Burnout, Boundaries, and the Courage to Design Your Own Life

I recently joined David Gambill on the Be Your Own Boss: Design Your Life Your Way podcast for a conversation that went well beyond burnout.

We talked about careers.

The kind that look perfectly logical when you connect the dots afterwards.

The kind that feel anything but linear while you're living them.

We explored what it means to build a career that's aligned with your values, why stepping away from a traditional path isn't always a step backwards, and how burnout sometimes becomes the catalyst for designing a life that fits you better.

If you'd like to watch or listen to the full conversation, you can find it below.

Looking Back, the Path Makes Sense

When people hear my background, they often think it sounds very intentional.

Bachelor's degree.

PhD.

Postdoctoral fellowship.

Government.

Not-for-profit.

Corporate consulting.

Medical devices.

Creative wellness coaching.

It almost sounds like I had a roadmap.

The reality was much messier.

Each opportunity came from conversations, curiosity, and being willing to explore something new. Some of the jobs I ended up doing didn't even exist when I started my career. They evolved through networking, relationships, and saying yes to opportunities that felt interesting.

That's one of the messages I hope younger scientists hear.

Your career doesn't have to be perfectly mapped out from day one.

Following Curiosity, Not Just Credentials

David asked what first drew me into science.

The answer surprised even me as I was telling the story.

I wasn't someone who only loved science.

I loved art just as much.

In high school I was equally happy in biology, history, mathematics, and the art studio. My parents encouraged me to pursue science professionally because, as they joked, "You can always do art on the side. It's much harder to do science in your garage."

At the time, that made perfect sense.

So I followed biology.

Then genetics.

Then plant molecular biology.

What fascinated me wasn't just the science itself. It was solving problems, asking questions, and discovering how incredibly complex living systems really are.

That curiosity carried me through years of research.

When a Career Evolves Naturally

One thing I've learned is that careers rarely move in straight lines.

Mine certainly didn't.

I moved from academic research into a not-for-profit organization that connected researchers with industry. From there I worked in government evaluating research partnerships and grant proposals before eventually moving into the medical device industry.

Each role taught me something different.

Research taught me curiosity.

Government taught me systems thinking.

Consulting taught me how innovation becomes reality.

Quality and regulatory work taught me how much responsibility comes with developing products that affect people's lives.

At the time, I didn't realize I was collecting skills that would eventually support my coaching business.

The Burnout I Couldn't Explain

Like many people, the pandemic changed everything.

I was helping support the development of emergency ventilators during those early months when no one knew what was coming next.

The pressure felt enormous.

At the same time, I had two children adjusting to online school and a household trying to function under extraordinary circumstances.

I noticed myself becoming short-tempered.

I couldn't switch my brain off.

The work I had once loved started feeling heavy.

And perhaps the biggest surprise of all...

I couldn't create anymore.

For someone who had always relied on art to recharge, that was deeply unsettling.

Walking into my studio no longer brought relief.

It brought frustration.

Rediscovering the Joy of Play

One thing I realized afterwards was that I had made creativity feel like another job.

I had spent years exhibiting artwork, entering juried shows, and trying to produce pieces that met my own high standards.

Without realizing it, I'd taken the joy out of it.

Recovering from burnout meant learning how to play again.

Not create masterpieces.

Just play.

Simple drawings.

Loose sketches.

Small experiments.

That shift completely changed my relationship with creativity.

It stopped being another thing I needed to achieve.

It became something I could simply enjoy.

Why I Chose Coaching Instead of Therapy

As I searched for answers, I spent time learning about art therapy.

I found it fascinating.

But I also realized I was looking for something slightly different.

Art therapy often helps people process past experiences.

The work I felt drawn toward was more future focused.

I wanted to help women ask questions like:

Where am I now?

Where do I want to go?

What's getting in my way?

That naturally led me toward coaching.

Today I combine simple creative exercises with reflective coaching conversations, helping women see their challenges from a different perspective and move toward meaningful change.

Energy Tells an Honest Story

One of my favourite coaching activities is incredibly simple.

I ask clients to draw a series of batteries representing different areas of their lives.

Work.

Relationships.

Family.

Self-care.

Then I ask them to fill each battery according to how energized or depleted they feel.

The drawing usually says more than words ever could.

It's one thing to tell yourself you're exhausted.

It's another to see every battery on the page sitting at ten percent.

That visual snapshot often becomes the beginning of a very different conversation.

Not about doing more.

About choosing differently.

Redefining What Success Looks Like

One topic that came up throughout our conversation was success.

For a long time, many of us define success by promotions, bigger salaries, or climbing the next rung on the ladder.

There's nothing inherently wrong with ambition.

But eventually it's worth asking another question.

Success for whom?

If achieving success costs your health, your relationships, or your sense of who you are, it's worth pausing to ask whether you're climbing the right ladder.

Sometimes the bravest decision isn't pushing harder.

Sometimes it's deciding to build something that reflects your own values instead.

Freedom Comes With Responsibility

We also talked about entrepreneurship.

People often assume leaving corporate life automatically creates balance.

It doesn't.

You trade one set of responsibilities for another.

You gain freedom.

You also gain uncertainty.

You're responsible for finding clients, managing your business, and making decisions that someone else used to make for you.

But if that work feels aligned with who you are, it often feels very different from carrying responsibilities that were never really yours.

Freedom isn't necessarily easier.

Sometimes it's simply more meaningful.

Designing a Life That Fits

One thing I hope people take away from this conversation is that your career isn't your identity.

It's one part of your life.

Not your entire life.

Whether you stay in corporate, academia, government, or decide to build something of your own, it's worth asking yourself from time to time:

Does this still fit?

Am I building a life around my values?

Or am I simply continuing because that's what I've always done?

Those questions don't always produce immediate answers.

But they're worth asking anyway.

If This Conversation Resonates

If you've been wondering whether there's another way to work without sacrificing yourself in the process, I hope this conversation gives you permission to pause and reflect.

You don't have to overhaul your life overnight.

Sometimes the first step is simply becoming more aware of where your energy is going and whether it still aligns with what matters most to you.

If you'd like a practical place to begin, you can join my 5-Day Creative Reset Challenge, where I share five simple creative exercises to help you reduce stress, reconnect with yourself, and gain a little more clarity.

You can also subscribe to The Creative Shift, my weekly newsletter where I share reflections, practical tools, and creative coaching ideas for women navigating demanding careers.

Because designing your life isn't about having the perfect plan.

It's about making intentional choices that bring you closer to the life you actually want to live.