Burnout > Replenish > Illuminate š”
Plus, upcoming journaling workshops
Iāve been thinking a lot about the lifecycle of burnout.
It actually took me a couple years to label what I had gone through as āburnoutā. We tend to associate burnout with high stress and long work hours. Giving of ourselves until we can give no more.
My particular flavor of burnout was from doing things I thought I *should* be doing, following other peopleās hopes and dreams, and doing things just because I was good at them (not because I actually liked them).
High achievers + shouldās + being a people pleaser = a recipe for self-destruction.
And boy did I self-destruct. I burned out and burned it all down š„
Replenish
After burnout comes replenishment. A lifelong commitment to restore, nurture, and honor your Self.
I used to think replenishment was a phase marked by a clear beginning and end. So many times I found myself disappointed that I was not ācuredā of my burnout after meditating for 30 days. Or taking a yoga class. Or quitting my job.
What Iāve found is there is no end.
Itās not just one yoga class.
Itās not just 30 days of meditation.
I have to replenish daily. Every day, in multiple different ways. Some obvious. Some not so obvious.
I check in with myself. Turn down the volume of my thoughts so I can hear the wisdom of my body. Extend compassion, grace, and forgiveness to myself. I lead with love. I constantly recalibrate and realign.
Replenishment compounds over time.
Itās a lot of trial and error (sometimes annoyingly so), but better than the alternative of slipping into the black hole of misalignment.
Illuminate
As you begin to replenish, you start to illuminate the inner wisdom of your heart, body, and mind; the hard-earned wisdom that comes through your lived experience.
For a long time I thought the path forward after burnout was something outside of me. That I just had to find the Answers in something or someone. I spent countless hours consuming information from gurus and faux experts (fauxperts?) that promised to have the Answers (for only $97!) and reading all the self-help books ā anything to relieve the pain of feeling lost and disoriented.
What Iāve found is that the āAnswersā arenāt out there; theyāre not for anyone to give us. We have all the wisdom we need already inside of us.
Instead of asking big, broad, existential questions, Iāve learned that the questions that reveal the most enlightening answers are often the smallest ones, grounded in presence.
Journaling is the lighthouse that illuminates our inner wisdom. By putting pen to paper, we reveal our subjective capital T Truth. The next step that feels right and good and authentic. Our enough-ness. Our magic.
What wants to illuminate for you?
Come find out. Bring a pen/pencil, paper, maybe even a pal. šš¼
Upcoming journaling workshops š
August 22: Moodring Tech x Replenish: Uplift
Iām thrilled to be partnering with Moodring Tech for another journaling workshop!
This monthās topic is how journaling can uplift us when weāre feeling depleted. Oftentimes we find or turn to journaling when weāre in distress, which can be incredibly cathartic. But journaling can also be there for us in a lot of other ways too, like amplifying hope. gratitude. joy.
Iāve put together some incredible custom journal prompts and mindful writing exercises to do in real time to uplift us and amplify our joy.
Maybe youāre feeling depleted. Maybe youāre experiencing distress.Ā
If so, I highly encourage you to experience this journaling workshop and witness the incredible alchemy of putting pen to paper first hand.
August 29: Self-care through self-forgiveness
āWhen we forgive, we acknowledge that we are far bigger and greater than one individual moment. When we forgive, we are saying to the universe: I will not imprison myself or anyone else with anger, shame, judgment, or resentment. Gift yourself this freedom.āĀ - Cleo Wade
Do you find that youāre quick to forgive others, but have a difficult time forgiving yourself? Self-forgiveness unlocks freedom. Through custom prompts and mindful writing exercises weāll extend grace, compassion, and forgiveness to the person who needs it most: ourselves.
If you find value in Replenish each week, there are a few ways to let me know and show your support: ālikeā this post, leave me a comment, sign up for a future journaling workshop, or share Replenish with your friends.