Low Mood Isn’t Laziness: A Trail Tool for Grey Days

Let’s be honest: when you’re in it, low mood can feel like a swamp. Heavy. Grey. Like moving through treacle while everyone else seems to be sprinting ahead.

And yet, most of us don’t treat low mood with compassion. We label it. Lazy. Weak. Not trying hard enough. We tell ourselves to push through, get productive, snap out of it. But here’s the thing: low mood isn’t laziness. It’s your nervous system pulling the brakes.

The Weight You’re Carrying Isn’t Failure

When you’re depressed or flattened by exhaustion, it’s not because you’re “failing at life.” It’s biology. Your body is conserving energy, trying to keep you safe. Think of a bear hibernating through winter, or the forest going still when the cold sets in. Nature knows how to pause. So do we.

But we’ve been raised in a culture that worships busyness. Rest becomes suspect. Slowness feels like shame. No wonder it’s hard to tell the difference between laziness and low mood.

Trail Tool: Gentle Anchors for the Grey Days

When you feel low, the last thing you need is a pep talk. What helps is something small. Grounded. Possible. Think anchors, not ladders.

Try one of these:

• Name it, without judgement. Instead of “I’m lazy,” try “My mood is low today.” Words matter.

• Move gently. A walk to the end of the lane. Stretching your arms overhead. Nothing heroic — just a signal to your body that you’re still here.

• Touch something real. Warm mug in your hands. Feet flat on the ground. Dog’s fur, tree bark, kitchen table. Physical texture reminds your nervous system that you’re not drifting away.

• Choose one thing. Not the whole list, not the entire inbox. Just one doable thing. Then stop. That’s enough.

Why This Matters

Low mood doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means you need tending. Therapy can be part of that tending, not to “fix” you, but to help you understand the rhythms of your body and mind, and to learn how to walk with them instead of against them.

So next time the grey days hit, remember: you’re not lazy. You’re a living system, not a machine. And systems need pauses.

Take a breath. You’ve got this. And I’ve got you.

Sarah x