Hey Uplifters!
Welcome to part 2 of our 10-part series on Burnout.
Burnout can leave us feeling perpetually spent, resentful, and disconnected from our spark. One of the biggest reasons we end up fried is because we’re saying yes to things that aren’t actually right for us. While self-care is crucial for recharging, there's another powerful antidote: Ensuring your big and small decisions align with your deepest purpose.
When we mindlessly react to every new shiny opportunity, obligation, or FOMO, we scatter our energy in a million directions. No wonder we feel depleted! It's the human equivalent of dividing by zero (cue the math anxiety).
But by anchoring our choices to what really lights us up, we conserve precious energy for what matters most. We feel intrinsically motivated and grounded in our "why." That's powerful fuel for persevering through this messy, sometimes maddening life without flaming out.
Instead of sliding into yes by default, here are some questions you can ask:
1) Will this energize my mind, body, and spirit?: In this whole world, you are the person you’re most responsible for taking care of. Will this energize or drain your mind, body, and spirit over time? You might not know all of the answers to this question right away, but asking it will give you some really valuable data.
2) Am I doing this because I genuinely want to? There are so many reasons we do things we don’t really want to: we’re afraid of being left behind, we don’t want to disappoint others, it feels like the “right” thing to do, we have a bad case of shiny object syndrome. But those are all short-term motivators. If we don’t genuinely want to do something and see the benefit to us, we will feel exhausted by doing it.
3) Is this the right time for me to do this?: There will never be a perfect time for anything, but there are better times than others. Every decision will have tradeoffs. What impact will this decision have on your other priorities? Does this align with your absolutely essential goals and values for this life phase? If not, it's likely an energy leak.
If all of these are a yes, GO FOR IT like you really mean it. Pour energy and time into it because there’s a great chance it’ll pay you back with more motivation, energy, and time!
Of course, life is messy and not all decisions will check every box. That's okay - use this as a general guide. The goal is to inject intentionality to buck the exhausting drift of reactivity. In our busy world, sometimes it feels faster to just say yes to everything (who has the time to think?). But, we actually save ourselves a heap of time by slowing down, checking in with ourselves, and making decisions more mindfully. BTW, this also works for decisions we’ve already made that no longer work for us. In case you need permission to change your mind and stop doing those things, here it is.
Try out this framework over the next month. Your purpose radar will get more precise with practice. See if it helps bring clarity and alignment to your most significant decisions.
What helps you stay true to your purpose?
This is part two of a 10-part series on Burnout.
Check out part one here to assess your current burnout risk and learn the costs and symptoms of burnout. Stay tuned for the rest of our series, where we will cover:
Energy Management: Optimal self-care, rest, and balance
SlayCrastination: Building routines to stay focused (Sorry for the name, but I have a 13-year-old)
Time Mastery: Planning, prioritizing, ninja productivity
Boundary Boss: Protecting your time from energy vampires
Stress Detox: Mindfulness, relaxation, and coping skills
Boundary Buddies: Cultivating encouragement and accountability
Doing it is Crushing it: Recognizing progress + self-compassion
Hotter Every Day: Long-term fire-tending strategies
Follow me on Instagram and LinkedIn for lots more stories of courageous Uplifters and simple strategies for keeping your inner fire burning hot.
Your Next Uplifter
Our next episode of The Uplifters Podcast is headed your way this Thursday. I can’t wait to introduce you to Dr Emily Bailey, nominated by the wonderful Reverend Katie O’Dunne whom you met in episode 38. Emily is a clinical psychologist and a total daddy’s girl, and she’s sharing an unforgettable story for our first-ever Father’s Day episode of The Uplifters Podcast!
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Hugs and high-fives,
Aransas
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