Gain clarity on which chronic stress or burnout stage you are experiencing.
Learn about the 5 phase model of burnout and the symptoms that people often experience at each stage.
Lauren Hodge PhD
It was my own personal battle with burnout years ago that fuels my passion for helping individuals identify their life’s purpose and goals, and find their way to greater fulfillment.
I was writing family health programs for large global and national health organizations on managing thoughts and feelings, handling stress and the importance of self-care, but I wasn’t practicing these strategies routinely myself.
Everyone else was applauding when I submitted programs and toolkits, except for me. I was tired of being sick and tired. I didn’t have a routine or self-care in my life, I was an exhausted, people pleaser, and boundaryless.
At work my new manager was a wonderful, engaged, leader. He asked ‘what part of my job are you most passionate about?’ I couldn’t come up with an answer. He then asked ‘what part of your day do you most enjoy?’ Again I couldn’t answer this because for the last 4 years I just took on any and all projects I was given and my life revolved around work. I didn’t make decisions based on what I valued or enjoyed.
This simple question started me on the journey to begin to understand what I really valued and helped me start to move from exhaustion and depletion to a place of aligned decision making and strength. I learned that I have to know myself to not self-abandon and I have to get the foundation habits right and then I can start to build the life I want from there.
I developed mindset habits to help me emotionally regulate and self-care routines to boost my mood, sleep and focus. I became intentional and reflective, instead of impulsive and reactive. Now I’m confident in who I am, what I want and where I am going, even when there is chaos happening around me. I’m okay that saying no makes people uncomfortable and upset sometimes. I also have strategies to recalibrate when I fall off course.
