Are You Heading for Nurture Burnout?
So many founders are striving for balance—juggling businesses, families, and the constant pressure to do it all.
In fact, in the last ten years of running my business, the number one thing my clients have been searching for is balance. They’re being pulled in a million different directions, trying to build a thriving business while also being present at home.
Most of my clients can probably relate to being a Nurturing Soul—caring, sensitive, and genuinely fulfilled by helping others, whether it’s their children, their team, their clients, or even complete strangers.
The problem? They’re often much better at taking care of everyone else than they are at looking after themselves. Because of this, they risk what I call Nurture Burnout.
We’ve all heard that we’re supposed to look after ourselves before we can look after others—like putting on your own oxygen mask first. But knowing you should and actually knowing how are two very different things.
And if you don’t figure it out, you risk exhausting yourself to the point of burning out—literally getting to the stage where you start thinking things like:
“I can’t go on like this!”
“I give up.”
“I just don’t care anymore.”
Resentment sets in. Health problems arise. Energy levels drop.
THIS is Nurture Burnout.
The Balance Myth
What I see so often are parents and founders hoping there’s some magic secret to balancing it all—kids, partner, business, exercise, healthy eating, travel, sleep.
They think if they could just figure out Wonder Woman’s Secret, they’d have it all together. They’d finally have time for everything and everyone—and then, finally, they’d be happy.
Well, I’m going to let you in on the real secret: there is no secret.
I call it The Balance Myth.
The truth is, there is literally no way you can do everything you want to do, help everyone you want to help, or keep your to-do list completely checked off.
If balance means fitting everything into every day, then balance is impossible. And when people think this way, they also assume that having more time is the answer.
Wrong.
The Real Meaning of Balance
Here’s what’s really going on when you feel out of balance: you’re not feeling fulfilled.
You’re not being your authentic self.
You’re not making time for what truly matters to you.
Balance isn’t about time management or cramming more into your day. It’s not about doing everything perfectly. Balance is a feeling.
It’s the feeling you get when your life is in flow. When you’re living on purpose. When you’ve just loved your day—even if not everything got done.
The Key to Balance: Self-Awareness
If you’re striving for balance, what you really need is self-awareness. The more aware you are of yourself in each present moment, the more balanced you’ll feel.
Research shows that practising present-moment awareness is one of the most effective ways to manage anxiety and other strong emotions. In other words, it brings us to a feeling of balance—no matter how much is on your plate.
Not only that, but self-awareness engages the most evolved part of our brain—our logical, thinking brain—and helps us stop running on autopilot.
So, how do you build self-awareness in the middle of a busy life?
The 3 Steps to Awareness
I teach my clients a simple 3-step process to build present-moment awareness. Here’s a quick look at how it works:
Step 1: Acknowledge
Start by simply noticing and naming your thoughts and feelings as they come up throughout your day.
For example: “Oh, wow, I’m feeling really overwhelmed right now.”
This step is about pausing to become the observer of yourself—just for a moment—without rushing to fix anything.
Step 2: Allow
Once you’ve acknowledged your thoughts and feelings, the next step is to allow them to be there.
Avoid pushing them away or distracting yourself. Remember, your thoughts and feelings come and go. You won’t be stuck with the same ones tomorrow—or even in an hour.
They might be uncomfortable, but they won’t last forever.
Step 3: Accept
The last step is to accept whatever you’ve discovered—without judgement.
Whatever you’re feeling, whatever your thoughts are, whatever your life looks like right now—it just is.
Acceptance doesn’t mean giving up or resigning yourself to a situation you don’t like. It means seeing things clearly as they are right now, which makes it much easier to take action from a place of clarity instead of overwhelm.
Practice Makes Better, Not Perfect
When I work with my clients, we practise these Three Steps to Awareness over and over—because, as my youngest son reminds me, “Practice doesn’t make perfect; practice makes better.”
The more you practise these steps, the easier it gets to find that feeling of balance—even on the busiest days.
So, if you’ve been striving for balance, ask yourself: is it really time you need—or is it more self-awareness?
Don’t Wait Until Burnout Hits
If you’re feeling pulled in too many directions and headed for Nurture Burnout, let’s talk. Balance isn’t about doing everything perfectly—it’s about making intentional choices that leave you feeling fulfilled instead of exhausted.
Get in touch to find out how to create more space for what truly matters—without sacrificing your own wellbeing.
Anne Cullen is a Family Strategist who helps mission-driven founders build thriving families without sacrificing their own wellbeing. With a focus on conscious parenting, responsive care, and breaking generational patterns, Anne blends practical strategies with values-driven insights to support parents from the very start of their journey. When she’s not coaching, you’ll find her walking in nature, listening to business and wellness podcasts, or spending time with her husband and two sons.
Ready to build a family culture that feels as good as it looks? Book a call to get started.