The Energy Map: What Your Body’s Trying to Tell You

If you've ever cried in a Target parking lot because you forgot deodorant for the third time this week or lost your readers, phone, and sanity in the same afternoon—you're not alone. Welcome to midlife. But what if those little meltdowns weren’t just mood swings or forgetfulness? What if they were warning lights—yellow flashing signals—that your energy is trying to tell you something?

In this post, we're unpacking how to read your internal dashboard with a simple framework I call the Energy Map and Action Plan. It's inspired by the same traffic light system many chronic conditions use to catch early signs before things spiral. And yes, we're applying that to your energy—because midlife women need this now more than ever.

Why You Feel “Fine” (Until You’re Not)

I used to believe unless I was bedridden with the flu, I was fine. I wasn’t sick, so I must be okay, right? That belief got me through college on minimal sleep and gas station candy. But after having kids, running a half-marathon, and holding down a corporate job while mainlining coffee and sugar, I found myself permanently parked in what I call the Yellow Light Zone.

It’s that low-level haze where everything feels harder than it should, but you keep pushing through—because you have to. Until you don’t.

Enter: The Energy Map & Action Plan

Borrowed from the world of nursing care plans, this approach simplifies your body’s energy cues into three zones:

• Green = Go
  
  
• Yellow = Caution
  
  
• Red = Stop
  
  

Once you learn to recognize these states in your daily life, you can build micro-habits to stay in the green and avoid crashing into the red.

GREEN ZONE: Your Sustainable Sweet Spot

How it looks:

• You’re sleeping 7–9 hours a night
  
  
• You have mental clarity
  
  
• You’re not snapping at your kids (or your partner)
  
  
• You actually want to do the things on your calendar
  
  

How it feels:

• Balanced, capable, focused
  
  
• Present and steady
  
  
• Like you
  
  

What to do when you're in green:

• Keep going—but gently. Sustain those habits that fuel your baseline.
  
  

Micro-habits to maintain the green zone:

• Eat something within 90 minutes of waking up
  
  
• Take a 10-minute input-free pause each day (no screens, no noise)
  
  
• Use a wind-down routine with a sensory cue (dim lights, tea, soft music)
  
  

Green doesn’t mean perfect. It means sustainable.

YELLOW ZONE: The “Something’s Off” Stage

This is the zone where most women live—but ignore.

How it looks:

• You’re waking up at 3am regularly
  
  
• You’re snapping at minor things
  
  
• You’re craving salt, sugar, and carbs nonstop
  
  
• You’re overstimulated by noise and requests
  
  

How it feels:

• Restless, moody, on edge
  
  
• You want to cancel plans but don’t
  
  
• Slightly disconnected from your normal self
  
  

Micro-habits to respond in the yellow zone:

• Name it: “This is my yellow zone—not mom fail, not being lazy.”
  
  
• Remove something from your to-do list (instead of adding more)
  
  
• Pick one reset move from your Energy Reset Menu, such as:
  
  
• 5-minute walk outside
  
  
• Cool face rinse
  
  
• Throwing a weight ball (yes, really)
  
  
• Stretch with your favorite playlist
  
  
• Deep breathing or a short grounding exercise
  
  

This isn’t overreacting. It’s responding with intention.

Remember: If you ignore yellow, red is coming.

RED ZONE: Crash and Burn

You didn’t mean to get here—but you’re here.

How it looks:

• You’re canceling plans without rescheduling
  
  
• You’re crying in the bathroom with the door locked
  
  
• You’re sleeping but still exhausted
  
  
• You resent everyone and everything
  
  

How it feels:

• Disconnected
  
  
• Numb or overly emotional
  
  
• Like you don’t know what you want anymore
  
  

What to do in the red zone:

• Rest. Delegate. Recalibrate.
  
  
• Let someone else “hold the clipboard” for a while
  
  
• Ask for help—one task, one conversation at a time
  
  

You are not weak. You are wise for choosing recovery over guilt.

Create Your Personal Energy Map (Your Homework!)

Grab a pen and paper (or your notes app) and build your own energy map. Make three columns:

Column 1: Zone (Green, Yellow, Red) Column 2: What it looks like Column 3: What it feels like + what I can do

Example:

Make it yours. This is your Energy Action Plan.

Why You Need the Energy Tune-Up Tracker

Not sure what zone you’re in until it’s too late? That’s why I created the Energy Tune-Up Tracker—a free, gentle, judgment-free tool to help you:

• Spot your energy patterns
  
  
• Catch yellow signs before they turn red
  
  
• Build realistic micro-habits that work for your life
  
  

✅ Totally free ✅ Easy to use (digital + printable) ✅ Includes guided videos + support

👉 Grab your free tracker here

Final Thoughts: You Are Not Broken

Midlife is not a breakdown. It’s a wake-up call. Your energy is trying to tell you something—and it’s not just "try harder."

Start paying attention to your yellow lights. Love yourself in the green. Pause when you hit red. You’re not behind. You’re just learning a new way of being—and that starts with listening.

Hit subscribe to the Smash the Crash podcast so you never miss an episode, and if this post spoke to you, send it to a friend who needs a gentle nudge to slow down.

💜 Let’s smash the crash together.

P.S. If you want to actually see your energy shifts instead of guessing, download the Energy Tune-Up Tracker now. It might just change everything.