Have you been playing it small because you're worried about burnout?

Five Patterns That Contribute to Burnout

Imagine running your car on full throttle until eventually it just runs out of fuel.  Burn out is that empty tank and it's an indication that you've just been pushing through for a while.  We can get hung up on the definitions of stress and anxiety, but really we are just talking about the body's fear response system.   This self protecting function keeps us alive.  It's a short term response to an immediate problem.  If we live in this state continually, it can be very detrimental to our mind and bodies because it's literally exhausting.  It can be complicated changing our outside world and simplifying our lifestyle can lead to more issues, as I explain below. Luckily there's other things we can consider.  These are my top 5 observations on what contributes to the conditions for burn out: 

  1. The body gets out of the habit of returning to its reset position after a short burst of fear;
  2. The mind thinks about problems continually causing the body to feel threatened and stay on high alert;
  3. The chemicals of fear build up in our system and with no opportunity to subside, we feel on edge or emotionally sensitive, most of the time;
  4. We begin to feel emotionally out of control and worry about how we can keep everything together.  This worry triggers more thinking about how we solve this emotional issue and the worry triggers yet more fear;
  5. The body is continually working to try and reset the fear response system and return the nervous system back to stability.  This is in addition to all of the things the body does already, placing it under continual physical duress. 

If You're Ambitious - Why Simplifying Your Life Won't Work.

Just between you and me, burn out is the symptom of our stress system ramping up for too long. It usually starts with something consuming our mind longer than it should.  That difficult project, failed promotion or family issue we just can't seem to shake off.  It literally feels like there is no escape.

We feel like we're living on edge trying to keep our emotions in check and it leaks into every aspect of our life.  Even sleep evades us when we find ourselves lying awake into the early hours.  Maybe you've got to the stage where you're worried about losing your temper in that meeting or breaking down emotionally at the wrong time.  

YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY NOT ALONE! I’ve spent decades building up my professional experience and getting the right qualifications, proving myself time and time again. I’ve always been resilient with just enough confidence to pull off the act but it turns out that

resilience can be very fragile, and fake confidence, absolutely exhausting!

What pushes us over the edge can be different for all of us.  For me, when I didn’t get the promotion I wanted after all of that additional effort; when I had to watch others with less capability thriving in the corporate world, I was literally eaten away with resentment. The resentment ran so deep, that my anger was in constant over drive. It took all of the composure I had to keep it under wraps. 

I often refer to this as stress, because at the time, I thought that’s what it was. I thought I could be cured by moving jobs and when that didn’t work, I simply took on less and less responsibility. That’s when the resentment turned inwards. I knew I was capable of so much more, but I was worried about the anger management issues or the inevitable burn out. So I started to play it small and believe it or not, that was even worse.  

Playing it small builds internal resentment 

because we know we are letting ourselves down.

It was quite by accident that I came across an approach that would change every aspect of my life.  Since then I've never looked back.  With one eye on Inspector Morse, I was browsing the internet when I came across a masters in mindfulness. It looked really intriguing and I’ve always been fascinated by what makes us human beings tick.  I didn’t have the entry qualifications for the course, but they were easy to attain - an 8 week stress reduction course in mindfulness, just what I needed! 

The course was as fascinating as I'd expected and the homework was amazing. No time consuming assignments - we spent 30 minutes each day following guided practices. I loved the idea of being authorised to lie under a blanket in the middle of the day. Some of the classes involved this too.  So it began.... like  peeling back the onion of my life. Initially I learnt how to switch off and become closer to my emotional state, something I’d probably been disregarding for several years. Gradually I came to understand the mechanics of the mind and emotions. I deepened my self awareness and was able to develop an inner resilience that was genuine and authentic.  

The practices were really simple but I soon learnt that the brain is a series of muscles and each time I practised I was building new neural pathways in the brain.  These pathways were contributing to a new way of navigating every aspect of life.  I attached no blame to how I lived before, because once we understand how the brain works, it's clear that a lot of our behaviours and reactions are developed when we are very young and have very little control over our emotional well being. 

With the right skills and understanding my new way of being involved LESS judgement, LESS reactivity and MORE acceptance. I developed the ability to step back and pause, letting go of the urge to pick up emotional baggage.    

This deep self awareness is tricky, particularly when we face into those parts of our self we’d rather not see. Developing mindful compassion gives us the capacity to come to know ourselves without judgement.  This is all part of the process, a process that over time becomes very freeing. We come to understand our boundaries and how to live authentically to honour them.   We come to understand how to gain peace of mind.

When I finally did gain my masters degree in mindfulness, I wondered if there were other people out there.  Other people who were tired of striving; tired of burn out and desperate for some peace of mind. That’s why I created Mind21, a unique 21 day program in which I guide you through the knowledge and the practices that have turned my life around.

