Finding Bliss after Burnout

In this episode, Michelle sits down with Wendy Trevathan, a nurse with more than three decades of experience across clinical nursing, education, and management. Wendy shares how nursing culture and training have evolved — from hospital-based certificate programs to university degrees — and reflects on what's been gained and lost along the way. The conversation moves into the pressures driving burnout in the profession today, Wendy's own experience of workplace dysfunction and speaking up, and why she ultimately stepped away from nursing to support the profession in a different way.Wendy also introduces the upcoming Standing Strong: Addressing Bullying, Safety and Culture in Nursing Summit, an event she created to give nurses practical tools for navigating bullying, isolation, and organisational dysfunction — without burning out or losing their sense of self.Get your ticket to the summit

Recorded from a quirky pink hotel on the Gold Coast during a solo business trip, Michelle shares a moment that stopped her in her tracks: watching an elderly couple at dinner, sitting side by side, sharing toasted sandwiches and wine, completely present with each other. No phones, no rush — just quiet togetherness.That moment sparked this episode's central question: what are you waiting for?Michelle unpacks the habit so many of us fall into — postponing real life until "someday." Waiting until the kids are older, until the job gets easier, until there's more money, until burnout passes. She reflects on her own post-burnout realization that she was surviving, not living, and how she made the decision to stop waiting for permission or perfect timing to start actually showing up for her life.Tag Michelle on Instagram: @michellegordon_coach

In this episode, Michelle sits down with Dr. Toby Brooks — performance scientist, professor, coach, and leading voice in the science of resilience and reinvention — for a conversation about identity loss, grief, and rebuilding when "the person you used to be no longer fits."After more than 20 years studying how elite performers navigate adversity, Toby shares his own story of chasing (and ultimately grieving the loss of) a college basketball career, and how that experience shaped the frameworks he now uses to help athletes, healthcare workers, executives, and everyday people move through transition. Michelle connects this to her own journey from critical care ED nurse to entrepreneur, and the two dig into what it really takes to grieve a former identity, find alignment, and build forward into a new chapter.What You'll LearnWhy gratitude and grief can't coexist — and how reframing grief into gratitude changes your emotional stateToby's personal story of grieving the end of his basketball dreams, and how it shaped his career path into athletic trainingHow to tell the difference between a season that's ending and one worth pushing through ("the million dollar question")The UNDONE framework for navigating identity loss and reinvention: Uncover, Define, Overcome, Navigate, ExecuteThe "door" ritual Toby uses with graduating students to mark closure and new beginningsThe concept of a "purpose storm" — what happens when your sense of identity and purpose is suddenly destabilizedWhy struggle and adversity make your story "holdable" for othersThe UCVMV framework for high achievers: Ultimate Concern, Vision, Mission, ValuesWhy tying your self-worth to output and performance can be a mask — and what happens when the mask starts wearing youTreating setbacks as data, not failureKey Quotes"Gratitude and grief cannot coexist together.""Don't be sad that it's over. Just be thankful that it happened.""We don't need to bounce back. We need to build forward.""The adversity, the struggle, the strain — those add handholds that other people can grab hold of.""It's not failure. It's data."About Dr. Toby BrooksDr. Toby Brooks is a performance scientist, professor, and coach who has spent more than 20 years studying how elite performers navigate adversity. Through his work with athletes, military personnel, executives, and everyday people, he helps them understand that life's greatest setbacks can become the catalyst for their next chapter. His new book is due out this September, with pre-orders opening in August.www.DrTobyBrooks.com @DrTobyBrooks on Insta, FB, and LinkedIn 

Fresh off a family trip to the Gold Coast, Michelle tackles a comment that's been grinding her gears: "You're so lucky." Lucky she gets to travel. Lucky she only works casually. Lucky her husband owns a business.In this episode, Michelle pulls back the curtain on what people don't see — the years of burnout, the rock-bottom moments, and the hundreds of small decisions that built the life she has now. She shares her own story of nursing burnout, the wine-every-night spiral, and the single decision that changed everything.If you're a nurse who knows something needs to change but isn't sure where to start, Michelle invites you to check out the Aligned Nurse Method Program — a self-paced program to help you uncover your values, understand your burnout patterns, and start building a career and life that support you.🔗 [Click here for the Aligned Nurse Method Program ]

