Burnout Doesn’t Care How Passionate You Are: When Advocacy Meets Reality

Welcome to EndoBattery

Speaker 1
0:02

Welcome

to

EndoBattery
,

where

I

share

my

journey

with

endometriosis

and

chronic

illness
,

while

learning

and

growing

along

the

way
.

This

podcast

is

not

a

substitute

for

medical

advice
,

but

a

supportive

space

to

provide

community

and

valuable

information

so

you

never

have

to

face

this

journey

alone
.

We

embrace

a

range

of

perspectives

that

may

not

always

align

with

our

own
.

Believing

that

open

dialogue

helps

us

grow

and

gain

new

tools

always

align

with

our

own
.

Believing

that

open

dialogue

helps

us

grow

and

gain

new

tools
.

Join

me

as

I

share

stories

of

strength
,

resilience

and

hope
,

from

personal

experiences

to

expert

insights
.

I'm

your

host
,

alana
,

and

this

is

EndoBattery

charging

our

lives

when

endometriosis

Summer of Soul Searching

Speaker 1
0:38

drains

us
.

Welcome

back

to

EndoBattery
.

Grab

your

cup

of

coffee

or

your

cup

of

tea

and

join

me

at

the

table
.

Speaker 1
0:48

This

episode

is

a

little

different
.

No

special

guest

today
,

no

expert

interviews
,

just

me

sitting

at

the

table

with

you
.

Let's

just

call

this

a

heart

to

heart
,

and

if

we

both

cry

a

little
,

no

judgment
.

We

can

blame

it

on

the

hormones

or

the

weather

or

just

the

fact

that

life

is

a

lot

sometimes
.

This

summer
,

let

me

tell

you
,

it's

been

full

of

revelations
,

soul

searching

and

some

tough

truths

I

didn't

expect

to

face
.

You

might

have

noticed

fewer

Instagram

posts
,

maybe

a

repeat

episode

or

two

or

a

quieter

feed
,

and

that's

not

because

I've

stopped

caring
.

In

fact
,

it's

because

I've

cared

so

deeply

for

something

that

matters

even

more

Questioning My Purpose

Speaker 1
1:38

.

Speaker 1
1:39

I

had

to

step

back

from

what

I

always

thought

was

my

calling

advocacy

this

podcast
,

the

nonprofit

work

because

the

thing

I

fought

so

hard

for

my

family

needed

me
,

really

needed

me
,

and

not

just

to

throw

a

load

of

laundry

in

between

recordings

version

of

me
,

but

the

present

intentional
,

engaging

version
.

I've

realized

that

my

number

one

calling

isn't

just

advocacy
,

it's

not

the

podcast
,

it's

not

even

perfecting

the

best

real

transition

on

Instagram

Although
,

let's

be

honest
,

that

takes

some

serious

talent

and

possibly

a

ring

light
.

But

my

number

one

calling

is

to

be

a

woman

grounded

in

her

family
,

to

be

a

mom
,

to

be

the

wife
,

to

be

the

human

that

I

worked

so

hard

to

be

in

a

home

where

love
,

laughter

and

a

little

bit

of

chaos

live

side

by

side

and

listen
.

This

isn't

an

easy

realization
.

I

wrestled

with

it

because

stepping

back

can

feel

like

letting

go
,

like

I

was

failing

somehow
,

but

what

I've

come

to

understand
,

sometimes

painfully
,

is

that

if

I

don't

care

for

myself

and

those

closest

to

me
,

I

can't

sustain

this

work
.

Speaker 1
2:56

Long

term

Burnout

is

real
,

y'all
,

and

apparently

it

doesn't

care

how

passionate

you

are
.

Passion

doesn't

pay

for

sleep

or

prevent

meltdowns

at

Costco
.

I

want

to

talk

to

those

of

you

right

now

who

are

struggling
.

Maybe

you're

drowning

in

symptoms
,

stuck

in

medical

red

tape
,

exhausted

by

pain
,

or

just

wondering

what

Gratitude and Moving Forward

Speaker 1
3:18

even

is

my

purpose

anymore
.

Friend
,

I've

been

there

and

some

days

I

am

still

there

and

still

sit

in

that

space
.

