Burnout touches 45% of the millennials
Physically and emotionally drained? You might start realizing your burnout state and want to take some action about it. And you are not alone. In 2019, either severe or mild stress, burnout touched almost 45% of the millennials (Gallup’s research)
One thing to know before all
Arriving to this state, most of us will start looking for advice, search for treatments, or reorganize our life and work.
But there is one thing I believe you need to know before all.
Recognizing why this happens to your life, and why it reflects part of your (old) self, is primordial to make the best out of it.
The world, our mirror
Take a moment to look back on your life. Do you believe it reflects part of yourself until this day? Either it’s a relationship, a success, a difficulty… All reflect the essence of your person. Your qualities. Your strengths. Your weaknesses. Your attitude. Your fears. Your dreams. Your beliefs…
Think about your children, your partner, your friends, your colleagues. Do you recognize that:
- If you are confident, people will have confidence in you
- If you love yourself, people will love you
- If you respect yourself, people will respect you
- If you lie to yourself, people will lie to you.
- If you do not believe you are worthy, people will not believe it…?
The energy of life, of all that is, flows through you, to other people. It’s a creative process where you are the beginning. You create it within you, before others feel it, and before it transforms the world. Sometimes things can happen in a miraculous way, to accomplish the person you have become. The world is then, a mirror of our inner energy.
Burnout and tiredness – Which part of myself is reflected in this challenge
Burnout, like any other difficulty or challenge that happens in our life, reflects part of what you are as a person, either you recognize it or not consciously.
A lot of truth about myself was revealed in my burnout in 2018. For a long time, I was stressful at the end of every working day. But I tried to cover it up because I was fearful of expressing my true person. I felt that my work took too much effort. But I ignored it because I did not believe I merited care. I also tried hard to show an image of myself that I was not. I did not love myself enough. I then let others demand too much of me.
If you are 100% honest, perhaps you would also tell me that you do recognize part of yourself in the challenges that you encounter today, wouldn’t you?
Participating in a universal masterpiece
Facing a difficulty, we, as ego, most of the time struggle in this world. We try to analyze the situation with our rational thinking. We navigate and take action. We ensure that we control the situation.
But trying to control the external world is almost a hopeless task. Because we cannot control a multitude of situations, circumstances, and people, whose purpose and reasons for existence are different from ours.
Shakti Gawain, in her book “Living in the light”, talks about life as a “universal orchestra”. If each of us does not understand the big picture of the music that all is playing, we will bring in it our notes which do not fit, even with our best effort. On the contrary, if each of us is aware and play in harmony with the final masterpiece, we contribute to the universe’ extension.
“All good”, you say. “But how to know this masterpiece that we are playing?”
Then I will tell you, knowing the masterpiece is at our fingertips. The guide is… within ourselves. Yes, the conductor at whom you can look in order to play a harmonious note with the whole universe is your inner self. If you take care to allow it to express, believe in, and take action accordingly, you allow the universe to show you the way.
Burnout and tiredness – A message
When burnout happens, the universe is trying to draw your attention to a problem, and encourage a change in the note you are playing.
When we face a challenge in our external world, we need to deal with it in the most appropriate ways. Consult a specialist, find ways to reduce stress, reorganize your work and life… These are the “external ways”.
Once done, I would encourage you to come back to your inner-self. Bring yourself to a state of calmness. And ask yourself:
- Which part of myself is this difficulty reflecting?
- What message the universe is trying to send me through this challenge?
Was I not true to myself? Was I fully honest with myself about things that I truly appreciate? Am I fearful of something that did not allow me to be true? Do I love and respect myself enough, for others to do so? Allow the answers to come, and follow the guidance.
I am here to learn and be better
One important thing, once these two questions raised, is to compassionate with yourself. Recognizing that this situation reflects part of yourself, but your “old” self already. Don’t be hard with yourself. Burnout is a state that shows that your “new” self has grown out of the “old” situation, in which the “new” self does not fit anymore.
Also, knowing that you are here in this physical world to learn. If you are already perfect, you are not here. This is a situation that allows you to learn about yourself, and grow out of it.
As a conclusion
Emotionally and physically drained, you might realize your burnout state. But before taking any action, I would like you to sit back and ask: “What does this state of burnout and tiredness tell the truth about myself?”
The world is our mirror. Only by recognizing part of yourself in what happened, can you make burnout and tiredness a step on the journey to a truer and happier you.
So today, give yourself an opportunity to come back to your inner silence and be honest with the two questions. Which part of myself is this difficulty reflecting? What message the universe is trying to send me through this challenge? Be open to the answers that you receive. See how it transforms the way you go.
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