Between my various meetings and media projects, I enjoy having conversations with clients, friends and family. To my amazement, I am presented with one question consistently. With all the projects that I work on, how do I not burnout? If you are unfamiliar with this term, it is when you have become exhausted, disconnected, unmotivated often due to a feeling of overworked and high stress levels or a never ending feeling of blah. This is not just a mental condition, but can also have a negative impact on you physically. In this instant and always on the go world, there are certainly challenges you may face. Honestly, sometimes I feel like a magician that needs to pull a two headed blue rabbit holding a four leaf clover, out of a thimble, while reciting an incantation in Icelandic, backwards. Well if you have met me, its not very likely I speak Icelandic. Although the Chicago area can often feel like its in the arctic circle, so what keeps me full of energy and BurnIn with excitement for the many tasks and opportunities before me?
Rising as the birds begin to sing each morning, instead of glaring at my alarm with the fury of a thousand suns, I give thanks that I woke up. Its the first thing to be grateful for, as another day is another chance to live your purpose or discover it. With the new day, you have the power to choose your attitude of how you approach it and your reactions. I choose to not only have, but to keep a positive attitude. A great attitude can give you a superhero complex that you can do everything alone,....but don't. Just imagine what you can do by sharing, collaborating, delegating and including others to help? Don’t let pride get in the way, as YOU may try to have it all together, but together WE can have it all.
Each day always take time to seem small and keep that child-like sense of wonder. I often watch clouds or stars and marvel at all the celestial activity that's happening and that are completely out of my control in this galaxy not so far far away, it puts things in perspective. Am I really going to stress out because sometimes there is no WiFi? It's OK to disconnect and it may be a good thing, trust me the world will keep turning. There will always be more emails, phone calls and a to do list. So Its important to make time for those who will encourage, comfort and laugh with you as time is a precious commodity. While you're busy make a living, just make sure you dance in life too.
Allow yourself to be genuinely vulnerable. By being open and knowing that I'm not perfect, it gives me the peace and resolve so that I can learn from past mistakes and improve. Not only does this help me plan my actions and stay “organized”, this also grants me the ability to not be afraid to fail. When we try too hard to prove our “worth” to others and even ourselves, we can fall into the trap of confusing activity with progress and descend into a negative cycle. I ask that you reflect on this, because I know from experience that being a workaholic may seem beneficial at first, but it creates barriers, headaches and heartaches. But when we learn to accept the things we cannot change; courage to change the things we can; and wisdom to know the difference a little serenity can endure in our reality.
Taking care of my health with fitness and proper nutrition is a priority, as it gives me energy for the many tasks and its an investment in the future. Be aware of how you feel, not just physically, but also mentally and emotionally because nurturing the mind is also important so make sure you have positive growth and coping methods as well. To relax I love to get massages, play games, and read extensively from comic books, business journals, current events to novels and especially poetry. Whenever I begin to feel stressed, one of the methods that calms me is reciting the beginning and end of my two favorite poems. “If you can keep your head when all about you, Are losing theirs and blaming it on you” from IF, and “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul” from Invictus.
Have you ever learned the answers to life's toughest questions and challenges,....on your schedule? For those of us that are extremely driven and expect quick results or have become jaded due to long periods of experiencing no change, waiting can be agony. Sometimes waiting for information or a desired result will take more time than anticipated, this is why developing patience is very important. There is no mobile magic genie app that grants wishes, I know because I have looked thoroughly for it! However, I did learn to embrace that success, the things we desire and even our dreams to achieve may not happen overnight but that often gives us the time and resources to bloom to our full capacity that we never knew we had within.
Even if we haven't met, I believe and encourage you to keep BurnIn for what positive impacts you are driven to do and what ultimately makes you happy in this world. My experience from being a student to working in media, corporate, nonprofit and entrepreneurial perspectives has shown me how easy it can be to lose yourself and burnout, especially when your motivation is to help and empower others. However, I remember from an elementary science class that fires need 3 parts to work such as, fuel, heat and oxygen. To stay healthy and keep BurnIn bright and strong, apply all of these to the fire within you. Your tasks and responsibilities are the fuel, while your purpose or passions are the heat. When you combine the first letters of each paragraph together, the oxygen is for you to just BREATHE deep and ignite this adventure called life!
