Let’s Play Pretend: Becoming Crispy
“Burnout happens when you avoid being human for too long.” — The Blissful Mind
I know what you’re thinking.
Melissa, avoiding being human is how I function, not how I burn out.
Got it—and trust me, I believed that for a long time too.
Until one day my patience tolerance vanished, my brain felt foggy, and my ability to multitask disappeared. I tried to fix it with caffeine. Then more caffeine. A few less hours of sleep. Then life would get back to normal… right?
Wrong.
All it got me was more irritability, more fogginess, and a lot less joy.
Unless, of course, you were seeing me behind the mask. The one that could still work, excel, and maintain the image of having it all together. I was a rock star at being an imposter—and therefore, a rock star at being crispy. Not completely burned out, but close.
Those who were close enough to see behind the mask began voicing concern. They noticed the disconnect between my passion for empowering others and my inability to practice what I preached.
Then one day, I looked at a photo of myself from three years prior and realized the joy was gone from my eyes. I barely recognized the woman in the mirror.
That was the day I decided to change.
When Imposter Syndrome Turns into Burnout
As we discussed a few weeks ago, imposter syndrome is real—it’s that disconnect between what we show on the outside and what we feel on the inside. The fear that we’ll be “found out” as less than capable, unworthy, or not enough.
But here’s the thing: imposter syndrome doesn’t just drain confidence. It drains energy. The need to maintain superhero status indefinitely is unsustainable. No matter how capable you are, no matter how long you’ve done it—it will catch up with you.
According to Verywell Mind, burnout is:
“A reaction to prolonged or chronic job stress characterized by exhaustion, cynicism, and feelings of reduced professional ability.”
And Psychology Today expands on those symptoms, including exhaustion, forgetfulness, anxiety, irritability, isolation, detachment, and loss of motivation.
You don’t have to check every box to know something’s off.
The Turning Point
When my naturopath told me I needed to take a full year off work to recover from stress-induced health issues, I laughed. A whole year off? Not happening.
But what I could do was tell the truth: I was exhausted.
Burnout isn’t bad. It isn’t a failure. It’s human.
Especially for helping professionals, high achievers, and those of us who thrive on being “the strong one,” burnout is a byproduct of caring deeply and pushing too far for too long.
Boundaries: The Antidote to Burnout
The first step toward healing is honesty—acknowledging what’s really happening instead of covering it with more caffeine, more work, or more excuses.
The second step? Boundaries.
Boundaries aren’t walls that keep people out—they’re the framework that keeps you balanced. They protect your time, your energy, and your health.
Boundaries can look like:
Time boundaries: setting work hours and honoring days off.
Emotional boundaries: limiting draining relationships.
Physical boundaries: prioritizing sleep, nutrition, and movement.
Boundaries define what you want to do instead of what you feel obligated to do.
Creating Space for Yourself
Avoiding burnout also means creating space for yourself. For me, that recently meant not posting a blog one week. I needed rest more than consistency.
Was there guilt? Absolutely. Did I feel like I was failing my content plan? You bet. But you know what? Life went on. The blog went on. And no one even noticed.
Sometimes, giving yourself permission to pause is exactly what keeps you from breaking.
What About You?
What can you carve out this week to find balance? What boundaries do you need to reinforce? And what space do you need to create—just because you need it?
Next week, we’ll dive into Compassion Fatigue, a close cousin of burnout that affects many helping professionals and caregivers.
As I’ve said before, being known for who you uniquely are at the core is a freeing experience. It takes bravery and vulnerability—but it’s absolutely achievable.
Always remember to take care of you. You are worth it.
If you’ve been running on empty, my free Perfectionism Workbook can help you create space for rest, balance, and renewed energy.
If you’re ready to dig deeper into your story and start showing up as your most authentic self, therapy can help.
I offer online therapy for helping professionals, busy professionals, and therapists who are ready to reconnect with their worth and live with greater balance and clarity.
Learn more about online therapy with Melissa Russiano or schedule a free consultation to see if we’re a good fit.
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