Have you ever experienced burnout? You have been building your business, working your tail off, and have had some amazing success but you still feel like there is something more for you. You can’t quite explain it, but you know it. There is something more.

The something more is usually driven by wanting to have an impact, to be on purpose, or to leave a legacy. It’s being driven by something bigger than yourself. There may be times that you feel like you get there, but it isn’t sustainable over time. You are on fire, powering through to create what you want in your business and life, and it’s happening.

Then you hit it. The wall. And you are exhausted. Creative juices have stopped flowing, and you are being pulled in a million different directions. You’re taking care of your family, nurturing your relationships, building a business, taking care of your clients and customers, and oh yea, you’re trying to fit you in there somewhere. This is where burnout begins. You become less intentional and life becomes more chaotic. It may even feel like you are living in a constant state of fight or flight.

As women, this is much more common than you might think. You grow up learning to take care of those around us. You get messages through many different avenues that it’s selfish or self-serving to take care of you first. This messaging comes in many different forms. From watching your mother, family, friends, news, to TV commercials, TV shows, music, etc. Remember the song by Peggy Lee “I’m a Woman” with the lyrics “I can bring home the bacon/ Fry it up in a pan/ And never, ever let you forget you’re a man”? 

My mother used to play this song a lot when I was little. It is on the rare occasion that there was any messaging for women to take time for them and to take care of themselves first. Often times, putting yourself first completely goes against culture. Just thinking about doing it can cause you to feel guilty, like you’re not being a good spouse or mother, you’re being selfish. It’s a pretty big trigger.

Here’s the deal though, for you to bridge the gap of burnout and really create what you want in your life, it is essential for you to put yourself first. Yep, I said it. Did it give your heart a little skip?

The key to avoiding burnout, feeling fulfilled, and creating the life you want, is to have the energy and vitality to be able to do that. This requires you to be your greatest priority. You spend so much time serving your family, friends, clients, and customers, that eventually you burn out, if you are not taking the time to serve you first. Serving you first gives you the energy and vitality to serve all the people you want to serve.

And yes, I know this is easier said than done. The key is Joyful Play. Joyful Play feeds the soul, energizes you, and increases your vitality. It gives you the energy so you can take care of the people you love, do what you love, impact the world, and have no regrets. It’s the bridge that takes you over the gap of burn out.

Joyful Play allows you to bring in the spirit of play into every situation you come across. Joyful Play is personal to you. Joyful play feeds your soul and energizes you. It can be put into moments for a quick pick me up, hours, or days depending on the rhythm of your life.

“It’s a happy talent to know how to play.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Finding what Joyful Play is for you, can be a little sticky and messy but so worth the journey.

Here are a few steps to get you started finding your Joyful Play:

1. Download my free playbook: https://www.laurirubinstein.com. This will guide you through a process to begin your journey of bringing Joyful Play into your life. You will also get 7 emails – one per day, to help you move through the playbook.
2. Bring in Curiosity. You can’t get this wrong! Joyful Play is personal and unique to you. Only you will know what Joyful Play is to you. Pay attention and keep an awareness around what brings you joy and energizes you. This is different from play. Play is fun, brings joy but doesn’t always energize you.
3. Experiment with Joyful Play. I love to experiment with things. When you experiment and are curious, it takes the pressure and judgement out of it. Set up little experiments around play and see what energizes you and brings you joy.  It doesn’t have to be a big deal. It can be as simple as sitting quietly and drinking a cup of tea. I have had clients who have found the luxury of a 15-minute nap as being Joyful Play for them. Remember, there are no rules except that it energizes you and brings you joy.

I encourage you to take on this journey. Play with it, be curious, and experiment. You may be surprised as to where it takes you. 🙂