When Life Gives You Lemons… But You’re Too Tired to Make Lemonade

Have you ever had days, weeks, or even months where life feels like it’s weighing you down? It’s just one thing after another and you’re trying your hardest to keep your head above water – yeah, me too.

The past eight months have been some of the hardest of my life. I’ve faced addiction within my family, mental health struggles, grief, and the constant tug-of-war between my heart and my head. And all of it while still working full-time, being a mum, and just trying to survive the lemons life kept throwing my way.

There were moments when I completely questioned the idea of spirit guides and angels – and for some of you, that might be God, Source, or the Universe. It felt like I was being pelted with lemons, over and over again, with no time to breathe, let alone make lemonade.

If you’re not familiar with the saying “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” it basically means making the best out of a bad situation. But sometimes… that’s just too bloody hard.

This post is about those times. The times when you can’t find your strength or your light. When you’re not ready to “make the best of it” just yet.

And that’s okay.

Here’s what helped me survive:

1. Acknowledge Your Feelings

Don’t beat yourself up for how you feel. You’re allowed to feel low, heavy, angry, or lost – whatever it is, it’s valid. Sometimes there’s no quick fix. No affirmation, meditation, or spiritual tool will magically make it go away. And that’s okay.

What helps is simply acknowledging: “This is how I feel. And it won’t be forever.”

This is how I did it:

• Say what you’re feeling: “I feel like shit. I feel overwhelmed, frustrated, sad, betrayed, angry.”
• Notice where you feel it in your body: “My body feels heavy. My shoulders are tense. My chest is tight.”
• Reassure yourself: “It’s safe to feel this. These feelings are valid. They won’t last forever. My spirit is speaking to me.”
• Admit what you need right now: “I need sleep. I need a hug. I need to vent. I need something mindless to help me pause the noise.”

2. Be Kind to Yourself

This is essential. When you’re drowning in life, your usual routines slip away. You’re running on fumes, just doing the minimum to get through the day. You might feel irritable, angry, anxious – or just completely empty. Everyone’s version of burnout looks different. Only you know what it feels like when your light starts to dim.

Instead of beating yourself up – yes, you know what I mean – that harsh inner voice that says things like:

• “Get your shit together.”
• “You’re so lazy.”
• “Why are you like this?”
• “I’m a terrible person.”

Tell that voice to bugger off. Seriously. That voice isn’t your truth, it’s your fear, stress, and exhaustion talking. It’s the part of you trying to gain control in chaos. But what you need right now is compassion, not criticism.

When that inner critic shows up, try this:

Talk to yourself the way you’d speak to a friend.

• “You’re lazy.” → “No, you’re going through something heavy. You’re allowed to rest. Everything else can wait.”
• “I’m a mess.” → “You’re doing your best with what you’ve got. That’s more than enough.”

Start catching those thoughts and gently reframing them. This doesn’t mean forcing positivity, it means telling yourself the truth with love.

Want more tools for calming your inner critic? Read my other blog here.

3. You Don’t Have a Bad Life, Your Just Going Through a Rough Time

When the lemons are coming in fast and strong, it’s hard not to think “How bad is my life?” Your mind will shift, just like mine did, and your focus will shift to the negative. In psychology, this is known as confirmation bias – where you interpret everything based on what you currently believe. And for us, that belief might be that we have a bad life.

It’s important to become aware of these thoughts and remind yourself you’re just having a bad time – it will pass like it has in the past.

Remember all the things you have to be grateful for. If times are really bad, go right back to basics:

• I am grateful for another day.
• I am grateful for my family.
• I am grateful that I have a warm home to live in.
• I am grateful for the food I have in my cupboard.

I genuinely believe we can all find something to be grateful for.

A great tip: Make a habit of collecting proof that you’ve survived hard times in the past, you’re not just comforting yourself – you’re literally rewiring your brain. It’s a trick therapists call cognitive restructuring, swapping out panic and doubt about your current situation for grounded truth. You’re training your mind to remember: “I’ve made it through worse. I’ve got this.”

4.. Prioritise Self-Care and Rest

This is so important – honouring yourself and your needs.

Ask yourself: “What does self-care mean to me?” For some, it could be the basics like brushing your teeth and having a shower. For others, it may be a little more elaborate like a bubble bath, skincare routine, or candle-and-book session. Whatever self-care means to you, honour it. Choose something that brings that love back to yourself. Even just one thing will help.

You also need to rest. Take time to sleep in, have day naps, relax on the sofa, pause the passion projects or big goals and remind yourself it’s not forever – it’s just for now. Having that time to recuperate and bring your energy back to yourself will help you more than you know. Giving that energy to everything else will only make you feel worse.

When my lemons were hitting me hard, I took a step back from being the emotional support system for others. I laid off writing this blog – even though I love it, I knew I was spreading myself thin and it could wait. I didn’t overstress about healthy eating or screen time for the kids – I took quick wins that made my life easier at that moment.

I stopped my habit tracking, routines, and even heavy exercise to help me focus my energy on my internal world. I needed everything I had to replenish my soul and meet my basic needs. I knew all this would be waiting for me when I came out the other side. I wasn’t giving up – I was pressing pause.

Sometimes that pause is needed, so you can stop, breathe, and process without judgment.

5. Journal to Process Your Feelings

If I could recommend one thing to everyone in the world it would be journalling. It has helped me so much in processing the events in my life. It’s a safe space to be open, honest, and raw with no judgement. It takes it from your head onto paper. I’m able to say all the things I’ve been holding back – things I didn’t have the strength to acknowledge out loud.

That pen and paper is your trusted friend. One you can rely on to tell everything to, without the fear, shame or guilt for having the feelings you have.

You could try:

• Writing a letter to a person who has hurt you. Get everything off your chest – don’t hold back.
• Ask yourself: “What am I feeling today?”
• Recall events and situations to help you process what’s happened.

Note: You’ll know if you’re emotionally ready to do this. Please speak to a professional if you feel like your emotions or situation is too much to handle on your own.

I have a full blog post on journalling and all the benefits it offers. If this is something you want to try, give it a read here first.

Finally…You Will Get Through This

I know it probably doesn’t feel like that when you’re in it. But I promise you will. I’m still not fully out of my lemon phase, but I have started making that lemonade. Spoiler: Writing this blog is a sign of that. It took a good few months, and I know I will be okay.

And you will too. And if you’re not – and still need that extra help and support – reach out to your GP or workplace mental health services. There is bravery in asking, and sometimes that extra help lets you see things differently.

If you’re reading this, here’s my mam’s advice: “Keep your chin up.”

And maybe have a listen to Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds – just to remind yourself:

“Don’t worry about a thing, ’Cause every little thing gonna be alright.”

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