#sarahshares: Your Burnt Out Brain is Mean… and a Liar. Here’s How You Find Out The Truth.

If your brain screams ‘lazy’ every time you try to rest, it’s time to stop trusting a bully and start listening to the one part of you that never lies: your body. So many people in burnout recovery hear the same harsh inner dialogue. “You’re lazy.” “You should be doing more.” “You’ll never be enough.” But what if those thoughts aren’t reflections of reality, just echoes of a brain running on exhaustion and fear?

Sarah Vosen is back for another #sarahshares episode to unpack a powerful community poll that revealed just how mean our minds can be when we try to rest. She walks through what it means to recognize those messages as lies and gives guidance for tuning into your body’s truth instead. Because when the body says “I’m too tired,” it isn't a weakness. It’s wisdom.

This episode invites you to try a different approach - one rooted in self-compassion, small moments of rest, and the radical idea that your worth isn’t tied to your productivity.

Episode Breakdown:

00:00 What Your Brain Says When You Try to Rest

03:02 The Lying Brain vs. the Truthful Body

07:09 How to Rest Even When Guilt Creeps In

08:13 Why Self-Compassion Is Key to Burnout Recovery

10:00 Sarah’s Personal Turning Point with Self-Kindness

13:03 Can Wearable Data Help You Trust Your Body Again?

Links

Listening to your body:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/7f3rMZ42rwnWW3c8kuAKk5?si=YSkz0JS0RTyOwWu6LN4XOA

Kristin Neff:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/5vHiMpzVHcOYRdvDXwbyE1?si=AmhF8nCERjm5zLBY2rKsFw

How to resolve exhaustion:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0W65Yv1l2aOI7F5ZyebfXs?si=Eyt5XV8uS8ODyv7DxoJfeg

Dive Deeper:

Burnout isn’t a personal failure or a lack of resilience. It’s a signal that something in the system, expectations, roles, pace, or support, is out of alignment. Conversations like this one help surface the human experience of burnout, while the broader work continues to explore how organizations can respond more intelligently and sustainably.

To explore burnout, leadership, and sustainable performance through a workplace and organizational lens, connect with Cait Donovan: https://bit.ly/bookcait

Learn more about Cait’s speaking work: 

https://www.caitdonovan.com/speaking

Short on time? Watch this 3-minute overview: 

https://bit.ly/caitdreel2025

Podcast production and show notes provided by HiveCast.fm