Love Your Life on Purpose

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Are you the default person in your family, business, or community—and quietly burning out because of it?

In this deeply honest episode, Michelle Vande Hey shares what she’s navigating right now as a business owner, caregiver, and mission-driven leader—and the powerful reminder it brought about self-care, sustainability, and capacity.

If you love what you do but feel exhausted, disconnected, or on the edge of burnout, this episode is for you. Michelle explores why passion doesn’t replace rest, how being the “default human” creates a hidden burden for leaders, and why self-care that actually works must be systemic—not reactive.

You’ll walk away with practical, realistic steps to protect your energy, support your nervous system, and care for yourself in ways that sustain both you and your mission.

In This Episode, We Cover:

• Why being the “default” person is a major (often invisible) contributor to burnout
• The early signs of burnout mission-driven leaders often ignore
• Why loving your work doesn’t mean you have unlimited capacity
• The difference between reactive self-care and systemic self-care
• How pre-scheduled care can support you during hard weeks
• Why five-minute habits matter more than you think
• How to build self-care systems that hold you when life gets heavy

Practical Takeaways:

1. Identify where you are the default—and the cost of carrying that role
2. Schedule self-care like survival, because it is
3. Build your self-care systems for the hard weeks, not the easy ones

Thoughtful Three Reflection Questions:

1. Where in my life am I the default—and what is that costing me right now?
2. What is one small act of care I can schedule this week (not someday)?
3. What support does future me need that I can plan for today?

Resources Mentioned:

• Free Self-Care Cheat Sheet:
   20 self-care habits that take 5 minutes or less—designed for busy, overwhelmed leaders https://www.michellevandehey.com/offers/DXtKeqHP/checkout 

If this episode resonated, share it with someone who’s carrying a lot and say, “I thought of you.”

 Your mission is worth it—and you are worth it too.

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Have you ever had one of those tiny moments — so brief, so unexpected — that completely shifted your mood or your day? In this episode, I share a story from a cold, cloudy walk where a quick flash of sunshine reminded me of the incredible power of small, intentional moments of joy.

For mission-driven leaders and changemakers, it’s easy to believe that you “don’t have time” for self-care or that meaningful rest must be big, long, or perfectly planned. But the truth?

Small doesn’t mean insignificant. Small can be powerful — and sustainable.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
 • How a 30-second moment of warmth shifted my entire emotional state
 • Why micro-moments of joy help regulate your nervous system
 • How tiny resets support burnout prevention and creative energy
 • The simple 5-Minute Joy Moment you can use anytime
 • The compounding effect of small practices over time
 • How these moments help you reconnect with yourself and your mission

At the end, I share my Thoughtful Three — three reflective questions to help you explore, embody, and elevate these practices so you can create sustainable impact without losing yourself.

If you’re ready to reignite your inner light, join the Reignite Your Inner Light Challenge:

7 minutes a day for 7 days to cultivate mindfulness, joy, and inner peace.
 

👉 Link https://www.michellevandehey.com/store

Remember: you are worth the five minutes.

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Have you ever questioned if you’re truly qualified to do the work you’re doing? In this episode, Michelle Vande Hey shares a deeply personal story about her time in the NICU with her son—and how that experience revealed the foundation of everything she teaches about burnout, harmony, and self-leadership today.

You’ll hear how intentional breaks, community support, and mindful structure helped her navigate an incredibly challenging time without burning out—and how those same tools can help you show up fully for your mission while honoring your own needs.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why “balance” isn’t the goal—and what to focus on instead
• How to lean on your community without guilt
• Simple ways to create harmony and prevent burnout
• The truth about what makes you qualified
  
  

The Thoughtful Three + 1 Bonus:

1. Schedule your breaks (even short ones count!)
2. Lean on your community—let others carry what they can
3. Focus on harmony, not balance 

Bonus: Be intentional with your time

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Have you ever had a comment land so deeply it knocked the wind out of you? Recently Michelle was accused of being inauthentic and only asking her community to show up for her. In the past, a message like that would have sent her spiraling — apologizing, shrinking, defending. 

This time she noticed the body’s reaction, paused, reflected, and chose curiosity over collapse. In this episode Michelle unpacks that experience and explains how trauma-sensitive yoga, mindful embodiment, and small grounded practices can rebuild self-trust so other people’s judgments lose their power.

You’ll hear:

• What it felt like in the body when the accusation arrived (tightness, heat, urge to defend)
• The exact pause-and-reflect process Michelle used to avoid reactivity
• Why leadership rooted in self-trust is more sustainable than leadership rooted in self-sacrifice
• How trauma-sensitive yoga and embodiment practices help you notice, name, and choose your response
• Three reflective questions (The Thoughtful Three) to use when you’re triggered
  
  
  

Key takeaways:

• You can’t think your way into confidence — you have to feel your way back to it.
• Being in service doesn’t require self-sacrifice; anchoring in your worth makes your service sustainable.
• Not everyone will understand your power — that’s okay. The work is to remember your worth for yourself.

