Little Things Mean Everything

Understanding Burnout

There’s a version of burnout people don’t always know is there, the kind where you don’t just lose energy, you lose pieces of yourself.

You stop recognizing what brings you joy.

You stop feeling creative.

You stop feeling light and positive.

You lose your why.

After enough stress, rejection, disappointment, or just living to survive you start to just robot out. Go with the flow, do the motions.

The Importance of Connection

Sometimes recovering from the state requires the right people seeing you and understanding you and knowing that you’re not yourself. 

For me, that person has been my friend, and accountability partner, Heather.

She has this almost supernatural ability to know when I need encouragement before I even call her to dump my insecurities. She doesn’t do this to secure our friendship or out of performing for me. It’s intuitive, people and their feelings are so important to her that she can sense when I’m slipping into exhaustion or self-doubt and quietly steps in before I disappear or self-defeat. 

Finding Joy in Small Gestures

I’m a cheerleader of the people and bring so much energy but where do I get my charge?! When I forget to plug in, breathe and let my battery reboot, friends like Heather remind me that sometimes it’s ok to just be a slug cause tomorrow you shall shine!!!

Okay so as I’m slugging out and feeling bad about it, a package arrives… I’m thinking there’s no way I’m getting a package. I don’t have a job and I’m going through a divorce. Why would I be ordering Amazon things? Did I order something while blinded by my blurry tears again?!? Anyway, defensiveness begins, different story different day … let me go check this mystery package…

If this is not for me then let's see what the neighbor ordered.

Alas, it was from a friend, of course Heather you peach… a picture frame with a quote that felt so deeply me it almost caught me off guard. tears, the kind of quote that makes you feel understood instead of just complimented. And cue more tears when you’re recovering from burnout or defeat, feeling understood matters more than most realize. 

The Isolation of Burnout

It’s hard to get out of your own hole without the help of others because burnout isolates you. Period. 

It convinces you that you are not trying hard enough and you are the problem because you’re chaotic or “too much” then not enough. Talk about a brain cell malfunction. 

But then someone sends you a reminder that they do see you and you are the right amount of you, then suddenly your nervous system softens a little… phew. 

The Role of Humor and Play

Heather also included one of her signature encouragement cards knowing just how to hype me up… it is hilarious, slightly provocative, completely unserious in the best way. She knows my humor. She knows the side of me that still needs to laugh even while rebuilding my life. That silly part matters too and without it I’m just… well shoot I don’t really want to imagine that. Blahhhh

I think one of the biggest mistakes adults make during hard seasons is starving their inner child in the name of survival!!! Pfft… survival, have you seen lord of the flies? That inner child is the one getting me off that island… with the least amount of casualties preferably… however, it’s silly to think survival doesn’t involve the child in us… anyway again I could go on for days about the inner child… and without it we become all responsibility, strategy, and pressure. Maybe a little rage… But healing requires play too, so your inner child needs encouragement not shame. 

Encouragement and Support

Which is exactly why tucked into the package were things my inner child giggled and danced around the room. A ninja turtle notebook, funny stickers, and their reminder that I’m still allowed to be a happy person while carrying heavy things 

Not just a worker.

Not just a problem solver.

Not just someone trying to “hold it together.”

A silly goofy person with responsibilities… ha 

Heather somehow manages to encourage both the child and the professional in me. On top of all these fun little things, she included a business-card bracelet where I can just tap it and instantly share my information. It’s sleek and she knows I would lose something like business cards… whoops! 

The Power of Belief

It sounds simple, but gestures like that say:

“I believe in where you’re going.”

“I see your future self too.”

“I love who you are and who you’ve been.” 

“You matter.”

“You got this girl.”

That kind of support has changed my life over the years and kept me moving.

Recovery Through Connection

We often think recovery happens in isolation, through discipline, therapy, journaling, and productivity development. Sometimes recovery happens because someone loved you or supported you consistently enough that you finally felt safe enough to exhale. The older I get, the more I realize friendships are not side characters in our lives but crucial in our healing and success.

Especially the ones who know how (or in Heather's case when) to remind you who you are when burnout, grief, failure, or stress tries to convince you otherwise. 

Trusting Yourself and Your Support System

Trust your people and trust yourself. Often, we are so busy giving of ourselves that we don't see how it's affecting us. If you are not feeling like yourself, let your support system know. You will be amazed at how they will show up for you.