Last May, I wrote The Power of Slowing Down, an article where I shared the lessons I learned from burnout and how slowing down changed my relationship with work and life. Now, several months later, it’s time for me to close this chapter—not because the topic has lost its importance, but because I feel it’s time to move forward and open a new page.

Where I Am Today

Today, I truly appreciate the importance of silence, calm, and those moments of walking that clear the mind. But I’ve also realized that reconnecting with others is essential.
For a long time, I lost many contacts. Simple interactions, like deciding on a whim to have coffee with someone, had disappeared from my daily life. In the past, I was fortunate to attend conferences and meet extraordinary people, but over time, those bonds loosened.

Recently, I rediscovered the joy of sharing a laugh over coffee, of reshaping the world with someone, then coming home to peace and quiet. That balance brings me immense well-being.

A book on minimalism deeply impacted me as well: it taught me to return to the essentials. To understand that you don’t need much to be happy. No need for the latest shiny car to prove anything. Success, for me now, is found within myself—not in others’ eyes or validation. I still sometimes seek it, it’s part of my nature, but much less than before.

This perspective changed my view of life. The more we own, the heavier the mental load: loans, obligations, frustration when we can’t have everything. Added to this is the frustration caused by constant comparison to others, amplified by social media, which creates enormous and often artificial pressure. Constantly seeing successes, possessions, and perfect lives everywhere weighs heavily on morale and well-being.

I aspire to a more peaceful, lighter life, punctuated by moments of joy: dancing, connecting with certain people, feeling positive energy… but also savoring quiet moments, away from the noise.

I don’t claim to be “healed” today. I just feel better equipped to move forward, with tools, genuine connections, and, above all, a growing self-love.
Of course, I still stumble, have difficult moments when my mood dips. But I’ve learned to accept those moments without judgment and to navigate them with patience and kindness. That’s also part of the journey: not seeking perfection, but learning to live with one’s vulnerabilities.

What the Latest Research Says

Burnout is now recognized by the World Health Organization as a work-related phenomenon. However, science still debates its precise definition. Some researchers question whether it’s a disguised form of depression or a broader syndrome of psychological distress.

What’s certain is that prevention, open dialogue, and attentive listening in the workplace are essential to curb this illness. This issue goes beyond the individual: it also involves organizations, their cultures, and how they care for their employees.

The Lasting Lessons I’ve Learned

My burnout taught me that slowing down isn’t a luxury, but a necessity. That we must accept not being “at 100% all the time,” and that quality often trumps quantity. That giving meaning to what we do is more vital than chasing goals that take us away from ourselves.

Since my last article in May, I’ve continued to walk this slower, more conscious, sometimes bumpy path. I’ve learned that closing the burnout chapter doesn’t happen all at once, but in small strokes—like repainting a wall with thin layers.

During these months of rebuilding, certain readings have accompanied me and left deep impressions. They’re not “anti-burnout” manuals, but stories and reflections that, each in their own way, brought me back to the essentials and gave me the desire to keep moving forward, differently.

📚 Books That Helped Me Close the Burnout Chapter

These three books particularly touched me, but many others have inspired me over time. Inspiration doesn’t only come from psychology or self-help books; sometimes it’s through novels, essays, or even life stories that we find the keys to move forward.

1. Morisaki’s Bookstore – Satoshi Yagisawa
A delicate novel that breathes simplicity and the sweetness of life. The story, centered on a small Tokyo bookstore and a young woman’s rebirth, reminded me that healing often happens through places and encounters that soothe. It’s an ode to slow time and the little things that mend.

2. Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism – Fumio Sasaki
A poetic and practical reflection on minimalism, this book encouraged me to simplify my life by letting go of what I don’t truly need. It helped me set clearer boundaries and detach from the superfluous, keeping only what truly matters.

3. The Mountain is You – Brianna Wiest
A powerful work on personal responsibility and inner transformation. It pushed me to see burnout not only as a collapse, but as a starting point to climb a new mountain—that of my own evolution.

Conclusion

Burnout is not an end in itself, but a transition. A trial that can transform into an opportunity for reinvention, refocusing, and growth. To those going through this storm, I want to say that it is possible to find balance, simple joy, and deep meaning in life.

Taking care of yourself, setting boundaries, listening to what truly nourishes you—these are the keys to moving forward differently. For my part, I am deeply grateful to have lived this experience, which forced me to slow down and look more closely at what matters.

Now, I turn toward new horizons, convinced that life deserves to be lived in its full richness—with both slowness and intensity intertwined.