It’s no secret that I am familiar with burnout. Six months ago, at the peak of my burnout, I quit my payroll accounting job in search of a happier and more fulfilled life. I had no idea what the year ahead would look like, but I knew I needed to listen to my inner voice telling me to bet on myself and make some changes. Now, I am a burnout coach who shares free burnout education and tips for recovery. This blog post is both of those things, and I hope you find some value in it.
My burnout recovery journey has led me to some creative solutions. I realized that over the years I really lost touch with myself. I knew I needed to build more balance into my routines, but I struggled to recognize what I wanted versus what I “should” be doing. What actually fills my cup and recharges me?
I recently put together and participated in a free 30 Days of Self Love Challenge as a way for me and anyone participating to start experimenting with different self-care ideas and self-love journal prompts, and to start thinking more intentionally about how we show up for ourselves everyday. I learned a lot during these 30 days, and I want to share my top insights in case there are lessons you need to learn or be reminded of too.
The lessons I’ll be discussing are:
Simplify and lower the bar.
Intentional daily habits are secret weapons.
Tap into your inner voice and listen to it, or you may eventually be forced to.
Simplify and lower the bar. The perfectionist in me has a hard time letting me operate in baby steps. That voice in my head tells me I need to plan more, or have the whole vision established first, or upskill more, before I’m allowed to get started. Don’t get me wrong, the perfectionist has its gifts too – like encouraging me to give my all and keep my promises – but the way it holds me back puts a wall up that keeps self love out. What I re-learned from the 30 Days of Self Love Challenge, and what I’ve carried with me into July so far, is that baby steps are not my enemy. The perfectionist sees them as failures, or “not good enough”, or lazy goals, but I know that slow and steady wins the race. Building habits slowly is more doable and sustainable than changing my entire routine overnight.
Intentional daily habits are secret weapons. What kept me motivated during the 30 Days of Self Love Challenge was recognizing how many small ways I already show up for myself everyday, and being more mindful during those moments. Realizing that I could double down on tiny recharges was energizing and kept me focused, and intentional, with my daily choices. It was also motivating to see that on days where I was less intentional and didn’t plan ahead, I could usually still check something off the challenge calendar because I’ve already built some good habits over the past six months of burnout recovery. Those little things, like flossing your teeth or making your bed, are small wins that can boost your momentum when recognized and celebrated. The more you notice and give yourself credit for every little way you show up for yourself, the more motivated you’ll feel to continue pouring into your own cup.
Tap into your inner voice and listen to it, or you may eventually be forced to. When burnout is ignored for too long, your body may start calling out to you. This can show up as muscle tension, headaches, stomachaches, and digestion issues. Essentially, even your body demands rest and recovery. While fortunately that did not happen to me during this 30 Days of Self Love Challenge, I was forced one day to take some time to empty my phone’s camera roll to make space for more photos and videos. I felt like that was a relevant metaphor for burnout – your mind and body will let you know what you need, but you have to make sure you’re listening or you might miss their messages. I really want to stress here the importance of knowing your early warning signs for burnout and knowing how burnout manifests for you: the sooner you notice it and understand it, the easier it is to prevent or recover from.
I’m still on my burnout recovery journey, but I can confidently say I’m treading water now instead of drowning in it. The more I work on building balance into my life, the more I feel my inner peace returning. For me, reconnecting with myself was the first step. Learning to listen to and honor my needs has been helping me to rebuild self love and self trust. Intentionally, and slowly, building better habits and more balanced routines is helping me to break my burnout cycle.
If you are on your own burnout recovery journey right now, I see you and I’d love to support you. Visit my Instagram page and check the highlights for a copy of my free 30 Days of Self Love Challenge. For more personalized support, you can book a complimentary coaching session with me!