Oct. 18, 2025

S02 E01: Running on Empty: The Hidden Cost of Hustle

S02 E01: Running on Empty: The Hidden Cost of Hustle

Ever felt like you’re doing everything right, showing up, grinding hard, hitting goals, yet somehow you’re still exhausted, anxious, or disconnected? You’re not alone. What happens when success starts to feel like survival? In this raw and reflective episode of The Balancing Act, NikiMarie explores burnout, the pressure to perform, and the real meaning of balance, reminding us that peace isn’t found in perfection but in permission to pause.

From sleepless nights and silent breakdowns to the constant chase for perfection, this episode is your reminder that rest isn’t weakness; it’s wisdom. Tune in as we explore how to recognize burnout before it breaks you, how to release the pressure to always perform, and how to find real balance in a world that glorifies the grind.

If you’ve ever said, “I just need to make it through this week,” this one’s for you.

Hosted by NikiMarie, a Mental Health Advocate and Radio Personality for Nassau Community College Radio Station, 90.3 WHPC. The Balancing Act explores the highs, lows, and lessons of everyday life, reminding listeners that balance comes from presence, peace, and giving yourself grace.

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Welcome to the Balancing Act, the space where we talk

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about the highs, the lows, and the lessons that help

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us keep going. I'm your host, Niki Marie. Today's episode

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is a personal one. We're digging into something I've seen

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play out in classrooms and offices and yes, even in

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my own life, mental health, in the workplace and in schools.

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We're gonna talk about burnout, the pressure to perform, the

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pursuit of balance, and the resources that are out there

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when you feel like you're carrying more than you can handle.

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For me, conversations like this always tie back to legacy.

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A few weeks ago, I was featured in Voyage magazine

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where I shared my values and why building a legacy

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matters so deeply to me. I said something during that

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interview that still drives me today. I can't miss the

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opportunity to build a legacy name for myself. I'm pretty

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sure you've probably said that to yourself as well, that

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you can't miss the opportunity to build a legacy name

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for yourself. Well, that legacy isn't about perfection. It's about honesty,

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resilience and lifting others while you climb. So with that

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in mind, let's get in today's conversation. Let's kick things

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off with the highs. You know that feeling when all

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your hard work actually pays off, chasing that promotion, getting recognized,

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nailing your grades, and earning that degree, making your family proud.

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It feels good right. Those accomplishments are what keep us

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going even when things get really tough. But the lows

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they're real. Burnout doesn't just show up overnight. It sneaks in.

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You start feeling exhausted, even after sleeping. You stop feeling

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connected to your work or your studies, and even small

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tasks become overwhelming, and that joy of achievement, well, it

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starts to fade. And here's what makes it harder. Burnout

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is normalized in schools. We hear college is supposed to

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be stressful. At work, we hear that's just part of

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the hustle. But why should stress be the standard? Working

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in higher education, I often hear what students are really

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going through. One student once told me I'm not even

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excited about graduating anymore. I just want it to be over.

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And that moment stuck with me because education should be

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about growth and discovery, not just getting through it. It

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made me reflect on my own life. Just the other day,

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I told a coworker, I want to spend more time

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with my kids on the weekends, but by Friday, I'm

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so drained that I can't even enjoy the weekend. That's

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when it hit me. I wasn't living in balance. I

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was living in survival mode. And here's the truth. So

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many of us are stuck in survival mode without even

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realizing it. But life isn't meant to be something we

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simply pushed through. It's meant to be experienced, enjoyed, and

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lived with intention. When I shared my story and Voyage magazine,

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I opened up about how my faith and my life

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are what keep me ground. My family is my why,

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because the truth is, I know what it feels like

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to be weighed down, to feel like you're just trying

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to make it through the day. But even those heavy moments,

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I remind myself that I can't stop. For me, It's

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bigger than just surviving. It's about creating something that lasts.

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Something my children, my students, and even people that I

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may never meet can look at and say she didn't

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give up. She just kept going. That's what legacy is.

