Exhausted, Foggy, and Stretched Thin? Why Your "Get Up and Go" Got Up and Went
Vicki Johnson 
Discover why your energy is breaking down and simple ways to restore focus, clarity, and resilience—and beat burnout!
Regain your Energy, Focus and Beat Burnout
Disclaimer: This blog is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical or mental health advice. If you are experiencing severe distress, trauma responses, or medical concerns, please reach out to a licensed professional.
If you used to be the woman who handled everything—the career, the kids, the calendar, the emotional load—and now a simple grocery store run wipes you out, I want you to hear this clearly:
This is not a personal failure.
You didn’t lose your motivation. You didn’t suddenly become lazy, weak, or undisciplined. What’s breaking down isn’t your willpower. It’s your capacity. And capacity isn’t a mindset issue—it’s biological and physical. You can’t "positive vibe" your way out of a drained battery. And if we’re going to get you back to feeling like yourself, we have to stop treating your burnout like a bad attitude and start treating it like the cellular crisis it actually is.
Burnout Isn’t Emotional—It’s Cellular (Yes, Really)
We’re told it’s a "stress-management" problem or a "work-life balance" issue. People tell you to set better boundaries, practice gratitude, or take a bubble bath. And look, I love a good candle as much as the next person, but trauma-informed neuroscience tells a much deeper story. Your nervous system, brain, gut, immune system, muscles, and hormones all rely on one thing to function well: Energy (ATP).
The Powerhouse Problem
Mitochondria are your internal energy factories. They don’t just fuel your morning jog; they power your emotional regulation, cognitive clarity, immune resilience, hormone balance, and even your digestion. When your mitochondria are overwhelmed or damaged by years of "doing it all," the factories go on strike. Everything that depends on that energy starts to wobble.
The "Push-and-Crash" Cycle
If burnout had a signature move, this would be it: You rally, you push through with adrenaline, and then you crash. Harder, longer, and deeper than before. This happens because your body is borrowing energy from survival systems instead of generating it sustainably. Adrenaline and cortisol temporarily compensate for low ATP, but they come at a cost. Overtime, your mitochondria stop producing energy for "living," and start redirecting every scrap of fuel toward surviving.
In real life, this looks like powering through a busy workweek or a family wedding, only to spend the entire weekend on the couch feeling like a human puddle. Or having one "good" day where you finally clean the kitchen and answer all your texts...only to wake up the next morning feeling like you've been hit by a literal truck.
Signs your Internal Battery is drained (And It's Not Just "Aging") When energy production falters, your body sends out warning signals long before your blood work looks "abnormal" at the doctor's office.
- The Brain: Reading the same email four times and still not processing it. You walk into a room and forget why you're there. Or, you snap at your partner and immediately think, "Who was that?"
- The Body: The fatigue- this isn't just "sleepy" tired. This is "my limbs feel like they are made of concrete or heavy lead." Exercise that used to energize you now wipes you out for three days. Rest doesn't feel refreshing; it just feels like you're in survival mode.
- The Gut: ATP (energy) is required to keep your gut barrier strong and digestion moving. When energy drops, you start developing new food sensitivities or the "doing everything right" bloat, even when eating clean.
- The Nervous System: Sitting in your car scrolling because you can’t make yourself get out. That's not laziness. That's a "freeze" state. Without fuel, your nerves can't communicate effectively, making simple decisions feel impossible.
- Metabolism: Getting "hangry" or shaky if you don’t eat exactly on time. You crave quick carbs just to survive the afternoon slump. Your body is begging for fast fuel because it can't efficiently burn what it already has.
Burnt, Not Broken: The FREEDOM Capacity Pyramid
If burnout could be solved by "trying harder," you'd already be cured. You are the Queen of Trying Harder. True healing doesn’t come from force....it comes from rebuilding capacity from the ground up. Here is how we do it:
Step 1: Faith & Felt Safety
Healing begins when your nervous system feels held rather than hunted. Felt safety isn't an intellectual thought; it’s a bodily experience. When you stop blaming yourself for being "lazy" and start listening to your body’s signals, the energy that was locked in "survival mode" finally becomes available for repair.
Step 2: Stabilize the Basics (Stop the Leaks)
Before we add fancy protocols or supplements, we have to stop the energy leaks. This means consistent sleep rhythms, nourishment that doesn't spike your blood sugar, and reducing sensory overload.
Step 3: Support the Mitochondria
Once you feel safe and stable, we can gently support energy production. When mitochondrial function improves, the fog lifts. You’ll notice clearer thinking, emotional steadiness, and a better "buffer" for life’s stressors.
Step 4: Rhythmic Movement (Not Punishment)
Traditional "no pain, no gain" fitness often worsens burnout. Instead, we use gentle, rhythmic motion to discharge stored stress. Movement should be restorative, not a withdrawal from an empty bank account.
Resilience Is About Recovery, Not Toughness
Resilience isn’t about how much weight you can carry before you collapse. It’s about how quickly your system can return to baseline after a stressor. You don't need a month-long silent retreat. You need micro-resets:
- Noticing three things you can see right now.
- Touching a cold surface or a soft fabric.
- Naming one scent in the air.
These tiny moments tell your nervous system: "I’m here. I’m safe. The danger has passed."
A Compassionate Next Step
You don’t need more discipline. You need more energy and a nervous system that feels safe enough to use it. If you’re a caregiver, a professional, or a mom who feels stretched impossibly thin, please know that your symptoms are just signals. Your body is trying to protect you; it’s just exhausted.
Want to Go Deeper?
Join our free, trauma-informed webinar to explore the difference between stress and trauma and learn how to build resilience without the hustle.
Save Your Seat for the Free WebinarYou aren't broken. You're just out of fuel.
Let's start refilling the tank together.
Resource and recommended reading:
"The Biology of Trauma" by Dr. Aimie Apigian
Apigian, A. (2021). The Biology of Trauma: A Protocol for Developing a Resilient Nervous System. Trauma Healing Accelerated.
Photo by Vitaly Gariev on Unsplash
Categories: : Burnout, Resilience, Stress, Trauma
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