Burnout or Just Ready for More? 3 Ways to Know What You’re Really Feeling S6E3

Burnout or boredom? What if the reason you feel “off” isn’t burnout—but a sign you’ve outgrown your current season?

You’re showing up. You’re doing well.
 From the outside, everything looks good.

So why does it feel… flat?

In this episode, we unpack a common but often misdiagnosed experience for ambitious, mid-career women: the difference between burnout and boredom—and why what you’re feeling might actually be something deeper.

If you’ve ever thought:

•  This should feel more fulfilling than it does 
•  I’ve worked hard to get here—so why does something feel off? 
•  Do I need a break… or do I need something more? 

This conversation will help you find clarity.

What You’ll Learn

•  Burnout vs. boredom: how to tell the difference 
•  Why high-achieving women often feel “off” even when things are going well 
•  The hidden cost of staying in a role you’ve outgrown 
•  What “divine restlessness” is—and why it matters 
•  How to respond without making impulsive or drastic changes 

Key Insight

Sometimes the problem isn’t that you’re overwhelmed… it’s that you’re under-challenged.

Quick Self-Check

•  Do I feel better after rest—or still off? 
•  Am I overwhelmed… or under-stimulated? 
•  Have I outgrown this version of my work or life? 

Next Steps

Book a Clarity Call with Sheri Book My Call 

Coming Up Next

What if you’re in the wrong career… or is something else going on?

Let’s continue the conversation beyond the podcast.

🔗 Connect with Sheri

Website: www.sherimiterco.com
Facebook & LinkedIn: @SheriMiter

Additional Resources:

📘 Get your copy of the Discovering Your Calling Book

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Matthew 5:14-16 is the inspiration for this podcast.
Gallup®, Clifton StrengthsFinder®, StrengthsFinder®, the 34 Clifton StrengthsFinder® theme names are trademarks of Gallup, Inc.

