Medium Lady Talks: Burnout Recovery for Millennials and Mothers

Episode 152: Managing End of Summer Grief - How to Find Rest in Transitions

Did you think the best summer of your life would carry you straight into fall with joy and energy—only to find yourself feeling tired, sad, or a little… beige? You’re not alone. Many of us experience the end of summer blues or what I’m calling summer grief.
In this Episode 152 of Medium Lady Talks, I dive into why seasonal transitions feel so heavy, and how to navigate them with intention. We’ll talk about:
The emotional drop that comes with the end of summer and back-to-school season
Why psychologists recognize summertime sadness and even reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)
How invisible labor and new routines contribute to stress and burnout for moms and caregivers
Practical strategies using the 7 types of rest (sensory, mental, emotional, social, creative, physical, and spiritual)
How the September full moon and the autumn equinox can be embraced as rituals for balance, release, and renewal
I’ll share real examples from my week, including:
Turning my phone to black-and-white mode for sensory rest
Creating small 20-minute tasks to reset my home for mental rest
Reaching out to my therapist and friends for emotional rest
Saying no to extra commitments for social rest
Building seasonal clothing capsules for creative rest
Exploring moon cycles and equinox reflections for spiritual rest
✨ Takeaway: If you’re feeling the September slump, you’re not broken. Your body, your calendar, and even the cosmos are shifting. Choose one kind of rest, one ritual, or one reframe to meet yourself with softness this season.
🔑 Keywords: end of summer grief, summer blues, summertime sadness, reverse seasonal affective disorder, seasonal transition, autumn equinox rituals, fall self-care, seven types of rest, sensory rest, emotional rest, seasonal burnout recovery
💌 Let’s stay connected:
DM me on Instagram @medium.lady with the kind of rest you’re choosing this September
Share this episode in your stories and tag me so we can encourage each other
And remember: you’re doing such a good job.
🧡 If this episode resonates with you:
Share it with a friend who needs a little extra encouragement
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more than you know
DM me on Instagram @medium.lady or tag your favorite quote from the episode
Subscribe for more real talk about building a life you love—one medium-effort step at a time
Looking for more support? Access exclusive content and mindful living tools on Patreon. 
Join the conversation! Share one need you're naming today and tag @medium.lady on Instagram.
The series starts here!
 
Don’t forget to subscribe! If this episode resonates, share it with a friend or leave a review—it helps others find the show!
Other Related Episodes (for your enjoyment):
 
Ep 144: Sacred Rest & Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
Ep 145: Are You Proud of Being Tired?
Ep 146: When My Eye Stops Twitching
Ep 147: The Toxic To-Do List
 
Medium Lady Reads Episode 43 - Our Best Recommendations for Your Summer Reading Pile
 
Connect with Erin:
Instagram: @medium.lady
Patreon: www.patreon.com/mediumlady 
Email: mediumladytalks@gmail.com 
Explore more book-related content on "Medium Lady Reads." - link to Spotify
Instagram: @mediumladyreads

Episode 151: Embracing the Season Your Life Has to Offer with guest Ashley Gibson

What season of life are you in—and what would it mean to actually honour that season instead of resisting it?
In this episode 151 of Medium Lady Talks, I’m joined by my friend and thoughtful powerhouse Ashley Gibson, who brings a beautiful mix of vulnerability, wisdom, and humour to her story. Ashley is a program management lead in tech, a creative multi-passionate elder millennial, a reformed perfectionist, and a chronic illness warrior. But more than that, she’s someone who’s learning (like many of us) that doing it all is neither sustainable nor required.
We talk about:🥧 The "pie chart of life" and how to make peace with the slices that need to grow—or shrink🌀 Why it's more than okay to change your mind (even about things you once loved)💊 What Ashley learned about identity, health, and shame when her chronic illness flared🔁 Why needing help doesn’t mean failure—and how that belief keeps so many of us stuck🛏️ Redefining real rest as a proactive, intentional practice—not a reward you earn
This episode is part of our Summer of Real Rest series and will resonate with anyone who’s navigating shifting capacity, letting go of side hustles, recalibrating goals, or just wondering why things that used to fit don’t feel so right anymore.
Ashley reminds us:
“You can love something and still let it go. You can be proud of it and still step away.”
We hope this conversation helps you feel seen—and gives you permission to meet yourself exactly where you are.
More About Ashley
Ashley Gibson is a Toronto-based program manager, musical theatre fan, chronic illness advocate, and reformed perfectionist. Online and IRL, she shares openly about navigating life with Crohn’s disease, making intentional shifts in work and identity, and how to live with more joy, softness, and style.
📍Follow her @ashleydtl for travel recs, honest reflections, and vibrant real-life vibes.
Listener Favorites from This Episode
⏱️ 12:30 — Letting go of side hustles & the emotional weight of change⏱️ 22:00 — Why Ginger Spice was Ashley’s first blueprint for self-trust⏱️ 34:15 — Rethinking medication, identity, and the false binary of "sick" vs "well"⏱️ 41:00 — Real rest as the first step, not the reward
Loving the Show?
Tag us @medium.lady and tell us what season you’re in.Leave a review, share with a friend, or just hit play while you’re letting one of your own “slices of the pie” rest a little.
 
