Rising From the Ashes: My Journey Through Burnout and Back to Purpose
It's been nearly five years since I last blogged. Five years of silence that spoke volumes about a reality I never thought I'd face: burning out on my own passion. Today, I'm here to share the raw truth about burnout, how it found me even in the work I loved, and the tools that brought me back-not to where I was, but to somewhere better.
When Your Passion Becomes Your Breaking Point
If you'd told me in 2019 that I would burn out on psychology-on helping people-I would have laughed. This was my calling, my purpose, the work that made me feel alive. But burnout doesn't ask permission, and it certainly doesn't care about your passion.
The pandemic lockdowns arrived, and like many of you, my world turned inside out. Suddenly I was homeschooling my child while trying to maintain my practice, support clients through collective trauma, and hold my family together. The boundaries between work and home dissolved completely. There was no escape, no reprieve, no space to breathe.
Two years of homeschooling. A forced return to full-time corporate employment just to keep the bills paid. An international move that uprooted everything familiar. Each change was manageable on its own, but together? They created a perfect storm.
The exhaustion ran deeper than tiredness. It was a bone-deep depletion that made even thinking about psychology feel heavy. The blog posts stopped. The enthusiasm faded. I found myself going through the motions, and that's when I knew: I had burned out on the very thing that once lit me up.
The Uncomfortable Truth About Burnout
Here's what they don't tell you about burnout: it can happen with anything. Even your deepest passions aren't immune. In fact, sometimes our passions are where we're most vulnerable because we give and give without recognizing we're running on empty.
Burnout isn't just being tired. It's not something a weekend away can fix. It's a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by prolonged stress. It's when your body and mind finally say "enough" and refuse to cooperate anymore.
For me, the signs were clear in hindsight: cynicism creeping into my work, physical symptoms I kept ignoring, the inability to feel excited about projects that once energized me, and that terrible feeling of being trapped in obligations rather than inspired by opportunities.
The Path Back: Tools That Actually Worked
Recovery from burnout isn't linear, and it isn't quick. But it is possible. Here are the tools that helped me find my way back:
1. Radical Permission to Stop
The first and hardest step was giving myself permission to completely step back. Not just reduce my workload, but truly stop. This blog went silent. I stopped trying to "keep up" with anything. I let go of guilt about letting people down. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is nothing at all.
2. EFT Tapping for Emotional Release
EFT (Emotional Freedom Techniques) tapping became my daily companion. When talking about my feelings felt too exhausting, tapping gave me a way to process and release without needing to articulate everything. It worked on the overwhelm when nothing else could reach it.
I've created a specific tapping script for burnout that you can use below. You can also explore my ever growing collection of EFT Tapping and Somatic Therapy Resources for comprehensive tools to support your healing journey.
3. Gratitude Journaling (Even When It Felt Impossible)
On my worst days, I could barely find three things to be grateful for. But I kept showing up to the page. Gratitude journaling didn't make the burnout disappear, but it created small pockets of light in the darkness. It reminded me that even in depletion, there were still moments worth noticing.
I've created a 119-page Gratitude Journal specifically designed for people going through difficult times-because I needed one that didn't feel overly cheerful or dismissive of struggle but had enough variety to keep me present.
4. Creating a Sanctuary Space
I invested in creating a physical space that felt peaceful. A Himalayan salt lamp became my companion during evening wind-downs, casting a warm glow that signaled to my nervous system it was safe to relax. Salt lamps aren't magic, but the ritual of turning it on each evening became an anchor point for rest.
5. Meditation Without Pressure
Medidation saved me! It has been the one thing that I just can't go without and forms part of my daily routine for 15-20 minutes each morning when I wake up. I feel the difference in my mood and ability to handle stress when a miss a day! I created short, guided meditations when I could to help others learn this practice. I have a small library of free meditations on my YouTube channel for anyone who needs accessible, no-pressure guidance.
The Shift: From Therapy to Tools
As I emerged from burnout, something had fundamentally changed. I realized that while I still valued therapeutic work, my passion had evolved. I wanted to empower people with practical tools they could use themselves-not creating dependence, but building capability.
This isn't about replacing therapy. Therapy is invaluable and necessary for many situations. But there's also tremendous power in giving people techniques they can use at 2am when they're struggling, or during a stressful workday, or in any moment when professional support isn't available.
My burnout taught me that we need both: professional support AND personal tools. We need therapists AND the ability to help ourselves. My new direction is about providing those tools-teaching you EFT, gratitude practices, meditation techniques, and other evidence-based approaches you can use in your daily life.
FREE EFT Tapping Script for Burnout
How to use this script: Tap each point 5-7 times while saying the phrases out loud or in your mind. You can repeat the sequence 2-3 times, or as many times as you need before moving on to the positive tapping sequence. Trust your intuition-there's no wrong way to do this.
