Burnout? Or a Bigger Career Truth Trying to Get Your Attention?

The exhaustion is real, but so is the message beneath it.

And I think it’s time to get brutally honest about this.

Some days, you’re not tired because you’re doing too much.

You’re tired because you’ve been doing the wrong things for too long.

You’re showing up. You’re functioning. People think you’ve got it together. But inside?

You’re hollow.

You fantasize about quitting mid-meeting.

You stare at your calendar and feel your chest tighten.

You wake up, not tired, but… done.

And if you’re anything like the high-functioning, soul-aware clients I work with, you’ve already tried all the “burnout fixes”:

• More sleep ✅

• Mindfulness apps ✅

• A weekend off ✅

• Another planner (or another journal) ✅

But the fog doesn’t lift. Because maybe… this isn’t just burnout.

Maybe this is your career whispering, “This isn’t it anymore.”

Burnout vs. Breakdown vs. Breakthrough

We use the word burnout as a catch-all. It’s neat. It’s clinical. It makes us feel like we can fix it with bubble baths and boundaries.

But sometimes, burnout is a mask.

What looks like burnout might actually be:

• Misalignment

• Suppressed truth

• Outdated identity

• Unspoken resentment

• A purpose quietly suffocating under your job title

And that ache in your body? That Sunday-night dread? That rising urge to walk away from everything? It’s not laziness. It’s data.

Your burnout might be grief for the version of you that no longer fits here.

3 Signs It’s Not Just Burnout

1. You’ve Done “The Work”. And You’re Still Miserable

You’ve rested. You’ve gone to therapy. You’ve adjusted your workload. You’re not running on empty anymore, but you’re still numb.

That’s not burnout. That’s a misalignment between your values and your reality.

2. You’re Craving Reinvention, Not Just Rest

You don’t want two weeks off. You want OUT.

Out of the noise. The fakeness. The badge-of-honor busyness.

You want something that feels like you. Fully you. Not the version you curated for survival.

3. You Keep Asking Yourself Questions Like:

• “Is this really all I’m meant to do?”

• “What would happen if I just… stopped?”

• “Who am I without this role?”

If those questions keep you up at night, your soul’s trying to get your attention.

We need To Get Real: You’re Not Broken. You’re Breaking Free.

You’re not failing. You’re awakening.

And it’s going to feel like grief before it feels like clarity.

Let that sink in for a moment.

This isn’t about blowing up your life tomorrow.

It’s about listening more closely than you ever have before.

So let’s tune in.

Soul Check-In: Try This Exercise Tonight

No productivity hacks. No strategy decks. Just you, a journal, and the truth.

Write down these prompts and let whatever comes out… come out.

• What part of my career feels heavy right now?

• Where do I feel most drained — and most alive?

• What version of me is this job asking me to keep pretending to be?

• What do I know in my gut that I’ve been avoiding?

• What would I do next if I weren’t afraid?

Don’t edit. Don’t judge. Just write.

The truth you’ve been circling will land when it’s ready.

What NOT To Do Right Now

I advise you to keep it grounded. If you’re spiraling, this is NOTthe time to:

• Quit your job with no plan because “alignment”

• Blame yourself for ignoring the signs

• Numb out again with busyness

• Gaslight yourself into staying because “others have it worse”

Clarity doesn’t need chaos. It needs space.

Burnout is loud. Truth is quiet.

You don’t need a grand exit.

You need a reconnection with what’s real for you.

Do This Instead: Your Next 5 Steps

1. Name What No Longer Feels True

Even if you can’t act on it yet. Name it.

Sometimes saying, “This isn’t working,” is the first crack in the ceiling.

2. Define What You Actually Want From Work

Not what sounds good on LinkedIn.

What you want. Autonomy? Impact? Freedom? Creativity? Peace?

Write it down. Circle it in red ink. Let it become your new compass.

3. Start Telling the Truth (Even Just to Yourself)

You don’t have to post a TED Talk.

But maybe you can say to a friend,

“I don’t think I want this path anymore. And that scares the hell out of me.”

That moment? That’s when healing begins.

4. Create One Micro-Exit Strategy

Not a full-blown leap. Just one shift:

• Update your resume

• Book a call with a coach

• Start researching what else is out there. For example, an aligned side hustle or other career options.

• Take one thing off your plate this week

Tiny steps toward clarity are more powerful than giant leaps fueled by panic.

5. Reconnect With What You Forgot You Loved

Can you remember what made you come alive before your career became your identity?

Go touch that part of yourself again. Write. Paint. Speak. Volunteer.

Not to monetize it. Just to remember that there’s more to you than this role.

Final Word (From Someone Who’s Been There)

I’m not here to tell you to quit your job, shave your head, and move to Bali.

I’m here to tell you that if you’re burned out, and the usual fixes aren’t working, it might not be about stress. It might be about truth.

Truth that you’ve been too busy, too loyal, or too scared to face.

Burnout can be a warning sign. But it can also be a doorway.

The question is: Will you listen?

Ready to Untangle Burnout from Truth?

If your soul’s been whispering, and you’re finally ready to hear it, I’ve got you.

Book my FREE 1:1 Career Clarity Session or download my FREE Career Clarity Blueprint to start reimagining what your work (and life!) could feel like.

You’re not tired for no reason. Something inside you is shifting.

We should find out what it’s trying to become.