I wore my burnout like a badge of honor.
“See how hard I work?” it said. “See how worthy I am of my success?” I had something to prove. That I wasn’t lazy. That I could succeed in the “real world” – even though I never quite felt like I fit in.
But this was one thing I could be great at. Working hard. Making money. And if other people seemed to do it with more ease and fun than me? “They must be lucky.” I secretly envied them, but I wouldn’t let myself believe that I could have that too.
It’s been a life-long journey letting go of this identity – of these patterns that I let define me.
I had to hit near-burnout enough times – and have enough relationships be compromised – to realize:
Burnout isn’t sexy. Hard work doesn’t make you worthy.
You are already worthy.
You can do the work WITHOUT “working hard.” You have nothing to prove.
What got you here won’t get you where you want to go. The ease and fun you crave? It’s an INSIDE job.
If burnout and exhaustion keeps following you… it’s NOT the job or the business. It’s you.
That realization is painful, but it is also liberating. Because it means YOU have the power to make a change.
And what’s on the other side of that change – is FREEDOM. ✨
xoxo,
Makena
