Burnout, Pain, Grief: What to Do When Everything Feels Heavy episode artwork

EPISODE · Dec 15, 2025 · 54 MIN

Burnout, Pain, Grief: What to Do When Everything Feels Heavy

from Messy Liberation: Feminist Conversations about Politics and Pop Culture · host Becky Mollenkamp and Taina Brown

Get "Liberate Your Business" by Becky Mollenkamp https://liberateyourbusiness.com/Some days aren’t fixable. They aren’t mindset problems. They aren’t invitations to “reframe.” They’re just heavy, painful, vulnerable days—and pretending otherwise only makes them worse.In this episode, Becky and Taina talk honestly about what it looks like to live inside a bad day instead of trying to hustle your way out of it. From chronic pain and perimenopause to caregiving, grief, financial stress, and the impossible emotional math of deciding when it’s time to let go, this conversation holds the mess without trying to clean it up too fast.This is an episode about asking for help when it feels like failure. About how self-gaslighting drains more energy than rest ever could. About the quiet power of naming your limits—and letting them be real.If you’re feeling raw, overwhelmed, or stretched thin right now, this one’s for you.In this episode, we talk about:• Why some days can’t be “turned around” without doing more harm• Chronic pain, perimenopause, and the emotional toll of living in a body that hurts• The vulnerability hangover that comes after creating something meaningful• How comparison and money talk can activate shame—even in values-aligned spaces• Why asking for help can feel like failure, concession, or loss of power• Parenting, partnership, and the guilt of needing rest• Caregiving grief: loving someone (or a pet) while knowing the end is coming• The impossible responsibility of deciding when to say goodbye• Avoidance, coping, and why comfort isn’t the same thing as denial• Letting a day be bad—and why that can actually prevent a spiralIf today feels heavy, you’re not broken—and you’re definitely not alone. Sometimes the most radical thing you can do is call it a bad day, ask for help, and let yourself rest without earning it.🎧 Messy Liberation is a proud member of the Feminist Podcasters Collective, supporting independent, values-aligned shows and the people who make them. Learn more at: https://feministpodcasterscollective.com

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Burnout, Pain, Grief: What to Do When Everything Feels Heavy

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This episode was published on December 15, 2025.

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