What if the burnout you keep cycling back into isn't a willpower problem, but a wiring problem? In this episode, Michelle sits down with EFT practitioner Faye Chan to unpack why tips, techniques, and morning routines so often fail to create lasting change — and what actually does.Faye explains how Emotional Freedom Techniques (tapping) works, why the body "keeps the score," and how patterns anchored in childhood quietly run our careers, relationships, and habits decades later. Through a series of vivid client stories — a five-year-old who couldn't give up her bottle, a business owner stuck under six figures, a chocolate-hoovering emotional eater, and a pilot whose need for control served his career but wrecked his relationships — she shows how rewiring the source of a pattern changes everything downstream. Faye also shares her own story of caning, report cards, and the moment she realised her seven-year-old self had chosen her corporate career.A genuinely eye-opening conversation for anyone stuck in survival mode, people-pleasing, or their "third burnout" wondering why they can't shake it.https://linktr.ee/livingwellwithfay www.instagram.com/livingwellwithfay

Michelle shares the one step in her manifestation process she keeps forgetting—and the wild story of how a commercial property purchase she'd been stressing over for months finally came through the exact moment she surrendered. Even after teaching manifestation for 4-5 years, she still trips up on this one. Every. Single. Time.Click here to register for the Manifestation Masterclass

Michelle's on her eat-pray-love solo getaway in Bali and shares why creating space for yourself isn't selfish—it's essential. This episode is about the power of solitude, remembering who you are, and why her biggest manifestation came through the moment she stopped pushing and started softening.Connect with Michelle: Instagram: @michellegordon_coach

Michelle answers the most common question she gets from nurses: "Was it a tough decision to leave the emergency department or were you quite relaxed about it?" This is for every nurse going over and over whether they should leave their current role—the honest truth about identity, ego, fear, and that quiet voice underneath it all.Get my Energy Elimination Method framework workshop. A 90-Day Direction Decision Plan (stop sitting in exhausting "stay or go" loop, choose a path that fits the season you're in)Click the link here: https://www.thehealthyhappynurse.com/the-nurse-energy-career-revival-replay Or DM Michelle on Instagram: @michellegordon_coach (send the word "WORKSHOP")

In this episode, Heather shares her powerful journey from feeling overwhelmed, broke, burnt out, and stuck in survival mode… to completely transforming her life.We dive into how so many women unknowingly abandon themselves, and what it really takes to reconnect, rebuild, and truly thrive again.Heather Simco is a transformation coach and the founder of Complete Concierge Solutions and Sober Boss Babe. She helps high-achieving women break free from burnout, alcohol, and self-sabotage through mental, physical, and emotional sobriety. With over 20 years in entrepreneurship and more than a decade of sobriety, Heather teaches women how to reclaim their energy, elevate their leadership, and create aligned, high-performance lives and businesses.Follow her at instagram.com/heathersimco

Michelle shares a personal life update about feeling incredible right now—celebrating her son's 21st, navigating perimenopause successfully, and loving her occupational health nursing role. This one's all about what happens when you keep going even when you don't see results yet, and why changing your nursing environment doesn't mean you're stuck.Grab the nurse energy health ritual playbook here: THE NURSE ENERGY RESET PLAYBOOK

Annette McAlpine is the founder of Thrive Nurse Coaching and a Paediatric Registered Nurse with experience across the U.K. and Australia, including emergency, trauma, general paediatrics and clinical education.After experiencing burnout and depression in her own nursing career, Annette rebuilt her confidence and direction — and now helps other nurses do the same.Through Thrive Nurse Coaching, she supports nurses who feel stuck, overlooked or uncertain about their next step to regain clarity, build confidence, and strategically progress their careers without losing themselves in the process.Follow Annette: https://www.instagram.com/thrivenursecoach/

In this episode Michelle talks about how to know when your nursing career no longer feels aligned.Join Michelle's Career revival workshop

Michelle asks the big question: Are you actually living by your values? Because here's the truth—we don't just burn out from being overworked. We burn out because we abandon ourselves. And one of the quietest, most dangerous ways we do that is by slowly abandoning our core values.The scary part? It happens so slowly you don't even realize it's happening.