Resources mentioned:

• Join the 7 Days to Reignite Your Inner Light Challenge: https://www.michellevandehey.com/store 
• Join the Love Your Life On Purpose Facebook community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/187015119071559 

Thoughtful Three — Reflection Questions:

1. When was the last time you felt the urge to shrink or apologize for your power?
2. What would it look like to respond instead of react in that moment?
3. What helps you reconnect to your inner sense of worth when others don’t see it?

Subscribe / Review:
If this episode landed for you, please subscribe, rate, or leave a review — it helps more changemakers find this work. Share this episode with someone who needs permission to take up space.

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Burnout isn’t just about being tired — it’s about losing touch with who you are. In this heartfelt episode, host Michelle Vande Hey shares her personal story of burnout and the practices that helped her (and her clients) come back home to themselves.

You’ll discover how slowing down, finding joy, and building authentic community can help you recover from burnout — not by doing more, but by being more of yourself.

You’ll hear about:

• The real cost of pushing through: emotional, physical, and spiritual depletion
• Why joy isn’t a luxury — it’s a necessity for healing and creativity
• How community can remind you of your worth when you’ve forgotten it
• The mindset shift that helps you reclaim peace, freedom, and joy
• What happens when you combine slowing down, joy, and community together
  
  
  

Mentioned in this episode:
👉 The Rediscovery RESET — Nichelle’s 5-step framework to help you release what’s not serving you and open yourself to renewal and joy. [Insert link]

✨ Connect with Michelle:

https://www.instagram.com/michellevandehey/ 

https://www.facebook.com/lightoflovemichelle/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-vandehey 

https://www.youtube.com/@michellevandehey 

Download the Self-Care Cheat Sheet

Join the community: Love Your Life on Purpose

Prefer to watch on YouTube (be sure to subscribe!)

Connect with me and DM me your aha moment, question, or to say hi!
IG: @michellevandehey
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You’ve given everything to your mission — but now you’re the one running on empty.
What happens when the work that once inspired you starts to leave you numb?

In this heartfelt episode, Michelle shares her personal story of grief, burnout, and rebuilding from the ground up. She reveals what most leaders never learn about sustaining impact: your passion is only the ignition — not the engine.

Through reflection, storytelling, and practical guidance, Michelle helps you explore how to reconnect to your deeper “why,” build systems of support, and lead from a place of peace, freedom, and joy — not depletion.

🌿 In This Episode:

• The hidden emotional and financial cost of burnout
• How to tell when your passion has become your pressure
• Why your “why” needs to go five layers deeper
• What a 10K race taught Michelle about resilience and renewal
• How to shift from surviving to sustainable leadership
  
  

💬 Quote from Michelle:

“Rediscovering your why isn’t about going back — it’s about going deeper and bringing others with you.”

🔗 Resources:

• Watch Michelle’s When Stories Talk: https://youtu.be/iZlTc2xFRf0?si=vnXpoB4Zx4Oe8YKO
• Previous episode: How to Set Boundaries Without Guilt — includes 3 ready-to-use scripts

✨ Connect with Michelle:

https://www.instagram.com/michellevandehey/ 

https://www.facebook.com/lightoflovemichelle/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-vandehey 

https://www.youtube.com/@michellevandehey 

Download the Self-Care Cheat Sheet

Join the community: Love Your Life on Purpose

Prefer to watch on YouTube (be sure to subscribe!)

Connect with me and DM me your aha moment, question, or to say hi!
IG: @michellevandehey
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LI: Michelle Vande Hey

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Have you ever said “yes” and instantly regretted it? You wanted to protect your time, but the guilt hit you like a truck. Setting boundaries can feel selfish or uncaring—but the truth is, they’re the very thing that allows you to stay in love with your mission instead of burning out.

In this episode, I share 3 simple, word-for-word scripts you can use to say no without guilt. These scripts will help you:

• Protect your energy and focus
• Stay present with family, work, and yourself
• Tie your boundaries to your values so others respect them
• Lead by example, whether you’re at home or at work

I also share a personal story about how a simple “stoplight” system transformed how my family respected my work boundaries—and how it helped me show up more fully in both places.

✨ Takeaway: Boundaries aren’t selfish. They’re the key to protecting your peace, honoring your values, and showing up as your best self for the people who matter most.

If you’ve ever struggled with the guilt of saying no, this episode will give you the words—and the mindset shift—you need.

💌 Connect with Michelle:

https://www.instagram.com/michellevandehey/ 

https://www.facebook.com/lightoflovemichelle/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-vandehey 

https://www.youtube.com/@michellevandehey 

Download the Self-Care Cheat Sheet

Join the community: Love Your Life on Purpose

Prefer to watch on YouTube (be sure to subscribe!)