These 30 minute modules have been described as a spa for the mind but their power goes deeper, helping us to retrain those parts of the brain that are the foundation of our emotional resilience.  Mind21 incorporates the findings of the leading courses in mindfulness including: The Mindful Living Course; Google's Search Inside Yourself; The Mindful Way Through Depression and the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction.

Have a look at the benefits to see how Mind21 can help you work with some common patterns. 

Benefits of Mind21

Have a look at how Mind21 addresses some of the common patterns we all face.

The Overworked Mind

The mind is consumed by continuous thoughts and can't switch off.   We think we're problem solving but really we're just stuck in a loop - we just don't know it yet.

Vs

Interrupting the Mind Loop 

The bodyscan teaches the mind how to settle and refocus.  It begins to break down the pattern of continuous thinking.

Emotional Leakage 

Emotions are on high alert and anger arises quickly.  It doesn't take much for us to feel under threat and the mind jumps in to defend us or rationalise our emotions.  This ramps up our emotional state and compounds our feelings.

Vs 

Emotional Management

We learn a simple technique for resetting the nervous system using our breathing and have access to a 3 minute tool that supports us when we need to reset.

The bodyscan reconnects us with our physical sensations bringing early awareness to our emotional state.  This is real time feedback and is separate to what the mind thinks we SHOULD be experiencing.  We learn the skill of resting our attention with our body, interrupting the tendency of the mind to jump in defensively and begin ramping up our stress response.

We learn how the stress response is triggered so we understand why we feel under threat and why the mind makes up stories to rationalise our reactions. 

Problems Drifting off to Sleep

Its difficult to drift off to sleep because the mind is churning over our problems looking for solutions. 

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Access to Relaxing Guidance

The bodyscan has many benefits and many clients find it also sends them to sleep.  At the very least, it settles the body and the mind preparing us for a good night's rest. 

Surviving & Striving

We become obsessed with our issue, or our work and cannot think past it.  We strive continually missing breaks and cutting out time for activities that give us joy.  

Vs 

Emotional Balance

One of the most powerful visualisations of Mind21 - scientific insight into how the mind gets us trapped in survive and strive mode.  Professor Paul Gilbert's three part emotional system is a thought provoking presentation combined with guided practices to help us rebalance this mindset.  Practised often enough we can rebuild our patterns neurologically.  

Attachment to Thoughts & Emotions

When we attach our sense of self to our emotional experience or our mind it's difficult to know how we can move forward.  We can feel weighed down by a situation whilst the mind attempts to think it's way out. 

Vs 

We are not Our Thoughts

Over the course of the weeks we begin to understand our sense of self as separate from our thoughts and our emotions.  Instead of being trapped in our thoughts or weighed down by our emotions,we can observe them and choose how we manage them.  We also come to appreciate the nature of impermanence and how this situation will pass. 

Inner Critic

The inner critic is the part of our self that protects us from walking around with our skirt tucked in our pants!  It's protective & defensive and definitely has it's place in the world.  It can also be a harsh voice that ramps up our fear system and dampens our courage to move forward.

Vs 

Acting with Discernment

Recognising the words of the inner critic we can heed its warning and make a decision as to how to move forward, without being squashed by it's harshness.  Over time, the tone and words of the practices, particularly kindness, change the nature of that inner voice, making space for a more compassionate inner dialogue.   Decisions are taken from a place of safety and courage.

Day by Day You're Guided Through the Material

Mind21 Stress Course Presenter

Week One - 30 minutes per day

We ease our way into week one with a lovely calming practice that really will help you to switch off.  We

  • get closer to our real emotional state, peeling away those misconceptions that live in our heads.  The mind tells us how we SHOULD feel but it's the body that gives us authentic feedback; 
  • build the skills to be with difficult emotions whilst learning to interrupt those tendencies to create stories in the mind;
  • learn how the mind powerfully influences our physical and  emotional state;
  • begin to challenge the tone and language of that inner voice laying the foundations for self acceptance;
  • train our attention and begin managing that busy mind that always seems to get distracted; 
  • learn how the inner world and even our human evolution determines how we react in particular situations;
  • learn about emotional triggers and how stress tips over into that unhealthy state;
  • learn how to build awareness of the mind and its patterns.

Tools to support you

  • Everything is provided on our app
  • Knowledge is provided through short 10 minute presentations that are part of your 30 minute  commitment
  • Practices guide you through the training step by step, simply turn up and press play 
  • A 3 minute breathing tool that  resets the body and mind when things are becoming challenging

 

30 minutes for 21 days.

Week Two - 30 minutes per day

Now we've started to get out of that busy mind a little, it's time to go deeper with our knowledge and get to know our minds...this week we learn:

  • about the power of thoughts and how they impact our energy levels and our emotions;
  • why the body is more accurate than the mind when it comes to real time feedback on our experience and how we tap into it;
  • the science of getting trapped in survive and strive and how to break the pattern and restore emotional balance;
  • the power of setting intentions and finding a posture;
  • how we really achieve that illusive peace of mind;
  • how we bring the mind to rest.

