How to recognize and recover from Burnout.

Everyone has gone through burnout, often times you are not even aware of it unless you are fully in the middle of it.

So what leads to a burnout?

Usually when you have been through a stressful and prolonged period of time without any real form of respite nor relief. Circumstances where this might occur are:

Going through a break up or divorce.
Experiencing Child Custody Issues
Losing a job and being unemployed for a long period of time.
The loss of a loved one.
The loss of your support system.
Working through tough financial issues.
Feeling stuck in a job that you no longer resonate with.
Prolonged deprivation of basic needs.

What are the signs and symptoms of a burnout?

Depression
Lethargy
Indecisiveness
Severe fatigue
Major change in appetite
Sugar Cravings
Insomnia
Self-isolation
Feeling a lack of motivation for more than the necessary day-to-day activities
Difficulty in relating to those around you
Feeling like you are looking at your life, rather than living it
Change in weight
Headaches, and unusual aches and pains
Feeling like you are pulling a cart up hill...all the time

What can I do to recover?

1. Break your day down into bite sized and manageable tasks: By doing so, you can cross one small thing off your list and feel a sense of accomplishment.

2. Eat on time and get enough hydration: Making sure that you eat on time, drink enough water, avoid using too much caffeine to keep you awake, and going for healthy snacks rather than sugary ones. My acupuncturist said that a cup of coffee in the morning is fine, and suggested that I drink green tea the remainder of the day so that I would be able to decompress and get a proper night's sleep.

3. Reconnect with your support system: When your energy is low, and it is all that you can do just to go to work and take care of basic responsibilities, socializing sounds and feels daunting. Make the effort to go out with a friend, even if it is just for an hour or so. You will feel much better. Re-connect with those that have loving and upbeat energy, it is contagious!

4. Exercise: Take a quick, brisk walk. Get the blood pumping and move out the stagnant lethargic energy that has settled into your body. Feel the sun on your face! You will feel a bit better each day.

5. Place positive visual cuing around your home: Take sticky notes and write positive messages like "I am grateful for the blessings in my life" or "I feel energized and ready to go" or 'Today is going to be happy and productive, and I feel wonderful.' These really do work! If you are more of a visual person in (responding to pictures rather than words) place pictures of how you would LIKE to feel around your home where you can frequently see them.

6. Take one small step & hold it: Make one small decision for positive change, and hold it. One small change can make a huge difference!

7. Seek the help of a professional: If you have been feeling in a funk for awhile now, seeking the help of a qualified counselor can assist you in clearing out the cobwebs and help you in letting go of the heaviness that you have been carrying. There are sliding scale counseling services that are very good if it is a financial issue.

8. Get up and go to bed at the same time, even on the weekends: Having this sense of regular routine will return you to feeling back in your own skin. This also ensures that you are at least in the right place to receive appropriate restoration.

9. Keep the Tv, computer, electronics in one zone of the house: Due to the excessive amount of technology you are exposed to each day, having a space designated for the technology frees up the energy in the rest of your home. As wonderful as today's technology is with laptops, etc...it does tend to isolate you further from the facets of your life that are healing.

10. Keep a feelings' journal: Have a place where you can write down how you are feeling that nobody else will read. Everyone needs a safe place to release negativity. Once you have written it down, do not read it again. You have released it. Once this journal is full, burn it and fully let everything go. Have a journal where you write down the positive things, what inspires you, what are your dreams, who do you want to share these dreams with? This journal you can revisit as often as you like!

11. Music: Listening to music is very healing and therapeutic. Listen to music that makes you feel better, move to it. Play it when you are getting up in the morning or cooking dinner.

12. Detoxifying bath: Do take a hot bath with healing bath salts several times a week, this pulls the lactic acid out of the superficial layers of your skin and helps you to feel clean and fresh.

13. Have a regular prayer or mediation time: By having a regular time in which you connect to Spirit/Source/God, you remain strongly connected to your Higher Purpose for being here NOW, and have the support to work through life's circumstances with Grace. If you have stopped going to church, start going and meeting your friends and family there again. It is essential that you have the Spiritual Support to progress and stay connected to your Wisdom.

Dear Ones, I believe in you and see that you have the ability to work through anything, but there are times when you MUST reconnect with those around you that love and support you unconditionally. This is your time to rise above the sadness that you are and have been feeling.
By taking a small step at a time, you will be through the worst of it, and out of the tunnel.

One hundred thousand blessings. You are loved and valued.