You Can’t Be a Light to Others If You’re Burnt Out

Has there ever been a time when the expectations you placed on yourself far exceeded those that others placed on you—that the energy it required to meet them made you feel so depleted that you could barely summon the strength to endure one more day on the job?

I have—and it changed the course of my life.

It was the summer of 2021, about a year and a half after I had moved from Baltimore, MD, to Greenville, SC, to lead a nonprofit arts organization. Driving to work one day, I caught myself thinking, “I hope I don’t die in a car accident today because I don’t want to go out being this miserable.”

The weight of my role had become unbearable. I’d stepped into a level of dysfunction and mismanagement I couldn’t have anticipated. Add the pandemic to the mix, and it became a literal struggle for survival—for myself and for my organization.

I’ll never forget the call I made to my husband in March 2020, telling him, “I just had to inform my board that the organization only has enough money to survive for two more months.” After I had just uprooted my life and bought a house. Suddenly, everything felt like an emergency.

For the next two years, I led a complete 180 turnaround that put the organization back on solid financial footing, expanded its reach in the community, and gave it new life. But the experience drained the life out of me.

The Cost of Burnout

That day I was driving to work trying to stay alive was the day I knew something had to change. I had been the right person at the right time for that role, and that time had run its course for me. I couldn’t keep leading others effectively until I figured out how to better lead myself.

So I made the hard decision to leave, giving several months’ notice and working diligently to onboard my successor. I handed over a strategic plan, a year’s worth of cash in the bank, and a stronger organization than I’d inherited.

I felt good about the way I left.

But I hadn’t planned to leave after just two years. Part of me felt like a failure. A stronger part recognized that if I didn’t shift the expectations I placed on myself, I couldn’t continue to serve others.

Facing his own burnout, my husband resigned from his job, too. We gave ourselves a year to breathe and figure out what was next.

Breaking Through Burnout

What came next was Elevatr—a business born from our shared commitment to help other purpose-driven leaders reduce overwhelm as they grow their organizations.

Of course, running a business comes with its own stresses and challenges, but we’ve learned what to do and what not to do to stand firm in our values and cultivate our resilience.

In fact, the personal theme I chose for 2024 was breakthrough. To me, this meant breaking through limiting beliefs, assumptions, fear, and yes, burnout.

It wasn’t until nearly two years after my resignation that I felt like my old self again. It’s probably no coincidence that I made this observation while driving to a client appointment.

I found myself thinking, “I hope I don’t die in a car accident today because I’m looking forward to so many things.” Talk about a 180.

Hard-Earned Wisdom for the New Year

If you’re feeling on edge or wondering how you’ll juggle “all the things” in 2025, here are some insights I’ve earned that might help you stave off burnout before it dims your light.

• Make sure your organization’s mission resonates so deeply that it’s worth the less-than-ideal demands and dynamics you’ll experience.
• Understand where you shine and spend more dedicated time working in your zone of genius.
• Create clear, shared expectations that energize you and your team.
• Build small, consistent habits to promote well-being—and commit to them one at a time.
• Rewrite the stories of the past so they empower you instead of weighing you down.
• Lean on your community by enlisting trusted friends and colleagues to keep you grounded.

That last point is a big one. It’s why I’m launching the inaugural cohort of The C-Suite Sessions: Purpose-Driven Peer Advisory in 2025.

The Power of Peer Support

Leading a nonprofit is uniquely challenging. You’re balancing immense responsibility, limited resources, and a personal passion for the work—all while trying to preserve your well-being.

The Purpose-Driven Peer Advisory is an eight-month program is designed for a group of six nonprofit executives who are ready to:

• Develop a motivating vision for their leadership
• Feel a greater sense of influence over the chaos
• Create a doable plan to promote personal resiliency
• Think deeply about the important issues that get lost in the busyness of the work day
• Share leading practices, strategies, and resources
• Gain a variety of perspectives on complex decisions

Together, we’ll create a safe space to tackle obstacles, gain fresh insights, and chart a more intentional path forward.

The journey begins in March, and there’s an early-bird discount if you apply by January 15.

Let’s make 2025 the year you overcome overwhelm and elevate your impact.

Questions? Contact me.