Burnout in Business
A few years ago in my business journey, I desperately wanted to help more people, I wanted to grow and I wanted to take my relationship to the next level.
But I was tired.
I felt flat and it just didn’t seem possible.
The tank had well and truly run dry and I was serving….. nobody.
I stood back, put my soul work on hold and asked myself some really deep questions about what I wanted and what needed to happen in order to make that possible.
You want to grow your tree higher?
Your roots must FIRST go deeper.
You cannot support an oak tree that only has a singular root. It would blow over in the first storm, it would only get a fraction of the nutrients required to sustain the huge branches. It requires an entire network of roots drawing strength, stability, nourishment, nutrient, water, energy and LIFE from all directions.
After moving country and towns 4 times, leaving behind full time employment, plus a pandemic, my roots were only shallow. No wonder my capacity was limited. I had been in isolation and survival mode for too long and something HAD to change.
I looked to my foundations - I’d made no friends in my community, I had used up all my savings, Id barely done any painting, I had no car and I was too afraid to catch public transport. I had been so isolated working from home alone for 2 years that part of me had forgotten who I was. I was socially anxious, I’d lost all my bubbly confidence and felt incapable of doing even simple tasks.
So, back to the tools I use with all of my clients I went and I started rebuilding my foundations in this order:
1. I took myself through The Artists Way process.
2. I got a part time job at a local café and slowly started opening back up to talking and building relationships with strangers. I didn’t realise how closed off I was until I recognised just how anxious I was about taking a coffee to someone’s table. Having people in my community to have banter with has been PRICELESS.
3. With the change in weather Craig and I started bush walking and exploring again.
4. I stocked up on natural skincare, self-development books and booked myself in for massage
5. I restructured my finances and started stacking multiple piles of cash (savings, investing, holiday fund and expenses)
6. I signed up for a 4 week painting class to get creating again.
7. We booked a week off in December to go on a camping holiday
8. I went back to Yoga
9. I started writing again – for me.
I was able to contribute to our household expenses CONSISTENTLY which was HUGE for me. Being 100% self-employed had me in this cycle of feast/famine and it was causing me a lot of stress. Getting some part time work that allowed me to pick and choose when I work took a lot of pressure off and majorly contributed to being able to restore balance and ground DEEPER into my mission. It helped me to reconnect again, not only to a sense of community, but also to my authentic mission, over and above being able to make ends meet. And what I know for sure, nothing kills creativity more than NEEDing it to perform and pay for your groceries! If you find yourself in a similar position I highly recommend going back and re-evaluating your personal foundations. This is absolutely a key requirement in order for you to thrive and rise into authentic soul-led purpose.
p.s. your purpose goes with you wherever YOU are. That means, your part time job is also in service to your soul purpose and perhaps there’s something there for both you and them to learn. Your light is also needed there, trust that its all part of it.
