Burn-out, frothy milk and refinding softness

It's been a while, I missed you 🤎

Nov 17, 2024

Let me set the scene. It’s Sunday, I’m sipping elderberry tea in bed and looking out at the trees, they are amber with the autumn sunlight.

I’ve not felt inspired to share much this year. A couple of times I’ve sat down at my desk hoping to write something, but for all the oolong in the world, I’ve padded back to the kitchen, empty-handed.

The truth is, I’ve been burnt out. This year I took on (too) many projects, had a solo exhibition, did a 180 on my career, and enjoyed all of it with my whole heart. Yet, none of that stopped the exhaustion and overwhelm from creeping in, and as the year moved on, I found myself feeling strangely separate from my softness.

Morning practices were quietly replaced by to-do lists and the endless chase to get ahead. Slowly, the things I once loved started to feel like chores. I began to miss myself, the one who wasn’t always ticking boxes or striving for the next thing. Maybe you can relate to throwing yourself into work, hoping life will reward your overachieving with some golden apple of fulfilment.

As the season shifted and the air turned crisp, I found myself pausing, reflecting on how I was spending my time and realising that this was not it. Yes, I can do hard things, and I’m proud of my resilience, but I don’t want to live in a way that pulls me further from the quiet moments of simplicity and gentleness.

Light bulb moment.

The slower I go, the more I can hold. I don’t have to move through life at a sprint to feel full.

Since then, I’ve been finding new paths back to myself. Rekindling my love for the simplest things, embracing my slowness and introversion as pleasure (I’m a Cancer after all) and choosing to use joy as my compass.

Some things that have helped me through this season of burnout:

Milk Frother – I’ve been making a cacao, cinnamon, maple syrup and ashwagandha evening drink, and it’s been heavenly with fluffy milk.
Entire Days in Bed – At first I felt lazy, but now I feel luxurious. I gather tea, snacks, socks and watch my favourite films.
Notion – Organisation and emojis as self-care. For me, the structure eases overwhelm.
Woollen Everything – Comfort and beauty as medicine. I recently invested in some quality knitwear and every day feels like a hug.
Posted Notes – Investing in cute (not practical) stationery. I use them as a to-do list or little reminders for the day.
The Daily Rest (Online Studio) – Restorative, snack-sized practices and rest inspiration.
Phone-Free Days – A small rebellion in a world that requires constant connection.

As I was gathering these little comforts, I realised it’s been a year and a day since I started this Substack. An echo of tales told here in England about quests or being stolen by fairies. Though it’s sadly not been the latter I have found the peace in not doing it all, in time for the winter coming.

I hope you’ve found a little softness here,

Love, Jordan x

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