The battle with burnout
Omg, I did something so silly. 😂
Normally, when I produce my podcast episode, I set up the camera and film myself talking. I put that version on YouTube, and then I put an audio only version out for Apple, Spotify, etc.
This week, I accidentally had the camera flipped around without knowing it. I went to a beautiful park, picked a gorgeous place to sit, and then filmed the street instead of me in the pretty spot. Lmao. The funny thing is, just like the camera was facing the wrong way, I’ve realized I’ve been pushing in the wrong direction too.
I am forced to face something that I’ve avoided admitting for some time: I am deeply burnt out. Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress. It's characterized by feelings of overwhelming fatigue, cynicism, detachment, and feelings of ineffectiveness or lack of accomplishment.
If you’ve never experienced burnout—and I hope you haven’t—it feels like the kind of tiredness that sleep cannot cure. It’s beyond exhaustion. And it’s affected how I’m showing up as a teacher and in my whole life.
What I know is that the cure for this type of burnout is savasana—deep rest. I often say when students lie down for final resting pose: “Rest requires as much practice as work itself.”
It’s time for me to practice savasana for myself right now.
Starting June 1st, I’ll be taking June, July, and August off for recovery and deep rest. That means no live classes or new video content.
My hope is that with some rest I’ll rediscover my passions and have something new to share.
In this week’s episode of the Luminous Recovery Yoga podcast, I share my process behind my need for a break. I’ve also shared how I intend to spend this time and my plans for the fall.
This Week’s Episode:
I want to reassure you that while I'm taking a break, the podcast isn't disappearing. While new episodes won't be released for a while, there is a treasure trove of past episodes that you can explore and revisit on my YouTube channel. It's my hope that these episodes can continue to provide guidance, inspiration, and company during your yoga journey, even while I'm recharging.
Currently, my plan is to head to Mexico for the summer. I’ll recuperate on the beach in the sun. I’ve been craving that for years. For the fall, I’ve been accepted in the Master’s of Business Administration (MBA) program at Portland State University.
I’m definitely not done with yoga. But, I need to change my relationship with how I do things right now. I’m rediscovering my own practice and need to cultivate stillness on my mat.
One of the most important yogic principles is sthira sukha asanam, or the balanced action between effort and ease. It’s about knowing when to retreat and restore, and respecting the signals from our bodies. This is the lesson I’m embracing now. I hope it inspires you to listen to your own needs and grant yourself permission to rest, renew, and revitalize when needed.
With love,
~Kari