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It's not about perfection or having everything figured out. It's

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about the willingness to keep moving, to learn from the lows,

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to celebrate the highs, and to honor the lessons in between,

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Because those in between moments that's where growth happens. That's

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where resilience is built. And when you can look back

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and see how those experiences shaped you, that becomes part

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of your story, your purpose, your legacy. I want you

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to take a moment and ask yourself, am I working

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to live or just surviving to get by? That answer

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says a lot about where you are and where you

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might need support. Have you ever woke up feeling like

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you've been running a marathon in your sleep? Well, that's burnout,

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and it's even more than just tired. It's when your mind, body,

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and spirit are waving a white flag signaling that they've

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been carrying too much for too long. Burnout often hits

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the people who care the most, the ones who give

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their all to work, school, family, and everyone around them,

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sometimes forgetting to save any energy for themselves. At first,

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it might feel subtle, a lingering fatigue, hear, a little

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irritability there, But over time it builds like a storm,

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quickly gathering strength. You tell yourself, if I can just

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get through this week, I'll be okay. But that week

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turns into another, and suddenly months have gone by. You're

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running on empty. Your joy feels muted, and even the

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things you once love seem distant and or exhausting. It's

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the kind of exhaustion that rest alone doesn't fix. Because

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burnout isn't just physical, it's emotional and mental. It can

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make you feel disconnected from the people and passions that

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you usually are fueled by. And the scary part, it

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often disguises itself as dedication or ambition, convincing you that

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pushing harder is the solution, when really your mind and

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body are begging for a pause. The truth is, burnout

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doesn't just show up one day. It builds little by little.

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It starts when you skip lunch because you're too busy,

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when you stay up late finishing that one last thing,

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and when you keep saying yes even though your heart

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and body are begging for a break. You might notice

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that you've stopped enjoying the things that you used to

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be excited by. You might get irritable, disconnected, or feel

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like you're just going through the motions Physically Burnout shows

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as constant fatigue, headaches, sleepless nights, even body aches that

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don't seem to go away now. Mentally, it's that fog

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that makes it hard to focus. Emotionally, it's feeling empty

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even when you're supposed to feel accomplished. And here's the kicker.

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Burnout often disguises itself as ambition. But we push harder

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thinking we're productive, when really we're wearing ourselves down. The

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hardest part is that burnout can make you feel like

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you've failed, like you couldn't handle what life threw at you.

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But the truth is, burnout isn't failure. It's your body's

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way of saying, hey, something's got to change, So pause,

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take that break, set boundaries without guilt, ask for help

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if you need it, because you can't pour from an

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empty cup, And burnout is your reminder that even strong

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people need rest. And you know what's powerful when people

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finally admit I'm burnt out. It's a simple statement, but

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it carries so much weight because admitting burnout means you're

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acknowledging that the pace you've been running at mentally, emotionally,

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and physically just isn't sustainable anymore. Burnout doesn't always start loud.

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Sometimes it looks like snapping out the people you love

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for small things, forgetting a appointments, or feeling numb instead

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of proud when you achieve something. It creeps in quietly

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until one day you realize you're not just tired, you're empty.

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So let's take a real example. Imagine a mother named Jasmine.

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She's struggling with a full time job, helping her kids

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with homework, keeping up with the bills, cooking, cleaning, and

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still trying to be emotionally available for everyone around her. Now,

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on paper, she's doing it all, but behind that she's exhausted.

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Just picture this. Every morning she wakes up already drained.

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She rushes to get the kids ready, skips breakfast, and

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tells herself she'll rest this weekend. But the weekend comes.

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Instead of resting, she's catching up on laundry or answering

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work emails because she doesn't want to fall behind. And

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one night, Jasmine sits in her car after d off

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her kids at soccer practice and she just cries. There's

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no music, no phone, just silence. That's burnout. It's that

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moment when your body and mind finally say we can't

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keep going like this. The impact can touch every part

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of her life. She might start feeling detached from her kids,

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even though she loves them deeply. Her performance at work

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might be slipping', not because she's careless, but because she's overwhelmed.

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She may even begin to doubt herself, wondering why she

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can't handle what used to feel easy. Burnout doesn't just

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drain energy, it drains joy. It replaces excitement with anxiety,

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connection with distance, and purpose with survival. The truth Jasmine's

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story is one that so many people especially can relate to.

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The constant juggling act, the endless to do lists, the

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pressure to hold everything together even when you're falling apart inside.

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But here's the thing. Burnout doesn't mean you're broken. It

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means you've been giving from a place of love for

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so long that your spirit is asking you to slow

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down and refill. The first step to healing from burnout

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isn't pushing harder. It's giving your self permission to pause,

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to breathe, to rest without guilt, to ask for help

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without shame. It's learning that rest isn't a reward that

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you haven't earned or that you have to earn. It's

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your right, So start small. Maybe it's five minutes of

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quiet before your bed, you know, before your day begins.

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Maybe it's saying no to one extra task this week.

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Maybe it's scheduling time for something that brings you joy,

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not just because it's productive, but because it's nourishing to you.

