Happy August!

This past week, I had the occasion to sit for a photo shoot with a fabulous photographer (shout out to @kaela_speicher from Kaela Speicher Photography!).  I’ve recently found myself leaning into transformation and change, even when it’s terrifying, new, and unknown. I’m asking myself why I'm doing this!

Well, something that’s been on my mind recently is this idea of transformation and how this relates to something all too many of us are familiar with—burnout.  

When I think about transformation, several things come to mind, one of which is the legend of the phoenix. This immortal bird, which experiences rebirth from its ashes, seems a fitting metaphor for how we might rebuild after emotional burnout, how we might rebrand ourselves.

So, what is burnout, who experiences it, and how do we recognize it?

It can happen to anyone. Burnout isn’t just “tiredness”; it can feel like a profound emotional, mental, and physical depletion. Like we’ve got nothing left.  Running on empty.  It’s important to note that it’s more than just stress or feeling checked out. It’s pervasive.

I know when I’m burned out because I can feel it in my bones. It shows up as loss of motivation, emotional numbness, cynicism, and irritability, and a difficult time just showing up for myself and others.  Often, I find that I recognize it after it’s been pointed out to me by others in my life who love me, or when I disengage from things that I love, such as exercise, cooking, or gardening.

Sometimes we may find that burnout sneaks up on us. Maybe it’s coming from everyday life—chronic stress, caregiver fatigue, or perfectionism. Perhaps we struggle with overcommitment and unresolved trauma.  Could our work-life balance be out of sync, leaving us feeling as though we have nothing left to give?  This certainly resonates with me. Then there is the shame; we push through the burnout, without asking for help or sharing our struggles with those who love us. We got this, we think. But we don’t.

I’m feeling this vibe, hard, within my own life. So many expectations, so many things that are interesting to me that I’d love to explore, so many difficult things happening in our world that I want to push against—so many competing demands. I’ve found it a struggle to stay grounded and focused, and to figure out how and where to show up for myself and others.

So, for the past few months, I’ve been working on some shifts, sitting in my ashes as the Phoenix would before rising.

I’m working on getting more comfortable with rest and stillness, and permitting myself to do less. This doesn’t mean I am less.  I started thinking about this (and practicing it!) after I read Rest Is Resistance—A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey. (Great book, highly recommend: links at the end of this post!)

The rest is self-care. Saying no is self-care. Feeding your mind and body what they need is self-care.

I’ve noticed a willingness in myself to make room, to expand, for this burnout and listen to it.  Asking “what are you telling me?”  This led me to see that this burnout is a turning point for reevaluating my life’s direction. I had been feeling stuck in my ashes, but now I see them as the nutrients I need to grow.

In the next few months, I’ll be making some significant choices that align my time and energy with the things that are vital for my value-driven life. Sometimes this requires being open to trying new things. Rebranding is giving Phoenix rising. I am rising from burnout by choosing the unfamiliar, the uncomfortable, and the significant—because growth lives on the other side of what once felt impossible.

#transformations
https://www.tailoredtalkscounseling.com/emotional-dysregulation/
https://www.kaelaspeicherportraits.com/

https://www.amazon.com/Rest-Resistance-Reclaiming-Divine-Right/dp/0316365211