What does burnout really feel like, and how do you find your way back to yourself?

Imposter syndrome shows up in boardrooms, parenting moments and even world title campaigns. In this honest and practical episode, Tess and Layne unpack the stories we tell ourselves about not being enough and how to move from self doubt to grounded confidence.

In this raw and refreshingly honest episode, Tess and Layne sit down to unpack a topic that is quietly shaping almost every home, workplace and relationship right now: burnout.

Tess shares the story of her own collapse point during her corporate career at Virgin, when she was the yes girl who delivered everything, achieved everything and still felt empty. She opens up about the decision fatigue that paralysed her, the moment she realised she had no hobbies or joy left, and the cycles of over training, overworking and numbing that kept her stuck.

Layne brings her own truth to the table, describing the day her husband Kirk asked, “Why do I get the broken Layne?” That question cracked something open. She revisits the deeper story of childhood wounds, the fear of not being enough, and how chasing validation through excellence created a lifelong pattern of giving her best to strangers while bringing her most depleted self home.

Together they shine a gentle and scientific light on burnout. They explain why the brain defaults to fear, how negativity bias keeps you in survival mode, and why perfectionism is one of the most reliable early indicators that burnout is brewing. They walk through the 3 C burnout signs that Layne now watches for, and the simple but powerful decision making framework that helped both women reclaim energy, presence and joy.

If you have ever sat in your hallway with nothing left to give, or wondered why you feel exhausted even from the things you love, this episode feels like someone handing you the map home.

What you will learn:

• The real lived signs of burnout before it becomes a crisis From decision paralysis to compulsive yes saying, you will learn how burnout often whispers long before it screams.
• The root causes beneath burnout Why validation seeking, perfectionism and childhood beliefs quietly shape how you work, parent and perform.
• The neuroscience behind mental fatigue How repetitive thought loops, threat bias and inner stories push your body into chronic depletion.
• A simple decision making framework that protects your energy How to use love not fear as a filter, and when to say yes, no, no not now or no not me.
• Why rest is not a reward but a performance tool How micro breaks, 90 minute work cycles and joy lists retrain your brain and rebuild capacity.