MY BURNOUT STORY
I should all over myself.
All. The. Time.
That’s it. That is my story…
or at least that was the beginning.
The List of Shoulds
I should:
-
stay at home to raise the kids.
-
always put the kids first.
-
always put my husband first.
-
put other people’s needs first.
-
ensure my kids are getting the best childhood development.
-
play with them all the time.
-
always have a clean house.
-
say yes.
-
be happier, more grateful.
-
be better, thinner, prettier, smarter…​
I WAS FAILING.
As much as I looked like I had it all together, I was falling apart.
I cried every single day.
I yelled every single day.
I felt like a monster.
My life felt out of my control. All I could do was respond to the needs of my family and demands of managing the house on my own while my husband worked away for weeks at a time. I had wonderful family and a large group of friends but I still felt isolated and incredibly lonely.
Then I got asked...
“What do you do for fun?”
That floored me. I’m a pretty fun gal, if I do say so myself. But I honestly couldn’t answer.
I mean, did sleep count?
I had no idea because I was “just a mom”.
I was just trying to survive.
Fun wasn’t on my radar.
Burnout is sneaky because I didn’t feel unhappy exactly.
I felt:
-
overwhelmed,
-
tired,
-
stressed,
-
frustrated,
-
sad,
-
guilty,
-
directionless,
-
incompetent,
-
bored
and I felt:
-
fascinated,
-
delighted,
-
happy,
-
excited,
-
content,
-
powerful,
-
compassionate,
-
purposeful
-
and capable.
All those shoulds were keeping me in a constant state of stress. That chronic stress was burning me out but I was a stay-at-home mom, I couldn't experience burnout. I didn't earn it. I didn't deserve the indulgence of focusing on myself.
I didn’t know where to start or how to get support.
I did the work.
I learned how close the stress response cycle and protect my energy.
I practiced checking-in with myself: What did I like? What did I need?
​I rebuilt my mindset and developed healthy thought patterns.
At first it meant prioritizing myself in at least one area – and that was personal development. It meant reconnecting with myself, questioning my thoughts, challenging my beliefs and doing the work.
Now I support and guide you in doing the work. I trained to become a certified life coach because I know what’s possible on the other side of burnout. You get to live the life you want, do the things you want and experience the richness life has to offer.
You deserved to get your spark back.
