What I’ve Stopped Doing to Protect My Energy

Yesterday was the last day of summer.

Cloudy. Humid. A thunderstorm overhead.

The kind of weather that makes you feel clammy and unsettled in your own skin. I could almost be in Darwin instead of Swan Hill. My body doesn’t like it. It tells me straight away.

And that’s the thing about getting older. You start listening.

Not just to the weather. To your energy. To what drains you. To what no longer fits.

Autumn begins today. If it’s a season for shedding, then this is what I’ve stopped doing to protect my energy.

I Stopped Overcommitting

In my twenties and thirties I said yes to everything.

Work.
Three committees at once.
Motherhood.
Marriage.
Family organiser.
Volunteer.
Friend.

I didn’t ask for help. I just kept showing up.

I thought being needed meant being valuable.

It didn’t. It meant I was exhausted.

I was tired. Cranky. Stretched thin. Not my best at work. Not my best at volunteering. Not always my best at home.

Overcommitment doesn’t make you impressive. It makes you ineffective.

Now I look at my calendar differently. If it costs me more energy than it gives back, it’s a no.

No drama. No apology. Just no.

That decision alone has done more to protect my energy than any productivity hack ever could.

I Stopped Showing Up Out of Obligation

For years I was consistent. Dependable. The one who quietly showed up.

People noticed me. But they didn’t really notice me.

I was there. Reliable. Supportive. In the background.

Seen, but not seen.

That pattern followed me into work, friendships and even social media.

I would turn up. Cheer others on. Support. Create. Encourage.

But I didn’t always stand up for myself.

Not anymore.

I don’t show up out of obligation now. I show up where it aligns.

Do I get to every one of my son’s sporting events? No.
Do I miss my daughter every single day? Yes.
Do I sometimes feel guilty? Of course.

But being everywhere for everyone is not the same as being present where it matters.

After school time matters.
Space in my own home matters.
Peace in my own head matters.

I no longer keep quiet just to keep the peace. That change alone has helped protect my energy more than I expected.

I Turned Down the Noise

This one was harder.

I ghosted my own Facebook group.

There. I said it.

It wasn’t laziness. It wasn’t failure. It was fatigue.

Creating content for multiple pages. Watching posts disappear into silence. Knowing the marketing statistics. Knowing what you “should” be doing.

It’s hard not to take silence personally.

When you pour energy into original content and it gets no reaction, it plays games with your head. It brings back that old schoolgirl voice that says maybe no one likes you.

I’m not fourteen anymore.

So I stepped back.

I muted accounts. Unfollowed. Decluttered my inbox. Stopped reacting to every new product release. Stopped feeling like I had to use every single skincare product just because I could.

I know the science behind skincare. I don’t need to use everything.

Cleanse. Hydrate. Protect. Done consistently, done well.

With Buttons, I realised my creativity wasn’t blocked by lack of ideas. It was blocked by excess. Too many projects. Too much stock. Too much physical clutter at my feet.

Clarity doesn’t grow in chaos.

Social media rewards volume and visibility. I value depth and sustainability.

So I came back here.

To a space I created. A space that lasts as long as this website exists.

I’m still here. Just quieter. More intentional. Protecting my energy in ways that actually support my life.

What I Protect Now

I protect my routine.

My walk. Even on the days I don’t feel like it, I push through because the benefits outweigh not doing it. And on the days I skip it, I do so with grace and no guilt.

Skincare like brushing my teeth. And yes, trying to remember to floss because prevention matters.

Being there after school. Because eighteen years went far too fast the first time.

Space in my calendar outside of work for things that support my health. A massage. A glass of water instead of soft drink. Getting up and getting on with the day instead of sleeping it away.

I protect my energy at work too. I care deeply about doing a good job. I care about my clients. I care about quality.

But I no longer lose sleep over productivity targets that do not align with my values.

Autumn is not about adding more.

It is about shedding.

Shedding expectations others place on you.
Shedding noise.
Shedding the idea that you must be everywhere.
Shedding the need for visible applause.

Do I want more social reach? Of course.

But protecting my energy is the only way I will ever get there.

Clarity does not come from doing more. It comes from doing less, better.

And this season, that is exactly what I am choosing.