I don’t have tips today. I don’t have a shiny mindset shift or a “just reframe it” moment. What I have is honesty.
I am physically, emotionally, and mentally exhausted right now, and if I’m being honest, I don’t think I’m alone. I think many of us are living in what I can only describe as our era of exhaustion! Not the kind of tired a nap fixes. Not the kind of burnout you push through with a planner or a better routine. The kind that settles into your bones.
Let’s Name It (And Let It Be What It Is)
Burnout doesn’t always come from doing the wrong things. Sometimes it comes from doing everything, for too long, without enough support, rest, or space to just be human.
It also comes from:
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Carrying responsibility for others
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Managing emotions (yours and everyone else’s)
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Holding financial stress quietly
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Showing up when you’re running on fumes
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Being “the strong one” for years on end
And yet you're still asking yourself, “Why can’t I handle this better?” Here’s the truth I need you and I need to hear: There is nothing wrong with you! Your nervous system is tired. Your body is tired. Your heart is tired, and that deserves our compassion, not correction.
Sit Here With Me for a Moment
Before we talk about recovery, before we try to do anything differently, I want to invite you to sit in this moment and let it be named. You don’t need to make sense of it. You don’t need to justify it. You don’t need to be grateful for it. Just quietly say (out loud if you can):
- “This is heavy.”
- “I’m tired.
- “It makes sense that I feel this way.”
There is so much relief in being honest without rushing to "fix" something.
Why “Pushing Through” Isn’t Working Anymore
Many of us were taught that rest is something you earn, after the work is done, after things calm down, after you catch up, but burnout doesn’t heal that way. Burnout heals when our pace slows, our expectations soften, and our nervous system feels safe again. Clarity does not come from forcing yourself forward. It comes from rest, finding you first.
A Gentle Burnout Recovery Week
Please know that this is not a challenge. It’s an invitation! This isn’t about productivity. It’s about self-repair.
Day 1: Reduce
Ask only one question today: “What absolutely must happen?” Everything else gets set down. Not ignored, just paused. Drink some water (warm if you want to calm your nerves), eat something, and simply allow yourself to breathe. This alone is enough.
Day 2: Rest Without Earning It
Rest doesn’t require a reason. You don’t need to be more tired, more productive, or more deserving. Sit. Lie down. Watch something familiar. Be still without explaining yourself. If guilt shows up, let it pass through. It’s just an old habit. Rest is not quitting. It’s how you maintain the part of you that’s been carrying everything.
Day 3: Release
Today isn’t about solving anything. It’s about giving your feelings somewhere safe to land. Write what’s real. Let the tears come if they need to. Say the things you usually swallow down. Not to fix them.
Not to make them disappear. Just to remind yourself that you don’t have to carry everything quietly. Nothing needs to change today. You’re simply allowing yourself to feel what’s already here.
Day 4: Comfort
Choose one thing that feels even 5% soothing:
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A warm shower or bath
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A favourite scent
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A cozy sweater
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Soft music or silence
This isn’t about treating yourself or escaping your life. This is about sending a signal to your nervous system that you are safe, held, and allowed to soften. When you’re burnt out, your body is often stuck in survival mode, alert, tense, bracing for the next thing. Small comforts help gently bring you back into your body and out of constant “doing.” It might feel simple. That’s the point. Healing doesn’t always come through big breakthroughs. Sometimes it comes through warmth, familiarity, and being kind to your senses. Remember that this is your nervous system self-care, not indulgence.
Day 5: Gentle Movement (Only If It Feels Right)
This is not about exercise. It’s not about burning calories, fixing your body, or “getting back on track.” It’s about reminding your body that it’s allowed to move without being pushed. Stretch. Step outside. Move slowly and without a goal. Notice how it feels, not how it looks. If movement feels like too much — rest again. That is listening. When you’re burnt out, your body already feels overworked.
Gentle movement isn’t a demand; it’s an invitation back into your body. Listening to your body is the work.
Day 6: Boundaries Lite
Today isn’t about setting big, scary boundaries or having hard conversations. It’s about making one small choice that protects your energy. Say “not today” to something. Delay a decision. Cancel one non-essential thing. Not forever. Not dramatically.
Just enough to create a little breathing room. You don’t have to explain yourself. You don’t have to justify your capacity. You’re allowed to need less, do less, and hold less right now. Protecting your energy is not selfish. It’s self-respect.
Day 7: Reflection Without Pressure
This isn’t about reviewing your performance or figuring out your next plan. It’s just about noticing, with kindness.
Ask yourself softly:
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What felt supportive this week?
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What drained me the most?
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What do I need more of and less of?
No journaling marathon required. No big insights needed. Just let the answers rise if they want to. Awareness is enough for now. You don’t need to change anything yet. You’re simply learning how to listen to yourself again.
A Permission-to-Rest Script (Save This)
When your mind starts pushing, judging, or panicking, return to this:
“I am allowed to rest without earning it.”
“I am not behind, I am healing.”
“My worth is not measured by productivity.”
“Doing less right now is the most loving choice for myself.”
“This season will not last forever.”
Read it slowly. Put your hand on your chest. Let your body catch up to the truth.
If This Is You, Please Know This
You are not weak. You are not failing. You are not broken. You are responding normally to prolonged stress, responsibility, and pressure in a world that rarely slows down, and right now, the most courageous thing you can do is be gentle with yourself.
From My Tired Heart to Yours
If you’re reading this and thinking, “This is me” , then guess what? I see you. Not the polished version of you. The real one. The tired one. The one who keeps showing up anyway. You don’t need to have it all figured out. You don’t need to know your next step. You don’t need to be okay just yet. You are allowed to be in the middle. In the messy, uncertain, in-between season, where rest comes before clarity. You just need to give yourself permission to soften. Allow yourself to pause and to stop carrying everything alone for a moment. And if no one has given you that today, let this be it.
Cheers,
Coach Jo 💗
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