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I mean, healing begins when you stop treating rest as

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a luxury and start seeing it as essential. And remember this,

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You can't pour it into others when your cup is empty,

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but when you take time to refill it through rest,

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self care and boundaries, you show up stronger, calmer, and

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more present. You deserve peace just as much as you

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deserve purpose, So give yourself grace. The world will keep spending,

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but you only have one body, one mind, and one heart,

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so you have to protect it. You have to honor

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it and remind yourself daily it's okay to slow down.

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You're not falling behind. You're finding your balance again. That's

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what you're doing. You're finding your balance again. Resources for

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employees now, you can ask HR your human resource about

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employee assistance programs or EAPs. Many offer free counseling, coaching,

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and family support. You have to review your mental health benefits.

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Many assurance plans now cover teletherapy, mindfulness apps, and stress

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management tools. Advocate for flexible scheduling or hybrid options. If

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your workload feels overwhelmed, participate in workplace mental health trainings

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and stress management workshops. For students, you can use campus

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counseling centers and wellness services. They're often free or included

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in your tuition. Meet with academic advisors if you need

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help manage course loads or accommodations. You can also join

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peer support groups or wellness clubs for community and connection.

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Take advantage of mental health apps and mindfulness tools that

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many schools now provide at no costs. Now people will

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ask what kind of questions should I be asking? Whether

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it be my employer or at school. So the key

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questions to ask at work? What mental health resources are

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part of my benefits? How do I access the employee

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assistance program? Is flexible scheduling or hybrid work possible? And

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what is my company doing to support well being? For school?

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What support is available if I'm overwhelmed? How do I

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request academic accommodations. Who can I talk to for mentoring

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or peer support? Ord what wellness programs or services are

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included with tuition, and as always, there are emergency and

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support hotlines. Sometimes pressure feels heavier than what we can

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carry alone. If you are someone you know is struggling,

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here are the numbers you can call right now. You

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can dial nine eight eight anytime in the US for

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free twenty four to seven crisis support crisis text line.

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You can text Hello h E L l O to

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seven four one seven four one to connect with a

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trained crisis counselor you can also call one eight hundred

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sixty six y two Help H E L P or

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one eight hundred sixty six two four three five seven

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for treatment referrals and mental health resources. Remember, asking for

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help doesn't make you weak, it makes you wise. Pressure

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may be part of life, but you don't have to

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face it alone. Support is out there and your well

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being is worth protecting. Let's talk about pressure because pressure

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is often the root of burnout. You know, for students,

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it's the weight of grades, scholarships, internships, and trying to

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make your family proud. For professionals, it's deadlines, quotas, proving

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yourself and job security yay. So pressure to perform that

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invisible weight that makes you feel like you always have

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to be on, whether it's at work, at school, at home,

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or even online. The world tells us that our value

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comes from how much we achieve or how productive we are.

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We live in a culture that praises the hustle but

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rarely celebrates the rest, and that constant push can quietly

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chip away at your confidence, your peace, and even your joy.

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I mean, from an early age, we're taught to chase success,

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the perfect grades, the perfect body, the perfect career, and

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when you finally get there, the goal post moves again.

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Suddenly you're asking what's next instead of celebrating how far

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you've come. That feeling of never quite arriving can be

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existing exhausting, leaving you on autopilot, running on deadlines and

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expectations instead of purpose. The pressure comes from everywhere. Your

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boss expecting more, your family looking up to you, your

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peers posting their highlight reels on social media, and let's

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be real, sometimes the biggest pressure comes from within. You

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might find yourself working longer hours, saying yes to everything,

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or constantly comparing your pace to someone else's progress, and

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over time that way can start to feel like it's

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defining your entire life. The danger is that performance pressure

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tricks you into thinking that's slowing down means you're falling behind.

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But here's the truth. You're supposed to live life at

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full speed all the time, right, Actually, you're not supposed to.

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The danger is that performance pressure tricks you into thinking

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that's slowing down means you're falling behind. But here's the truth.

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You're not supposed to live life at full speed all

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the time. Ambition is healthy, yes it is, but not

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if it costs you your peace, your relationships, or your health.

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So what can we do when that pressure creeps in?

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You can start by pausing and asking yourself, who am

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I doing this for? And really sit with that question,

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because so often we're chasing goals to please others, to

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meet expectations, or to keep up with everyone else, and

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in the process we lose sight of what truly matters

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to us. Reconnect with your own values, make sure you

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set boundaries that protect your time, your energy, and your

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peace of mind. Celebrate the small wins and not just

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the big ones, because progress isn't always measured by achievements alone.

