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Subject: that was awkward 🫣
“I gotta be honest, folks… I can’t do this anymore. I’ve been thinking about leaving the music industry for good. I’m just so tired.”
The crowd went silent, unsure how to respond to the existential meltdown happening right there on center stage.
Something was off from the moment the band started playing.
The lead singer’s voice was strained, the drum beat was a millisecond too slow. There was an undertone of static reverberation, like one of the guitar cords wasn’t entirely plugged into the socket.
They took way too long transitioning from one song to the next, and every few minutes, the lead singer would say something to the crowd like, “I’m so honored y’all came out to see me, but I really don’t want to be here right now.”
Or my personal favorite, “I wish I could afford to do fewer shows, but this job pays shit. Haha.”
I leaned over to Jonathan and whispered, “How is that supposed to make me feel right now?!”
We were sitting in our camping chairs at an outdoor concert venue near our home in Portland. It was a lovely summer evening in late August. We arrived early to watch the sunset before the show started, excited to be outside celebrating the last days of summer.
This artist, usually a beacon of hope and optimism, was having a burnout meltdown right before our eyes.
As someone who works with burned-out business owners, I felt for her and wanted to help. But as an audience member at her concert, I felt awkward, uncomfortable, and trapped on my picnic blanket.
Honestly, I wanted to leave, but no one was moving!
It was like she’d thrown a weighted blanket over the crowd. She wasn’t going to entertain us, but she also wasn’t going to let us escape her suffering.
That’s when it hit me…
This is what happens when we (service providers, healers, helpers) keep serving our clients even though we’re burned out.
We’ve all been there.
There’s a moment when you know you need to take a break, but you tell yourself you must push through because…
- You don’t want to let your clients down
- You really need the money
- You wouldn’t know what to do instead
As I sat through that concert, I was reminded that we’re not helping anyone when we push through burnout to keep working.
>> the therapist is distracted and less patient
>> the copywriter’s work is flat and uninspired
>> the leader is bitter and critical of their team
>> the assistant is disorganized and withdrawn
>> the singer is a hot mess on the stage
Your clients know they’re not getting your best work… or worse, they feel you unconsciously projecting your unhappiness onto them… but they feel too uncomfortable to say anything about it.
You try to ignore your suffering because you think you have no other option. But the beautiful thing about being a business owner is that you always have another option.
And one of those options is to choose to take care of yourself.
Your business needs you to take care of yourself.
It’s not a luxury; it’s a necessity.
As a business owner, you are your most valuable asset.
Without you, your business doesn’t exist.
And yet, we’re super quick to ignore our needs, push past our limits, and continue showing up for other people even though we’ve forgotten how to show up for ourselves.
It’s a travesty.
And it’s why I created the Deep Rest Retreat.
Learning how to show up for yourself as a business owner is the best thing you can do for your business’s long-term health and success.
It is also the best way to improve the quality of care you give your clients and the quality of leadership you share with your team.
This retreat is perfect for business owners who
- feel like they’re drowning in burnout
- are teetering on the edge of burnout
- want to protect against future burnout
You can use this retreat to recover from burnout and protect against burnout in the future. That’s the whole point!
Don’t wait until you’re having a meltdown in the middle of your concert to get the support you need.
Choose yourself and come to the Deep Rest Retreat.
This 4-day restorative retreat is for business owners who want to release what’s no longer serving them, recharge with deep rest, and revitalize their businesses with fresh insights and new inspiration.
Remember, your business needs you to take care of yourself now.
I’m here to help you do it.
Let me know if you have any questions.
Talk soon,
Maegan