Connect with me and DM me your aha moment, question, or to say hi!
IG: @michellevandehey
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Have you ever felt like you’re disappearing under the weight of everyone else’s needs—like no matter how much you give, it’s never enough?

In today’s episode of Love Your Life On Purpose, I dive into the deeper reason why saying no feels impossible, even when you know it’s costing you your joy, energy, and sense of self. Spoiler: it’s not just about kindness or time management. It’s about the beliefs we’ve been conditioned to carry—beliefs that say your worth comes from how much you sacrifice.

I’ll share:

• Why helping others can feel addictive (and why you keep saying yes)
• How overgiving slowly erodes your spark and identity
• Why boundaries alone aren’t enough unless you heal the deeper beliefs
• The paradox of generosity: the more you sacrifice yourself, the less you actually have to give
• How to say no without being selfish—and finally reclaim your time, energy, and self

If you’ve been struggling with people-pleasing, burnout, or feeling guilty every time you set a boundary, this conversation will help you see that saying no isn’t the end of your generosity. It’s the start of your real, sustainable impact.

👉 Share this episode with a friend who needs the reminder that their worth is not measured by how much they give.

✨ Subscribe to Love Your Life On Purpose for weekly inspiration on burnout prevention, boundaries, compassion fatigue, and living a life filled with peace, freedom, and joy.

💌 Connect with Michelle:

https://www.instagram.com/michellevandehey/ 

https://www.facebook.com/lightoflovemichelle/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-vandehey 

https://www.youtube.com/@michellevandehey 

Download the Self-Care Cheat Sheet

Join the community: Love Your Life on Purpose

Prefer to watch on YouTube (be sure to subscribe!)

Connect with me and DM me your aha moment, question, or to say hi!
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Are you exhausted, overwhelmed, and secretly wishing you could just walk away from it all? Burnout can make it feel like your only choices are total collapse or total sacrifice. But is that really true?

In this episode of Love Your Life On Purpose, I share my 5R Reset Framework—a powerful yet gentle process that helps mission-driven leaders and changemakers recover from burnout without abandoning their purpose.

What you’ll discover:

• The hidden reason most people fail at sustainable change
• Why rest alone isn’t enough to heal burnout
• The step-by-step 5Rs: Review, Remove, Restore, Rebuild, Repeat
• How micro shifts create long-term transformation
• Why you don’t need a crisis to create clarity

If you’ve ever stared at your calendar and felt dread, or wondered if the only way out was burning everything down, this episode will give you a new perspective and a practical path forward.

✨ Gentle, sustainable change is possible. It doesn’t require quitting your mission—it requires a reset.

🔗 Mentioned in this episode:

• Last week’s episode {Why Rest Isn’t Working}

👉 If this episode resonates, share it with someone who needs encouragement today. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.

💌 Connect with Michelle:

https://www.instagram.com/michellevandehey/ 

https://www.facebook.com/lightoflovemichelle/ 

https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-vandehey 

https://www.youtube.com/@michellevandehey 

Download the Self-Care Cheat Sheet

Join the community: Love Your Life on Purpose

Prefer to watch on YouTube (be sure to subscribe!)

Connect with me and DM me your aha moment, question, or to say hi!
IG: @michellevandehey
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Have you ever woken up after a full night of sleep and still felt exhausted? You’re not alone—and it’s not because you’re doing something wrong. In this episode of Love Your Life On Purpose, Michelle explores why traditional rest and self-care often don’t relieve burnout, and what you can do instead.

You’ll discover:

• Why sleep and rest aren’t always enough for true recovery
• How hustle culture, “no pain no gain,” and constant self-sacrifice harm your wellbeing
• The shift from treating your body as a problem to partnering with it
• The role of rhythms, boundaries, delegation, and external support in sustainable wellness
• How to create systems so self-care isn’t just another chore but part of who you are

If rest alone isn’t fixing your burnout, it’s time to approach your wellbeing differently.

✨ Free Guide → Grab Michelle’s 20 Self-Care Habits for Busy Badass People (in 5 minutes or less!) here: https://www.michellevandehey.com/offers/DXtKeqHP/checkout 

💌 Connect with Michelle:

• https://www.instagram.com/michellevandehey/ 
• https://www.facebook.com/lightoflovemichelle/ 
• https://www.linkedin.com/in/michelle-vandehey 
• https://www.youtube.com/@michellevandehey 

Remember—you don’t have to do it all alone. Burnout isn’t a badge of honor, and your body deserves to be your partner, not your opponent.

Download the Self-Care Cheat Sheet

Join the community: Love Your Life on Purpose

Prefer to watch on YouTube (be sure to subscribe!)

Connect with me and DM me your aha moment, question, or to say hi!
IG: @michellevandehey
FB: Michelle Vande Hey
LI: Michelle Vande Hey