🧡 If this episode resonates with you:
Share it with a friend who needs a little extra encouragement
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more than you know
DM me on Instagram @medium.lady or tag your favorite quote from the episode
Subscribe for more real talk about building a life you love—one medium-effort step at a time
Looking for more support? Access exclusive content and mindful living tools on Patreon. 
Join the conversation! Share one need you're naming today and tag @medium.lady on Instagram.
The series starts here!
 
Don’t forget to subscribe! If this episode resonates, share it with a friend or leave a review—it helps others find the show!
Other Related Episodes (for your enjoyment):
Ep 144: Sacred Rest & Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
Ep 145: Are You Proud of Being Tired?
Ep 146: When My Eye Stops Twitching
Ep 147: The Toxic To-Do List
 
Medium Lady Reads Episode 45 - Welcome to Season Three of Medium Lady Reads 
 
Connect with Erin:
Instagram: @medium.lady
Patreon: www.patreon.com/mediumlady 
Email: mediumladytalks@gmail.com 
Explore more book-related content on "Medium Lady Reads." - link to Spotify
Instagram: @mediumladyreads

Episode 150: Mothering Yourself, Recovery and Sobriety with Sober Coach and Author Amy C. Willis

What if the care you needed wasn’t one more task, but a radical act of self-trust?
In Episode 150, I’m joined by Amy C. Willis, sober coach, speaker, and founder of Hol + Well. Amy works with women and queer folks to explore what’s possible in a life free from alcohol—one rooted in rest, boundaries, and real self-care.
We explore the concept of mothering yourself—a tender and transformative practice that helped Amy through early sobriety when she didn’t yet feel worthy of care. This idea ties beautifully into our Summer of Real Rest series, especially for those who are exhausted from being everything to everyone.
In this conversation, Amy and I discuss:
Why “mommy wine culture” is predatory, not empowering
How sobriety and burnout recovery share similar emotional truths
The stigma around choosing to be alcohol-free—even if you don’t identify as “in recovery”
Why we need to dismantle the binary between problem drinking and “normal” drinking
What truly restorative self-care looks like in recovery (hint: it’s not what Instagram tells you)
One of the most powerful things Amy says in this episode is:
“Whatever you’re looking for in alcohol, you’ll actually find in sobriety.”
Whether you're sober, sober-curious, or simply burned out and craving more care—you’ll find so much resonance and reflection here.
Amy’s Resources & Recommendations
🔗 Instagram @msamycwillis
💻 Website: holandwell.com
💬 Join her private Facebook group
📚 Book Recommendation: Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by Jessica Guerrieri
More from Medium Lady
I’ve been alcohol-free since 2018—not because of addiction, but because alcohol made my anxiety and migraines worse. Still, even naming that choice out loud feels like a big deal. Amy and I unpack why alcohol is still seen as a default, and what it means to make a different choice.
This episode is part of the Summer of REAL Rest series—where we’re talking about sustainable care, nervous system softness, and how to stop outsourcing your well-being.
🧡 If this episode resonates with you:
Share it with a friend who needs a little extra encouragement
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more than you know
DM me on Instagram @medium.lady or tag your favorite quote from the episode
Subscribe for more real talk about building a life you love—one medium-effort step at a time
Looking for more support? Access exclusive content and mindful living tools on Patreon. 
Join the conversation! Share one need you're naming today and tag @medium.lady on Instagram.
The series starts here!
Don’t forget to subscribe! If this episode resonates, share it with a friend or leave a review—it helps others find the show!
Other Related Episodes (for your enjoyment):
Ep 144: Sacred Rest & Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
Ep 145: Are You Proud of Being Tired?
Ep 146: When My Eye Stops Twitching
Ep 147: The Toxic To-Do List
Medium Lady Reads Episode 43 - Our Best Recommendations for Your Summer Reading Pile
 
