#36: Heather B. Johnston: Creatively pivoted from job burnout to coach, podcast host, jewelry maker,
Heather is like your wisest friend, giving you pearls of wisdom while she walks you through her journey of total career burnout to slowly awakening to her creativity and finally coming full circle to discover what it means to Choose Yourself.
When you're burned out, everything feels like a struggle. Cooking dinner, answering questions, finishing a project. Everything drains you.
Heather says it's easy to become self-centered with a victim mentality and think it's everyone's fault but yours. When you're like this, you can't act in a positive way. The negativity leaches out and affects your family life.
Heather wrote out all the tasks she was doing at work because her brain wasn't letting her see the whole picture. You and your boss/family may not realize how much you're doing. Ask yourself if you really need to be doing all of that. Can you delegate?
Servant leadership style (giving of yourself for the greater good) worked well for Jesus, but when we try to do it, it quickly becomes self-sacrifice and martyrdom. Recognize if you're putting everyone's happiness above your own
The Universe might test you after you make a big step forward. It's like when Heather's boss begged her to stay and she felt like they needed her so badly. It feels good to be needed, but be strong.
Choose yourself. Heather describes feeling this way the morning after she quit. She knew in her heart she wasn't being selfish. She didn't feel guilty. She was choosing herself.
It's easy to lose ourselves in our careers and the roles we play. Heather remembered what she used to love in her 20's. She picked up writing again and began working with clay and making jewelry. Creative energy fuels your soul.
If you're feeling a sick feeling in your gut with job interviews, LISTEN. This icky feeling is your inner self trying desperately to tell you this isn't the path for you.
Until you see yourself as a "sure thing" instead of seeing a job with a salary as a sure thing, you won't be happy. No matter what, choose yourself. Even if you take a job, it needs to feel right down to your core.
Mindset pivots need to happen before actual pivots.
Burnout can cause physical symptoms. You become the Eeyore and negative feelings cloud everything in your life. You can't see the positive in anything. Your brain turns off to possibility.
Everyone is a creative. Having creativity as an outlet opens up your mind to your current situation. Your mind is locked tight to playfulness and possibility. Creativity will crack you open.
You're responsible for yourself first, even before your family and children. This doesn't make you a diva.
Ask yourself if you're making up excuses about why it's not your time.
When you notice a painful emotion or physical symptom, name it. Ask what's causing this? Journal or do a nighttime brain dump. "I have a headache. I'm stressed about _____." Get a notebook and leave it next to the bed so you can get all those worries out of your head and onto paper.
It's okay to have more than one passion. Explore your creativity while you're still at your day job.
Heather can be found at https://www.thecreativepivot.com/about.html#/
Instagram: @heatherbjohnston
FB: Creative pivoters: https://www.facebook.com/groups/thecreativepivot
