Welcome to the Comeback Letter—a curated digest of the biggest lessons, stories, and real-life wins from the content cycle these past two weeks. (Including my birthday week!) Each edition brings together the posts, frameworks, and community highlights that shaped my own journey and (hopefully) offer some clarity, encouragement, and practical tools for yours.
This edition’s focus: What it really looks like to rebuild after burnout and step into midlife with more honesty, gentleness, and progress over perfection. From redefining consistency and clarity, to celebrating the messy wins that matter most, here’s what’s been happening—and how you can join in.
Want to hear the full story and more details in my own voice? Listen to this week’s Comeback Show episode, linked above.
Birthday Plans & Unexpected Changes
This year, turning 52 brought a kind of honesty I haven’t allowed myself before. The most “real AF” moment? Realizing I no longer felt the need to perform “birthday girl” for anyone—not at work, not for family, not online. In the past, I’d push through celebrations, fake the smiles, and feel guilty for not loving the attention or the cake. This year, being sick gave me permission to say, “I’m not feeling up to celebrating. Can we postpone until I’m better?”
What changed? I let myself rest. I skipped the social posts. I honored what I actually needed—and it felt like a gift.
Consistency in Midlife: The Shift That Changed Everything
Post: Burnout Recovery in Midlife: The “Consistency” Shift That Finally Made My Life Sustainable
Key Takeaway: The old high-functioning version of me was not okay. There was a constant misalignment between the identity I had built and the person I could feel myself wanting to become.
Quote: “Consistency isn’t intensity. Consistency is a floor you can meet.”
Frameworks for Recovery and Productivity
Post: Midlife Clarity at 52: 4 Frameworks That Helped Me Go from Chaos to Calm and Build Authentic Productivity After Burnout
Over the past year, I’ve built a set of frameworks that helped me get through even the messiest weeks—like my birthday week, when illness forced me to set everything aside. Here’s how they played out in real life…
Frameworks:
* Permission to Pause Audit: I’m someone who can hyper-focus for hours, ignoring hunger, fatigue, and even pain. I’ve learned to set reminders to pause every 60–90 minutes and check in with myself. That’s how I caught my illness early during birthday week—by actually listening to my body and honoring what it needed, not just pushing through. Stop, check in with your body, and decide if you’re good to proceed or need to shift your plans. It’s a reset for clarity and well-being.
* Minimum Viable Day: When I was sick, my Minimum Viable Day became my compass. I focused only on caring for myself and my family, letting everything else go without guilt. This framework reminded me that sometimes the most productive thing you can do is rest and recover.
* Two-Way Plans: As I started to feel better, I used Two-Way Plans to gently re-enter my routines. Each day, I had a high-capacity plan (if I woke up with energy) and a low-capacity plan (if I needed to go slow). No matter what, I could move forward without overdoing it or feeling like I’d failed.
* Clarity-to-Confidence Cycle: his cycle is about moving from confusion to action, then back to clarity and self-trust. When I’m stuck, I pause, ask what matters most, take the smallest step I can, and reflect. During recovery, this meant celebrating tiny wins—like getting out of bed or sending one thoughtful message. Clarity feels like a deep breath; confidence is the exhale.
These aren’t just theories—they’re the scaffolding that held me up when everything else was falling away. If you want to dive deeper, you’ll find more on each in the full post and this week’s podcast.
Community and Bold Actions
Post: Midlife Comeback Stories: Real AF Wins & Community After Burnout
Spotlight: My biggest win is finally achieving the lifestyle I’ve always dreamed of. But the real magic is in the community: women taking bold, imperfect action and putting themselves and their families first. The myth I want to bust? You don’t have to wait until you’re “ready.” Action itself prepares you for what’s next.
Last Call: January Reset Kit
If you’ve been meaning to give yourself a gentle reset this year, this is your last call to grab the Comeback Year January Reset Kit: Fresh Starts & Gentle Goals before the February kit drops!
This self-guided bundle is all about helping you set clear, flexible goals and rebuild with structure that actually fits your life—not someone else’s. It’s perfect if you’re craving a fresh start, need a little support after burnout, or want to try a new approach that’s gentle, not hustle-y.
👉 Get the January Reset Kit before it’s gone »
Final Thoughts
As we close out this edition, I hope you’ll take a moment to reflect:
What’s your real AF win this week?
Is there a framework here you’re willing to try—even in a small way?
And what’s one thing you’re ready to let go of, so you can move forward with a little more gentleness?
If you found this newsletter and podcast helpful, I’d love for you to subscribe, share it with a friend, or leave a reply with your own reflections. Your story might inspire someone else next edition.
Thank you for being here. Remember: progress over perfection is real, you’re not alone, and you belong in this community.
Wishing you a week of honest wins and gentle progress,
Jenn Fast
Podcast Show Notes & Links
Finding Clarity and Confidence During Life’s Unexpected Turns
In this episode of the Comeback Show, host Jenn Fast reflects on her 52nd birthday, initially planned as a quiet at-home celebration. However, a sudden illness led to a week of rest and prompted a deeper understanding of priorities and self-care. Jenn shares her personal journey from burnout to authentic productivity, emphasizing the importance of rest, self-reflection, and flexible planning. She introduces several frameworks, such as the Permission to Pause Audit, Minimum Viable Day, Two-Way Plans, and the Clarity to Confidence Cycle, which help manage life changes and maintain consistency without intensity. Jenn also discusses the significance of finding a supportive community, recounting inspiring stories of women taking bold actions to prioritize their families and personal growth. The episode advocates for gentle resets and actionable steps to rebuild one’s life mindfully.
Mentioned in this episode:
If I Were Starting Again Reflection Series: Feb 5-28, a free event featuring 17 business owners as they reflect on what they’d do differently - including yours truly!
A recently released episode of Ayla’s podcast “Not That Kind of CEO” where we dig into what happens when mompreneurs try to operate like high-level executives without the support systems those roles actually have. We talk about the physical cost of pushing through stress, why boundaries feel selfish, and how to redesign your systems so you’re not constantly falling apart.
Time Stamps:
00:00 Birthday Plans and Unexpected Changes
00:49 Introduction to The Comeback Show
01:31 A Week of Rest and Realization
03:27 Frameworks for Recovery and Productivity
07:02 Community and Bold Actions
08:42 January Reset Kit and Final Thoughts
P.S. Resources & Tools I Love & Actually Use:
* Descript – My go-to for editing podcasts and video content with less stress and more ease. (Try it: 50% off for 2 months!) Why I use it: Descript lets me create and share my story even on low-capacity days, and I’m proud to be a certified video editing expert on their platform.
* Skool: Join a movement of 172k passionate people earning $1+ billion per year building communities
These are affiliate links, but I only recommend what I genuinely use and trust to support my own journey. Thanks for supporting this work!
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