As a child of immigrants, I saw early on what it meant to live in survival mode. Every waking minute of my parents’ life went to making a meager income to keep food on the table for me and my sisters. I learned what it meant to keep it all together, keep your head down, and make things work to make ends meet.

As an adult, even though my financial picture has changed, I have still found it difficult to shake this pattern. The trauma of growing up in financial scarcity runs deep, creating a powerful survival strategy. For many people, this can look like over-working, over-committing, and self-abandonment, leading to burnout.

Signs and symptoms of over-working and burnout:

• Irritability

• Anxiety

• Stress

• Shortness of breath

• Difficulty sleeping

• Snapping at others

• Overly critical of self and others

• Saying yes when your plate is already full

• Resenting others who have free time

If you are reading this now, you’ve probably come to realize that this pattern is completely unsustainable. Maybe you’re proud of your accomplishments, but you’ve completely lost touch from your spirit. And the part of you that wants to run away, is your spirit yearning to break free.

Working with me, you will:

• Understand the context from which this pattern emerged (including trauma history)

• Understand the core fears driving this pattern

• Understand the gifts of this pattern

• Reconnect with inner child spirit (wonder, awe, play)

• Clarify core values and realign priorities

• Practice compassionate boundary-setting