hand you energy every morning. It has systems responsible for producing energy, regulating your sleep-wake cycle, managing blood sugar, and responding to stress. One of those systems involves something called the cortisol awakening response, where cortisol naturally increases within the first 30 to 45 minutes after waking to help you become alert. Cortisol then generally decreases throughout the day as your body prepares for sleep. But inconsistent sleep, chronic stress, poor nutrition, and relying on caffeine to function can all interfere with your body's normal rhythms.
And suddenly, you're exhausted when your alarm goes off, drinking coffee just to function, crashing around 2 PM, and somehow wide awake at 10 PM reorganizing the kitchen junk drawer instead of going to bed. Sound familiar? 😂 Caffeine isn't inherently bad, but when you're using it to compensate for inadequate sleep and nutrition, you're not addressing WHY you're so exhausted in the first place. I always tell my patients: TRAIN the system, don't DRAIN the system.
And let's not forget about your mitochondria, the little powerhouses inside your cells responsible for producing ATP (energy). They need adequate calories, protein, B vitamins, magnesium, iron, healthy fats, carbohydrates, and REAL FOOD to function properly. You can't expect your body to consistently produce energy when you're under-fueling it, sleeping five hours a night, and running on stress and caffeine. And you certainly can't expect things to change if you're waiting for motivation to magically appear.
So here's the uncomfortable part. Sometimes you have to start doing the hard things WHILE you're tired. Get outside for 10 minutes of morning sunlight instead of immediately scrolling through your phone. Eat a protein-rich breakfast instead of relying on coffee until noon. Prepare a few meals for the week even when ordering takeout sounds easier. Go to bed at a consistent time. Take a 10-minute walk instead of convincing yourself that exercise only counts if you're at the gym for an hour. None of these things require perfection, but they DO require effort.
And no, you're probably not going to wake up tomorrow feeling like a brand-new person. But over the next several weeks, those little changes can start adding up. Maybe you don't need that second cup of coffee anymore. Maybe you're falling asleep easier. Maybe your afternoon energy is more consistent. Maybe making dinner doesn't feel quite as overwhelming. Progress doesn't always announce itself. Sometimes things just slowly stop feeling so hard.
Now, I want to be clear about something. If you've been struggling with chronic fatigue, there may be underlying health issues that need to be investigated. Thyroid dysfunction, iron deficiency, blood sugar dysregulation, sleep disorders, and other conditions can all contribute to exhaustion. No amount of discipline is going to replace identifying and addressing those issues. But you can investigate what's happening internally AND start building healthier habits at the same time.
Your body is incredibly adaptable. It responds to the signals you give it, the nutrients you provide, the sleep you prioritize, and the way you move throughout the day. But it needs consistency, not perfection. And sometimes that means showing up for yourself on the days when it's easier not to.
Because here's the thing... the version of you who has endless energy, perfect motivation, and absolutely nothing on their calendar isn't coming to save you. You have to start taking care of the version of you that exists RIGHT NOW.
So here's my challenge to you this week:
Pick ONE thing you've been putting off because you're waiting to feel better first. Not ten things. Just one. Start there, even if you don't feel completely ready.
What's ONE healthy habit you've been putting off because you haven't had the energy or motivation to start? 👇
Cheers,
Dr. Collin
