Running on Empty: When Success Leaves You Exhausted & Disconnected From Yourself
Hello my Bright and Beautiful Chicas,
Somehow, I’ve risen from the ashes of burnout, well, not entirely. I still feel like I’m at the bottom of the pit, but I’ve decided to claw my way out. What exactly got me here? I don’t think there’s one particular thing I can point out. There are many.
I've worked hard to get where I am today, and I genuinely enjoy what I do. I've dedicated more than 15 years to growing with my company, taking on additional projects, getting mentored, and going above and beyond. Not because I was guaranteed a promotion, but because I believed in the work and the future I was building for myself.
And then, unexpectedly, that opportunity came.
I got the promotion I had worked toward for years.
A director role at a corporate company. Heck yes! I was thrilled! But what I didn't fully anticipate was how much this next chapter would demand of me. A few months before my promotion, I had decided to focus some of my energy on a personal passion project: earning my personal trainer certification.
I wasn't sure when the next opportunity at work would open up, and frankly, I was getting impatient. So rather than sit around waiting, I decided to invest in something else I loved.
I was feeling good. Motivated. Excited about what was ahead. Then, just two months into my coursework, the position opened. Interviews were scheduled, and seemingly out of nowhere, I got the call. I got the job!
Suddenly, everything was moving at full speed. New responsibilities, new training, getting acclimated to the position, and longer working hours as I tried to find my footing. I kept telling myself it was temporary. That once I settled into the role, things would get easier.
But the exhaustion I was experiencing wasn't something that appeared overnight.
Looking back, I realize it had been building for months, possibly even years.
The Invisible Weight of Being a Working Mom
Here's the thing about being an ambitious working mother: your workday doesn't end when you close your laptop.
There are bills to pay, a home to maintain, meals to prepare, and two school-aged girls to raise. There are school schedules, homework, activities, laundry, and the everyday responsibilities of keeping a household functioning.
Then there's marriage, with all its ups and downs. And somewhere in the middle of all that, you're still trying to grow as an individual, advance professionally, and maybe even build something of your own. Because, of course, one career isn't enough. You've also got dreams of financial freedom and a side hustle you're determined to keep alive.
Oh, and hello, perimenopause!
Add it all together, and what do you get? Low energy. Barely functioning. Constant cravings. And evenings spent scrolling through your phone, feeling guilty about everything you didn't get done. Sound familiar?
Because that's exactly where I found myself.
My hard work was paying off professionally, but physically, I felt like my body couldn't keep up. Somewhere along the way, I had given in to the exhaustion. I stopped caring for myself the way I once had. Most evenings, I would crawl into bed with absolutely no desire to get back up. The little energy I managed to find went straight into work because, well, something has to pay the bills, right? I started wondering if I was depressed. Maybe I was. Maybe I was simply overwhelmed. I didn't have all the answers.
But what bothered me most was the feeling that my health was declining.
My daily walks? Gone.
My workouts? Inconsistent at best.
Drinking water? Seriously, maybe a cup a day.
Meal prepping and eating balanced meals? Replaced with takeout, fast food, or the occasional decision to skip dinner altogether because I was too exhausted to cook. And that was especially hard to admit. Because I knew better.
Knowing Better Doesn't Always Mean Doing Better
I've been a health coach and whole-food nutritionist for more than a decade. I've spent years learning about nutrition, movement, sleep, stress management, and the importance of creating healthy habits. I've coached hundreds of women through their own wellness journeys.
So how had I allowed myself to drift so far away from something I had spent years studying, practicing, and teaching?
At first, I was disappointed in myself. I kept thinking about all the things I should be doing.
I should be walking every morning.
I should be eating healthier.
I should be working out.
I should be drinking more water.
I should be going to bed earlier.
Should. Should. Should. Blah!
As if adding more expectations to my already overflowing plate was somehow going to make things better. But the more I thought about my situation, the more I realized that my experience wasn't unique. So many women, especially working moms and caregivers, find themselves in this exact position. We're doing so much and never quite feeling like we're doing enough. We're constantly striving for a better future, chasing the picture-perfect version of our lives that always seems just out of reach.
And it takes a toll.
Eventually, we hit a wall.
Recovery feels impossible because life doesn't stop simply because we're exhausted. The responsibilities are still there. The kids still need dinner. The work still needs to get done. And sometimes, after a long day, even getting off the couch feels like another impossible task. I've seen this struggle in the women I've coached over the years, and now I was experiencing it myself.
As a coach, I've been a shoulder for other women to lean on. But I've also learned that sometimes the coach needs a shoulder to lean on, too. We often know what we need to do to feel better. We know we should move our bodies, nourish ourselves, get adequate rest, and make space for our mental well-being.
Knowing isn't always the problem. Finding the energy, time, and capacity to follow through is where things get difficult.