Transcript

Sheri Miter 0:00

I've been having a lot of conversations with women lately who feel just off, not completely burned out, but not energized either. They're showing up, they're doing well, and from the outside, everything looks good, but something just isn't clicking anymore. And sometimes we're quick to label that feeling as burnout. But what if that's not actually what it is? What if it's something else that we've just haven't had language for yet? That's what we're going to talk about inside today's episode. You'll find out what that other word really is besides burnout. Welcome to the Discovering Your Calling podcast. I'm your host, Jerry Mitre. I'm here to help you unleash your strengths and get clarity on your calling. I believe when you find your purpose in life, fulfillment, joy, and success will follow. If you're ready, pop in those earbuds, hit that follow button, and join me on this journey toward discovering your calling. So I was thinking about this recently, and it brought me back to a season in my Mary Kay business when I was a leader in direct sales. And, you know, on paper, everything looked really good. And I was leading my weekly meetings as I was, you know, one of my obligations as a sales director, doing these weekly meetings. I was pouring into my trainings, showing up consistently, dressed even in a suit and heels. And, you know, I genuinely loved the women I was working with. They were incredible. They were kind. They were loyal. They were fun. And they showed up for the community, for the connection, for the confidence. But if I'm being honest, it got to a point that something started to feel off. I dreaded those Monday night meetings. I didn't look forward to doing them. And sometimes I wondered if it was worth the effort anymore. And it took me a while to name it. Because again, nothing was really wrong. We were doing quite well as a unit. But I realized I was craving something different. And looking back now, I can see how much of that was connected to how I'm naturally wired. You know, my number two Clifton Strengths talent theme is maximizer, which means I get energized by growth and excellence and helping people step into a higher level of what's possible. While one of my lower themes is developer, which comes in at number 26 out of 34 for me. And developer is more about patiently nurturing growth wherever someone is. That is not me. That's not my talent. And what I had started to notice then, and I didn't even know necessarily about Maximizer and Developer when this first started, I was just starting to learn about Clifton's strengths at this point in my career. But what I had noticed was that many of the women, in fact, I would probably say at this point, most of the women I was leading, they were happy exactly where they were. They weren't looking to really build a thriving business. They didn't want to step into leadership or grow in a way that energized me. And, you know, there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. The career field that we had, and the not career field, but the plan that we had was okay no matter what level you wanted to reach in our company. But for me, it started to feel like I was pouring a lot more time and energy into something that wasn't stretching me anymore. I wasn't totally exhausted, and I definitely wasn't overwhelmed. And I kept showing up, doing the work, and doing it well. But deep down, I wasn't being challenged. I wasn't growing. And if I'm really being honest here, I was bored. Now back then, I didn't have that language at the time and I didn't really understand what was happening. And I might have just said I was just tired or I needed a break. But looking back now, I can clearly see I had simply outgrown that season. And that's why this conversation matters. Because sometimes what we want to label as burnout is actually something different. It is boredom. And both burnout and boredom are real and both matter. Now burnout comes from too much, too much demand, too much pressure, too much sustained sustained stress. Boredom, on the other hand, often comes from not enough of the right things, not enough challenge, not enough growth, not enough meaning or stretch. And the tricky part is they can feel really similar. The symptoms of them, actually, is it the symptoms or the effect of them? Anyway, they can feel really similar to us. Causes low energy, that feeling of disconnection, sometimes feeling like we're just going through the motions. And it's really hard to discern, especially for high-achieving women, because you're still performing, you're still getting things done. So it's really easy to miss what's actually going on underneath. And sometimes it's not this loud frustration, it's a quieter kind of tension. It's like this should feel more fulfilling than it does. Or I've worked hard to get here. So why does it feel a little flat? Or even, is this just a phase? Or is something actually shifting? Now, if you've been listening, my friend, and you're wondering what this might be for you, I just want to give you a few questions you can just gently answer to yourself. You don't have to journal about these because I feel like you already know the answer inside. But ask yourself, do I feel better after real rest, like a week vacation? Or do I come back to work still stressed and just off? Am I overwhelmed or am I underchallenged? Am I craving relief from having too much responsibility or am I craving growth? And maybe even ask, what part of my talents or skills aren't being used right now? And again, these questions aren't meant to be overthought. You don't need to overthink them, because deep down, you already know the answer. And this is where I want to offer you a different way to think about what you might be feeling. For high-achieving women, especially, what we often label as boredom, because it's not burnout, we know that now, it is boredom, but it can actually even go a layer deeper. I like to think of it as divine restlessness. It's that quiet, persistent feeling that something in you is ready for more, even if you can't fully explain what that more is yet. It's not loud, it's not chaotic, it's just persistent. And here's what I've come to believe that feeling, that boredom, that divine restlessness, it's not the end of something, it's often the beginning of something. And looking back to that season in my life where I was bored, or now we would call it divine restlessness, um, of the meet the meetings and who I was working with, is something new was already brewing in me. I just didn't recognize it yet. And that's the challenge, my friend. You know, it would be easy to ignore this because we can't label it yet. We don't recognize what it is. But here's the problem. If we continue to just ignore that and we keep pushing it down or brushing it off and not taking it seriously, it's often when that boredom can quietly turn into the burnout. And looking back now, I do believe that that boredom I felt in that season was was for me the beginning of the burnout I experienced a few years later. Because when we choose to ignore that sense of outgrowth, when we keep showing up in spaces that no longer stretch us, when we silence that there's got to be more feeling, it starts to drain us in a different way. But here's the good news, my friend. Boredom or that divine restlessness is often much, much easier to shift than burnout. Because burnout doesn't always mean you need to burn everything down, you need to step away from it all immediately, like burnout could. Sometimes it means you need to take on a new challenge, maybe in the role you're already in. You just need to have new challenges presented to you if that's possible. Sometimes it means stepping into a different level of responsibility if that's available to you. Sometimes it's just learning to use your natural strengths, your natural talents and strengths in a brand new way. And yes, sometimes it does mean it's time for a bigger change. But the goal here isn't to react, it's to respond. Boredom isn't something to fear, it's something to listen to. Because not every discomfort, like burnout, is a red flag. Sometimes, in the case of boredom or divine restlessness, it's actually a green light. It's a signal that you've grown and your work and life needs to grow with you. So, my friend, if something in you has been feeling off, you're allowed to get curious about that. You are allowed to want more, even when what you have is good. You know, it is possible to appreciate where you are, but still recognize when you've outgrown it. That's the way I felt. There was nothing wrong with where I was. Where I was was a great place to be. And I did love it until I didn't anymore. And it was okay for me to say, I'm called for something more. And if that's the way you're feeling right now, I want to tell you about something I just created, called, called. Um, it is my new year-long mentorship experience for women who know something is shifting and are ready to actually do something with that. It combines the depth of one-on-one work from Discovering Your Calling Academy with the power of small group mentorship and coaching. So you're not just gaining clarity, but you're moving into real implementation and growth. And whether you're navigating what's next or you're ready to elevate where you are. This is about taking that feeling of there's got to be something more and turning it into something tangible and aligned. We're starting in May, and I'm currently inviting five founding members into Called. So if you're feeling that pull, the next step is simply to book a conversation with me. We'll talk through where you are, what you're sensing, and whether this is the right fit for you. The link to book a call is in the show notes, or simply send me a DM on LinkedIn or Facebook and we can talk about Called and what's in it. And like I said, to see if it's the next best step for you. Now, on the other hand, if you're not quite ready for that step yet, but you know something is shifting, come join us inside the new Calling and Clarity Collective. It's a Facebook community where we have real conversations around strengths, leadership, business, and personal growth. And it's where we'll continue this conversation here on the podcast over in the Facebook community. So it's where we start the conversation here, but we continue it on the Facebook community. I also want to invite you to tune in next Monday where we'll we will talk about what it means if you're starting to wonder, what if I am in the wrong career? And why that might not mean what you think it does. But today, my friend, I want to leave you with this. If something in you has been feeling off, don't rush to label it. Get curious. Because it might not be burnout, it might just be divine restlessness and a sign that you are ready for more. So let me know your thoughts as we continue the conversation inside the Calling and Clarity Collective. Thank you for spending this time with me. My hope is something you heard today inspires you to take action toward discovering your calling. I just have two favors to ask of you before you go. One, if you found value and enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and you might hear your review read on a future episode. And two, can you share this episode with three friends who will also enjoy it as much as you did? By doing these things, you will help us grow the podcast to make a bigger impact on the world. And until next week, remember, you have been created to live a life of fulfillment, freedom, purpose, success, and joy.