Prioritizing Your Peace by Alicia Gunter
Somewhere along the way, a lot of us started believing that being a “good woman” meant always being available. Always making dinner. Always fixing problems. Always making sure everybody else is okay before we even stop to ask ourselves if we are okay.
Some of us are tired in ways we don’t even talk about out loud. Not just physically tired either. Mentally tired. Emotionally tired. Spiritually tired. The kind of tired where everybody keeps needing something from you, and you don’t even remember the last time you asked yourself what you needed.
That’s not peace. That’s survival mode dressed up as responsibility.
The Weight We Carry Without Realizing It
And listen, there is nothing wrong with loving your family, caring for your home, being dependable, or showing up for the people you love. That’s beautiful. But somewhere in the middle of all that, a lot of us stopped making space for ourselves completely. We became so used to being needed that we started feeling guilty anytime we wanted a moment alone.
Sis, every moment of silence does not need to be filled with productivity.
Sometimes you do not need to answer the question right away. Sometimes dinner can be simple. Sometimes the laundry can wait one more hour (…or day). Sometimes you just need to sit in your room, close the door, drink your coffee while it’s still hot for once, and let your nervous system calm down before you jump back into everybody else’s needs.
Even Jesus Rested
Jesus Himself rested. Matthew 11:28 says, “Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.” Notice He didn’t say, “Keep pushing until you break.” He said come to Him and rest.
The Invisible Pressure We’ve Learned to Carry
I think a lot of women have been carrying this invisible pressure to always “hold it down” or always be on top of everything, because we’ve done it for so long, and people just expect it now. They expect us to handle things because we usually do, but just because you can carry it doesn’t mean you’re supposed to. That part took me a while to learn.
I used to think prioritizing my peace meant I was neglecting something. Like if I wasn’t constantly doing, fixing, helping, answering, planning, or checking on everybody else, then somehow I was failing. Meanwhile, I was overwhelmed, mentally drained, irritated, overstimulated, and wondering why I felt like I couldn’t hear myself think anymore.
We’re Human, Not Machines
Honestly, sometimes nobody else is even putting the pressure on us. Sometimes we put it on ourselves, and honestly, I think a lot of us have spent so much time being everything for everybody else that we forgot we’re people too. Not machines. Not superheroes. Just human beings who need quiet, softness, joy, and rest too.
So stop waiting until you’re completely drained to start taking care of yourself. Sis, the kids can eat something quick tonight. I promise the laundry will still be there, and the emails can wait. Some things truly are not that deep.
Your peace matters too. And the moment you stop treating it like an afterthought, everything else in your life starts feeling a little lighter.
Alicia Gunter, Crown Contributor
