From Burnout to Balance: How Slowing Down Helped Me Come Alive
Picture this: You’re the girl who has it all—or at least, it sure looks that way. And thank goodness, everyone else thinks so too. Big girl job and a brand-new apartment in NYC? Check. A thriving social life with a tight-knit group of amazing friends? Check. Handsome boyfriend with perfect hair? Check.
Alarm set to 5 a.m. Monday through Friday, Equinox class booked 26 hours in advance (always), at your desk by 8 a.m., chia pudding and a salad or veggie bowl prepped the night before, high-stress sales job from 8 to 6:30 (where you, of course, had to be a top performer), maybe a work event or social gathering afterward, home to cook dinner and prep tomorrow’s meals, sleep, rinse and repeat.
The perfect schedule for the perfect girl, right? But then… why does my stomach always ache and my appetite is nonexistent? Why can’t I sleep through the night, tossing and turning, wide awake with restless thoughts about everything I have to do when I wake up? Why haven’t I had my period in over seven years? Why do I always feel so cold? And why is my hair falling out, no matter how many vitamins I take?
Three years ago, my body wasn’t just asking—it was screaming at me to slow down. But when you’re racing at a million miles an hour, chasing perfection, hitting the brakes feels impossible. My nervous system was stuck in overdrive, constantly on high alert, trapped in fight-or-flight mode. This wreaked havoc on essential processes like digestion and menstruation because my body didn’t feel safe. It was desperately conserving energy for survival, sidelining anything it deemed less critical—like, you know, functioning normally.
After countless doctor visits and frustrating dismissals, I finally found my way to an incredible functional medicine doctor at Parsley Health who truly listened. That was a game-changer. I started setting boundaries, saying "no" to things/plans that didn’t light me up, and carving out time to reconnect with myself. I rekindled my love for food, cooking meals that nourished my healing body from the inside out. I swapped high-intensity workouts for gentler movements like barre, Pilates, and yoga, and embraced long, soul-soothing walks in nature. I let go of a relationship that no longer served me. I dove into podcasts, learned to treasure quiet moments alone, and—perhaps most importantly—I finally let myself rest. I slept a lot. It wasn’t just healing; it was a reset for my entire being.
Now, I can confidently say I’ve never felt more alive. There’s something profoundly magical about being deeply in sync with yourself—truly listening to your body, knowing exactly what it needs to thrive, and unapologetically honoring that. Prioritizing myself, letting go of people-pleasing, and releasing the exhausting quest for perfection has been the ultimate freedom.
If this resonates with you, I’m so glad you’re here. And if you’ve been waiting for someone to give you permission to slow down—to hit pause, recalibrate, and truly care for yourself so you can return stronger and more vibrant than ever—consider this your sign.
Rest is productive and you are beyond deserving of it.
