The real reason you’re burning out

Rest didn’t come naturally. One of the scariest things growing up was to be perceived as “lazy” and not doing enough.

When I first started meditating it didn’t feel very good. In fact it felt pretty shit.

I was still drinking at the time. And was still working in construction. So my nervous system was a wreck. Every time I meditated I just got angry. It started feeling better the longer I was sober - when I wasn’t constantly swinging between the two extremes of facing myself and trying to escape myself.

Perhaps the biggest gift I’d say mindfulness has given me, is that I stopped seeing my emotions as a burden, but a privilege.

Emotions show us how full our life is already. When we take the time to fully feel, there is no need to chase anymore.

But the mind loves to tell us different, doesn’t it?

Notice when you find your mind talking in circles. It's not because you don't know the answer. It's because you're avoiding the answer.

Overthinking is an act of avoidance and distraction, because somewhere along the way we were told emotions were a hindrance.

Give yourself the credit for everything you did to get where you are now. Have the discipline to remember.

The rest is just noise.

Your emotions are not another problem for you to intellectualize and solve.

They’re a conversation that needs to be had. Either with them, or with yourself.

Do you dare to take up just a little bit more space?

Your emotions are allowed to take up space. Your words. Your thoughts. You.

Discipline doesn’t always mean pushing harder.

Be disciplined enough to know you have nothing to prove.

Be disciplined about where you put your energy. Burnout is not a badge of honor.

Be disciplined enough to rest without guilt.

The more impatient we are, the more it’s revealed how attached to the outcome we are.

This goes for impatience with ourselves, and impatience with what’s happening.

There is no rejection that hurts more than self-rejection. No abandonment that hurts more than self-abandonment.

No forgiveness that feels harder than self-forgiveness. No trust that feels stronger than self-trust.

If you’re still finding that kind inner voice, just make sure it sounds authentic for now.

For me, sometimes it still sounds like, “Go like the fuck down, Vera.”

The voice that says everything will go to shit if we dare to rest is not reliable.

We do not require a specific outcome in order to feel meaning. Outcome is outside of our control. Meaning isn’t.

Create the meaning that you want in your life. Release the expectation.

Wisdom knows that we are nothing. Love knows that we are everything.

Peace is allowing ourselves to float between the two, without need to attach to anything.

Rest without guilt. Do without expectation.

Watch yourself become unstoppable.

What’s one expectation you’ll allow yourself to release, now?