Why Putting Yourself Last Is Costing You Everything

If you are running on empty and need space to reset, recharge, and reconnect with yourself, book your Bathhouse experience here:https://thebathhouse.try.be/ In the first episode of the Ambitious but Exhausted Podcast, Ash shares the personal health crisis that forced her to confront the cost of putting herself last, and why burnout often shows up in a business long before it shows up in the body.She breaks down the three warning signs she missed, how stress, guilt, and emotional overwhelm affected her finances, team, and relationship, and the practical tools that helped her reconnect with her health, clarity, and purpose.Ash dives into:◼️ Why putting your business, family, and everyone else first eventually catches up with you◼️ The personal spiral that led Ash to a life-threatening health wake-up call◼️ Why running on empty can affect your business long before you recognise it physically◼️ How an emotionally unregulated leader can see stress show up in cash flow◼️ Why team culture and dynamics shift when a founder is no longer truly present◼️ How unresolved stress can spill into your closest relationships◼️ Why every founder needs a business that can continue operating without them◼️ How daily coping habits can quietly make stress worse over time◼️ Why yoga, breathwork, and quiet reflection became key parts of Ash’s recovery◼️ How guilt and the belief that you are “not enough” can block growth as a woman and leader◼️ Why journalling and time away can reconnect you with your most valuable ideas◼️ How to slow down, reconnect with your why, and stop being so hard on yourself00:00:00 The real cost of putting yourself last00:00:48 How Ash reached breaking point in life and business00:01:54 The health crisis that became a serious wake-up call00:04:46 Surgery complications, fear, and the long recovery00:06:31 Why your business needs to run without you00:07:52 What running on empty was really costing Ash00:08:24 The first business warning sign: cash flow00:09:19 The second warning sign: team culture and leadership00:10:19 The third warning sign: relationships and emotional wellbeing00:11:54 Yoga, breathwork, and reducing alcohol as recovery tools00:13:19 Guilt, self-worth, and the subconscious belief of not being enough00:14:28 Why quiet space, journalling, and travel create clarity00:15:34 Ash’s message for women who feel overwhelmed and stuck00:16:22 Reconnecting with your why in a world of constant noiseLet's Connect:Website: https://www.thebathhouse.com.auInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashhartneyhttps://www.instagram.com/the_bathhouse_LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ash-hartney-609a1911aTIktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@the_bathhouse_