Karate Chop Point (side of hand):"Even though I'm completely burned out and exhausted, I deeply and completely accept myself."
"Even though I have nothing left to give, I honor where I am right now."
"Even though my passion has become a burden, I'm open to finding my way back."Top of Head:"This complete exhaustion"Eyebrow:"I'm so tired I can't think straight"Side of Eye:"Everything feels too heavy"Under Eye:"I don't even recognize myself anymore"Under Nose:"This burnout has taken everything"Chin:"I thought I was stronger than this"Collarbone:"I burned out on something I love"Under Arm:"And I'm so disappointed in myself"Take a deep breath. Now for the positive round:
Top of Head:"But burnout is a signal, not a failure"Eyebrow:"My body was trying to protect me"Side of Eye:"I'm learning to listen"Under Eye:"Rest is not weakness"Under Nose:"I'm allowed to change direction"Chin:"I can recover from this"Collarbone:"I'm finding new ways to help and be helped"Under Arm:"I'm exactly where I need to be right now"Close with a deep breath and notice how you feel. You can repeat this sequence as often as needed. Some days you might need the negative round more, other days the positive. Trust yourself.
How to use this script: Tap each point 5-7 times while saying the phrases out loud or in your mind. You can repeat the sequence 2-3 times, or as many times as you need before moving on to the positive tapping sequence. Trust your intuition-there's no wrong way to do this.
"Even though I have nothing left to give, I honor where I am right now."
"Even though my passion has become a burden, I'm open to finding my way back."
Take a deep breath. Now for the positive round:
Close with a deep breath and notice how you feel. You can repeat this sequence as often as needed. Some days you might need the negative round more, other days the positive. Trust yourself.
Resources for Your Recovery Journey
Tools That Supported My Healing:
📓 Mindfulness & Gratitude Journaling
My Mindfulness and Gratitude Journal - designed for people in difficult times, with prompts that meet you where you are✋ EFT Tapping & Somatic Resources
Complete EFT Tapping and Somatic Therapy Collection - comprehensive tools including tapping guides, somatic exercises, and healing resources🧘 Meditation Support
My YouTube Channel - free guided meditations designed for people who struggle with traditional meditation🕯️ Creating Peaceful Space
Himalayan Salt Lamps - creating calming ambiance for evening wind-down rituals📔 Additional Journaling Tools
Quality journals and notebooks for freewriting, processing emotions, and tracking your recovery journey
My Mindfulness and Gratitude Journal - designed for people in difficult times, with prompts that meet you where you are
Complete EFT Tapping and Somatic Therapy Collection - comprehensive tools including tapping guides, somatic exercises, and healing resources
My YouTube Channel - free guided meditations designed for people who struggle with traditional meditation
Himalayan Salt Lamps - creating calming ambiance for evening wind-down rituals
Quality journals and notebooks for freewriting, processing emotions, and tracking your recovery journey
What Comes Next
I'm back, but I'm different. And that's okay. Actually, it's better than okay-it's necessary. The Well-Being Institute is evolving from a therapy-focused space to a toolbox for life. I'll be sharing practical, evidence-based techniques you can use immediately: EFT scripts, meditation guides, journaling prompts, and other resources for building your own well-being toolkit.
Some of these tools will be free (like this blog and my YouTube channel). Some will be affordable resources I've created or curated because they genuinely helped me. I believe in accessibility AND sustainability-I can't pour from an empty cup anymore, and neither should you. I will also share products that I have curated personally and have found helpful. As an Amazon Affiliate, I receive a small commission if you purchase a qualifying product that is of no additional cost to you.
To Anyone Currently Burning
If you're in the thick of burnout right now, please hear this: You're not broken. You're not weak. You're not "not cut out for this." You're a human being who has been operating beyond capacity for too long, and your body is finally demanding that you listen.
Recovery is possible, but it requires something our culture doesn't value enough: genuine rest, proper boundaries, and the courage to pivot when needed. Use the tapping script above. Start a gratitude journal. Create one small pocket of peace in your day. And please, be patient with yourself.
The path back doesn't look like the path forward did. That's not failure-that's wisdom.
Welcome Back (Both of Us)
Thank you for being here, whether you've been waiting five years or you just found this blog today. Thank you for reading this far. Thank you for being on your own journey of well-being, with all its messy, non-linear beauty.
I'm committed to showing up regularly now-not from obligation, but from genuine desire. I've missed this connection. I've missed sharing tools and insights.
Let's build our well-being toolboxes together. One technique, one practice, one compassionate choice at a time.
With renewed purpose,
The Well-Being Institute
Note: This post contains affiliate links to products I personally use and recommend. If you purchase through these links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps me keep creating free content like this blog and my YouTube channel. I only recommend products I genuinely believe in and have found helpful in my own recovery journey.