Connect with Erin:
Instagram: @medium.lady
Patreon: www.patreon.com/mediumlady 
Email: mediumladytalks@gmail.com 
Explore more book-related content on "Medium Lady Reads." - link to Spotify
Instagram: @mediumladyreads

Episode 149: Give Your Heart a Break with Some Emotional Rest

Do you ever feel completely drained after “being nice”?If so, you might not need more sleep — you might need emotional rest.
In Episode 149 of Medium Lady Talks, Erin explores how emotional fatigue often hides in plain sight, especially for chronic people pleasers. She shares why people-pleasing is a constant leak on your energy, how it erases your sense of self in relationships, and why emotional rest is one of the most overlooked (but deeply necessary) types of rest.
✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:
What emotional fatigue feels like (and how it’s different from mental fatigue)
Why chronic people-pleasing quietly drains you from morning to night
How to reframe boundaries as saying yes to yourself, not just saying no to others
Why emotional rest means giving yourself permission to not be emotionally available 24/7
The “Pause Button for Your Heart”: a 3-step tool to help you set down feelings that aren’t yours to carry
💬 Quotes from the episode:
“If you identify as a chronic people pleaser, that is a leak on your energy. And it is constant: it is there when you wake up and it is there when you go to bed.”
“A lot of people pleasers don't set boundaries because they think that saying no is mean, or hurtful. But I really think we can see our boundaries beyond saying no to others; more about saying yes to ourselves.”
“If you want to get emotional rest, you're going to have to give yourself permission to not be emotionally available 24/7.”
“What people pleasers do is they empathize so deeply it’s like they become the person they’re trying to keep happy and control. But you unintentionally erase yourself from the relationship."
💬 Let Erin know what “real rest” means to you over on Instagram @medium.lady—and share this episode with the friend who’s doing everything “right” and still wondering why she’s so tired.
 
This episode is part of our “Summer of Real Rest” series—time to call ourselves in to a true commitment to the soft work of feeling better one step at a time. 
 
🧡 If this episode resonates with you:
Share it with a friend who needs a little extra encouragement
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more than you know
DM me on Instagram @medium.lady or tag your favorite quote from the episode
Subscribe for more real talk about building a life you love—one medium-effort step at a time
Looking for more support? Access exclusive content and mindful living tools on Patreon. 
Join the conversation! Share one need you're naming today and tag @medium.lady on Instagram.
The series starts here! Episode 142
Don’t forget to subscribe! If this episode resonates, share it with a friend or leave a review—it helps others find the show!
Other Related Episodes (for your enjoyment):
Ep 144: Sacred Rest & Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
Ep 145: Are You Proud of Being Tired?
Ep 146: When My Eye Stops Twitching
Ep 147: The Toxic To-Do List
Medium Lady Reads Episode 43 - Our Best Recommendations for Your Summer Reading Pile
 
Connect with Erin:
Instagram: @medium.lady
Patreon: www.patreon.com/mediumlady 
Email: mediumladytalks@gmail.com 
Explore more book-related content on "Medium Lady Reads." - link to Spotify
Instagram: @mediumladyreads
#mediumladytalks #summerofrealrest #emotionalrest #peoplepleasingrecovery #burnoutrecovery #boundariesarebeautiful #softwork #selfcareforreal #emotionalfatigue #restmindset #podcastforwomen

Episode 148: You're Closer to Rest Than You Think: How I Found Rest in the Middle of a Stressful Work Day

