Sometimes it shows up as a feeling of being drained, hopeless and on the edge.
Maybe it’s a sense of failure or shame at no longer living life robustly.
More disturbing might be feelings of anger, callousness or deep cynicism about life.
Whatever the signs, burnout is a serious problem that needs to be addressed. And it’s not, typically, something that can be overcome alone.
Along with overwork, burnout often results from never having found genuine meaning or joy in one’s work.
Urgent to recovery is to admit the feelings. Refuse to ignore or deny them. Use that last ounce of reserve to seek qualified help or compassionate support that will assist in getting into a solution-oriented mode.
Along with understanding and emotional support, a qualified Coach, for example, can help a burnout victim put aside that terrible hopelessness or anxiety and create focus and – perhaps, for the very first time in their life – help a client identify a clear, life-giving sense of purpose.
As one colleague, Mark Gorkin, so aptly put it:
“For the phoenix to rise from the ashes
One must know the pain
To transform the fire to burning desire.”
