Episode 27: A Lesson From 2020 You Might Have Missed

Today I want to talk to you about a lesson from 2020 that you might have missed.

A lesson from 2020 that is very real but easily dismissed.

A few weeks ago, I was on a beautiful morning walk. The morning summer air was still cool and crisp and sweet. I could hear the birds chirping as I watched the sun pour through the trees.

A few early morning sprinklers could be heard in the neighborhood, and I walked by a few families of deer, several rabbits who disappear perfectly into the grass when they freeze, and I even saw a fox (I’m not sure what that’s about…and I had that “What does the fox say” song in my head all day because of it).

As I walked along, I watched the hyper squirrels run up and down the trees, as they were trying to break into trash cans and leaping fearlessly from high branches to telephone poles and back again.

These are scenes that normally make me laugh and smile as I walk on and enjoy the morning.

But suddenly I realized I’d been saying, “Uh, whatever.” A lot. Or worse, “I don’t care.”

Then realized I didn’t care as much about my work, my plans for the day, what my kids were up to, or any new plans.

I was totally apathetic. And the second I realized it, it hurt. That is not how I live my life. I love being engaged with my projects and my family. I love watching my clients and students “pop” with new insight as they take new actions.

But I didn’t care that morning. And when I stopped to think about it, I hadn’t cared for a while. This apathy had slowly crept in, and it was subtle. So subtle that I hadn’t realized it.

It took a day or so for me to figure out what was going on because sometimes, these things are easily dismissed in life.

I was totally burned out. Completely fried.

These are feelings that are very real but easily dismissed for most of us.

The that the massive level of output I’d been creating had caught up with me. And it wasn’t just my output, it was the ever-changing landscape of our world on top of it.

So many things need our attention right now. And all of them are important. The pandemic, the new considerations because of it, the vital social justice movement, Black Lives Matter, and navigating all of this as a woman, a business owner, and for me, as a mom, too.

In today’s episode, I’ll share with you an easily missed lesson from 2020, the symptoms I felt, what I did to pull myself out of it, and how you can watch out for burnout in yourself and your loved ones, too. From what I’ve been hearing from friends, family, my students, and clients, and my colleagues, this is at a fever pitch right now.

So let’s talk about what it really feels like and what you can do to help yourself, and others, heal it.

Don’t miss last week’s Episode 26: How to Have It All Without Going Crazy