What if the gap between burned out hot mess and well-rested badass is… just five minutes?
In Epidosde 148 of Medium Lady Talks, Erin shares a personal moment from a wildly stressful workday where a handful of tiny, intentional choices helped her find real rest—without escaping, quitting, or checking out. This is a grounded, gentle episode that proves rest is not about perfection. It’s about margin.
✨ Inside this episode:
The story of a high-stress day and the 5-minute pause that changed everything
A live, personal example of mental and sensory rest in action
What happens when you interrupt hustle culture in real time
The return of our favorite themes: moral math, decision fatigue, and the lie that you have to earn rest
A toolkit of 7 Well-Rested Badass questions to help you find relief, even in motion
You’ll also hear reflections that build on:
Ep 144: Sacred Rest & Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
Ep 145: Are You Proud of Being Tired?
Ep 146: When My Eye Stops Twitching
Ep 147: The Toxic To-Do List
This episode is proof that you’re closer to rest than you think.
💬 Let Erin know what “real rest” means to you over on Instagram @medium.lady—and share this episode with the friend who’s doing everything “right” and still wondering why she’s so tired.
 
This episode is part of our “Summer of Real Rest” series—time to call ourselves in to a true commitment to the soft work of feeling better one step at a time. 
 
🧡 If this episode resonates with you:
Share it with a friend who needs a little extra encouragement
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more than you know
DM me on Instagram @medium.lady or tag your favorite quote from the episode
Subscribe for more real talk about building a life you love—one medium-effort step at a time
Looking for more support? Access exclusive content and mindful living tools on Patreon. 
Join the conversation! Share one need you're naming today and tag @medium.lady on Instagram.
The series starts here!  Episode 142
Don’t forget to subscribe! If this episode resonates, share it with a friend or leave a review—it helps others find the show!
Other Related Episodes (for your enjoyment):
Episode 70: My Life-Changing Perspective on Having the Best Summer EVER
Episode 103: Four Questions to Free Yourself from Summer Stress Part One
Episode 104: Four Questions to Free Yourself from Summer Stress Part Two
Episode 106: Six Things Saving My Summer 
 
Medium Lady Reads Episode 43 - Our Best Recommendations for Your Summer Reading Pile
 
Connect with Erin:
Instagram: @medium.lady
Patreon: www.patreon.com/mediumlady 
Email: mediumladytalks@gmail.com 
Explore more book-related content on "Medium Lady Reads." - link to Spotify
Instagram: @mediumladyreads
 

Episode 147: The Toxic To-Do List ... Why You’re Mentally Fried and How to Rest

Episode 147: The Toxic To-Do List — Why You’re Mentally Fried and How to Rest🎧 Part of the Summer of Real Rest series
Do you ever feel like you’re one more to-do away from a total shutdown?
In episode 147 of Medium Lady Talks, Erin dives into mental rest—what it is, why we’re so bad at getting it, and how decision fatigue is quietly draining your
energy. This is the episode for anyone who says they’re “fine” but can’t seem to think straight, slow down, or make a decision without spiraling.
🧠 You’ll hear:
What mental rest actually is (and what it’s not)
Why your to-do list feels toxic, even when it’s full of “normal” tasks
The powerful insight from Harvard psychologist Dr. Ellen Langer on equivocal decisions
How your brain is doing “moral math” on every choice you make—and burning out because of it
A shoutout to KC Davis and her book How to Keep House While Drowning, and how we can stop assigning morality to everyday decisions
💬 Erin also shares real answers from the Medium Lady community on what’s keeping them from rest:
“The to-do list that never ends.”“I can’t rest when there’s always something left undone.”“Even thinking about resting makes me feel behind.”
✨ You’ll leave this episode with:
A compassionate reframe of your mental fatigue
A simple 5-minute practice to create white space in your mind
A reminder that rest isn’t weakness—it’s how you return to yourself
💬 Let Erin know what “real rest” means to you over on Instagram @medium.lady—and share this episode with the friend who’s doing everything “right” and still wondering why she’s so tired.
 
This episode is part of our “Summer of Real Rest” series—time to call ourselves in to a true commitment to the soft work of feeling better one step at a time. 
 
