Your body always knows first. It shows up in the subtle signals you’re tempted to ignore:

• You wake up groggy, even after eight hours of sleep.
• Small frustrations spark outsized reactions.
• Your creativity feels flat, like you’re operating on autopilot.
• Decisions you used to make with clarity now feel heavy and draining.

By Sunday night, there’s a knot in your stomach. By Monday morning, you’re already counting the hours until the weekend. This isn’t laziness. It isn’t weakness. And it isn’t something another cup of coffee will fix. These are the early warning signs of burnout.

And while the world tells you to push harder, prove more, and power through, what you really need isn’t more grit—it’s more alignment.

Why Burnout Isn’t Just About Doing Too Much

We’ve been conditioned to believe burnout is purely a matter of output. Too many hours. Too many responsibilities. Too much on your plate. But here’s the truth: burnout often has less to do with the number of hours you work and more to do with how misaligned those hours are with what you value most.

Think about it:

• If you’re spending your best energy on projects that don’t matter to you, exhaustion is inevitable.
• If you’re saying yes to commitments that no longer fit your season of life, resentment will build.
• If you’re chasing goals you outgrew years ago, achievement will feel empty, no matter how shiny it looks on the outside.

I remember a season in my own career when every box was checked. My calendar was filled with high-profile projects, my income was growing, and people around me saw me as “successful.” And yet, inside I was disconnected. It wasn’t the workload that broke me down—it was the misalignment between what I was doing and what I was truly called to do.

Burnout isn’t just about doing too much. It’s about the cost of living out of sync with your own values, purpose, and priorities.

And the good news? Realignment is always possible.

The Data Behind Burnout and Alignment

The statistics confirm what so many high-achieving women are experiencing:

• 70% of women leaders report that stress and burnout are among their top challenges at work today (American Psychological Association, 2024).
• In a recent survey, nearly 60% of executives said they often feel “used up” at the end of the day—a classic symptom of burnout (MIT Sloan Management Review).
• 84% of women professionals report physical symptoms of stress—including headaches, fatigue, and sleep disruption—that directly impact their performance (Korn Ferry, 2023).
• A study by the University of California found that when leaders align daily work with personal values, their risk of burnout drops by 40%—showing that alignment, not escape, is the antidote.

The research is clear: burnout is real, widespread, and costly.

But alignment isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a protective factor that can change everything.

Action Step: 3 ways to shift from burnout to alignment

1. Redefine success for this season.
Ask yourself: What does success look like right now? Not five years ago. Not five years from now. Today.

Alignment begins when you stop measuring yourself by outdated standards.

2. Pay attention to energy, not just outcomes.
Track not only what you’re accomplishing, but how it feels. Notice which tasks light you up and which ones leave you depleted.

Alignment means building a life where your energy and your results move in the same direction.

3. Create regular space for recalibration.
Even 15 minutes of stillness can reconnect you with yourself. Journal. Pray. Go for a walk without your phone.

These pauses are not indulgent—they’re how you remember what alignment feels like.

How I Can Help

If you’re ready to stop living at the edge of burnout and start building a rhythm that feels sustainable, energizing, and aligned with your true priorities, here are three ways we can go deeper:

Your turn to reflect a step further:

1. Purchase my International Bestselling Book that goes through the framework that has helped 1,000+ coaching and executive clients. You can find more information HERE.
2. Join our upcoming retreat in 2026. Find more information HERE.
3. Build a custom strategy to reach your goals without burning out or compromising your purpose. Find out more information on this FREE complimentary call.

When was the last time you felt truly in flow—and what can that moment teach you about what alignment means for you?

– Christi Cossette