If Everything is so Good, Why Do I feel so Blah?
We've all been there.
There's nothing wrong. But work is stressful and you've been working too many hours trying to finish one project before moving on to the next one. Oddly enough you might even be thinking of quitting.
As someone who prides herself on going all out at work and in life, your focus on excellence has brought you praise and landed you a great position. Everyone loves your work and sings your praises, saying "You're smart, responsive, creative and productive" and "You have all the makings of a superstar".
So why are you now nursing a case of the blahs--feeling anti-social, wanting to take naps instead of socializing, and turning inward when you finally take time off?
Burnout and the Blahs
When you feel you've lost that fire inside driving you to excel and enthusiastically jump into working with the next project or client--or you secretly fear you're in over your head and are soon to be discovered as incompetent--you've come down with a bad case of the Burnout Blahs.
Like so many others who desire to make their mark on the world you've given your all without sufficiently replenishing your energy along the way. When we fail to adequately engage in non-productive play to re-balance, our fire and drive can extinguish quickly.
When your emotions flat-line into a case of the blahs you know it's time to re-balance.
"Burnout is nature's way of telling you, you've been going through the motions and your soul has departed; you're a zombie, a member of the walking dead, a sleepwalker. False optimism is like administrating stimulants to an exhausted nervous system."
Sam Keen, Fire in the Belly
How to Regain the Fire in Your Belly
You already know you want to excel and be the best you can be. So why is it so difficult for you to do what you already know you need to do to maintain that fire in your belly more often than not?
What is the secret to regaining the Fire in Your Belly?
Engage in non-productive play in your private persona.
Times of drive must be balanced with times of idling, and you must give yourself equal time living as your private self as you do as your public persona. Staying on 24/7 is crazy-making behavior that leads to burnout, self-doubts and the blahs.
The antidote is to practice doing nothing--regularly.
You must consciously plan fun private time into your week or you'll find the subtle ever-pervasive infiltration of work into your mindset.
Train yourself to keep a reserve of relaxing and pleasurable moments in your daily life. Life isn't always about moving forward. Sometimes you have to stand still and clear your mind to be your best going forward.
"Find a place you trust and then try trusting it for a while."
Corita Kent
💓Stop
💓Do nothing
💓Unplug
💓Give in to that nap
💓Unplan
💓Have a dream-free day
💓Lose the expectations
💓Accomplish nothing
💓Putter
💓Lolly-gag
💓Tinker
💓Find your FLOW
💓Listen to the wind
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