Checking Your Lights: A Gentle Way to Measure Capacity

Some mornings, the world feels like it’s already moving faster than you can keep up.

You open your eyes and the list begins—emails, errands, expectations. For years, I treated every day like it was a green-light day: go, produce, achieve.

It worked—until it didn’t.

Burnout taught me what rest never could: that slowing down is not a failure, it’s a rhythm.

Now, before I even step into the shower, I check my lights.

It’s a simple ritual that asks one small question: “Where am I today?”

I keep a laminated copy of my Red Light Day chart taped near the mirror. It’s a visual reminder that self-awareness can be as routine as brushing your teeth.

Red Light: Survival Mode

A red-light day means pause.

Your body or heart is asking for gentleness. The goal is not to push through, but to care through. Maybe the victory is taking a shower, drinking water, or texting one friend back. Maybe it’s simply breathing. These days are maintenance, not mistakes. They’re the moments that keep us human.

Yellow Light: Caution and Care

A yellow-light day is a balancing act.

You have some energy, but not endless reserves. This is the space to practice discernment—what truly needs your time, and what can wait?

You might tidy one room instead of the whole house.

You might send one email instead of clearing your inbox.

You might choose stillness over striving.

Green Light: Flow and Fulfillment

Green-light days feel open and full.

Energy flows, ideas spark — these are the days to create, connect, and move forward, but without trying to “make up” for slower days. This energy isn’t a prize you earn; it’s a moment you experience.

Why It Matters

Using the light system isn’t about labeling yourself—it’s about listening.

When you recognize where you are, you stop running on empty and start honoring your own rhythm. Your nervous system thrives on patterns of rest and recovery. The more you practice awareness, the faster your body learns that it’s safe to pause.

This framework helps you meet each day where it actually is, not where you wish it were.

A Ritual of Permission

Whether today is red, yellow, or green, you are still enough.

Hang the Red Light Day printable where you’ll see it often—a mirror, a workspace, or the back of your journal cover.

Let it whisper:

“It’s okay to slow down. It’s okay to move forward. It’s okay to be somewhere in between.”