Coming Back After Burnout: Why I Took a Break and What I Learned

Deep breath. That’s the first thing I needed when I sat down to write this — and honestly, the first thing I want you to take as you read it. Because this isn’t just another post or another episode. It’s the beginning of a new season for me, and maybe for you, too.

This is my first episode back after a long, unexpected break. And I wish I could say that the time away was filled with glow-ups, breakthroughs, and inspirational mountaintop moments. But it wasn’t. It was messy. Emotional. Heavy. And at times, it felt like I was spiraling through motherhood, business, and life with absolutely no footing.

If you’ve ever felt that way — if you’ve been carrying around the quiet belief that you’re failing, or that everyone else seems to have support while you’re drowning — then you’re going to feel right at home here.

The Kind of Shame No One Talks About

What I’ve walked through these past few months hasn’t been the “cute chaos” kind of struggle — the kind we joke about when we forget Spirit Week or show up late with mismatched socks on our kids.

It was the deeper kind.
The pit-in-your-stomach kind.
The shame-that-follows-you kind.

The kind where you look around and think:
Why can’t I figure this out? Why does everyone else seem to have help, and I’m just… raw dogging motherhood and business and homeschooling and all of it?

If your heart clenches reading that, you’re not alone. And that’s exactly why I knew I needed to come back — not polished, not perfect, but honest.

A Season of Trying to Hold Everything Together

Over the last several months, I’ve been building a business, applying for jobs after losing mine, taking care of my kids, and managing a life that felt like it kept slipping through my fingers. I wasn’t getting interviews. Money felt tight. The pressure to be present in motherhood while also trying to be productive was constant.

And somewhere in the middle of the chaos, I hit a wall — hard.

I tried being present.
I tried being intentional.
I tried “mindset tools” and gratitude and all the things.

But the truth?

I was exhausted.
Overwhelmed.
And questioning everything about myself.

Why I Stepped Back — And Why I’m Returning

This break wasn’t planned. It was survival. When your brain is filled with shame, fear, and doubt, finding the words for a podcast episode is nearly impossible. And even when the words came, I didn’t feel like I had anything worth offering.

But here’s what I’ve realized: the thing I thought made me unworthy of showing up… is actually the thing I want to talk about more.

Because this is what so many women and moms are carrying.

The quiet struggle.
The overwhelm.
The feeling of being alone even when you technically aren’t.

And from the conversations I’ve had — both online and in DMs — I know I’m not the only one.

You’re Not Broken. You’re Not Behind.

One of the beliefs that sunk its teeth into me during this season was that I was somehow failing at life — that other moms navigated the hard things with grace and I was supposed to, too.

But if you’ve been thinking that you’re not enough… hear me:

You are not unlovable.
You are not broken.
You are not falling behind.

You are human — carrying more than anyone sees.

And you don’t have to do it alone.

Where This Podcast Is Heading

Because of everything I’ve walked through, I’m shifting the tone of this show. Yes, we’ll still talk about life, motherhood, growth, and becoming the version of yourself you want to be. But we’re doing it from a place of honesty — not the Instagram-filtered kind, but the real kind.

The kind that admits:
Sometimes things are heavy.
Sometimes you doubt yourself.
Sometimes you fall apart.

And sometimes you need community more than you need another “tip.”

If you’re craving unfiltered conversations about struggle, resilience, identity, and what it actually looks like to rebuild when you feel lost, this space is for you.

A Hopeful Beginning

Even though this season has been raw and emotional, I want to leave you with this: there is hope. There is support. And there is so much goodness ahead — even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.

If you’ve been walking through something heavy, I want this podcast — and this corner of the internet — to be a place where you can breathe again.

And if this resonates with you, stay.

We’re just getting started.

P.S. If you’re like me and get overstimulated easily (kids, noise, the world in general…), my secret weapon is Loop Earplugs. They take the edge off the noise without making you feel disconnected.
Treat yourself to a little peace HERE