I realized a few weeks ago that I was burned out.
I was burned out on “putting myself out there.”
Running a start-up business feels like a constant audition – with the rejection that goes with that.
I’m someone who really tries to normalize and embrace failure, but constant shortcomings become overwhelming. I felt like nothing I did got me enough clicks or likes, clients or revenue. Finances were (and still are) a strain. I wasn’t sure if the business would survive at all.
I was feeling what Drs. Emily and Amelia Nagoski described in the book Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle:
- Emotional exhaustion
- Lack of empathy for others
- Feeling like nothing you do makes any difference
Acknowledging my burnout made me realize that part of my problem was that I was setting the wrong goal. I felt that each new initiative, either implicitly or explicitly, should solve all my revenue stream problems. In my mind, each social media post should have gone viral and attracted hoards of new customers. Rationally, I knew those goals weren’t realistic. But a part of me believed it anyway. So I took a step back and did what the book suggests: I created a new goal.
My underlying goal with every new initiative is simple: Learn from what happens.
With learning as the new goal, I can reflect, adjust and iterate my offerings so that I serve you better and help my business grow. I no longer expect that any new thing I do, even some big new changes I have coming, will solve all my problems.
Reflecting on what I’ve learned so far, I’ve made some exciting changes to my Defy the Trend Community Packages, with the new versions launching soon:
- I’m reducing membership package options to three – one free and two paid.
- I launched a weekly newsletter with practical, actionable tips on how to use mindfulness to address burnout.
- Monthly group coaching focuses on topics that help you take the next steps in your burnout-proof journey.
- Members will enjoy all the events I offer, but I will no longer be separately ticketing them – so I can focus all my energy on clients and members rather than marketing so many events.
- Defy the Trend Community will be open to new members twice a year – in fall and spring – to help me give the best support to new members during the onboarding process.
- The price of paid memberships will be $120 or less per month to make it more accessible to a variety of budgets.
- Individual coaching appointments will be available to members first, in 6- or 12-session packages for $120/session (20% discount).
- If members do not fill my individual coaching calendar, I will make the remaining slots available to the general public for $150/session.
Simpler community packages will mean a clearer and more accessible entry into the burnout-proof journey for you. And for me, it will make my business more focused and sustainable in time and money.
Even with these good ideas and intentions, you and I will continue to learn a lot, make changes and do something even better next time. I hope you learn from me in this new and renewed season for my business.
Be the first to hear the announcements, become part of the free community AND start alleviating your burnout with my “Create a Burnout-Proof Life” mini course.
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