Speaker 1
3:29

Now
,

I'm

a

woman

of

faith

and

I

deeply

believe

each

of

us

is

called

to

something
.

We

are

wired

with

purpose
,

gifts
,

passions
,

abilities

that

are

uniquely

ours
.

But

the

wild

twist

is

sometimes

the

very

thing

that

feels

like

it's

derailing

our

purpose

ends

up

becoming

the

launch

pad

for

it
.

For

me
,

that

thing

was

chronic

illness
.

It

stopped

me

in

my

tracks
,

but

it

also

handed

me

a

microphone
,

literally

and

figuratively
.

It

gave

me

compassion
,

fire
,

purpose

and

you
,

this

community
.

Speaker 1
4:07

But

I

need

to

be

honest
.

I've

had

moments

this

summer

where

I've

asked

myself

do

I

still

want

to

do

this
?

Does

this

even

matter

anymore
?

There

are

already

so

many

great

podcasts

out

there
.

Do

people

still

need

this

one
?

Do

people

still

need

me
?

Is

this

really

what

I

want

to

do
?

And

you

know

what

the

answer

to

that

question

was

yeah
,

I

still

want

to

do

this
.

Speaker 1
4:36

Your

DMs
,

your

comments
,

the

way

you

share

episodes

with

friends

who

are

struggling
,

that
,

hey
,

that

episode

really

helped

me

messages
,

they've

kept

me

going

more

than

you

know
.

You've

reminded

me

that

this

space

we've

built
,

it

matters
.

These

conversations
,

they

are

the

advocacy
,

and

that

this

podcast
,

our

little

corner

of

this

internet
,

is

a

light

in

the

dark

for

someone

out

there
.

So

thank

you
,

thank

you

for

giving

me

the

grace

to

be

a

human

first
,

thank

you

for

still

showing

up

even

when

I

had

to

take

a

breather
,

and

thank

you

for

trusting

me

with

your

stories
,

with

your

support
.

And

now

I

have

a

little

favor

to

ask

you

If

this

podcast

has

helped
,

you
,

moved

you

made

you

laugh

or

just

made

you

feel

a

little

less

alone
,

would

you

share

it
?

Share

it

on

social

media
,

text

it

to

a

friend
,

leave

a

review
,

please
,

and

thank

you
,

or

shout

it

from

the

rooftops

if

you're

into

that

kind

of

thing
.

Speaker 1
5:38

I

don't

do

this

for

the

numbers
.

I

do

it

because

I

want

people

to

feel

seen

and

supported
.

But

knowing

that

it's

reaching

more

people
,

that

keeps

me

going
.

And

just

so

we're

clear
,

I'm

not

quitting
,

no
,

not

even

close
.

I've

got

some

incredible

guests

lined

up
.

This

fall
.

Speaker 1
5:56

We're

talking

real

talk
,

medical

truths

and

life

hacks
,

and

maybe

a

few

giggles

along

the

way
.

Maybe

even

some

pumpkin

spice

content
,

if

we're

feeling

really

bold
.

Who

knows
?

I

don't

know

if

you're

into

that

thing
,

so

please

keep

pulling

up

a

chair

to

this

table

with

me

Finding Strength Together

Speaker 1
6:14

.

We're

not

just

swapping

stories
,

we're

building

something

that

matters
,

and

while

I

may

not

have

it

all

figured

out

who

really

does
?

I

may

not

have

it

all

figured

out
.

Who

really

does
,

I

don't

know
.

I

do

know

this
.

We

are

stronger

together
.

Let's

keep

advocating

for

ourselves

and

for

others
,

but

let's

also

rest
.

Let's

love

our

people
.

Let's

give

ourselves

permission

to

not

be

everything

to

everyone

all

the

time
,

because

burnout

doesn't

look

good

on

anyone

and
,

trust

me

the

bags

under

my

eyes

are

truth

to

that
,

and

I've

checked

it's

not

covered

by

insurance

either
.

So

thank

you

for

showing

up

each

week
,

thank

you

for

being

part

of

this

with

me

and
,

until

next

time
,

continue

advocating

for

you
,

for

you

and

for

others
.