Burn Out Isn't A Personal Failure.. It's a Signal!

Burnout doesn’t usually show up all at once.

It creeps in quietly. 
It disguises itself as “just being tired.”

It makes sense really... we've been working hard, maybe staying up too late, maybe staring at screens too much. 

It convinces us to push harder when our body is begging us to slow down.

As a handmade business owner, parent, homesteader, caregiver, and human, burnout is something I know intimately. And if you’re here reading this, there’s a good chance you do too.

Burnout is not weakness.
Burnout is not laziness.
Burnout is information.

Our bodies and minds are incredibly wise—they whisper long before they scream. The problem is that we’re often taught to ignore the whispers. 

Back in the end of 2022 and beginning of 2023, I experienced extreme burn out. There were things so many people didn't see on the livestreams. At the time, I was a single mother, managing a business that suddenly went viral. I was still processing my divorce & helping my children process. I was struggling financially- the struggle was much different than any struggle I had experienced when I was married. Struggling to pay rent, feed my kids, etc. So the only thing I knew to do was work & when could I work? When the kids were sleeping. 

I worked from the time I put them to bed until about 1 am and wasn't in bed until about 2-3am. I cleaned the house at night. Was up around 7am when they got up. We did post office runs, grocery runs, baseball practice, and homeschooling. It was a lot. I was experiencing blisters on my feet, hemorrhoids from my blood pressure not regulating, heart palpitations, anxiety that I couldn't place, brain fog, shaking, back pain, and more. When I got sick at the end of January... it was almost welcomed. 

Shortly after that, I met Dan, and he encouraged me to rest. I spend more time getting to know him. Long distance love meant late night phone calls, and not always livestreaming. By May, Dan came out to visit the kids and I & the rest is history. 

 

Do I still struggle with burn out? Yes... in other ways. But actively adding certain things into my routine help me very much! 

 

Common Signs of Burnout

Burnout shows up differently for everyone, but it often touches three main areas: mental, emotional, and physical.

Mental Signs of Burnout

• Brain fog or difficulty concentrating

• Forgetfulness or feeling scattered

• Lack of motivation or creativity

• Feeling overwhelmed by even small tasks

• Racing thoughts paired with exhaustion

You may feel like your mind never shuts off—yet can’t seem to focus on anything meaningful.

Emotional Signs of Burnout

• Irritability or emotional numbness

• Feeling detached or disconnected from people you love

• Increased anxiety or feelings of hopelessness

• Loss of joy in things that once felt grounding

• Feeling like you’re “running on empty” emotionally

Emotional burnout often comes with guilt—especially for people who give a lot to others.

Physical Signs of Burnout

• Chronic fatigue (even after sleep)

• Muscle aches, tension, or restless legs

• Sleep disturbances

• Headaches or frequent illness

• Nervous system dysregulation (feeling “wired but tired”)

• Going into a flare with autonomic or autoimmune conditions

Our bodies often carry the weight of stress long before we consciously acknowledge it.

Supporting the Nervous System (Not Fixing It)

At HBC Organics, I’ll never pretend to have all the answers—and I’ll never promise a product can “fix” burnout. What I do believe deeply is that supporting the nervous system gently and consistently matters. Supporting and regulating the nervous system is so important, especially while we are living in a time where this world we live in pushes dysregulation. 

Whether we are watching movies to get our blood pumping, taking part in gossip, not choosing our battles wisely, or just living day to day life with the rising costs of living we are subject to pushing our nervous systems much too far. 

Here are some of the tools we’ll be highlighting this month that many in our community find helpful when they’re feeling stretched thin. We will do our best through the month of January to highlight different items whether from HBC Organics or other small businesses to help with burn out! 

✨ True Blue Beauty Bar (Blue Tansy)

Our True Blue Beauty Bar, made with blue tansy, is one of those quiet helpers.

Blue tansy is often loved for its calming, grounding aroma—the kind that encourages you to take a deeper breath without forcing it. Using this bar in the shower or bath can become a small ritual: a few minutes where nothing is required of you except being present.

Sometimes healing starts with simply washing the day off your skin.

✨ Magnesium Creams & Sprays

Magnesium is a mineral many people are deficient in, especially during prolonged stress.

Our magnesium creams and sprays are often used by customers who experience:

• Muscle tension

• Restlessness at night

• Stress-related body discomfort

Applied topically, magnesium can feel like a signal to the body that it’s safe to soften—especially before bed or during moments of overwhelm.

✨ Bath Salts for Deep Reset Moments

Bath salts are one of my favorite burnout tools because they force stillness.

A warm bath with mineral-rich salts can support relaxation while giving your nervous system a chance to recalibrate. Even 15–20 minutes can make a noticeable difference—not because it solves everything, but because it creates space.

Space is often what burnout takes from us first. This month, we are offering gallon size buckets of bath salts, specially formulated just for you! 

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✨ Essential Oil Roller Bottles

Our essential oil roller bottles are designed for on-the-go grounding.

Used on pulse points, temples, or wrists, they can become a simple anchor throughout the day—a pause button when things feel like too much. Scent is powerful, and for many people, it’s one of the quickest ways to bring awareness back into the body. 

3 new blends we will have in January?

-Ground Me- blend of lavender, lemon, and cedar

-Calm Me- blend of roman chamomile, lemon, ylang ylang, and sweet orange. 

-Burn Out - blend of patchouli, cinnamon, roman chamomile, and vanilla. 

Other In-Stock Items That May Support Burnout Seasons

Depending on what burnout looks like for you, other HBC Organics items customers often reach for include:

• Whipped Tallow Body Butters for nourishing touch and skin comfort

• Herbal Balms for muscle tension or overworked hands

• Candles & Wax Melts to create calmer, cozier environments

• Gentle, skin-supportive soaps for those whose skin reacts during stress

Again—these aren’t cures. They’re companions.

A Gentle Reminder

Burnout is not something to push through... but sometimes it isn't quite possible to just stop. So I want to give you some tips on what I like to do when I experience it! 

If you’re feeling it, you’re not broken—you’re human. And you deserve support that feels respectful, nourishing, and real.

If you don’t know where to start, start small:

• One intentional shower per week.. I know, I shower more than once a week, but I make it a point to take one shower per week with a shower steamer, a nice scrub, and when I get out, I use magnesium right away, and a roller bottle. 

• One deep breath.. honestly, when feeling overwhelmed, one intentional deep breath can help to regulate your brain.. A good friend of mine once said, "if you're not breathing, you're not thinking". 

• One earlier bedtime.. now this is the hardest! I make sure I'm at least in bed earlier. I might take time in bed to watch something calming, listen to something calming, read a book, or enjoy a snack. 

• One moment of organization- I sit down for an hour or two once a month to loosely plan my month. The meals I'd like to make that month, the financial goals I have for our family, realistically plan something special (coffee date, date night, etc), realistically planning the business specials and goals. This helps me be more intentional with my day to day life to be sure that I am not overwhelming myself. 

• One soft moment.. I take a moment to be soft with myself. I tell myself "it's okay". I allow myself room to rest, room to make a pizza, room to laugh, and honestly... room to be okay with not everything being perfect. 

Those small choices add up.

We’ll be highlighting burnout-supportive products throughout the month, but more importantly, we’ll be continuing the conversation—because wellness isn’t about perfection. It’s about listening.

With care,
Jessica
HBC Organics