3 Mindfulness Practices That Saved Me from Burnout

Not that long ago, there was a time in my life when I couldn’t sit still.

Not because I didn’t want to—but because I didn’t know how. I was a web developer working 50+ hour weeks, juggling night classes, freelance design, and life as a wife, cook, and planner of everything. I lived in constant motion—wired, tired, and quietly unraveling.

Then came the moment I broke. Not dramatically. Not all at once. Just… a quiet moment when I realized I couldn’t keep living this way.

That’s when mindfulness walked in—not as some grand spiritual awakening, but as a whisper. A breath. A new beginning.

Here are three mindfulness practices that gently, steadily brought me back to life:

1. The “One-Minute Pause”

I used to believe mindfulness had to be 30 minutes on a cushion, incense burning, mind empty. That belief kept me from ever starting.

What actually saved me? One minute. One breath. Right here, right now.Sometimes I’d sit in my parked car and close my eyes.

Sometimes I’d put my hand on my heart before opening an email. One slow inhale. One release. Just enough to come back to myself.

That minute became a lifeline. A sacred space no one could take from me.

2. Feeling My Feet

When I was overwhelmed, my mind lived in the future. When I was burned out, it lived in the past.

The only place I could find peace was in my body. Right here. Right now.

So I started practicing “feet first” grounding. I’d pause, feel the floor beneath me, and silently say: “I am here. I am supported.”

It seems small, but when everything feels like too much, even noticing your feet can anchor you like a root in the storm.

3. The Evening Release Ritual

Burnout made sleep impossible. My brain raced, my chest felt tight, and I carried the whole day into bed with me.

I started a tiny evening ritual:

- I lit a candle.

- I wrote down 3 things I needed to let go of —stress, guilt, over-stimulation, anything.

- Then I put them in my cauldron and let the flames carry them away.

Sometimes I cried. Sometimes I just breathed. But it became a turning point: I learned how to stop carrying everything into tomorrow.

What I Know Now

You don’t have to escape your life to find peace. You just need small, sacred moments where you come back to yourself.

That’s what my new book Quiet the Noise is all about. It’s not a list of rules or routines—it’s a soft place to land when the world feels too loud.

If you’ve been holding your breath for too long… maybe it’s time to exhale. You can begin with one minute. One breath. One moment of presence.

If you found this helpful, you'll love the tools I provide in my book. Click here to explore Quiet the Noise » (Now available on Kindle for less than the cost of a grande mocha - Under $5)