Europe, Exhaustion, and the Echo of Growth: Lessons from the Other Side of Burnout
I didn’t know how close I was to burnout until I was already packing my suitcase to escape it.
Not escape as in run—but recalibrate. Shift environments. Breathe different air.
And for 14 days, I did just that.
This wasn’t just any vacation—it was what I now call an inspiration vacation. A journey through Europe meant to spark my creativity, refuel my soul, and, let’s be honest, give me a taste of what a book or music tour might feel like.
But let me keep it real. I thought I was signing up for scenic views, rich food, and a light stroll through history. What I got was all that plus early wake-up calls, cramped hours in a bus seat, and deep conversations with strangers-turned-travel-companions who cracked me open in unexpected ways.
And that’s the thing about traveling:
You think you’re going out to explore the world—but the world ends up exploring you.
The Burnout I Didn’t See Coming
Before I left, I had already structured my life according to my top five values: family, creativity, balance, leadership, and freedom.
I was living in alignment, or so I thought.
But somehow, even with all the clarity and value-based living, I felt… overextended. Spent.
I had traded meaningless busyness for purposeful productivity, but the pace—that constant motion—was still wearing me down.
That was my first wake-up call.
Just because you’re working in alignment doesn’t mean you’re immune to burnout.
Even good things—if unchecked—can stretch you thin.
And for someone like me, always on the move, always creating, always building…
It took physically leaving my environment to realize just how much I needed rest, not just direction.
Dolce Far Niente — The Sweetness of Doing Nothing
Then came Rome.
A city of grandeur, history, and—unexpectedly—a moment that shifted everything for me.
One evening, I linked up with my college buddy for dinner at a trendy spot tucked in the heart of the city. We were laughing, reliving old days, sipping, sharing.
In the middle of the conversation, he paused, leaned back, and said:
“We have a saying here: Dolce far niente—the sweetness of doing nothing.”
Man… my mind was blown.
Here I was, nearly burnt out from doing everything in alignment with my values—so much so that I had lost touch with what it feels like to simply be.
To enjoy a moment with no agenda.
To sit at a table, surrounded by people who matter, and soak it all in without trying to achieve anything.
That phrase cracked something open in me.
It reminded me that even purpose-driven living needs pause.
Without rest, reflection, and room to breathe, even our values can become heavy.
Strangers, Struggles & the Great Equalizer
I’ve been saying this since Rome:
It doesn’t matter where you’re from—everybody’s dealing with something.
Personal stuff. Financial worries. Self-doubt.
Different accents, same struggles.
In one city after the next, I overheard pieces of conversations that reminded me how human we all are. One that really stuck with me felt like a scene out of a family dramedy—this couple, clearly not vibing, was on vacation together (maybe for the kids), and their daughter kept running updates to her favorite parent like a tiny, unbothered news anchor. No shouting, no chaos—just the quiet tension of two adults trying to survive a trip together. I felt like I was watching a movie… only I didn’t know if it was a comedy or a tragedy.
We’re not as different as we think.
The ones who stand out aren’t those who are free of problems—they’re the ones who discipline themselves through the problems.
That’s the secret sauce.
It’s not magic. It’s mastery.
What moves you matters.
And when you align your habits with your mission, you’re not just living—you’re transforming.
That’s the blueprint. That’s From Stuck to Unstoppable in real-time.
Everyone Wants to Be Somewhere Else
Another quiet truth came through during this trip:
Almost everyone I met wanted to be somewhere else—doing something else.
That yearning, that desire for more… it’s universal.
But very few people are actually doing the work to make “more” happen.
I came back with a deeper gratitude for the clarity I’ve earned—and a deeper commitment to live in it fully.
Not just work in it.
Live in it.
Because even purpose can get lost in hustle.
Final Thought: Coach Now, First Class Soon 😅
Yes, I’m back on the island—sun-kissed, soul-shaken, and more focused than ever.
And yes, I sat in coach this round, squeezed between strangers and bad airplane snacks.
But trust me, the next time I cross continents, it’ll be first class—not just in seat, but in spirit.
Because that’s what growth does.
It upgrades everything.
Your posture. Your path. Your peace.
So here’s to more inspired escapes. More honest reflections. And more moments that remind us we’re not alone.
We’re just in different parts of the same story—on a journey from stuck to unstoppable.
So, let me ask you this:
Where might burnout be hiding in your life—masked as ambition, disguised as productivity?
What would it feel like to give yourself full permission to pause—not because you’ve earned it, but because you need it?
And how can you invite a little more dolce far niente—the sweetness of doing nothing—into your day, not just to rest… but to reconnect, recharge, and rise?
