From Burnt-Out to Fired Up! How to Reignite Your Passion for Life
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By Morgane Michael
any of us are feeling overwhelm ed by small routine tasks, the pressures of keeping up with all of the ever-changing health and safety policies, and, quite frankly, recovering from our second back-to-school season during a pandemic feels like running a never-ending marathon. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, people across North
America are displaying higher than ever anxiety, depression, and, even worse, suicide rates. The COVID-19 pandemic has only made those challenges worse. Many parents, educators, and children are at a breaking point… many of us are feeling the effects of burnout. Drawing from the latest research and my own teaching experiences, I’ve identified five easy approaches to reignite your passion and replenish your well-being—reflect, reframe,
refocus, reconnect, and reveal. You can make a commitment today to begin a new chapter—one where you continue to make a difference while maintaining a deep sense of wellness, worthiness, and wholeheartedness. In each section, I’ll offer one simple practice you can incorporate into your daily life to help you thrive and overcome the effects of burnout!
1. REFLECT
2. REFRAME
3. REFOCUS
Understanding ourselves and reflecting on our state of mind is an essential component of replenishing ourselves Daily Emotional Check in: Take some time to name your feelings every day, even multiple times per day. 1. What emotions am I feeling right how? 2. Where do I feel it in my body? 3. What do I need right now?
Even in some of the most adverse situations, parents are expected to be flexible, positive, adaptable, competent, and knowledgeable, dedicating themselves to meeting the needs of their children no matter the circumstance. Within our capacity for self-awareness, we must make room to audit our internal narratives so we can recover quickly from adversity. Write Yourself a Letter: Take a moment to write yourself a letter, reflecting on some of the following questions. 1. What is the biggest lesson I’ve learned as a result of being a parent? What are some of the biggest challenges I’ve had to overcome? What am I most proud of as a parent? 2. Take the letter and hide it in a conspicuous place until you need the reminder of your own resilience.
We all have deep-seated dreams that reside within us, and there comes a time when we must take a good look at our lives to determine what we want our story to be. Refocusing is your ability to take stock of those dreams and to recalibrate your compass in such a way that you can step into the life you’ve always hoped to have. Goal Reset: 1. Write down your top three goals. 2. Make a game plan to achieve the goal. Enlist the help of friends and family, find ways to carve out time, and don’t forget to articulate how achieving the goal will improve your life.
“If you’ve ever had days where you questioned your efficacy as a parent, spouse, or friend, you are not alone.” 26
