Burnout Recovery & Stress Relief

Reader, there has been a lot going on this month and we're only barely halfway through the first month of the year. With inauguration day on the horizon, I wanted to check in and see how you were doing. (And it's on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day too? Whew.) I'll tell you what, this week I'm spending less time in front of screens and more time taking naps, learning a couple of new recipes and diving into my latest book from my local library. Here's your gentle reminder to join me in resisting...

Reader, I am still in awe of Beyoncé’s Christmas Day performance. Completely. in. awe. Our favorite rodeo queen stole the show, with a bright white showcase of her latest album, Cowboy Carter. She stunned us during halftime with choreography, cowboy hats and intentional nods to Black history, powered by her beautiful voice and truly dazzling performance. Whew!After witnessing this performance, I’m inspired once again to resist shrinking myself. Many Black women feel pressured to tone it down...

Reader, what's a hobby that you'd love to get into? And when I say hobby, I mean a non-work-related or income-generating activity or pastime that brings you joy, peace and/or ease. (Yup, this definition of hobbies doesn't include side hustles my friend.) My hobby? Reading. As a kid, you could always find my nose deep into a fictional story. My mom would take my brother and I to our local library often, and I would leave with my arms full of stories to dive into once we got home. Reading was a...

Reader, words mean things. And I love diving into the meanings of words. In my trainings, I often start with offering a breakdown of some of the terms we will discuss together. In my e-course about understanding your burnout and stress cycles, I share what it means to feel chronically stressed. When your body experiences stress in a chronic way, this typically means three things are happening simultaneously: The stressors you're facing are complex to overcome, challenging to what you already...

36 percent of working people shared that their organizations are not doing anything to prevent burnout. According to this study, organizations are just not doing enough to help their staff prevent, overcome or recover from burnout. Without tools, strategies and support on burnout prevention, working people are at risk of overworking, neglecting their mental and physical health and quitting their current jobs in search of employment that does prioritize their well-being. Reader next year, I am...

Reader, you'll find on this journey that recovering from burnout can feel a lot like making sure the well-rested version of you is never forgotten about, ever again. During a recent journaling session, I wrote a letter to the well-rested version of myself. I wanted this version of me to know that I am committed to keeping her around -- she deserves to know that from me. Because when you're surviving the fog of burnout, the well-rested version of yourself might get lost in the stress,...

Reader, I can't tell you how many people confuse experiencing burnout with "laziness". When you are exhausted, dysregulated and overwhelmed, completing your tasks and following through with your responsibilities becomes that much harder. Master the art of self-compassion It is incredibly difficult to do all that's in front of you when your body is drained from stress and burnout. Reader, it's important for you to know that this is (very) different than a lack of willingness or desire to get...

Here's your weekly reminder to take care of you. Reader, I am incredibly proud to be a social worker. With my first job as a social worker, I dedicated everything I had to my position. As I shared in my book, The Self Care Investment, my first job straight out of graduate school was as a children's counselor with a domestic violence agency. I came to work early, stayed late, and felt (all) the guilt for not being able to do more. Make your self-care non-negotiable As the months went on, I...

Reader, there are so many barriers to us getting the opportunity to recover from burnout. Each barrier carries a weight that makes it hard to even imagine a life where exhaustion, stress and overwhelm aren't a part of it. In creating The Strength in Softness, I made it my mission to not only name these barriers, but to develop an intentional program to help compassionately overcome them on the journey to living a burnout-free life. I believe we as Black women deserve to live a peaceful,...

Here's your weekly reminder to take care of you. How can you take it easier this week Reader? What do I mean by taking it easier? I mean: how can you be even more self compassionate this week? In my self-care workshops, I frequently discuss the importance of self-compassion when it comes to self-care and recovering from burnout. Compassion means "empathy in action" -- recognizing suffering and adversity and doing something to alleviate it. Self compassion has everything to do with having...