From Burnt Out to Energised: How One Midlife Woman Found Purpose in Her Work Again
From Burnout to Purpose: How Midlife Women Reclaim Energy and Clarity | Jo Renshaw Life Coach, Brighton
What if burnout in midlife women isn’t the end, but an invitation? You’ve been successful. You’ve built a career. You’re holding your family together. You’re the go-to person. The safe pair of hands. The one who just gets on with it.
But lately, it’s felt harder to get out of bed. You’re tired before the day even starts. Not just physically, but emotionally. There’s anxiety in the background…and the foreground.
You say things to yourself like:
“I’m just so busy.”
“It’s a lot right now.”
“I should just be grateful, I have a good life.”
You push through because that’s what you’ve always done. But under the surface, there’s a question forming: Is this really it? You want to find purpose again. You need a mindset reset for women. We’re talking about self-leadership for women.
In this blog, I’ll show you how to feel energised again. You’ll learn how to:
Spot the sneaky signs of burnout even when life looks “fine” on the outside
Understand how your thoughts, not your to-do list, are draining your energy
Reignite a sense of purpose in your life by treating yourself as your own best client. I’ll also show you how to apply this if you are a Service provider.
Use a simple reset exercise to create clarity and momentum today
Let me introduce you to Georgina (name changed to protect her privacy). She had the career. She’d led incredible teams, launched big projects, and had decades of experience. But she didn’t feel energised. Her passion was buried under a mountain of tasks, expectations, and pressure. She described herself as “grateful but exhausted.”
Why Midlife Women Struggle to Feel Grateful When Burnout Creeps In
You keep telling yourself it’s fine. You’re lucky, really. You’ve done well for yourself. Other people would love your job, your life, your responsibilities. And yet… you feel flat.
You’ve lost that spark, the thing that made you feel purposeful, connected, and alive in your work. You go through the motions. You show up. You perform. But deep down, you're wondering what it would be like to feel excited again.
That’s where Georgina found herself. Stuck between gratitude and longing. Between duty and desire. Between “this is fine” and “I want more.”
When she began supporting a local women’s health business, with her Marketing Consultancy services, something shifted. At first, it was subtle. A feeling of curiosity. A sense of momentum. Her inner voice whispering, this matters.
She didn’t name it right away. In fact, she nearly dismissed it. But during one of our sessions, she paused and said, “I’m changing the dial for them… and I think I’m changing the dial for me.”
That was the moment she stopped talking herself out of what she really wanted, and started listening instead.
Not long after, she updated her LinkedIn headline to say: I help businesses thrive. It wasn’t a performance. It was the truth. And her body had known it all along.
Because when you’re doing work that aligns with who you are, you don’t just think more clearly, you feel more alive.
Burnout Isn’t Just Busyness - It’s What You’re Thinking
It’s tempting to think that burnout is caused by doing too much. But here’s the truth: burnout is caused by believing thoughts that drain you.
Common burnout thoughts that sound like truth
Thoughts like:
“This is too much.”
“I can’t do this.”
“It’s all on me.”
“No one else steps up.”
These thoughts sound true when you’re tired. But they create even more exhaustion. The cycle continues.
The antidote isn’t just rest. It’s thinking on purpose. Choosing thoughts that generate sufficiency, capability, direction.
Purpose helps, but only if it’s paired with new thoughts. Thoughts that create clarity, capacity, and calm. Tasks don’t energise us. Our thinking does. And it can also drain us.
The clarity questions that changed everything
When Georgina began thinking:
“This matters.”
“I know how to help.”
“I’m building something that reflects me.”
...everything changed, and with energy.
Why Treating Yourself Like Your Best Client Is a Game Changer for Midlife Women
There’s a term we use in coaching, for coaches; You are your own first client. This is the principle of coaching yourself, as if you were your own client. It gives a coach incredible insight into themselves and their clients minds, and ultimately makes them a better coach. I also recommend this principle to all of my clients who are service providers. Georgina was a Marketing Consultant, and we discussed this in the context of her Marketing Consultancy.
This became the turning point for her.
She blocked out a half-day. Not to help someone else, but to help herself, so that she had the inner resource to help someone else. She used the same questions and structure she would bring to a client workshop. She began by sitting down with a notebook and asking herself;
What’s working?
What’s not?
Where am I avoiding decisions?
Where is my energy trying to lead me?
She didn’t need a sabbatical. She needed space, structure, and permission to prioritise her own clarity.
By the end of that half-day, she had:
A clear offer she wanted to build and take to market
Three ideal client profiles she could serve
A simple strategy to test her ideas and generate income
Most importantly, she had momentum. She was no longer stuck in loops of doubt or trying to force productivity. She had direction.
A Clarity Exercise to Help Midlife Women Reclaim Energy and Direction
You don’t need a full weekend retreat to reconnect with what matters. Try this mini reset to create momentum.
What you’ll need: A notebook, a quiet space, and your favourite drink.
Step 1: Reconnect with What Lights You Up (10 mins)
Ask yourself:
When do I feel most like myself?
What do I love doing, even if no one pays me for it?
What conversations leave me feeling energised?
Write whatever comes to mind. No judgment. Just curiosity.
Step 2: Look at What’s Draining You (10 mins)
Be honest:
What am I tolerating that’s costing me my energy?
What do I say “yes” to that I secretly resent?
Where am I spending time that gives me very little back?
Circle 1–2 things that feel urgent to shift.
Step 3: Name Your North Star (10 mins)
Define what you want to feel more of this year.
Choose 1–2 guiding emotions, because as you’ll learn in this blog, emotions are what drive all of our actions:
Energised
Fulfilled
Calm
Brave
Then ask, “What would I do this month if I were living from that place?”
Step 4: Take Massive Action (15 mins)
Pick one small action from your notes:
Book a conversation.
Block 2 hours for a project you’ve been procrastinating on and make a start.
Say no to something that drains you
Small steps shift everything. One brave move today becomes momentum tomorrow.
What Every High-Achieving Midlife Woman Can Learn from Georgina's Transformation
Here are four things her story reminds us:
1. Clarity beats hustle.
You don’t need more hours. Find thoughts that feel better and believable and a clear mission.
2. It’s okay to want more.
Your desire for a life that energises you isn’t selfish, it’s imperative.
3. You can start now.
Even if you feel off-track, the next step is always available. You don’t have to wait for a crisis.
4. You are allowed to be your own first client.
You don’t need permission. You already have the wisdom, you just need to apply it inward.
Ready to Reignite Your Purpose and Reclaim Your Energy?
If Georgina’s story resonated, you’re not alone. So many women in midlife feel the ache for something more alive.
You don’t need to start over. You just need to start where you are, and decide to make space for what lights you up.
Ready to get back your spark? Book a free discovery call and let’s talk about where you want to go, and how coaching can help you get there.
This blog is inspired by the work I do with my clients during sessions, and brought to you in partnership with AI.
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