Michelle deep dives into why nursing is one of the most nervous system-disrupting professions and how to finally regulate yourself instead of staying stuck in survival mode. If you've ever felt like you're preparing for battle before a shift, this episode explains exactly what's happening in your body—and what to do about it.Check out the reset here: go.thehealthyhappynurse.com/nervous-system-reset

Michelle shares the exact things she stopped doing that were destroying her as a nurse and mum—and how you can stop too without quitting nursing. If you're sitting in your car needing a few minutes before you walk inside, or driving to work thinking "here we go again, Groundhog Day," this one's for you.

Michelle shares what happened when endoscopic sinus surgery, dark accommodation, and a literal cyclone reminded her exactly what survival mode feels like—and the three things that help shift us out of it. This one's raw, real, and deeply personal.

Michelle gets raw about self-care guilt and shares how one simple shift—giving herself just 15 minutes every morning—completely transformed her energy, clarity, and sense of self. If you're a nurse who pours everything into everyone else while running on empty, this episode reveals why that pattern is toxic and what to do about it.Apply for coaching with Michelle: tinyurl.com/3hakt5fz

Sally Ockenden shares her journey from feeling stuck on a hamster wheel—overthinking, procrastinating, sleeping in, wasting time—to building a thriving coaching business in women's wellbeing, style, and confidence. This is a story about changing your internal dialogue, getting intentional, and discovering your purpose by doing the little things you love.

Michelle gets deeply honest about why 2025 felt so brutally hard—and why that's actually okay. If this year kicked your ass emotionally, physically, spiritually, financially, or mentally, this episode is your warm hug and reminder that you're not alone. Plus, she walks you through exactly how to finish 2025 strong and set yourself up properly for 2026.Join Michelle's 2026 Vision Board Workshop here.  This will be a powerful interactive 90 min workshop on zoom where she will take you through her vision board process and help you build out your vision board for 2026.

Samantha shares her raw journey from being a burnt-out, angry, job-hopping nurse who was ready to quit the profession to landing her dream role in diabetes education. This is a story about taking responsibility, slowing down when you want to speed up, and discovering who you are beyond the nurse title.

Michelle celebrates 100 episodes by getting deeply personal about her own burnout journey at age 41-42 and addresses the whisper every burnt-out nurse is afraid to say out loud: "I just don't know if I can keep doing this." This episode is for nurses in their 40s and 50s who love nursing but can't picture doing it for another 5-10 years.Check out my website: www.thehealthyhappynurse.comFollow me on Instagram: michellegordon_coach

Carrie-Ann shares her raw journey from being buried in debt, struggling with addiction, and facing homelessness to becoming the author of "Budget Right" and helping others transform their relationship with money. This conversation gets real about financial stress, shame, and how mental health and money are deeply connected.Author of Budget Right - Eliminate Debt and Improve Your Financial and Mental WellbeingCheck out her book on AmazonCheck her out on InstagramBudget Right - Website

Michelle shares the framework that changed everything for her and hundreds of nurse clients—the Burnout Recovery Triangle. She gets real about her own rock bottom (drifting off mid-conversation, guilt with her kids, feeling numb after every shift) and breaks down the three corners that need to be rebuilt for true healing.Check out the Health and Happiness Forumula

Melissa shares practical tools for navigating uncertainty and change, especially when you're burnt out and can't remember what brings you joy. She opens up about losing her father while managing a school through COVID mandates, and how she found her way back to herself through nature, breath, and movement.Follow Melissa: https://www.instagram.com/melissa_t_official/Visit her website: https://www.melissat.live/

I'm sharing the magical (and messy) moments from my 16-day European adventure with my family - a trip that started as a vision board dream three years ago and became reality. From Rome to the Amalfi Coast, Florence to Venice, and finally Paris, I'm opening up about the power of intentionality while also getting real about how travel stretched my nervous system.

