When the Work You Love Starts to Hurt

Burnout doesn’t always look like collapse. Sometimes it just looks like you, but with the light dimmed.

For me, it started with headaches. The kind you wake up with in the morning and carry with you into every meeting.

Then came the cynicism. Which, if you know me, is very unlike me.

I used to love my work. It gave me meaning. Energy. A sense of direction. But slowly, it started to feel like a weight I couldn’t put down.

At first, I thought something was wrong with me. Maybe I wasn’t strong enough. Maybe I was doing something wrong.

And then I heard the word: Burnout.

It wasn’t just stress. It was a slow erosion of joy, of clarity, of motivation.

What I’ve Learned

Burnout isn’t just about working hard. It’s often about working in ways that are out of sync with your values or purpose. Or being in an environment where the culture or leadership makes it hard to breathe.

It’s not just what you do. It’s how and why you do it—and who you’re doing it with.

When I started working with a coach, I was able to name some of the things I hadn’t fully seen. I identified my core values. I clarified my deeper sense of purpose.

I began making changes to align my work and life with what really mattered to me. Some of them were small, but they made a big difference.

Surprisingly, what helped most wasn’t just doing less. It was doing more of what mattered.

I started volunteering. I got involved in community efforts. And that reconnection gave me energy again. It reminded me why I care in the first place.

I also took time off. I started meditating. I even learned to play the guitar—something completely new for me.

And slowly, I started to feel like me again.

Burnout Isn’t a Personal Failing

What I’ve learned so far is this: Burnout doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’ve been strong for too long without enough support.

If you’re starting to feel the signs of burnout, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to wait until it gets worse to make a change.

Even small shifts can open the door to recovery and reconnection.

Want to Learn More?

Here are some great resources on burnout, alignment, and recovery:

• The Mayo Clinic’s guide to burnout symptoms and prevention
• The Burnout Epidemic: The Rise of Chronic Stress and How We Can Fix It on burnout and workplace culture

If this resonated, I invite you to pause and check in with yourself:
What part of your life might be asking for realignment?

And what small shift could you make today?