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Sometimes it's measured by growth, by resilience, and by the

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courage to keep going even when it's hard, and remember this,

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True success isn't about doing it all. It's about doing

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what matters to you with intention and presence. You are

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more than your output, more than your accomplishments, more than

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the roles others expect you to. You are allowed to rest,

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You are allowed to reflect, You are allowed to just be.

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You are allowed to also say no, to pause, to

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put yourself first without shame, without guilt, and without apology.

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But here's the secret. Performing at your best doesn't come

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from constantly running or trying to keep up. It comes

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from showing up fully, intentionally, and peacefully. It comes from

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honoring your limits while stretching your potential. It comes from

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living life on your own terms, with purpose and presence,

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instead of letting pressure dictate your pace. So pause, breathe,

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and ask yourself again, who am I doing this for?

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And let that answer guide your next step. Remember, real

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success is not about how fast you move, but how

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aligned your life is with what truly matters to you. Fact,

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many college students feel burnt out, with numbers ranging from

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twelve percent to over seventy percent. More than half of

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college students report academic burnout, and about one in five

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say their symptoms are severe. Among employees, more than half

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report higher stress today than just five years ago, with

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job and security being one of the biggest factors. Many

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companies offer employee assistant programs, yet only five to seven

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percent of employees actually use them. Now, let's get into

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something that we all chase but rarely feel like we've mastered,

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and that's balance. Everyone talks about work life balance like

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it's a destination, like if you're just gonna arrange your

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schedule perfectly and everything will fall into place. But the

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truth is, balance isn't a fixed point you reach. It's

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it's more like a rhythm. It's not about dividing your

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time evenly between work, family, rest, and play. It's about

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being fully present wherever you are, giving your energy to

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the things that matter most in each moment. Some days

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your energy might need to go toward work or school.

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Other days your focus needs to shift to family, faith,

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or your own mental health. And that's okay. Balance is

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not static. It shifts as life shifts, right. The problem

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is we often guilt ourselves for not doing everything perfect.

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You spend hours working toward your goals and then feel

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guilty for missing quality time with family. You take a

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quiet moment for yourself and then feel guilty for not

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being productive. That always happens to me, and that cycle

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of guilt and self judgment leaves us mentally drained and

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emotionally exhausted. The pursuit of balance, it starts with self awareness.

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It begins by pausing and asking yourself, what do I

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truly need today? Maybe it's peace and quiet, a few

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minutes to journal or meditate. Maybe it's movement, a walk,

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a workout, or dancing to your favorite song, or maybe

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listening to the Balancing Act. Maybe it's connection with people

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who uplift and inspire you rather than drain your energy.

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When you start honoring those needs instead of pushing them aside,

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you begin to live with intention rather than reaction. Balance

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also means setting boundaries that protect your energy. You don't

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have to say yes to everything or everyone. Saying no

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isn't selfish, it's self care. It's how you perceive the mental, emotional,

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and physical space you need to show up fully think

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about think about this. When you over commit, it might

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be present physically, but your mind and heart are elsewhere.

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When you honor your limits, you show up as your

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best self. You know, calm, focused and fully engaged. Another

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important part of balance is redefining what success looks like.

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Balance isn't about doing it all. It's about making space

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for what matters most. Sometimes that means choosing rest over

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extra work. Sometimes it means celebrating small victories instead of

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waiting for the big ones. Sometimes it means taking time

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to reflect, to recharge, or even to fail without judgment.

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Ooh fail. Listen. Life is messy, and balance allows us

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to navigate that mess with grace rather than guilt. So

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just remember that balance isn't perfection. It's permission, permission to

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pivot when life changed, permission to pause when you're overwhelmed,

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Permission to breathe and adjust when things don't go as planned.

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It's about feeling aligned with your values, your priorities, and

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your true needs. It's about listening to yourself, trusting yourself,

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and giving yourself the grace to live intentionally. Because when

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you find your rhythm, that unique flow that works for you,

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you don't just survive your days. You start living them

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fully with awareness and purpose. You show up for your work,

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your family, your goals, and most importantly, yourself. You begin

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to notice the little moments, the quiet sunrise, the laughter

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of a loved one, the satisfaction of completing a task

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that truly matters, and they start to feel bigger, richer,

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and more meaningful. Like today recording this podcast from the

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Nasau Community College Radio station WHPC, and this is probably

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the longest I've ever been at this station. But I'm

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doing this for me, But I'm also doing this because

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I want to give advice or offer advice to others

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who love to listen to podcasts. Balance is the key

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that turns motion into meaning, stress into clarity, and exhaustion

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into energy. It's not about doing more, and I don't

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feel like I'm doing more right now. I feel like

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I got my piece right here, especially those who are listening.

