Your Stories of Struggling with and Overcoming Burnout

When the Fuel Tank is Beyond E

Burnout can be characterized by a number of causes and states. We can all relate to prolonged work-related stress and running on fumes; however, as many of us understand, the cause(s) and repercussion can extend beyond the workplace. Burnout can result from the same insidious instigators from situations, events, and relationships in personal lives, and for too many folks, burnout can often result from and every combination above, and like a spider web, the fallout impacts all other facets of our lives and being.

While it’s often attendant with some common clear warning signs of chronic anxiety, depression, and exhaustion, anyone who has experienced burnout and has shared their story with me has a unique experience, a singular voice.

Since I am not a doctor and have never played one on TV, I prefer a simple, less complicated way to describe and understand the way in which experiencing burnout might be like in the most fundamental way: Burnout can also be experienced as disconnection from the people and things we love, the very things that make us feel alive and that life is worth living.

The Road Block Ahead in Many Roads

In the next Dispatch on One Life, Many Roads, I’ll share a story of my own.

As I was thinking about this topic recently, I wanted to ask you to ask you to raise your voice and provide your own story.

It takes a bit of courage and a willingness to being vulnerable, but here’s the thing…

We’re only as strong and diverse as the voices who engage, risk vulnerability, and share their stories – not only for their own benefit but also for the benefit of the larger community. No one owns the patent on what’s right or real. Additionally, your experiences and thoughts are just that – yours. By definition, they are unique, and in my book, valuable.

So, What’s Your Story?

Here are some thought pills:

• What’s your experience with burnout, and what helped you move through it?
• How did you navigate it?
• How did you refuel your tank?
• What were the early signs of burnout you wish you’d recognized sooner?

• How did burnout affect your creativity, motivation, or relationships?
• What was at stake? Your job? Personal relationships? Both?
• What’s one thing that helped you feel human again?
• Have you ever quit something because of burnout—and how did that feel?
• What’s a myth about burnout you’d like to debunk?
• What boundaries or rituals have helped you recover or prevent burnout?
• What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone in the thick of it?
• How do you define “rest” now compared to before?
• Were there any singifcant people, processes, or activities that helped you regain your footing?
• If you’ve emerged on the other side, what’s life look and feel like now vs. before and during your struggle?

Connecting the Dots Connects Us

I ask the above, and really anything here, not because I’m searching for engagement or an audience. I’m not driven by analytics.

I ask because I am interested and truly want to know.

I’m convinced we are not intended to travel life’s many roads alone. One Life, Many Roads is not just a record of my journey. To me, there is little value in a one-sided conversation.

We’re here to share the journey. Connection through community is what it’s all about!

This a record of our shared journey, and all the highs and lows that go along with it. The value is in the engagement and community, the ideas raised, and the feedback and stories shared. What you might think is.a small contribution or comment might be a long awaited revelation or epiphany for someone else that sets them on a new and better path.

One Sojourner is rooted in this concept.

If you have a moment, please share. I look forward to doing the same.

That’s enough for tonight. Tomorrow’s another light. From one sojourner to another, all the best!