Burnout is Soul Sickness
For a large portion of my life I have been what one would describe as “burnt out.”
I would alternate wildly between periods of high productivity, excitement, and joie de vivre for a week or two at a time only to have months, upon months of depression, exhaustion, and nervous system shutdown to follow. Seemingly out of nowhere.
Whenever I would bring up this problem to others I would often receive the same questions:
“What are you eating?”
“Are you getting enough sleep?”
“Are you exercising?”
A lot of my burnout was attributed to “laziness” or an irresponsibility and personal failing on my part to take care of myself.
But if you have ever been in that state you know, more than anyone, that burnout radiates.
It doesn’t take long before overwhelm can take away even the most healthy of coping mechanisms.
And leave you feeling completely incapacitated.
The fact is, burnout is about more than “eating healthy,” or “getting enough sleep” though those can be contributing factors.
Burnout is a sickness of the soul.
Soul Sickness
When I refer to a sickness of the soul I’m not talking about demon possession or anything fantastical like that.
Soul sickness, in this context, is that which “keeps you trapped in your mind” and “unable to feel the fullness of life.”
I fundamentally believe that when we are most disconnected to the greater parts of ourselves where you call it the spirit, soul, consciousness, or something else. Is when we feel the most isolated, the most judgmental of ourselves and others, and the most lost.
To further understand this soul sickness I’m reminded of four questions that African Shamans have asked when approached for healing.
When was the last time you danced?
When was the last time you sang?
When was the last time you told a story?
When was the last time you sat alone in stillness?
Do you notice anything about these questions in particular?
They’re tied directly with the essential quality of creation.
This ability to create is an incrdibly unique quality of the conscious mind. Something that comes with the presence of a spirit, or soul that can interact and engage with the world.
Numerous indigenous cultures use dance, song, and story telling to more deeply connect ones self to the vitality of the universe.
In a world that commodifies creation, how can anyone be expected to still engage with art as a path to healing when it is tied so directly to productivity and dysfunction?
I’ve had to call myself on this numerous times as a small business owner and creative artist.
Even now as I write this blog, I am reminding myself that I am doing this for the sake of sharing. That any tie to my business, my courses, and my offerings are secondary to my desire to create.
The questions the Shaman have historically asked are so important, but I also think it is important to modernize each one by adding a second half to each question.
When was the last time you danced…Without judgment?
When was the last time you sang…Without an audience?
When was the last time you told a story…Without an agenda?
When was the last time you sat alone in stillness…Without a goal?
So much wellness and wellbeing in the world today is sold as a tool to further productivity instead of a resource to fall in love with yourself and the world all over again.
Burnout will continue happening across the board until healing and wellness is reframed.
Your soul’s sickness will never be alleviated so long as you don’t have something precious, and just for yourself.
Ask yourself: “What would my life look like if I unconditionally enjoyed it?”
What if you could dance without feeling like you had to “look good?”
What if you could create art without worrying about how to market it?
What if you could transform your relationship with yourself and the world at large so that you can thrive and no longer feel burnt out?
To that end, I invite you to join my Master Class on Saturday, April 20th, at 12 PM EST.
Revive and Thrive: Rebuilding your Baseline After Burnout
This class will take a deep look into burnout, and how so many tools that exist today only bring you back to a less burntout version of depletion and exhaustion.
Together we’ll explore how you can build a new baseline for yourself, and build better habits to no longer burn out.
You’ll be able to better identify the signs that you are about to burn out, and recognize when you need to better pace yourself and prioritize your needs and desires.
The class is donate what you can like my preivous Master Classes to ensure I have accessible offerings for everyone.
