Do you feel like burnt toast
She worked 50–60 hours a week for four years.
Little to no vacation.
Always available.
Always delivering.
Two weeks ago, she was laid off.
Yesterday she told me, “I’m exhausted, frustrated & ****ing pissed off. I gave everything. And I still lost my job.”
If you’ve ever been laid off after over-functioning for years, you know this feeling.
It’s not just job loss.
It’s identity shock.
Adrenal fatigue.
Brain fog.
Emotional whiplash.
And then comes the pressure:
“Update your resume.”
“Start networking.”
“Apply everywhere.”
“Don’t lose momentum.”
But here’s what I told her:
💥 You can NOT attract a healthy next chapter when you are running on fumes.
💥 You don’t make aligned decisions when your nervous system is fried.
💥 You don’t interview well when you’re depleted.
💥 You don’t negotiate confidently when you feel disposable.
She has three months of severance.
She wants to take one week to rest.
And yet… she feels guilty.
Guilty for resting.
After years of overgiving.
Let me say this clearly:
💖 Rest is not falling behind.
💖 Rest is strategic.
You are not “burnt toast.”
You are a high-capacity human who hasn’t been replenished.
Sometimes the most productive thing you can do after a layoff is:
✨ Sleep, Sleep, Sleep
✨ Move your body. STRETCH
✨ Get outside. Be in nature
✨ Allow your brain calm down
✨ Remember your job is WHAT you do NOT WHO you are!
A regulated nervous system is a career advantage.
The next opportunity will come from clarity. Not panic.
If you’re navigating burnout or a layoff right now, this is your permission slip:
💖 Pause
💖 Restore
💖 Then rise
You deserve to show up to your next chapter as your whole self. Not your exhausted self.
Let’s rebuild your energy and your career from a place of strength. Not survival.
If this resonates with you, lets chat https://calendly.com/sarahucoach/30min