The Leonie Dawson Show

221: From Burnout To Breakthrough - 10 Ways I Changed My Life This Year


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After 20 years in business, I hit a wall. I was jaded, uninspired, planning to retire at 45, and spending 600 hours playing Stardew Valley to escape. Something had to change.

In this deeply personal episode, I share the transformative journey that brought me back to life - from resolving primitive reflexes that expanded my nervous system capacity, to discovering the healing power of forgiveness, to reclaiming the intuitive healer I'd lost along the way.

This isn't your typical business growth story. This is about doing the inner work that makes the outer work possible.

Bonus:

See Birthday Boy Shosta's Special Photo here!


What You'll Learn:

  • [00:00:00] Introduction: Recognizing when you've lost your spark
  • [00:10:00] The planning app addiction cycle and why control feels comforting
  • [00:16:00] The turning point: Discouragement needs courage, disheartment needs heart
  • [00:21:00] Why I kept a "dead to me" list—and how forgiveness changed everything
  • [00:33:00] Breath work: Expanding nervous system capacity beyond just "doing less"
  • [00:38:00] GAME CHANGER: Unresolved primitive reflexes and neurodivergence
  • [00:50:00] Going from non-verbal after social events to doing 4-hour coaching calls
  • [00:56:00] Re-remembering my intuitive, healer self after years of survival mode
  • [01:06:00] The reality of postnatal depression and neurodivergent motherhood
  • [01:13:00] Why self-care isn't selfish—it's how you fill your well
  • [01:15:00] Healing from being trolled and removing the invisibility cloak
  • [01:22:00] The shadow side of fame: When strangers feel entitled to abuse you
  • [01:31:00] Learning to hold the duality: Success comes with blessings AND challenges
  • [01:39:00] Embracing experiments over perfection in your business
  • [01:44:00] Growing beyond black and white thinking (hardest lesson ever)
  • [01:51:00] Being in right relationship with clients—no guru energy
  • [01:56:00] The Persephone cycle: Descending to the underworld and rising again

Key Takeaways:

✨ Your nervous system capacity isn't fixed—you can actually expand it through breath work and resolving primitive reflexes (especially crucial for neurodivergent entrepreneurs)

✨ Forgiveness isn't about inviting people back into your life—it's about releasing the weight of grudges that armor your heart

✨ The inner work isn't separate from the outer work—unresolved trauma and limiting beliefs are the boulders blocking your business growth

✨ You can be magnetic AND polarizing—dimming your light to avoid criticism serves no one

Resources Mentioned:

  • David Elliott's breath work meditations
  • Dr. Sharon Williams, Chiropractor (Canberra) for primitive reflex work
  • Gretchen Rubin's Four Tendencies
  • Human Design (1-3 and 3-6 profiles)

If you're feeling burnt out, uninspired, or like you've lost your creative spark, this episode is your permission slip to do the deep inner work that changes everything.

#PodcastEpisode #InnerWork #Burnout #NeurodivergentEntrepreneur #BusinessGrowth #HealingJourney #PrimitiveReflexes #BreathWork #Forgiveness #OnlineBusiness #WomenInBusiness #EntrepreneurMindset #SelfDevelopment #PersonalGrowth #AutismInBusiness #ADHDEntrepreneur #NervousSystemHealing #TraumaHealing #BusinessCoaching #SpiritualEntrepreneur #CreativeEntrepreneur #BurnoutRecovery #MentalHealthMatters #SelfCare #Authenticity #Visibility #WomenEntrepreneurs #OnlineBusinessOwner #MindsetWork

Subscribe & Review: If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe and leave a 5-star review—it helps other women find these conversations when they need them most. Share this with someone who needs permission to prioritize their inner work. 💫

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The Leonie Dawson ShowBy Leonie Dawson

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