🧡 If this episode resonates with you:
Share it with a friend who needs a little extra encouragement
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more than you know
DM me on Instagram @medium.lady or tag your favorite quote from the episode
Subscribe for more real talk about building a life you love—one medium-effort step at a time
Looking for more support? Access exclusive content and mindful living tools on Patreon. 
Join the conversation! Share one need you're naming today and tag @medium.lady on Instagram.
The series starts here! 
Don’t forget to subscribe! If this episode resonates, share it with a friend or leave a review—it helps others find the show!
 
Other Related Episodes (for your enjoyment):
Episode 70: My Life-Changing Perspective on Having the Best Summer EVER
Episode 103: Four Questions to Free Yourself from Summer Stress Part One
Episode 104: Four Questions to Free Yourself from Summer Stress Part Two
Episode 106: Six Things Saving My Summer 
 
Medium Lady Reads Episode 43 - Our Best Recommendations for Your Summer Reading Pile
 
Connect with Erin:
Instagram: @medium.lady
Patreon: www.patreon.com/mediumlady 
Email: mediumladytalks@gmail.com 
Explore more book-related content on "Medium Lady Reads." - link to Spotify
Instagram: @mediumladyreads
Keywords: self-celebration, self-care, gratitude practice, personal development, positive psychology, burnout prevention, mindful living, medium effort living, women who work too much, happiness project, joy, vulnerability, cultural conditioning

Episode 146: "When My Eye Stops Twitching" And Other Ways You Know You're Rested

In Episode 146 of Medium Lady Talks, Erin unpacks what real rest actually feels like—and what your nervous system, your motivation, and yes, even your twitching eye are trying to tell you.
Based on community polls and Q&A from Instagram, Erin explores why mental and emotional burnout are so dominant, and why physical rest isn’t really the problem for most of us. She also calls out the sneaky pride many of us still hold in our own fatigue—and why we might be more attached to being tired than we want to admit.
💬 In this episode:
88% of Medium Lady listeners say they’re mentally and emotionally depleted
What real rest looks like according to you: joy, patience, creativity, and the end of irritability
Why we cancel social plans in the name of rest—but fill that time with numbing instead
What to do whether you’re brand new to this idea or deeply aware (and still stuck)
You’ll leave with a gentle nudge, a few clear next steps, and maybe… a little less need to prove your tiredness.
📌 Want to go deeper? Take the Rest Quiz by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith at restquiz.com
 
This episode is part of our “Summer of Real Rest” series—time to call ourselves in to a true commitment to the soft work of feeling better one step at a time. 
 
🧡 If this episode resonates with you:
Share it with a friend who needs a little extra encouragement
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more than you know
DM me on Instagram @medium.lady or tag your favorite quote from the episode
Subscribe for more real talk about building a life you love—one medium-effort step at a time
Looking for more support? Access exclusive content and mindful living tools on Patreon. 
Join the conversation! Share one need you're naming today and tag @medium.lady on Instagram.
The series starts here!  Episode 142: The Summer of REAL Rest
Don’t forget to subscribe! If this episode resonates, share it with a friend or leave a review—it helps others find the show!
 
Other Related Episodes (for your enjoyment):
Episode 70: My Life-Changing Perspective on Having the Best Summer EVER
Episode 103: Four Questions to Free Yourself from Summer Stress Part One
Episode 104: Four Questions to Free Yourself from Summer Stress Part Two
Episode 106: Six Things Saving My Summer 
Medium Lady Reads Episode 43 - Our Best Recommendations for Your Summer Reading Pile
 
Connect with Erin:
Instagram: @medium.lady
Patreon: www.patreon.com/mediumlady 
Email: mediumladytalks@gmail.com 
Explore more book-related content on "Medium Lady Reads." - link to Spotify
Instagram: @mediumladyreads
#mediumladytalks #restpodcast #emotionalrest #mentalrest #burnoutrecovery #restasresistance #nervoussystemsupport #softwork #hustleculture #millennialwomen #selfworthandrest

Episode 145: Are you Proud of How Tired You Are? When Fatigue Becomes a Badge of Honour

