My Experience of Burnout: What I Missed & How I Found My Way Back
Burnout doesn’t always arrive loudly.
For many of us — especially women, mothers, caregivers, people-pleasers, and those holding everything together — burnout arrives quietly, slowly, subtly.
It creeps in through the cracks of over-giving.
Through the pressure to hold it all.
Through the fear of letting anything fall apart.
Through years of self-abandonment disguised as strength.
And that was my story.
How Burnout Crept In Without Me Realising
I didn’t see it happening.
I thought I was just “a bit tired,” “a bit off,” “just going through a phase.”
I kept pushing.
Kept showing up.
Kept holding it all.
Until one day I couldn’t.
My body crashed.
My mind questioned everything.
My emotions felt too big to hold.
And I realised I had crossed a line I didn’t even know I was close to.
Signs of Burnout I Completely Missed
Looking back, the signs were everywhere:
Constant fatigue even after sleeping
Feeling numb or disconnected
Losing passion for things I used to love
Increased irritability or emotional reactivity
A sense of “just surviving”
Struggling to make simple decisions
Feeling like everything was heavy
Disconnection from my partner and my own body
Difficulty slowing down
Feeling overwhelmed by even small tasks
At the time, I normalised all of it.
I thought it was just life.
But it was burnout — and my body was begging for me to listen.
When I Began Questioning Everything
Burnout forced me into deep reflection.
Who am I when I’m not carrying everything?
Why am I operating like my worth is tied to my productivity?
Why am I abandoning myself to keep everything else together?
Why is slowing down so terrifying?
What am I afraid will happen if I let myself rest?
It cracked me open — and this opening became the beginning of my healing.
How I Supported Myself Through Burnout
There wasn’t one big solution.
It was a series of small, intentional shifts:
• Resting without guilt
• Learning nervous system regulation
• Coming back into my body
• Letting myself feel instead of override
• Letting go of the pressure to be “the strong one”
• Asking for support
• Creating spaciousness instead of overfilling my days
• Rebuilding emotional safety
• Returning to practices that nourished me deeply
Burnout taught me that I cannot abandon myself and expect to thrive.
If You’re Moving Through Burnout
You are not failing.
Your body is calling you home.
Your nervous system is asking for safety, softness, and spaciousness.
This is exactly why I created Grounded In You — a space to rebuild safety, clarity, presence, emotional regulation, and connection with your body.
And if you’re wanting to move deeper into self-love, healing the patterns that lead to burnout, and rebuilding a relationship with yourself rooted in truth, safety and devotion — The Sacred Art of Loving Yourself is a beautiful next step.