Let's talk about something that so many of us know too well — burnout.

If you've ever felt like you're running on fumes, questioning your purpose, or just too exhausted to care, this week's podcast episode will answer all those questions.

It's probably no surprise that I've experienced burnout. In just a few years, I went from running a household with two babies to managing a household and building a school playground. Then, soon after, my mom passed away.

I was juggling a household and running a successful business. I even received a Top 40 Under 40 award for it all — but recognition didn't slow the burnout train.

It took me 5 years to even look for support for burnout, and while it helped, it wasn't enough.

Four years later, after caring for my grandmother until her passing, I hit a breaking point.

Eventually, I had no choice but to leave my job.

🚨 This is important —> Burnout isn't just being tired — it's a full-body, full-heart experience that changes the way we see ourselves and the world.

Here's the kicker — burnout isn't about overworking. It's about working in a way that drains us.

It doesn't happen overnight — it's a slow erosion. And it starts when we stay in a state of chronic stress for too long.

If you're seeing any of these things going on in your life, you don't want to miss this week's episode.

You'll hear about:

• The critical difference between burnout and mere fatigue

• The science and psychology of burnout, explore its causes, solutions, and how we can prevent and recover from it

• My personal experiences with burnout, including how chronic stress affected my life and led to significant challenges

• The three stages of burnout

• Practical strategies that helped me come out the other side of burnout

I hope this episode gives you helpful insights on managing and preventing burnout effectively so you can live a more balanced and joy-filled life.

Learn more, and beat overwhelm and burnout for good when you sign up for The Overwhelm Cure Workshop happening in March.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Burnout 00:36 Personal Burnout Story 01:45 Understanding Burnout 02:32 Burnout in Youth 04:39 Recognizing Burnout Patterns 21:42 Stages of Burnout 27:47 Recovering from Burnout 33:33 Strategies to Combat Burnout 39:54 Final Thoughts and Workshop Invitation

Be honest.

How many times in a month do you say "yes" when you really want to say "no."

I get it. I'm a recovered people-pleaser. I used to say yes to all the things in an effort to be accepted.

The school wants two dozen cookies tomorrow? Sure! I'll bring four dozen and make sure I make the fancy ones.

Friend needs a ride to the airport even though I have a packed schedule? Of course, I can squeeze that in. Hopefully, there's no traffic.

My colleague has tickets to a hockey game and wants me to finish her report? Sure! No problem!

It's so easy to tend to agree to these requests when we really don't have time, but it's important to consciously think about whose opinion matters to us.

People-pleasing often stems from a desire for acceptance and approval.

Can you name five people whose opinions you really care about?

Is your name on the list?

In this week's episode of The Overwhelm Cure Podcast, we're talking about people-pleasing and why we often say "yes" when we really want to say "no."

Here's what you'll hear about:

• How to recognize when you're slipping into people-pleasing behaviours

• True connections with others are built on authenticity, rather than the act of serving everyone's needs — people-pleasing is actually inauthentic

• Taking the time to discover whose opinions matter to you

• The importance of setting boundaries to avoid resentment from creeping in and spreading ourselves too thin

• A practical homework assignment for you to try this week to see where you might be falling into the people-pleasing trap

People-pleasing has to go. I invite you to acknowledge your needs, respect your time, and embrace the idea that it's okay to put yourself first.

Saying "no" when it matters boosts your well-being and leads to more fulfilling connections with those who truly value you for who you are.

And make sure you listen to the end, where I share a practical homework assignment. And get in touch at KimberlyKnull.com — I want to hear how it goes!

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to People Pleasing 00:46 The People Pleaser Test 01:56 The Consequences of People Pleasing 03:39 Learning to Say No 09:20 Understanding Conditional Love 15:39 Prioritizing Self-Care 28:26 Homework: Practicing Saying No 32:06 Conclusion and Invitation

Happening Next Week: The Overwhelm Cure Webinar:

Join me and discover my top tips to help you overcome stress and take back your peace of mind. It's happening on Wednesday, February 5 at 12 pm MST >> SIGN UP FREE.

Are you (or were you) the mom who volunteers for all the class parties, offers to organize every family event, and plans your own gatherings down to the T?

I get it. I used to be that mom until I started becoming more gentle with myself. In this episode, I break down the harmful effects of perfectionism.

Now, there's a difference between perfectionism and healthy striving. And as the name suggests, it is much healthier.

In today's episode of The Overwhelm Cure, you'll hear about how society sets unrealistic standards, only fueling our perfectionism. This leads us to be hard on ourselves and even impacts relationships.

Here's what you'll find in this episode:

• The overwhelming impact of perfectionism on our lives and relationships

• The pitfalls of striving for unattainable standards, leading to self-neglect and judgement towards others

• The antidote to perfectionism and how to start using it today

• Practical advice to help you start challenging your perfectionist thoughts, celebrate small successes, and embrace the joy of imperfection.

Have you signed up for my free Overwhelm Cure webinar yet? Save your spot!

