A fair warning for good advice about burnout
How much more can you take right now? You're probably close to maxed out (if not all the way there). I'm sending out so much care to you, a caveat, and a few gentle reminders.
"You're going to be really annoyed."
When a speaker starts with this warning, do you lean in with curiosity or brace yourself for irritation? Or, perhaps, tune out altogether?!?
This was a part of a keynote presentation by Dr. Emily Nagozki, and there were a few takeaways you may need for the times we're in.
Last week I had the pleasure of attending an online conference. Granted, I ended up with a headache pretty much every day from the extended screen time.
You know those activities (conversation, movies, books, music, etc) that are so good, no matter how much you need to get a drink of water, sleep, or use the bathroom, you don't want to miss a moment? Well, that was the case here.
The whole experience was heart-centered, actionable, and authentic. Best of all, rather than occasional "cultural" or "diversity" topics, a multicultural lens and appreciation was infused throughout every presentation.
As someone who loves to learn, the high quality and engagement of the presenters was an absolute gift - one that I wanted to pass along to you.
Dr. Emily Nagozki focused on burnout. This is a topic close to my heart as it is such a high risk for caring people trying to make a real difference in the world and a key focus in my work with socially conscious leaders and changemakers.
What follows are a couple key reminders (including the ones she warned would be "super annoying.") 😆
A). Your body is designed to complete a cycle to truly "manage" stress. When you try to reason or "think" your way out, you do not achieve a true relaxation response...your body doesn't have a chance to recover before the next stressor.
Your body (and everyone else's) is physiologically built to return to relaxation through completing a behavior (e.g. physical activity, sleep, or crying = Emily's top 3).
So, no more nap shaming. Big girls (and boys, and all other ages and genders) DO cry. And, even though it's irritatingly common advice, movement is still the most efficient way to communicate to your body that you've completed a stress cycle.
Yep. Annoyed? 😜. The good news, and the bad news, is that what is needed is not earth-shattering new information. It is listening and allowing your body to follow through on the actions that it naturally needs - movement, rest, and tears, among others.
B). "To get unstuck, we have to deal with the stress, which is a separate process from dealing with whatever caused it."
In other words, even when we can't change everything about the world around us, what we do with our internal experience matters.
Whether you are managing the stress of the war in Ukraine, another dozen news stories of recent racial injustices, or a 5 year old's tantrum (is that just me?), the time and action you spend to feel and recover from your emotions matters.
Your stress management directly impacts what you are ready and able to do to address the external causes (e.g. to take action on making the world around you more compassionate and just).
What are you most likely to try today?
You matter. You can make a difference. And, I'm so thankful you're here.
