When Late-Summer Feels Like Burnout

Things have been feeling a bit... crispy here this week.

A few weeks ago, I felt like we were in the true juiciness of summer, like the luxury of long, hot days felt like what frigid February dreams are made of.

And now, life is looking and feeling a bit droopy, brown and snappy... like a tinder box ready to ignite.

The wildfires across the world are an example from Mother Nature about the effects of not enough replenishment and space clearing, devastating acres of land, wildlife and lives while polluting the air for millions of other people.

In our own lives, we may be feeling that build up of ‘tinder’, that crispiness setting in as summer starts to near its end and we’re on the outer edges of a new season.

Teetering on that edge of burnout or burning it all down.

One of the things I’ve been noticing is that we often mistake feeling crispy for something that’s wrong with us.

But maybe it’s simply information.

✦ A signal that we’ve been giving more than we’ve been receiving.

✦ Holding more than we’ve been releasing.

✦ Doing more than we’ve been replenishing.

Human Orientation isn’t about forcing ourselves back into balance. It’s about noticing where we are without judgment so we can respond instead of react.

Because when we know where we are, we can choose our next step with a little more intention instead of letting the spark make the decision for us.

It’s like we are in the shoulder season into fall, a time of transition into a season of transition.

This weekend when it rained for a little bit, I felt such a relief from the heat. I enjoyed a creamy mug of tea that kind of made me excited for cooler days ahead.

And by the next day, the grass already feels softer with a little more life back in it, a little bit more ready for some outdoor fun to help us finish with something left in the tank.

I’m definitely not ready for summer to be over yet, but getting a glimpse of what I have to look forward to was kinda nice, like a reminder to enjoy what we have while anticipating the changes ahead.

It got me wondering... What support, break or replenishment do you need to navigate this moment in the season?

Maybe it’s-

• an hour without your phone

• an earlier bedtime

• saying “not this week”

• sitting outside after the rain

• asking for help instead of figuring it out alone

• making something just because it’s fun

• drinking your tea while it’s still hot

The answer doesn’t have to be big. Sometimes replenishment arrives in very ordinary ways.

Knowing what we need when things get crispy is how we reorient ourselves when our Glow starts to show signs of stress or strain.

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Create your own Field Report​ to help you find your bearings, no matter what season you are in.

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A Simple Season Shift

When you’re feeling crispy, pause and move through these four questions-

Notice – What am I feeling physically, emotionally and mentally right now?

Name – Is this exhaustion, overstimulation, grief, transition, boredom, or simply the end of a busy season?

Nourish – What’s one small thing that would feel like rain today?

Next – What’s the next gentle step instead of the next productive one?

That’s it. Not a complete reset, simply just enough rain to soften the ground. See what you notice when the goal isn’t to push through, but to find your bearings again.

This Week’s Field Observation

If this season of life is feeling more crispy than juicy, notice what happens when you stop trying to fix the feeling or push through it.

Instead, observe.

Before you ask, "How do I get back on track?"

Ask-

• What season am I actually in?

• What feels dry?

• What still feels alive?

• What’s asking to be released?

• What’s asking to be nourished?

Notice what shifts when you replace judgment with curiosity. Instead of treating yourself like a machine that’s underperforming, orient yourself like someone learning the landscape.

Thanks for being in the field with me.

✦

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Stephanie Rose is the founder of Firefly Scout and creator of the Human Orientation practice. Through observation, pattern recognition, and self-authorship, she helps people become more accurate interpreters of themselves and their lives so they can navigate change, growth, and "all the things" with greater clarity, capacity, and self-trust.

If you enjoy exploring a different way of seeing, join the Firefly Scout newsletter or download the free Observation Snapshot to start noticing what your life may already be trying to show you.

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