I had a lot of other blog posts on my list to write this week–ones about favorite jeans, benefits of Eucalyptus, wellness tips, an updated skincare routine–you know, the usual shit I’ve been writing about as of late. But, I haven’t been real on here in a minute and the topic of burn outs has been pulling on my heartstrings over the past couple of weeks. 

We as humans can burnout doing just about anything–it could happen in regards to your favorite sport, various forms of working out, or aspects of your job that cause you to hit that point where you just want to shut it all down.

For me, burnouts are usually brought on by a variety of factors. Emotional stress, taking on a much larger workload that I can bare, or even financial stress can take me to the tipping point that causes me to hit a brick wall.

When I’m burnt out, I’m simply not myself. I get writer’s block, I have no motivation to do the things I love, and close myself off from the world. I think this is just my body telling me that I need to unplug before I literally lose my shit, but either way I feel so off. 

I used to see burnouts as a sign of weakness. I was of the mentality that I was only as strong as my workload and if I couldn’t handle all of the many tasks I took on, then I didn’t deserve any of the success they would bring. 

Hi, I’m here to say your workload does not equal your worth. Read that again. Write it down. Repeat it to yourself. 

There’s a reason why I titled this blog, How to Navigate Through a Burnout, instead of, How to Prevent a Burnout. Sometimes, burning out is simply unavoidable. 

I get that we are entering a time of positivity, selfcare, and whatever–but sometimes life gets hard and we have no choice but to take on certain responsibilities. I feel like no one really talks about this, but it’s the truth and I wish folks would be a little more transparent about it. 

We must recognize it, acknowledge it, and work through it. I’m not here to fake that I’m happy all of the time and live a flawless life. Each and every one of us is going through something at some point in our lives that could cause us to eventually burnout. 

Here are some ways I get through a burnout when I’m feeling off my A-game:

Get out my Head

Naturally, I’m just the type of person that overthinks everything. In a bad burnout you bet I’m way too in my own head. I have to get really philosophical during these times and remember that tomorrow is not guaranteed and to get out of my head and into the life I’m living. Get outside, connect with nature, move your body, or do an activity that makes you feel the most yourself.

This is actually how my workouts were born. I’m definitely not a good dancer, but love to move my body. When I’m feeling off or burnt out, I turn on my favorite jams and start doing some of my HIIT sequences. This gets me out of my head every single time, gets my endorphins going, and helps me to remember my purpose on this earth. 

Connect With a Higher Power

Oh wow okay this topic makes me super nervous, as I’ve never once discussed religion on here, but I feel it’s necessary to share this little tidbit today in hopes that it might help one of you. 

To give a little background, I was raised in a Presbyterian household and in college took many religion courses on the religions of Islam and fundamentals of Hinduism, Buddhism, and Sikhism. To be honest I completely lost touch with my faith over the last couple years and I would be lying if I said I didn’t think this affected my mental health. 

I think a lot of us go through this in our early twenties. We are figuring out who we are, what we resonate with, and who we want to be. Of course these thoughts are going to affect our opinion on our own religious beliefs. 

However, losing touch with my faith also caused me to forget that there is a plan for me. I could probably write an entirely separate post on this if anyone is interested, but reading, There’s a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem, by Wayne W. Dyer has helped me to connect with a higher power again. 

Whether you connect with God, Spirit, or Mother Earth, this book delves into how there is a bit of spirit in all of us, how connecting with this spirit raises our vibration or energy, and helps to manifest/tap into healing energy. This book pulled me out of a very dark and weird time for me, if you are feeling lost or unlike yourself I really recommend it–no matter what your spiritual beliefs are. 

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

Sometimes getting lost in my everyday routine isn’t necessarily healthy for me. Mixing it up, hanging out with someone new, and trying new things can get me out of a funk or burnout. 

Do something uncomfortable to get out of your own head, you might even learn something new about yourself! This could mean trying a new gym or style of workout that’s out of the norm, asking a friend you haven’t seen in a really long time for coffee, or even taking yourself on a solo date out to dinner. This is when I like to try cooking a new recipe or baked treat that I wouldn’t normally cook or makes me nervous to try!

Take a Hard Look at Your Surroundings

I always take a burnout as an opportunity to look inwards. Am I surrounding myself with people that aren’t good for my mental health? Are they bringing me down? Making me feel bad about myself? Causing me stress? All of these questions can be applied to your work, gym, or living environment. We are what we consume and surround ourselves with, make sure that it’s lifting you up and not dragging you down. These are some things I’ve really had to take a hard look at as of late. 

I really hope you can use some of these tips during your next burnout or anytime you feel off and need to connect with yourself again. Let me know your thoughts or if you have any tips that get you through a burnout!

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