We’ve all heard of meditation and how it might just be the very thing we need most. We know—at least in theory—that when something isn’t working, we need to go slower, not harder. We need to create space, not keep cramming things into a cupboard that’s already full.

We all know how stress, or simply too much of anything, feels. But often, we’re so busy being busy that we don’t recognise the signs until our bodies are literally screaming at us to stop.

Does this sound familiar? This was me—until my entire world collapsed. But that’s a story for another time.

Today, I simply want to remind you to deeply accept and appreciate that there is another way to live. A free, delicious, and spacious way to feel, breathe, and exist. A way that is not only sustainable, but also exciting and expansive.

I want you to know that you can do life differently. No matter what you’ve been through in the past or are currently facing, you can feel alive, spacious, and capable again.

And perhaps today, as you allow my words to gently soothe and nourish the rhythm of your beautiful heartbeat back to balance, is the day you step forward and reclaim your power: your innate right to simply be.

Is today that day, my love? If so, read on…

Why Burnout Happens

When we’re constantly in “doing” mode—though it may feel productive and empowering—we’re operating in the sympathetic branch of our autonomic nervous system. This is the part responsible for getting us up in the morning and helping us achieve goals. But it’s also the part that floods us with adrenaline and cortisol, preparing us to fight, flee, or freeze.

While this response is useful in short bursts (giving a big talk, going to the gym, running for the bus), if we don’t allow ourselves downtime, we become stuck in high-alert mode—as if we’re always running from a tiger. Over time, this leads to burnout.

And not just for some people. Not just ADHD’ers, AUDHD’ers, CEOs, or parents. Everyone can be affected by burnout.

What We Can Do to Restore Balance

To prevent burnout, we need to understand how the autonomic nervous system works. Your body is an incredibly intelligent, self-regulating system doing everything it can to keep you not only alive, but well, happy and thriving.

This regulation happens automatically—you don’t have to think about it. But when you’re stuck in “doing” mode, your system gets overloaded and thinks you’re preparing for danger. It keeps you in high-alert mode because it loves you and wants to keep you safe.

The best thing you can do for your nervous system is to prioritise activities, spaces, and people that soothe the parasympathetic nervous system—the part that helps you “rest and digest,” produces melatonin, and encourages deep, restorative sleep.

When you feel relaxed and safe, you’re in parasympathetic mode. That’s why being around certain people, animals, music, or environments feels so healing.

But What If Life Feels Too Full to Slow Down?

This is where a grounding, beautiful, and supportive meditation practice comes in. This is the moment everything can change.

Meditation slows your breathing and gently lengthens your exhalations. This alone is a game-changer for the nervous system, moving you from sympathetic stress to parasympathetic rest.

How to Start a Meditation Practice

There are more types of meditation than there are music genres, so don’t give up if you don’t enjoy it right away. Keep trying until you find a style that suits you. After all, we’re doing this to help you reach a relaxed, joy-filled, heart-opening, mind-calming state.

I personally love the app Insight Timer, where you’ll find some of my own meditations, along with thousands of others, ranging from guided visualisations to breath-focused practices.

The key is consistency. Like exercise, meditation is cumulative. Doing it once a month won’t do much, but a weekly or daily practice can profoundly improve your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Choose a practice that resonates with you, and commit to it.

Whichever path you take, I hope you start making time for you. I hope you choose to put your happiness and wellbeing at the centre of your life. I hope you move from burnout to shining brightly.

Because truly, my love, there is another way to live. A way that is bigger, brighter, and more spacious. You deserve it—not because of what you’ve achieved or overcome, but simply because you exist.

That’s enough. You are worthy of rest and joy, just as you are, right now.

words by Josephine McGrail

Josephine McGrail is an empowering wellness coach and the author of The Morning Miracle, Messages of Love, and Fall in Love with You