And that realization changed the question I was asking myself.
Instead of Why can't I get it together?
I started asking:
How do I make taking care of myself work within the life I actually have?
Finding My Way Back to Myself
That's where I am today. I'm not looking for a complete life overhaul or another picture-perfect wellness routine that lasts two weeks before falling apart. I'm looking for realistic ways to rebuild my energy, restore my health, and feel like myself again.
Ways that work around a demanding career, motherhood, household responsibilities, and everything else that comes with this season of life. Because I don't want to spend my days simply getting through them. I want to feel alive again.
I want to wake up with energy, move my body because it feels good, prepare meals that nourish me, and have enough left in the tank to enjoy the people and experiences that make life worth living.
I want to feel strong, confident, healthy, and comfortable in my own skin. And I want to reconnect with the bright, fun, energetic woman I know is still somewhere underneath all these responsibilities.
I miss her.
But I don't believe she's gone.
I think she's just been buried beneath years of putting everything and everyone else first. And I'm ready to find her again.
Starting Small, Instead of Starting Over
I know there isn't a magic pill or an overnight transformation waiting for me. I also know that getting back to feeling good will sometimes require doing things I don't particularly feel motivated to do. But I don't believe the answer is to keep pushing myself harder until I have nothing left to give. What I need is a way to support myself consistently without turning my health into another overwhelming responsibility.
For me, that starts with the fundamentals: nourishing my body, moving regularly, getting adequate sleep, managing stress, and shifting my mindset.
Not all at once. Not perfectly.
One small step at a time.
Maybe that means going for a walk before the workday begins.
Maybe it's taking ten minutes to stretch after sitting at my desk.
Maybe it's making sure I drink enough water or preparing one nourishing meal instead of grabbing whatever is convenient.
And maybe, on some days, it's simply giving myself permission to rest.
I'm learning that progress doesn't always have to look like pushing harder. Sometimes it looks like slowing down long enough to rebuild. I don't need a perfect routine. I need a system that works for my real life. And that's what I intend to create. Not only for myself, but hopefully for the women who see themselves in this story.
Let's Find Ourselves Again
Maybe you're a little like me. Maybe you've worked hard to build a life you're proud of, yet somewhere along the way, you started feeling disconnected from yourself. Maybe your days are filled with work, kids, responsibilities, and endless to-do lists, leaving little time or energy for the things that make you feel good. Maybe you have goals you've been putting off for months, or even years, because there never seems to be enough time. Or maybe you're simply tired of feeling tired.
I get it.
And while I wish I could tell you I've figured out exactly how to balance everything, I haven't. I'm still working through it. But I do know that I don't want to keep waiting for life to slow down before I start taking care of myself. Because if there's one thing I've learned, it's that life isn't going to magically clear our schedules and hand us extra hours.
We have to find ways to make it work.
And we shouldn't have to do it all alone.
Over the years, I've had the opportunity to support hundreds of women on their wellness journeys. I've seen their determination, their struggles, and their resilience.
Now I'm reaching for a little courage of my own by sharing my story.
My hope is to build a community of women who can relate to these experiences and want to support one another. A place where we can show up authentically, without pretending to have everything figured out.
Where we can celebrate small wins, laugh at the messy moments, learn from our setbacks, and keep moving forward. Where we can be our imperfect, unpolished selves as we work toward becoming healthier, stronger, and more confident. And most importantly, where we can rediscover that bright, energetic, fun-loving version of ourselves buried beneath the demands of everyday life.
One Moment. One Choice. One Day at a Time.
Writing this has already helped me feel like a little weight has been lifted. I don't know whether that feeling will last. I know there will be more exhausting days ahead. But today, it's enough to make me want to get up and do something for myself.
Maybe that's a long walk. Maybe it's a little stretching. I'm giving myself permission to start small and take it slow. To show up for myself one moment, one choice, and one day at a time. Slowly rebuilding momentum, energy, and resilience.
And if you're feeling anything like I am, I hope you'll join me.
Find that tiny ember inside of you.
Don't overthink it.
Just begin.
And know that, together, we'll find ourselves again and start feeling Bright and Nourished from within.
Lots of love,
Deslie
Track &Thrive
JOURNALS, FITNESS TRACKERS, AND HABIT TOOLS FOR A BETTER YOU
Follow @brightly.nourished for the version with fewer typos and more real life.
Hi, I’m Deslie
Holistic Health and Wellness Coach & Wholefood Nutrition Specialist
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You've worked hard to build a life you're proud of, but somewhere between career ambitions, motherhood, and endless responsibilities, you've lost a little of yourself. I know because I've been there. Despite years of experience in health and wellness, I found myself exhausted, overwhelmed, and running on empty. This is my story of finding my way back to better health, renewed energy, and the bright, confident woman I know is still within me.