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But being fully present, intentionally engaged, and grounded in each

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moment is what makes me happy. It's about giving yourself

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permission to rest without guilt, to say no when needed,

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and to prioritize what truly matters, which again is this

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podcast The Balancing Act, Ties lows lessons. And you know

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the magic of balance is that it transforms how you

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experience life. Challenges become opportunities for growth, setbacks become lessons,

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and your energy becomes a source of power rather than depletion.

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When you live in this rhythm, you move through life

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with grace, resilience, and a deeper connection to yourself and

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those around you. Happiness is not a matter of intensity,

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but of balance, order, rhythm, and harmony. As I mentioned before,

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balance isn't just about surviving today, it's about investing in tomorrow.

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And I just want to do a quick recap of

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what are some practical things that we can do when

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it comes to boundaries. So how do we actually find balance?

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Balance isn't one size fits all. For some, it's shifting

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down work at six pm, like shutting everything down. For others,

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it's saying no to that extra class or project. Balance

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isn't perfection, it's creating space for your mental health to breathe.

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So some practical tips set boundaries protect your time outside

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of work or school. An example would be turning off

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email notifications after six or politely declining extra tasks that

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interfere with your personal time or schedule. Do not disturb

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blocks on your calendar for breaks and self care like

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come on, definitely need to do that, and check in

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with yourself daily. Ask yourself, am I okay, what do

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I need right now. Examples could be spending five minutes

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each morning journaling your mood or stress level, or let's

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say during lunch, pause and ask yourself, am I tired?

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Do I need a walk? Do I need a snack?

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Or you can also use a mood tracking app to

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stay aware of your emotional state. I mean, they have

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so many things on these devices now. But also redefine productivity,

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so rest does count. And examples would be, you know,

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give yourself permission to take a nap or to take

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a break, or to do something that again gives you

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pressure a pleasure without guilt. Another example rest or recovery time.

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Add it to your to do lists. Celebrate the small

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winds like taking that walk or drinking enough water. That's

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something that we definitely need to do more of. I

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actually have been soa free for almost two months, and

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just small little things changing my diet can definitely help.

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You know, just the things that you take into your body,

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and it's not even just the things that you eat,

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it's the things that you watch on TV. Anything that

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feeds your mind, your body, your soul in a positive way,

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it's always gonna help. You can also use some resources,

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you know counseling centers, maybe trusted friends or mentors. Make

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an appointment with your school's counseling center, you know, especially

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during the times that maybe you're going through exams or

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whatever that looks like for you. You know, schedule some

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coffee chats or some shopping times if it doesn't make

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you feel guilty, because you know, sometimes spending money can

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definitely make people feel guilty. In the end, as I

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I said in my voyage interview, I share that my

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goal is to inspire others while continuing to build my

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own legacy, and that legacy isn't just rooted in what

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I accomplish, but in how I live, how I lead,

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and how I take care of myself. Along the way,

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I really want people to see that resilience doesn't mean

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pushing through at all costs. It means knowing when to pause,

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when to ask for support, and when to rest so

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you can rise again. Ress is not a weakness. Me

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going through my postpartum I really had to learn that

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I just needed to rest, and I also needed to

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admit to myself that I needed help. But rest is

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not a weakness, It's a strategy. Asking for help doesn't

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make you less capable. It makes you human. And if

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I can model that for others, I know, Oh I'm

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doing more than just reaching my goals. I'm creating space

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for others to believe that they can do the same

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in a healthier and more sustainable way. Today's question is

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what does balance look like for you right now? And

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what's one small step you can take this week to

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protect your mental health? And I again want to tie

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this back to my voyage article. I'm proud of that

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in that interview, I said I can't miss the opportunity

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to build a legacy name for myself. That wasn't just

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about career or success. It was about purpose, about building

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something that lasts beyond me. When you think about balance,

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think about legacy and what kind of story are you

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writing for yourself? Will your story be one of exhaustion

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and burnout or one of resilience, healing and impact. I've

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had to learn to give myself grace, and I'm going

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to ask the same of you. Give yourself grace, rest

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when you need, to ask for help when you need it,

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and never forget your mental health isn't a luxury, It's

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part of your legacy. This has been the balancing act

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with Nicki Marie. If today's episode resonated with you, share

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00:33:27.559 --> 00:33:32.640
it with a coworker, classmate, or friend, and don't forget

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to subscribe so you don't miss the next conversation until

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next time. Keep balancing, keep learning, and keep protecting your peace.

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Unto the balls to balls