Our price structure is a one of fee that provides unlimited and lifetime access for personal use.

Week Three - Let's Go Deeper

This week we uncover some of the real science behind mindfulness and why it's so effective.  We'll learn:

  • about the mindfulness gap and how tapping into it gives us back emotional control;
  • simple tips to keep your mind in good shape when you're out and about;
  • that mindfulness is about the practice and training and developing those neural pathways in the brain;
  • why mindfulness is so accessible;
  • how to recognise the tendency to over identify with our thoughts and emotions;
  • about different styles of thinking and how they influence our emotions, sometimes without our knowledge.

If you're ready to get started, access is instant once you sign up. This is a digital course that you can access anytime from your desktop or mobile.

What our customers are saying..

Helen (Product Lead)

After attending a Just Breathe retreat following a recommendation by a friend, I was left excited and inspired to learn more about mindfulness. So, to indulge my curiosity further I made the decision to purchase the Mind21 course. This is a 21-day course that you need to commit 30 mins a day to in order to become fully immersed in the experience.

As a working mum, it was a great excuse for me to escape for half an hour a day and learn more about the power of meditation. It turned out to be so much more than that, with a great balance of education around how the brain manages stress, to utilising different meditation practices. I can't tell you how much more I recognise the triggers of when my mind is feeling stress and how much better I am able to cope with it following the course. It's opened my eyes to the power of being present in the moment and recognising what effects my mind has over my body. As someone who is a self-diagnosed control freak, this course has allowed me to put ME back in control of my reactions. I can't thank the creator of Mind21 enough for this empowering course!  

James (I.T Tech Lead)

When I joined the course I felt like I was on edge constantly especially when my work worries started to spill over into my weekends.

I was really sceptical about the concept but I've been surprised by how effective it's been.  The first week gave me techniques I could apply instantly.  Although I found some of the practices difficult, I left the course able to tune into techniques that help me manage stress.  I no longer feel like my stress is out of control.  It's improved my sleep and overall I feel less on edge. 

Elisabeth (Pharmaceuticals Student)

I absolutely loved the theory of the mind and found it so fascinating.   I used the techniques to manage my day but also followed the practices when I felt overwhelmed.  I don't think I could have got through exam season without it.  Thank you Julie.

Mind21 Bonus Features

We love developing new mindfulness products and when we created journeys for self compassion and this great motivational program to kick start your morning, we thought they'd really compliment Mind21 so we added them in!  I hope you enjoy them.

Beautiful Journeys for relaxation

Relax, taka time out and let me guide you through these relaxing journeys to develop self compassion: 

  • The gift
  • Safe space 
  • Body soothing
  • Pleasant events by the river 

FREE 

(Usually £35.00)

21 Day 10 minute challenge

A fantastic way to kick start your day and keep the benefits of your program going.   21 day challenge to keep you motivated:

  • 21 Individual practices
  • Just 10 minutes per day practice 
  • Daily tips to help you get the most from your practice
  • Drip fed weekly

FREE

(Usually £35.00)

I'd like this offer

Ok - I'm ready! Take me to this offer.

Meet your instructor

After experiencing stress and burn out for over 20 years, Julie  found an approach that changed every aspect of her life. 

Her unique exposure to these difficulties meant that she was able to pinpoint the knowledge and guidance within mindfulness, that directly contributed to her own personal growth.  It is these techniques that she now shares with you.

One of the pain points of taking on a new challenge is definitely time and that perception of trying to fit in one more thing.  This is why the course is chunked into 30 minute modules each with a maximum of 10 minutes theory. 

 
Qualifications

Julie has a masters degree in mindfulness from Aberdeen University and specialises in emotional resilience.  Julie qualified to teach with the British Mindfulness Association in Samye Ling Monastry in Scotland.  The Mindfulness Association was founded by Rob Nairn who was invited to teach by the Dalai Lama.  Julie's knowledge is also underpinned by diplomas in life coaching and Neuro Linguistic Programming.  With an additional masters in Information Technology and 25 years experience of the corporate I.T world, Julie is able to deliver wellness and emotional intelligence guidance to a business mindset. 

 

Join Our Community

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Additional Benefits

Private Learning    

No turning up to groups or trying to fit in regular meetings.  Everything is pre-recorded and drip fed week by week, giving you full control over where and when you learn. 

 

Mindfulness

The learning combines guided practices with theory, recognising that knowledge works at both a cognitive and experiential level.  The daily material is supported by a library of practices that you can access at any time. 

 

Easy to follow

Each day comprises one 30 minute video that includes everything you need: online presentations, motivational tips and guided mind practices.

Join the Community

Once you're signed up to Just Breathe you are part of a conscious community.  We are dedicated to using a percentage of our profits  to provide education and mindfulness support to communities that don't have access.  

Meanwhile you can revisit your material anytime with our lifetime access commitment.