Are you kidding me you might be saying? Well, no I’m not but stay with me here.
The thing is issues with stress, adrenal fatigue and burnout don’t just show up out of the blue. For most of us it’s something that builds up over time from the many small, repetitive behaviours and patterns in our lives that are not serving us.
There are occasions when adrenal fatigue comes about from acute situations such as an accident (and even then I believe there are underlying tendencies that make this more probable), but this is usually only a very small percentage of people. For most of us it has built up over a lengthy period of time.
Without realising it, these patterns and behaviours that are not working for us, create a fight-or-flight response (or stress response) in our body many, many times every day and this plays havoc with the way our hormones are released from our adrenal glands.
Some of the many stress response situations that you may find yourself dealing with may be that
- you have an argument with your partner (it may be one you have time and time again)
- you look at your bank balance and wonder how you’re going to pay the next bill
- your child is unwell and you have to leave work early
- you don’t speak up for yourself in a conversation with a parent
- you have an unexpected deadline at work that feels impossible
- someone cuts you off in traffic and you shout obscenities at them
- a “friend” puts you down and you don’t say anything
- you help a friend move house even though you’re exhausted
- you sacrifice time for yourself that you’ve been looking forward to, to pick someone up who’s been drinking
- you constantly put others needs before your own
- you don’t allow yourself to relax until the to-do list is done (the thing is it’s never done)
- you don’t ask for the support that you need around the home
- you allow others to dictate how you spend your time.
And so the list can go on and on.
Eventually though, something breaks within you, something cracks, and you find yourself physically, mentally or emotionally unable to carry on as “normal” because you feel unwell.
The Stronger Wake up Call Has Arrived
When you don’t listen to the subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) intuitive messages that are telling you to do things differently, your body can create symptoms that definitely get you to listen.
If this has built up over a long period of time, you have likely felt progressively worse. Eventually your threshold of what you can put up with (via your body’s symptoms) reaches a breaking point.
This is where things get interesting and where you have to change the way you live your life.
What’s Not Working?
Take some time to really get a handle on what’s not working in your life.
Make a list right now.
- ______________________
- ______________________
- ______________________
- ______________________
- ______________________
- ______________________
Where Do You Need Support?
From your list above, decide on what support you need to help you change these things. It’s likely that some of these are tough things to change overnight, but the fact that you have now acknowledged them is a really positive step.
There was a time in my life back in 2009 when I had reached a huge breaking point. I knew I couldn’t continue to operate the business that I owned with my now ex and I also knew that our relationship was extremely unhealthy.
In April 2009 I ended the relationship and on that same day I went to my first al-anon meeting. It took me another 18 months to be able to find a way out of the business I was in, but those first steps I took were vital to the unfoldment of a new life down the track.
Your Life Will Change For the Better, Because it Has To
When you reach such a low point as with adrenal fatigue or burnout, you no longer have the capacity to continue on in the same way that you have been.
This is where you have to make changes that improve the quality of your life. It is non-negotiable at this point and
- you’ll likely need physical support to help you recover from the physical aspect of adrenal fatigue
- you’ll need to learn to speak up to those around you about what you need
- you’ll need to release anything that does not have a stable foundation – this may include areas such as friendships, relationships, living situations or work that doesn’t fulfil you (this is not necessarily easy, but it is essential to finding a better quality of life)
- you’ll likelly need support in the form of a counsellor to help you work through the emotional patterns and behaviours that have created the current situation you are in
- you’ll need to learn that you teach those around you how to treat you and that you have the power within you to be treated in a better way.
Seeing this as a Gift will Gradually Emerge
As you empower yourself into creating a better life and you begin to recover from the physical discomfort of dealing with adrenal fatigue or burnout, you will begin to realise what a gift dealing with this actually was or still is.
I fully understand that it is hard to think this way when you are suffering physically (I truly understand from having been there myself), but unfortunately sometimes we need to reach these low points to fully understand the changes that we must make. At this point they have become non-negotiable.
I encourage you to unravel the reasons why you are in the position that you are in and start with one step to change your life for the better.
Remember, I’m here as a support for you to help you through this process. I understand, I have been there. But remember, you are strong, you are resilient and you can get through this. Each new step you take that serves your life positively, is a step towards a more recovered, fulfilling and healthy life.
Best wishes and much love
Lisa xo
