Burnout and the Importance of Creativity

Things were very different a year ago (2021). I was working in the corporate world making a six-figure income. I was miserable. Frustrated. Burnt out. Being abused verbally by a fellow executive every day in a toxic environment where no one was allowed to be creative or contribute ideas, except for her.

It was March 2021. I had been working with this same company for nearly 10 years. My staff was down from five marketing personnel to just me after our layoffs a year earlier, and the company was fast approaching our largest virtual event ever – a event we had to make successful because of the revenue losses we saw at the start of the pandemic. I was working 80-90 hour weeks just to keep up and the stress and pressure to ensure the company survived was weighing on me with no relief in sight. To top it all off, my blood pressure was so high I could have had a stroke or heart attack at any moment.

Despite all this, thoughts like “I can’t leave the money,” “I helped build this company to what it is,” and “maybe the owner will make the changes that are needed” ran through my head for months. So I stayed, and I stayed, and I stayed for another eight months. I had no support and no steps were taken to resolve the toxic culture or lack of staff, and I was the main target for one executive’s abusive behavior. Enough was enough!

After weighing the pros and cons I realized it would be difficult, but I had to leave. Financially my husband and I might struggle if I made this decision, but was staying worth my health, relationship, or sanity? NO! I discussed my plan to leave the job with a few key family members, paid off some debt, and then I vowed to myself that I would give my notice the week after the event. I wanted to end on a high note.

On May 10th it was done. I was officially leaving the company on June 15th, 2021.

Now what?

I really thought that leaving was going to solve all the stress and trauma I had been sustaining for the last nine and a half years. I was “free,” wasn’t I?

Not exactly. I couldn’t shake that feeling of nothingness. The effects were mental, physical, and emotional. Two months went by. I realized I didn’t enjoy doing marketing work any more after a 25-year career. Four months went by. I realized what I was going through was burnout. Looking at job descriptions made me sick to my stomach, words like “wear many hats” and the long lists of responsibilities triggered the feeling that I would just be overworked and taken for granted again.

Throughout the first few months after leaving I spoke to close friends who worked at my old company. They were experiencing the same feelings of burnout. I took a free webinar about toxic work environments and it was eye-opening! Shortly after that, I was approached by a professional coach and talked with my father about hiring him. He suggested I look into Tony Robbins’ events, and said “I went to a Tony Robbins event 30 years ago, and it changed my life!” My first thought was, why had my father never shared that with me before? Then, my silly head remembered the cameo Tony Robbins had in the movie Shallow Hal. Could “banana hands” really help me through this crap?

It was so much more than I ever imagined!

What transpired during those six long days was truly life saving and transformational. My life will NEVER be the same again! I learned about the six human needs and what drives me, how my primary question was pushing me towards a negative mindset, what my core values were and how they shaped my self-designed identity and “my story,” and above it all I learned the key to why I was still suffering the long term effects of burnout after six months. It all boiled down to me not being free to be creative, a deep value of mine.

After that event, I rediscovered my passion for my own creative nature and learned how important having creativity in my life really was and why. I also realized I had the tools and experience to help others who are going through similar experiences. I began researching creativity’s impact on how people perceive the world around them, how burnout and creativity impact the brain, and stumbled upon the movement I was unknowingly a part of, The Great Resignation as termed by Anthony Klotz.

The Great Resignation

The Great Resignation movement began in early 2021 when more than 48 million people (myself included) quit their jobs. Numbers have continued to climb at a rate of approximately 3.5 to 4.5 million people every month since. Approximately 85 million people have now left their careers without anything in place to go to next. Many are searching for what’s next, but all seem to have an overwhelming desire to find a more creative and fulfilling life, more supportive work environments, and less stress. After all, humans weren’t designed to thrive under such stressful conditions.

Although this mass exodus movement is still growing monthly, millions of workers still sit in their thankless and anti-creative jobs and put up with toxic behaviors, because they’re afraid to stand up for themselves. Afraid of financial stress, letting their family and friends down, and that they won’t find another job. And, afraid to ask for a more creative, collaborative, or supportive work environment. I’ve heard friends say things like “it will be the same somewhere else” and “speaking up will just make things worse.”

So, how do we cultivate a culture where teams are encouraged to share their unique creative perspectives and quench our human thirst for incredible life experiences, while fulfilling personal goals in a more emotionally safe environment?

Creativity, Collaboration, and Immersive Experiences

Throughout the last year, I’ve discovered my own creativity and that my purpose in life is to help “right-brainers” break through what’s holding them back, uncover their true calling, and pursue their best creative life. The Lucky Starz life!

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Lucky Starz offers life and career coaching, a network of creative supporters, artist mentorships, immersive art experiences, retreats, live workshops, and much more. Our goal is to inspire millions to thrive in their unique and authentically creative life.

Do you long for a way to thrive by being more creative, perhaps using an artistic ability or learning a new art form that could launch you on a new path of fulfillment? Have you always wanted to learn to play music, sing, act, or paint? Did someone discourage you from pursuing a creative career? Did you put away your creative passions because they didn’t fit what others expected of you? Or, maybe you want to design a more inclusive and creative company culture so your company doesn’t experience the loss of its best team members.

This is where I believe the Lucky Starz team can help you. Connect with us here, check out our Life Coaching services, and subscribe below to get the latest news in your inbox.

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