Explore all my workshops and learn how to work with me privately at KimberlyKnull.com.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction: Relating to Perfectionism

01:59 The Cost of Perfectionism

03:17 Healthy Striving vs. Perfectionism

05:08 Compassion and Self-Care

06:44 Overcoming Perfectionism

10:04 Learning from Mistakes

11:31 Talking Back to Perfectionism

14:00 Embracing Imperfection

14:56 Conclusion: Self-Worth and Compassion

In this episode of The Overwhelm Cure, I'm diving deep into understanding what overwhelm truly is, the signs and symptoms, and how we can manage it when we recognize it.

Drawing on insights from Brené Brown's 'Atlas of the Heart,' I explain the distinction between stress and overwhelm (there's a difference!)

I highlight the value of pausing before responding, having generous assumptions about others, and practicing self-awareness to break the cycle of chronic stress.

In this week's episode of The Overwhelm Cure, you'll hear about...

• How stress can tip us into being overwhelmed

• How a simple mindset change can help us stay calm and take control over our stress

• Practical tips on pausing, reflecting before responding, and maintaining integrity in stressful situations

• Managing your stress and ultimately improving your overall well-being

• Plus, a personal story of my own overwhelm when I lost my wallet in Australia

Connect with me and sign up for my upcoming free webinar — learn more and sign up.

Links from today's episode:

• Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Overwhelm

00:16 Personal Story: Feeling Overwhelmed

02:27 Understanding Stress vs. Overwhelm

05:17 Managing Overwhelm: Practical Tips

09:49 The Power of Taking a Pause

10:46 A Stressful Travel Story

19:20 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

I'm thrilled to welcome you to the first episode of The Overwhelm Cure. Over my 20 years as a therapist, I've seen an alarming rise in stress and burnout, especially in the past five years.

Personally, I resigned from my job in 2019 due to burnout after discovering that traditional solutions weren't enough. As a result, I developed The Overwhelm Cure program using my journey, successful client stories, and research-backed methods to combat this mounting crisis.

In this inaugural episode, we discuss why our current lives aren't making us happy and the three essential steps to creating significant change:

1. Dreaming big

2. Making great decisions

3. Managing our emotions.

Join me to start building your roadmap to lasting peace and balance.

The Overwhelm Cure webinar:

Date: Thursday, February 6th, 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. MST

Register here.

Timestamps:

00:00 Welcome to The Overwhelm Cure

00:10 The Rise of Stress and Burnout

00:42 My Personal Struggle with Burnout

01:54 Introducing The Overwhelm Cure Program

02:15 Common Struggles We All Face

04:32 The Simple Solution to Overwhelm

05:15 Dream Big and Create a New Vision

05:30 Making Great Decisions

06:02 Managing Our Emotions

08:29 The Overwhelm Cure Live Webinar

09:36 Join the Overwhelm Care Workshop

10:37 Conclusion and Invitation

As we wind down 2024, a lot of us are beginning to set new goals for 2025.

Are you being intentional about the goals you set or simply choosing a health and fitness one, like "lose 50 pounds" only because it sounds good?

In this week's episode — the final episode of the year, I share my journey from feeling out of control in my goal-setting to realizing how much power I truly have over my life.

I'll walk you through a process and a series of questions to help you reflect on the past year using the scientific method. You probably learned this in school — and today, we're bringing it back to help us live more intentional lives.

You'll also discover:

• Specific, practical questions you can ask yourself to help you reflect on 2024 and choose what you'll take with you into 2025.
• How to create hypotheses, design experiments, and evaluate results to identify what's working and what needs to change.
• My story of embracing vulnerability, patience, and persistence to make gradual, meaningful improvements in my life.
• How to set realistic goals that you'll be more likely to reach while being open to tweaking as you go.
• The concept of measured discomfort and how it can support your success.

Join me today for some practical guidance on making sustainable changes and setting yourself up for wins in the new year!

And if you have questions or need support in setting up your goals for 2025, get in touch — [email protected].

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and A Personal Realization about Goal Setting

00:23 Applying the Scientific Method to Life

03:05 Embracing Vulnerability and Self-Acceptance

04:47 Reflecting on the Past Year

10:33 Creating Hypotheses for Personal Growth

18:25 Designing and Testing Experiments

24:38 Analyzing Results and Adjusting Goals

30:53 Setting Intentions for the Year Ahead

34:42 Conclusion and Upcoming Podcast Changes

How often do you celebrate? I don't mean only significant life events — what about everyday things?

There's tremendous power in celebrating. It strengthens our connections to others and helps build resilience.

In this episode, you'll discover the essential role that celebrations play in our lives. Celebrations are not merely fun activities but are necessary for fostering connections, enhancing resilience, and boosting joy.

There are many celebrations — big and small that have left lasting impressions and strengthened bonds with my family.

