Too many people are headed for burnout. Maybe you’re one of them.
“Burnout is nature’s way of telling you, you’ve been going through the motions your soul has departed; you’re a zombie, a member of the walking dead, a sleepwalker.” – Sam Keen
Because here’s the thing – no one is immune.
I’m pretty sure even the Dalai Lama has to manage this to some degree. It’s part of the human condition, and we all go through it from time to time.
Sometimes it’s because you don’t know how to say no.
Other times it’s due to overwhelm of the awesome kind. There are simply too many great things to do, attend or take part in.
Either way, burnout is imminent.
“Just like there’s always time for pain,
there’s always time for healing.” – Jennifer Brown
If you’re too far gone down the path, you may not be able to avoid it.
The good news is, you don’t have to stay stuck there.
So grab a notebook and a pen. We’re doing this the old school way.
Ready?
MAKE TWO LISTS:
List #1
Start with Danielle LaPorte’s infamous ‘stop doing’ list.
Sit yourself down and get real.
I start with everything that’s currently on my plate – commitments, promises, projects, whatever.
Then I go through the list letting myself feel whatever energy comes up.
If my gut winces or my brow furrows, I get rid of it.
Do this with integrity.
If other people are involved, let them know where you’re at. Clean it up, repromise, change your mind – it’s all good when done in service of you being of greater service, to yourself and others.
If your gut flutters and you smile as you look at the item on the list, it’s a keeper.
It’s not rocket science. Trust your body. It never lies.
List #2
On this list write down all the ways you’ve given away your energy.
Maybe you ignored what you needed.
Maybe you stepped over a boundary or two.
Maybe you gave away more than you had.
Tell the truth.
Let the words slip from your fingers to the page, leaving space to reclaim your energy.
Now’s the time to get real.
Later is too damn late. Recovering from burnout is much harder than nipping it in the bud.
So, take a deep breath, feel your heart beating, and look. . .
really look at your Self in the mirror.
Breathe in the beauty of you, and with all the love and compassion you’d give someone else say, “I’m sorry. Forgive me. I love you. Thank you.”
Over to you:
Take this one step further and write yourself a love letter.
Sandi, THIS is brilliant…you are brilliant. And it’s come at a perfect time when my gut was already nudging me to let go of a few of the projects I’ve taken on for the month. I did so with one of them but could feel it brewing for another…and you just shook it out of me. I <3 you.
Sabrina at MyMiBoSo It’s often such a seductive, slippery slope we don’t even realize we’re nearing burnout until it’s too late. And managing ourselves and our energy before we get to that point is essential to minimize the highs and lows (which I believe have quite a negative impact to our well being.)
Sabrina at MyMiBoSo It’s often such a seductive, slippery slope we don’t even realize we’re nearing burnout until it’s too late. And managing ourselves and our energy before we get to that point is essential to minimize the highs and lows (which I believe have quite a negative impact to our well being.)
Wow Sandi – It’s like you read my mind. I’ve been feeling sluggish and blergh for a week or so. I totally needed to make list 2! Thank you.
DeannaLohnes1 I think I’m becoming psychic as I near 50 😉
Sandi – your ability to cut to the chase is just fabulous.I have two additions to your lists… things that tended to trip me up:- Manufactured Anxiety: my anxiety about flying places stops me from taking chances I would normally gladly do in a car. I manufacture anxiety about a process that’s perfectly safe and something I’ve enjoyed before (but have tons of anxiety about in the interim because I hate the process and I hate not being in control). Flying places certainly causes a revulsion, but I grow from the opportunities doing so gives me.- Character-building difficulty: sometimes, a client sucks. A particular task (out of a project you adore) blows, and you have to adapt and grow your ability to deal with that thing. It’s what makes you stronger, a better person, and more adaptable in the future. Doing your taxes, for instance – or making sure you at least write the check – is not pleasant, but you have to do it to avoid going to jail. On the same level, telling a client who has creeped their scope that their project costs more is difficult, but worth doing.Everybody has to pay their dues when they start something new. Everybody. And those dues can absolutely suck. Learning from those sucky moments is what makes you grow as a student, a business owner, and a human! 😀
ImNickArmstrong We have to cut to the chase because there’s so much crap out there to distract us! That’s why in spite of the discomfort, I work with people to take a good look at what’s in their lives. It’s often only when you can see what you’ve been tolerating that you can choose what you want instead.
Thank you for that last bit. I’m so resistant to making a ‘stop doing’ list because then I will feel like some sort of loser. I love this idea of self love and compassion: Breathe in the beauty of you, and with all the love and compassion you’d give someone else say, “I’m sorry. Forgive me. I love you. Thank you.” Yes!
saraho Imagine saying those words to yourself every day for the next month. Might be a different reality then 😉
Sandi Amorim saraho I think you’re on to something there! This morning when I was journaling after my brief morning meditation the final words that came to mind were “I love you Sarah” That seemed like a weird thing to write down – but I did anyway. It felt good!
Yup. Feels weird at first to look in the mirror and say it too!
Sandi Amorim saraho I think you’re on to something there! This morning when I was journaling after my brief morning meditation the final words that came to mind were “I love you Sarah” That seemed like a weird thing to write down – but I did anyway. It felt good!
Yes, I think that’s an important point — that when we sit down with a list of what we’re doing with our time, we can actually feel in our bodies, if we’re paying attention, which activities in our lives are serving us. If we consistently move in the direction of things that contract our bodies, no wonder we can come to feel tired.
acordaamor It makes sense when we start to uncover the connections right? The body doesn’t lie and we need to trust that.
I had adrenal burnout 4 years ago – and have worked my way back to “severe” (read aaarrrggghhh!!) Learning to listen to my body is an ongoing journey for me. I’m one of the overthinkers in life. There is a freedom that comes from accepting what you feel – but I have to say it’s not an easy or natural process for me. When you do – the results are wonderful!Thank you for this Sandi
ZivanaMindset It’s not natural for most of us because we’re not taught to trust ourselves in this way as children. Imagine if we shared this with kids and encouraged it as a practice. I think we’d be a lot less burnt out as adults!