From Burnout to Bliss: The Self-Love Ritual That Changed My Life
Let me tell you something I wish someone had told me sooner: burnout doesn't always look like falling apart.
Sometimes, it looks like high-functioning exhaustion. Like being the go-to person for everyone while secretly feeling hollow inside. Like doing all the “right” things, eating well, ticking off the to-do list, showing up online with a smile, and still feeling like your soul has left the building.
I didn’t even know I was burned out. I just thought I was tired. But one day, I realised I’d gone the entire day without pausing. I hadn’t eaten properly. I hadn’t taken a deep breath. I hadn’t remembered myself.
I was so busy being “fine” that I forgot to be real.
That evening, in an effort to feel something, I ran a bath. Not a cute, Pinterest-style, eucalyptus-draped moment, just hot water, magnesium flakes, dim lighting, and silence. I reached for one of my handmade soaps, the kind I pour my heart into for other people, and realised I rarely used them on myself. That night, I did.
And everything changed.
It was subtle at first. A little more breath in my chest. A softening in my jaw. A drop of presence that felt like permission to be again.
What began that night became the ritual that saved me, and I now share it with clients, friends, and anyone who will listen. Because self-love rituals for overwhelmed souls aren’t indulgent. They’re essential.
I call mine the Soul Soak. It’s not complicated. It doesn’t require anything fancy. It just asks you to come home to yourself.
I begin by creating a space that feels sacred. No harsh overhead lights. Just the glow of a candle, usually one I poured myself, and the smell of something grounding, like lavender, neroli, or frankincense. I put on music that feels like honey. Some nights it's quietude, so my mind can rest.
I treat my bath like a blessing. I choose a bar of soap that feels like a love letter. One made with something that reminds me of the earth, of my craft, of the magic I hold in my hands. As I lather, I thank my body. Not out loud, not performatively, but quietly.
“Thank you, hands, for all you carry.
Thank you, feet, for all the places you take me.
Thank you, heart, for beating, even when I forget to listen.”
After the bath, I wrap myself in something soft and go to the mirror. Not to fix or critique, but to witness. I look myself in the eyes and say something true.
“I’m allowed to rest.”
“I don’t have to earn love.”
“I am not my to-do list.”
In those moments, the world gets quieter. It’s just me and my breath, my reflection, and somehow, that’s enough.
Some nights, I pull a tarot card and ask what truth I need to hear. Other nights, I journal. I write without pressure. I pour out my thoughts like water. And before bed, I write down a little “bliss list”, simple things I want to feel or do in the coming days.
Not tasks. Not obligations. Just joy. Like watering my lavender plant. Cooking soap. Lying in the sun for ten minutes. Laughing until I snort. Letting a friend hug me for longer than necessary.
These small acts add up. They don’t fix everything, but they help me remember who I am.
And more than that, they help me feel who I am. Self-love rituals for overwhelmed souls aren’t about spa days or bubble baths (though I love both). They’re about reprogramming the part of you that believes you have to earn rest. They’re about anchoring back into your nervous system, your body, your truth.
They’re about rebellion. Sacred, necessary rebellion against burnout, perfectionism, and depletion.
Since committing to this ritual, my work has deepened. My creativity has returned. My relationships have softened. I’m still busy, still ambitious, still doing all the things, but now, I do them from a place of nourishment, not numbness.
And here’s the thing: you don’t need to recreate my exact ritual. Your version might look like a walk in the woods. Sitting under the moon. Journaling with incense. Making soup from scratch while playing your favourite album.
What matters is that you create space where your only job is to come back to yourself.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, I want you to know this: you’re not broken. You’re just overdue for a ritual. One where the only expectation is that you breathe. Where the only outcome is softness. Where the only goal is to feel alive again.
You deserve that.
You deserve a moment where the world pauses and your own name echoes back at you like a prayer.
So take the bath. Light the candle. Use the good soap. Say the thing in the mirror you’ve been too afraid to say.
Because bliss isn’t something you chase. It’s something you allow.
And your next chapter might just begin in the bath.
Want help creating your own ritual?
Join my VIP list for a free Soul Soak Starter Kit, complete with an offer for a free sample pack of my handmade soap crafted for creative souls like you. Let’s turn overwhelm into artful, luxurious self-love, one sacred ritual at a time.
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