Is your fatigue a warning sign—or a weird kind of proof that you’re doing “enough”? In this powerful solo episode, Erin explores the deeper emotional and cultural reasons why so many of us wear exhaustion like a badge of honor.
From personal reflections to insights from Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith’s Sacred Rest, this episode challenges the hustle-fueled mindset that says if you're not tired, you're not trying hard enough.
🧠 Erin explores:
Why we cling to fatigue as evidence of our worth or effort
The case of “Karen” from Sacred Rest, and what it reveals about resistance to healing
Hustle culture, motherhood, productivity myths—and how they make us suspicious of well-rested people
The emotional unfairness of rest: “Why should I change when I’ve already given so much?”
Plus, she breaks down four listener mindsets—from totally unaware to hyper-aware but still stuck—and offers one simple way to start reframing how you speak about your tiredness.
💬 If you’ve ever said “I’ll feel better once I get through this month”—every month for the last five years—this one’s for you.
Mentioned in this episode:📘 Sacred Rest by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
📊 IG Poll: “Where have you overspent your energy?”
📌 Your Rest Practice This Week:Try replacing “I’m so tired” with:“I’m noticing my energy is low—and I’m working on treating that like a signal, not a badge.”
💬 Let Erin know what “real rest” means to you over on Instagram @medium.lady—and share this episode with the friend who’s doing everything “right” and still wondering why she’s so tired.
 
This episode is part of our “Summer of Real Rest” series—time to call ourselves in to a true commitment to the soft work of feeling better one step at a time. 
 
🧡 If this episode resonates with you:
Share it with a friend who needs a little extra encouragement
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more than you know
DM me on Instagram @medium.lady or tag your favorite quote from the episode
Subscribe for more real talk about building a life you love—one medium-effort step at a time
Looking for more support? Access exclusive content and mindful living tools on Patreon. 
Join the conversation! Share one need you're naming today and tag @medium.lady on Instagram.
The series starts here! Episode 142: The Summer of REAL Rest
Don’t forget to subscribe! If this episode resonates, share it with a friend or leave a review—it helps others find the show!
Other Related Episodes (for your enjoyment):
Episode 70: My Life-Changing Perspective on Having the Best Summer EVER
Episode 103: Four Questions to Free Yourself from Summer Stress Part One
Episode 104: Four Questions to Free Yourself from Summer Stress Part Two
Episode 106: Six Things Saving My Summer 
Medium Lady Reads Episode 44- The Reading Goals We Forgot About
 
Connect with Erin:
Instagram: @medium.lady
Patreon: www.patreon.com/mediumlady 
Email: mediumladytalks@gmail.com 
Explore more book-related content on "Medium Lady Reads." - link to Spotify
Instagram: @mediumladyreads
 
 
Keywords for Search Optimization:burnout recovery, emotional exhaustion, mental rest, hustle culture, sacred rest, dr. saundra dalton-smith, rest podcast, rest for moms, self-worth and fatigue, medium lady talks

Episode 144: What Type of Rest Have You Been Missing? A Deep Dive Book Review of "Sacred Rest" by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith

Welcome to a new episode of Medium Lady Talks, part of our Summer of Real Rest series. Today, we’re diving deep into the book that inspired the framework for this entire season: Sacred Rest by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith.
Have ou ever felt exhausted even after a full night of sleep? You're not alone—and you're not just tired, you're depleted. Dr. Dalton-Smith’s book introduces seven distinct types of rest—and it turns out, most of us are missing more than one.
In Episode 144 of Medium Lady Talks I walk you through the key takeaways from the book, how it aligns with the self-care values we explore on the podcast, and what this framework might mean for you—especially if you're ready to shift from burnout to real rest.
✨ In this episode:
Why sleep isn’t the only kind of rest we need
The seven types of rest (and how to identify what you’re missing)
My honest thoughts on the author's religious perspective
How this framework intersects with boundaries, burnout, and unmet needs
A quiz to help you discover your own rest deficits
And why I believe rest isn’t a reward—it’s a requirement
Whether or not you plan to read the book, you’ll leave this episode with practical insights to help you reflect, reset, and reclaim your energy.
📝 Mentioned in this episode:
Take the Rest Quiz: restquiz.com
Check out the book from your local library Sacred Rest: Recover Your Life, Renew Your Energy, Restore your Sanity by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
Follow the podcast so you don’t miss upcoming episodes in the Summer of Real Rest series
Let me know your rest needs on Instagram @medium.lady
📚 Medium Lady Talks is a podcast about self-awareness, sustainable self-care, and creating a life you love—with medium effort. Let’s take care of ourselves with the intention we deserve.
 
