I took a week off from my radio show recently. It was a hard thing to do. Not only because I absolutely love doing the show, but because I’m not wired to easily take a week off.
But I badly needed it.
And as I felt the benefits of the time off seeping in, I thought to myself… there’s a story here, that so many of us carry quietly:
We push.
We grind.
We keep showing up — for work, for family, for everyone — even when our bodies whisper, “I’m tired. I need a break.”
And because we’ve been taught that to be strong means to keep going, we keep pushing… until we can’t anymore.
Thankfully, this time I listened before my body reached a breaking point. But it’s a story I know very well, because not only have I seen the data, I’ve lived it. I’ve felt the burnout, and I’ve had the “your blood pressure is too high” conversation in the doctor’s office.
Don’t worry. That was years ago. I followed my doctor’s advice and my blood pressure is normal now. But that time in my life was a wake-up call. It was my body’s non-negotiable demand that I do things differently. Because even though I thought I was taking good care of myself, in truth I was carrying more than any nervous system was designed to hold — and I know I’m not alone.
The Biology of Burnout
Here’s the thing nobody tells us: stress isn’t just “in your head.” And it’s not something you can outthink, outrun, or out-hustle.
Chronic stress literally rewires your brain and body. It keeps your nervous system stuck in survival mode, flooding you with cortisol, tightening your chest, messing with your hormones, and slowly draining your energy, your libido, and your joy.
And as women, we’re particularly vulnerable — not because we’re weak (quite the opposite), but because we’ve been conditioned to normalize pressure and carry it like armor.
We call it resilience.
But sometimes, what we’re calling resilience is actually depletion.
Rest Isn’t a Reward — It’s a Requirement
So taking a break isn’t about indulgence. It’s about biology.
Rest is not a reward you earn after paying the price of your exhaustion; it’s a requirement for you to embody the fullness of your power.
When we pause, we reset our nervous systems. We lower cortisol. We allow the body to repair, the brain to recover, and the heart to come back into rhythm. But without rest, we run on fumes — and eventually, we break down.
Reintroducing Pleasure — On Purpose
Horrifically, stress shrinks your capacity for pleasure.
So you have to intentionally reintroduce it. Play your favorite song while making breakfast. Step outside and feel the sun on your face. Touch sensual fabrics, notice uplifting scents (the smell of citrus fruits is my personal favorite), and pay attention to sounds that soothe you.
These tiny rituals send powerful safety signals to the brain, reminding your nervous system: “I am safe. I am here. I can soften.”
Movement Is Medicine
We carry stress in our bodies — in tight jaws, hunched shoulders, clenched bellies.
Movement is one of the most powerful antidotes. So dance in your kitchen. Stretch for five minutes. Take a slow walk.
When you move, you remind your nervous system that you are alive and free.
A Gentle Invitation
If you’ve been feeling wired, tired, or stretched too thin, you are not broken — you are human. Your nervous system was not designed to carry the weight of constant pressure, endless notifications, and unrelenting demands.
You deserve rest. You deserve pleasure. You deserve to feel like yourself again.
And if you’re ready to start, I’ve put together a free guide, Managing Stress for Peak Performance, where I share the exact science-backed techniques I used to reset my own nervous system and bring my blood pressure back into balance.
Because when you take care of your nervous system, you reclaim your energy, your creativity, and your power.
