From Burnout to Breakthrough

For a lot of us, we tend to get lost in the moment. We go through life continuously striving for the best version of ourselves, pushing past new boundaries, exploring new hobbies and lifestyles, and eventually, after all that, the overwhelmingness hits. Shortly after, the burnout sets in, and everything falls out of place. There’s a good chance that you are not alone if you’re going through days where it seems impossible to get through, or things are constantly piling up. 

It’s easy to become discouraged, to feel as if things will not get any better. It does get better, but it starts with you. I believe that motivation starts from within. It’s not something that someone either possesses or doesn’t - but rather, it’s something that’s rebuildable when it falls down. This “how to” guide will hopefully help you to learn how to keep going forward, even when times get tough.

Break Down Big Goals Into Smaller Wins

Big goals can feel hefty and far from your current position in life, but breaking them down into smaller, more manageable wins becomes less stressful and more motivating. You can look at it as a sort of race or journey. For starters, clearly identify and define what big goal you are trying to accomplish. Once you know exactly what that goal is, reverse-engineer it into checkpoints. These checkpoints will help to guide your progress. You can then take these checkpoints and divide them into small actions and tasks that you can easily fulfill daily or weekly, whichever is your desired preference. 

For example, if the big goal is to lose a certain amount of weight and get fit and healthy, it’s not going to happen overnight. That’s when checkpoints come into play, and this is where you identify what you can accomplish and control on a daily basis. Walking for 30 minutes every day, going to the gym, and maintaining a healthy diet: these are all great and reasonable tasks that will definitely inch you closer and closer to achieving your goal. 

Progress takes patience. 

Small wins are more powerful than you think. It keeps the momentum going and gives you that feeling of success that keeps you moving forward. This mindset shift really makes consistency easier than ever and makes progression more visible as time passes. Practice celebrating small wins more often, and you’ll eventually see that it all helps in the long run. 

It may help a few of you to log these checkpoints on a calendar. You can keep track of the days, marking them off one by one, up until the designated day that you decided for that specific checkpoint. Having a calendar keeps you accountable and also allows for better organization when practicing how to reach checkpoints. 

Keep Positive Energy Around You

Your environment and the things that you surround yourself with are more important than you think. The people that you talk to, the information you consume on social media, and the overall connections and interactions you engage in are all contributions to influencing your mindset. That’s why it’s crucial to be aware of what you’re feeding your brain with.

Especially during tough times and overwhelming moments, be purposeful about what you decide to allow into your space. You can practice listening to an uplifting podcast, or spend more time with people who never fail to inspire and support you. Try to seek positivity with whatever you do throughout your day and wherever you go. With consistent, intentional actions focused on surrounding yourself with positivity, you bounce back from burnout and overwhelmingness more effectively and fast. 

When it comes to me personally, this is something that I prioritize when life gets crazy. I know it’s hard to maintain positivity when you have a lot on your plate, but it’s something that I’m continuing to practice. Things that I really cherish in life that keep me grounded and motivated is my support system of family and friends. They’re always able to lift my spirits up when I can’t. A sense of peace is always felt when I’m with them. I consider music a great help as well for me, being able to escape reality and just let the sounds do their thing. 

Being outside with nature is another great way for positivity to resonate. Take a walk in the park with your pet. If you don’t have a pet, walk with loved ones or just by yourself too. You can take it up another level and go on a hike at your nearest national park as well! Constant outdoor activities lower stress, give elevated mental clarity, and also improve sleeping. According to the National Park Service, there are many benefits that come with exploring national parks and what hiking has to offer!

Acknowledge Your Triumphs

When we get hit with tough times, people tend to easily focus on what’s not happening. They get down on themselves and the motivation fades away fast. 

But step back for a moment. You’re still here, and you’re still trying. 

By acknowledging your triumphs, you are recognizing all the progress you have made, no matter how big or small. Giving yourself credit reinforces a mindset of positivity while boosting your confidence. Going hand-in-hand with celebrating small wins, it is a great reminder that growth doesn’t have to be anything major for it to be meaningful. Things like surviving a tough week, sticking to a healthy habit, or simply completing a difficult task should be considered a win. 

To really notice and acknowledge the things that you’re doing for you, slow down and actually be intentional with seeing everything. What could really help is to have a conversation with yourself at the end of every week. For example, journal about the moments and the overall wins that you experienced. By doing this, you’re bringing it into reality, making the progression more cemented.

One of the other things that you can do to practice acknowledging your triumphs is to be more aware of how you talk to yourself. Instead of letting things get past you with words like “it’s fine” or “I could’ve been better,” be more straightforward when giving yourself credit. Say more things such as “I did my best” or “I’m proud that I was able to do that” gradually. Building this habit of positive talking also allows the opportunity to make your efforts feel more natural, continuing to feed into a mindset that keeps you motivated and hungry. 

At the moment, I’m practicing how to give myself credit vocally as well. I usually do everything in my head, but there’s a certain kind of reinforcement that happens when I speak out rather than just hold a conversation in my mind. I can notice the positive changes whenever I’m saying various phrases towards myself. It might be weird at first for people, but after a while, it really does help you speak more positively towards yourself.

Wrapping Things Up

Tough times come with living in this world. It’s just a part of life. Whenever trials show up, it tests your patience and your ability to strive forward when things get rocky. One of the biggest things that tough times do, though, is that they ultimately shape who you are. These experiences stick with you forever, so having a grounded plan when tough times happen again in the future is the best thing you can do for yourself. 

The mindset of continuing to stay motivated during difficult times won’t always be pretty. It’s completely normal to have those days that make you feel less positive and unmotivated, even if you have a solid foundation. A reminder to hold onto is to keep showing up for yourself at the end of the day. 

Keep choosing to progress rather than to regress. 

As I said, it won’t always be pretty and it also means it won’t be perfect. On some days, the motivation will come through naturally. Other days, you might have to change up the foundation and see what works best for you to keep that positive energy. There will be constant trial and error throughout the journey. Regardless, keep going! 

The most powerful version of you will come from this. A stronger-minded, more disciplined, and more well-equipped person who will be ready for whatever life has to throw at them. You’ll be able to look back at these trying times, and tell yourself that you are proud of yourself because you didn’t give up. You stayed disciplined and motivated, and that will always be a great win.

About the Author

Isaiah Cera is a Journalism student attending UNLV with a concentration in Digital & Social Media. He is going into his junior year this fall and plans to graduate in Spring of 2027. He plans to continue his journalism career after college, focusing on sports media and entertainment. Isaiah loves to thrift, watch sports, and create vlogging videos on his camera in his free time.