Burnout in the entrepreneurial world is all too familiar. Especially for those who find fulfilment in relentless striving, ticking off to-do lists, and experiencing the highs of achieving one milestone after the other. Natalie, an ambitious and successful entrepreneur, shared her intimate journey with this dilemma and how the Burn Bright programme helped her redefine success and personal well-being.
When Natalie started her business six years ago, her success was intertwined with her inexhaustible efforts. Working non-stop and continuously pushing herself was rewarding at first, but eventually, the exhaustion crept in. The “push through just a bit more” mantra that once fuelled her was losing its spark. Natalie faced a crucial realisation: her current work pattern was unsustainable.
She speaks candidly about the slow buildup of fatigue, the depletion of joy from her work, and an overwhelming sensation of being lost. In one particularly poignant moment, Natalie describes reaching a breaking point. The mounting pressure and diminishing returns led her to question the very essence of her choice to leave a conventional teaching job for entrepreneurship.
Change wasn’t immediate for Natalie. It was an ongoing journey of reflection and learning. Burn Bright provided insights into alternative ways of achieving success, proving that one could be successful without being constantly overwhelmed. It taught her that rest, play, and saying no are as vital as consistent action. Learning to be comfortable with ‘space’ in her schedule was challenging, but over time, Natalie started valuing the breaks as much as the efforts she made in her business.
Through Burn Bright, Natalie also became more in tune with her own energy and boundaries. She decided to limit her working hours, recognising that she wasn’t productive or energised in the evenings. More so, she began to work on setting clear boundaries, even if it meant potentially missing out on opportunities or saying no to prospective clients wanting only evening work. Listening to her body, she learned to differentiate between what felt right and what called up feelings of resentment.
One profound takeaway for Natalie was the importance of community. The Burn Bright programme’s group setting offered connection, allowing her to resonate with others women’s struggles and triumphs. It was comforting to know she wasn’t alone in her challenges and that there’s no shame in seeking change. Having a mixture of corporate women and entrepreneurial women in the same group can be helpful to also gain perspective of how easy it is to bring a toxic environment with you from a corporate workplace even into one’s own business. You CAN be your own worst boss if you’re not careful.
Addressing the complex relationship between self-worth and pricing was another transformative experience for her. Increasing her fees was challenging, laden with guilt, especially thinking about potential clients who might not afford her services. However, she realised that by restructuring her approach and increasing her rates for her higher end services, she could afford to create more diverse offerings, providing also low cost workshops and free offers of support in her social media content. This felt more in line with her values, and so the guilt was diminishing.
In conclusion, Natalie’s journey with the Burn Bright paints a vivid picture of the challenges many entrepreneurs face. Her transformation is a testament to the program’s efficacy and a beacon of hope for many navigating similar paths. As she notes, “Nothing’s going to change until something changes.”
I understand the pressures many ambitious female entrepreneurs face in seeking to achieve excellence in every aspect of their lives, to the point of getting hooked by perfectionism. Striving for perfection can in worst case lead us to burnout, instead of burning bright and reaching our ambitious goals with joy, ease and satisfaction. That’s why I’m delighted to share that Burn Bright’s cart is now open until September 27th.
If you feel this might be the right step for you, or if you’re curious about how it can support your journey away from the shackles of perfectionism, I invite you to reach out. You can email me directly at [email protected]. Alternatively, if you’d prefer a more personal touch, please book a clarity call with me through https://burn-bright.youcanbook.me/. Let’s explore together how I can help you burn brighter, without burning out.