This episode is part of our “Summer of Real Rest” series—time to call ourselves in to a true commitment to the soft work of feeling better one step at a time. 
 
🧡 If this episode resonates with you:
Share it with a friend who needs a little extra encouragement
Leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps more than you kno
DM me on Instagram @medium.lady or tag your favorite quote from the episode
Subscribe for more real talk about building a life you love—one medium-effort step at a time
Looking for more support? Access exclusive content and mindful living tools on Patreon. 
Join the conversation! Share one need you're naming today and tag @medium.lady on Instagram.
The series starts here! 
Don’t forget to subscribe! If this episode resonates, share it with a friend or leave a review—it helps others find the show!
Other Related Episodes (for your enjoyment):
 
Episode 70: My Life-Changing Perspective on Having the Best Summer EVER
Episode 103: Four Questions to Free Yourself from Summer Stress Part One
Episode 104: Four Questions to Free Yourself from Summer Stress Part Two
Episode 106: Six Things Saving My Summer 
 
Medium Lady Reads Episode 43 - Our Best Recommendations for Your Summer Reading Pile
 
Connect with Erin:
Instagram: @medium.lady
Patreon: www.patreon.com/mediumlady 
Email: mediumladytalks@gmail.com 
Explore more book-related content on "Medium Lady Reads." - link to Spotify
Instagram: @mediumladyreads

Episode 143: The Soft Work of Healing – Why Feeling Good Is Part of the Process

This episode is your permission slip to stop grinding and start healing—gently.
In this heartfelt episode of Medium Lady Talks, Erin shares a deeply personal talk on reclaiming “soft work” as a vital part of healing. Inspired by a moment with her therapist and delivered originally at the Say It Like You Claimed It event with Jam Gamble, this message is a reminder that you can’t recover from burnout by doing more hard work.
Instead, you need softness.
🪷 Erin breaks down:
What “soft work” is and why it matters (think: joy, rest, nature, play)
Why soft work activates the vagus nerve and heals the nervous system
The limiting beliefs that make rest feel unearned or frivolous
The science behind why kindness and pleasure help you recover
How to reprogram your brain to notice joy again
Whether you’re exhausted from doing everything “right” or just need a moment to feel seen, this episode will help you soften into the truth: you are not broken. You’re just overdue for joy.
📚 Mentioned in this episode:
Sacred Rest by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith
Women Who Work Too Much by Tamu Thomas
Reclaim Yourself by Dr. Thema Bryant
What It Takes to Heal by Prentis Hemphill
Fiction from Kennedy Ryan, Tia Williams, Kiley Reid, and Toni Morrison
💬 Ask yourself: What kind of soft work have I been craving?
💬 Let Erin know what “real rest” means to you over on Instagram @medium.lady—and share this episode with the friend who’s doing everything “right” and still wondering why she’s so tired.
 
This episode is part of our “Summer of Real Rest” series—time to call ourselves in to a true commitment to the soft work of feeling better one step at a time. 
 
🧡 If this episode resonates with you:
Share it with a friend who needs a little extra encouragement
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DM me on Instagram @medium.lady or tag your favorite quote from the episode
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Other Related Episodes (for your enjoyment):
Episode 70: My Life-Changing Perspective on Having the Best Summer EVER
Episode 103: Four Questions to Free Yourself from Summer Stress Part One
Episode 104: Four Questions to Free Yourself from Summer Stress Part Two
Episode 106: Six Things Saving My Summer 
 
Medium Lady Reads Episode 43 - Our Best Recommendations for Your Summer Reading Pile
 
Connect with Erin:
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Email: mediumladytalks@gmail.com 
Explore more book-related content on "Medium Lady Reads." - link to Spotify
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