How to Build Shame-Free Wellness Into Your Work Routine – Dr. Portia Preston | Ep 91

Hey friends, it’s Wisdom here! Today I sat down with the amazing Dr. Portia Preston to get real about what happens when hustle culture starts costing us more than it gives. We dug into her journey—how burnout and chronic illness forced her to rethink what success should actually look like, and the powerful concept of “shame free wellness.” We talked about why it’s so hard to let go of the “shoulds” society plants in our heads, how the SANE cycle can help us check in with ourselves, and why thriving means learning to integrate both struggle and rest into our lives. If you’ve ever felt guilty for taking a break, or wondered how to balance ambition with being kind to yourself, this episode’s for you. My hope is you walk away knowing your worth isn’t tied to your output—and that it’s absolutely okay to rest.Connect with Dr Portia PrestonWebsite:https://portiapreston.com/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/portiapreston/I’m building an online business in public — sharing every win, setback, and “I can’t believe that happened” moment along the way. If you’ve ever wondered what it really looks like to start from scratch, come along for the ride. Join the journey at https://wisdom.beehiiv.com/Chapters00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome01:14 The Cost of Hustle: Dr. Portia Preston’s Story02:06 Success and Chronic Illness: Personal Impact03:19 Stress, Shame, and Wellness in Professional Life04:06 Defining Shame-Free Wellness05:11 Why Shame Gets Attached to Wellness06:11 The “Shoulds” Behind Hustle Culture07:15 Tying Worth to Output: Entrepreneur Perspectives08:16 Longevity vs. Short-Term Hustle09:11 Rewriting the Cultural Narrative Around Grind10:29 Growing Up Hustling: Culture and Survival10:39 The SANE Cycle: Inspiration and Purpose11:05 The SANE Cycle: Four Steps Explained12:47 Real-Life Example of SANE Cycle in Action14:17 Normalizing Rest and Cultural Reflections15:10 Wisdom Okonkwo: Hustle & Rest in His Culture17:01 Imposed Hustle and the Shame Narrative18:31 Getting Stuck: Insanity vs. Change19:15 Accepting Reality and Context19:36 The Power of Asking “Why”20:17 Why Medicine? Prestige and True Motivation23:19 Helping People Beyond Labels and Careers24:47 Wellness, Identity, and Shared Humanity25:20 Understanding Flow: Sustainable Practices26:35 Balancing Work, Deadlines, and Flow28:07 Messy Lives and Authenticity: Behind the Scenes29:50 Building Your Life or Your Job30:49 Prioritizing Well-Being Over Achievements32:24 Letting Go: Protecting Peace33:24 Struggles, Stigma, and Representation34:45 Suffering vs. Struggling: No Award for Pain36:42 Learned Helplessness and Mindset37:47 Living with AuDHD: Work and Leadership40:50 Thriving Through Integration42:13 Burnout: Where to Start—Hustle, Flow, or Let Go?44:03 Burnout Beyond Work: Systems and Survival46:36 Final Thoughts on Ambition and Wellness47:41 Book Details, Resources, and How to Connect48:55 Closing Remarks and Next Steps