Here's what else you'll learn this week:

• The psychological benefits of acknowledging achievements, both big and small
• Why it's important to honour our process and progress
• How vulnerability is tied to celebrations
• The impact our cultural narratives have on what and how we celebrate
• Practical ways to incorporate more joyful recognition into our daily lives

I also want to take a second to appreciate and recognize you. You're tuning into this podcast and taking the time to learn and grow.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Celebrations

00:25 Personal Stories of Celebration

01:45 The Psychological Benefits of Celebrations

03:52 Overcoming Barriers to Celebrating

07:47 The Role of Dopamine in Celebrations

13:27 Authentic and Simple Celebrations

16:32 Celebrating Process Over Outcome

20:51 Shared Celebrations and Gratitude

22:33 Encouragement to Celebrate Daily

23:47 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Do you find celebrations extra challenging? Therapy can help. Get in touch at KimberlyKnull.com.

Ever heard the expression, when we make plans, God laughs?

Well, that sums up my week.

In this week's episode, you'll hear all about how to navigate life's unexpected interruptions, especially during busy times (which really, is just about all of the time).

Drawing from my personal experience with a sprained ankle and a boring story to go along with it, I explore the common tendency we have to push through difficulties. But it turns out that it has consequences.

In this week's episode, you'll discover:

• When challenges happen, the importance of accepting reality, making a plan, and asking for help.
• Why it's necessary to balance our needs with others.
• How to resist the societal pressures we might experience to overextend ourselves and burn out.
• My tips on managing denial, setting guiding principles for crises, and embracing discomfort for our long-term well-being.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction: When Life Throws Curveballs

01:22 Common Reactions to Unexpected Events

03:57 Accepting Reality and Seeking Help

05:35 Creating a Balanced Plan

06:05 Overfunctioning vs. Underfunctioning

07:45 The Importance of Self-Care

15:19 Personal Story: Sprained Ankle Lesson

21:54 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

If you need any help navigating some tough situations going on in your life. Please reach out to me at KimberlyKnull.com.

Mastering Stress Management: Tips and Some of my Real-Life Stories

This week's episode is all about handling stressful situations.

If you pay attention, stress pops up in our lives almost every hour. But how do we manage it?

You'll hear why it's crucial to recognize stress first and then consistently plan your reaction each time.

I even had this whole podcast episode ready for you, but then my computer crashed. Stressful, right?

We've all had those moments.

If you have a tendency to freak out in the moment, you'll appreciate the lessons in this week's episode.

You'll hear about:

• My recent family trip to Vancouver and how it put my stress management strategies to the test — from delayed flights to tech failures, it was a whirlwind!
• How some intentional planning and setting priorities helped me keep calm and enjoy the time.
• The importance of setting intentions for your daily life and the bigger events too
• Prioritizing what's really important during overwhelming moments
• Letting go of what you can't control to stay calm and focused

Listen in and hear my practical tips for dealing with chaos and letting go of control.

And if you need support, get in touch with me at KimberlyKnull.com

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Handling Stressful Situations

00:35 Personal Story: Computer Crash and Stress

02:09 The Importance of Backing Up Data

03:46 A Family Trip to Vancouver

05:00 Dealing with Unexpected Challenges

06:15 Family Trip to Vancouver: Setting Intentions

07:00 Setting Intentions and Prioritizing

08:07 A Delayed Flight and Managing Emotions

11:30 Handling Unexpected Travel Delays

17:45 Prioritizing and Managing The Mind During Stress

21:55 Letting Go of Control and Enjoying the Moment

23:00 Managing Your Thoughts

24:30 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

It's the holidays, and we might be witnessing many of our friends and family doing things that we wish we were doing.

Today, I'm taking you back 15 years to a time when I shoveled driveways one relentless Canadian winter and felt intense FOMO (the fear of missing out).

While I was working in the freezing cold, my friends were enjoying a Hawaiian vacation.

I could have wallowed in feeling resentful, but instead, this experience led to a commitment to prioritize warm winter vacations and prompted a deeper reflection on FOMO.

This week on Therapy Explained, I explore how social media can amplify feelings of inadequacy and stress and how we often compare our real lives to others' curated perfected versions.

It's important to live a life that aligns with our true desires rather than societal expectations.

Instead of FOMO, I propose we embrace JOMO, the 'Joy of Missing Out.' JOMO is all about gratitude and living intentionally.

If you struggle with FOMO, you'll love this week's episode. Listen in and hear...

• My personal experience with FOMO led me to prioritize joy
• The reasons why we end up feeling pressured and exhausted by trying to keep up with others
• What we're really seeing on social media
• How to embrace a life of JOMO and do the things that truly matter
• Practical tips for prioritizing our health and well-being by focusing on what we have

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and a Cold Canadian Winter Story

01:05 Understanding FOMO: The Fear of Missing Out

03:32 Personal Experiences with FOMO

05:44 The Impact of Social Media on FOMO

16:44 Embracing JOMO: The Joy of Missing Out

18:47 Prioritizing What Matters Most

19:34 Practicing Gratitude and Abundance

21:08 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

If you struggle with FOMO, especially at this time of year, get in touch at kimberlyknull.com.