The Fear of Speeding Up Again

When I experienced fatigue, I learned very quickly and very painfully that I had to slow down. Not just slow down my calendar or my commitments, but my whole way of being. My thoughts, my urgency, my constant need to do more, achieve more, be more. Slowing down became a survival strategy. It was the only way my body could begin to trust me again.

But now, on the other side of that deep rest and recovery, I’ve found something unexpected: a fear of speeding up again.

I notice it every time life gets a little fuller or busier. A part of me whispers, “Careful. Don’t go back there. Remember what happened last time.” It’s like an internal alarm that goes off, even when what I’m doing now is balanced, healthy, and aligned.

This fear makes sense. Once you’ve experienced burnout or illness that knocks you to your knees, your nervous system doesn’t easily forget. It’s like touching a hot stove — even when the stove is off, you still hesitate to put your hand near it.

But what I’m learning is this: it’s not about never speeding up again. It’s about learning to move with more awareness and choice. To recognise that I can expand without pushing. I can grow without forcing. I can do without losing myself.

Because I’m not the same person who got sick.

I’ve processed old emotions that once ran like background stress programs.

I’ve learned the language of my body — when it whispers, when it warns.

And I trust myself now in a way I didn’t before.

Still, the fear is there. And maybe that’s okay. Maybe it’s not something to get rid of, but something to listen to — a reminder that I’ve worked hard for this peace.

So when I feel that fear rise, instead of fighting it, I ask it:

What are you trying to protect me from?

Is this a real danger, or an old memory?

How can I reassure you that I’m safe now?

It’s a gentle dialogue, one that keeps me anchored in both safety and growth.

Because life will ask us to speed up sometimes. There will be seasons of doing and creating again. But this time, I’ll bring my stillness with me — and that’s what makes all the difference.

✏️ Journal Prompts to Explore Your Own Fear of Speeding Up

1. When I think about “speeding up,” what emotions or memories arise in my body?

2. What does “safe momentum” look like for me — the pace where I feel both energised and grounded?

3. What beliefs do I still hold about rest, productivity, or worthiness that may no longer serve me?

4. How can I remind myself that I’m different now — that I have new tools, awareness, and boundaries?

5. What would it look like to expand gently, rather than push hard?