I’ve been thinking lately about how easy it is to bite off more than we can chew, even when we know better. 😜

And as a Certified Health & Life Coach who talks about things like habits, boundaries, self-care and burnout, you’d think I would be immune to this stuff.

Nope. 😂

Between working full time, keeping up with my workouts, trying to eat well and somehow finding time to actually BUY the groceries, the girls’ competitive basketball (which I wouldn’t trade or miss a minute of!) and our garden commitment this summer, our schedule has been FULL. 🫠

The funny thing is, none of these things are necessarily bad. In fact, most of them are things I really value.

But here’s what really got me: we haven’t made it to the mountains once this year.

I haven’t been hiking since the spring, and hiking is one of my absolute favourite things to do.

That’s when I realized something needed to change.

Burnout Can Be a Slow Burn

I think we sometimes picture burnout as this big dramatic breaking point where suddenly we just CAN’T anymore.

But it doesn’t always happen like that.

Sometimes it’s more of a slow burn. You keep adding things, adjusting, pushing through and telling yourself, “It’s fine, I can handle it.”

And maybe you can handle it.

But eventually you might realize that you’re spending so much time keeping up with everything you have to do that you’ve squeezed out the things that actually make you feel like YOU.

That’s an important distinction.

Life can be busy and full and wonderful. There are seasons when we genuinely choose to work hard, and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I actually love working hard!

But I also think it’s worth paying attention when the things that restore your energy are consistently the first things getting pushed off the calendar.

Something Can Be Good and Still Be Too Much

For us, one of the things that has to go is the garden.

I genuinely love working out there. I enjoy our time in the fresh air, and I LOVE bringing home all that beautiful organic produce.

But we’ve decided we won’t be doing it next year.

It simply takes more from our life right now than we’re willing to give it.

And that’s okay.

Something can be wonderful and still not be right for this particular season.

Sometimes taking care of yourself isn’t about adding another healthy habit, morning routine or self-care activity to an already packed schedule.

Sometimes it’s about removing something.

That can mean having a difficult conversation. Changing a commitment. Disappointing someone. Admitting that something isn’t working anymore.

Or simply saying no.

Because no really can be a complete sentence.

A Few Simple Ways to Turn Down the Stress

If you’ve been feeling that slow burn too, you don’t necessarily need to overhaul your entire life this week. Start by giving your nervous system a few opportunities to come down from that constant go-go-go state.

One of the simplest things you can do is slow down your breathing and make your exhale a little longer than your inhale. Longer, controlled exhales can encourage parasympathetic activity: the part of your nervous system involved in the body’s “rest and digest” response.

Get outside too, even if you only have a few minutes. Fresh air, natural light and a short walk can be a surprisingly good reset in the middle of a busy day. It doesn’t have to be a two-hour hike in the mountains to count. (Although I certainly wouldn’t complain about that! 😜🥾)

And maybe take a peek at your screen time.

Not because phones or social media are inherently bad, and definitely not because you need another person telling you to get off your phone! 😂 Just get curious about it.

Is the time you’re spending on your phone actually helping you relax and recharge? Or are you sometimes opening it to “check one thing” and realizing 30 minutes later that you’ve been giving away some of the very little free time you had?

No judgement. Just awareness.

What Actually Fills Your Cup?

This might be the most important question I’ve been asking myself lately:

What fills my cup, and am I actually making room for it?

For me, coaching is one of those things. It lights me up, which is one of the reasons I’m SO looking forward to getting together with women again at my upcoming Growth Circles. 🤩

Hiking is another.

Time with my family is another.

And I’ve realized that protecting those things sometimes means deciding that something else doesn’t get my time right now.

There will always be another thing we could do. Another commitment we could squeeze in. Another task we could finish before allowing ourselves to relax.

But I don’t want to become so good at managing a full life that I forget to actually enjoy it.

We don’t have to wait until we’re completely exhausted to decide something needs to change.

Sometimes we just need to notice the slow burn, pay attention to what’s getting squeezed out, and make a little more room for the things that bring us back to ourselves.

So maybe this week, ask yourself:

What is filling my cup right now? What is draining it? And is there anything I’m ready to say no to?

You might already know the answer. 💕