You Were Always Worthy

Recognising Your Worth Beyond Burnout

From the moment you took your first breath, you were worthy.

That truth isn’t earned. It doesn’t arrive with a degree, a certificate, a promotion, or praise. And yet, many of us carry an unconscious belief that our value is conditional—tied to how much we do, how well we give, or how little we need in return.

It’s no wonder burnout finds us.

Burnout isn’t just physical exhaustion. It’s spiritual depletion. It’s the toll of trying to earn your place in the world by always proving you're enough.

The Origins of “Earned Worth”

From childhood, we’re subtly conditioned to associate approval with performance. “Be a good girl.” “Help others first.” “Don’t be selfish.” These scripts become internalised, and over time, we start measuring our worth against impossible standards—external validation, productivity, perfection.

Psychology calls this contingent self-worth—the idea that self-esteem fluctuates depending on external achievements or feedback. Studies have shown that people with contingent self-worth experience higher levels of stress, anxiety, and burnout (Crocker & Wolfe, 2001). It’s exhausting to keep chasing a worthiness that was never meant to be earned.

Meanwhile, spiritual wisdom and pseudoscientific fields like energy healing remind us that the soul is born complete. In modalities like Reiki or chakra balancing, practitioners work not to “fix” a person, but to realign them with their innate wholeness.

You were never broken. You’ve simply been buried under layers of conditioning.

A Soft Rebellion

Recognising your worth is a radical act.

It means reclaiming your identity beyond roles—beyond mother, carer, partner, achiever, fixer. It means softening into being, rather than always doing.

From a neuroscience perspective, practices like mindfulness, affirmations, and deep rest activate the parasympathetic nervous system—your body’s “rest and repair” mode. This helps regulate cortisol, soothe anxiety, and return you to a sense of safety in your body. When we feel safe, we’re more receptive to the truth: we are already enough.

You Are Becoming

Burnout tells you that something is wrong with you. That you’re too sensitive. Too tired. Too much or not enough.

But what if it’s just a signal? A wise whisper from your soul, asking you to come home?

You are not broken.

You are becoming.

You were always worthy.