In this episode, Michelle catches up with former client Kobi, who went from being a burnt-out nurse on the verge of suicide to running her own coaching business and living on a farm. They chat about fear, guilt, taking small steps, and what happens when you finally put yourself first.Connect with Kobi:Instagram: @kobi_pollackPodcast: Hold It AllFacebook

Nursing feels like the biggest love-hate relationship - giving you deep purpose while simultaneously draining your energy. If you've ever wondered how something so fulfilling can also feel like it's destroying you, this episode is for you. I'm sharing my SHIFT Framework - the exact 5-step process that took me from stage 12 burnout to complete alignment in 12 months. Learn how to assess if your work aligns with your values, energy, and nervous system, and discover why being told to "be more resilient" isn't the answer. This isn't about quitting nursing - it's about reclaiming the YOU who used to love it.Ready to make the shift? My new Aligned Nurse Method course is now available for just $97 (usually $297). Click here to join --> https://go.thehealthyhappynurse.com/the-aligned-nurse-short-course

"The Human Design Reading That Changed Everything"In this episode, I share how discovering I'm a Manifester in Human Design completely transformed my understanding of myself and my nursing career. For years, I thought something was wrong with me - I couldn't keep up like my colleagues and craved solitude when others seemed energized. Learning about my non-sacral energy type finally gave me permission to honor my natural cycles of bursts and rest. I'll share the 5 ways I now honor my Manifester energy and how this knowledge helped me transition from emergency nursing to full-time coaching. If you've ever felt "different" or struggled with energy management, this episode might just be the permission slip you need to embrace who you're truly designed to be.Now offering limited Human Design readings - DM me "human design" on Instagram @michellegordon_coach to learn more!

In this episode, I'm opening up about the heavy three months I've been holding—losing my mother-in-law after 30 years and advocating for my own mum through a broken healthcare system. My daily rituals and nervous system tools have been my lifeline, but I've realised I can't keep going at this pace. I'm closing The Health and Happiness Formula until later this year and heading to Italy and Paris with my family—a trip that's been on my vision board for three years. I refuse to step on that plane feeling burnt out. What do you need to step back from to make your own quantum leap forward?

Lie #1 - I just need a holiday and I'll feel betterLie #2 - Maybe I just need another jobLie #3 - I can afford to invest in myself right nowLie #4 - I don't have time to slow downLie #5 - This is just the way nursing is, I should be able to handle itJoin the Love Your Life Challenge Here: https://go.thehealthyhappynurse.com/love-your-life-challenge-july-2025

In this episode I'm talking wth Georgia Ann. She is a health coach, solo mum and founder of GA Wellness, where she helps busy women build Small Steps for Lasting Change. Creator of the science-backed HNSF Method (Hydration, Nutrition, Self-Care, Fitness), Georgia brings an authentic approach to wellness which is grounded in real life, family values and sustainable habits. With over 20 years experience in the fitness industry, she blends lived experience, actionable tips and community-driven support to empower women to feel stronger, calmer and more like themselves.

Journal Prompts from this episodeIf I gave myself bold permission to live the life I truly desire, what would it look like? What limiting beliefs or resistance came up as I wrote that? Where do I feel I still need to earn my worth?What can I release today in order to step closer to this version of me?

Journal Prompts from this episode#1: What are my top three values and am I living in alignment with them right now? #2: How does my energy feel lately drained expanded inspired or heavy?#3: Where in my life or work do I feel out of alignment and what might need to shift?

In this episode Dani and I talk about how she reclaimed her life by trusting herself and living by her values.

In this episode we talk about why it feels so hard to slow down (especially as a nurse).Also I highly reccomened you check out the book, The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel Van Der Kolk 

In this episode I'm chatting with Juliana about her very interesting life story and how she went from rock bottom to creating a life she's madly in love with.Check out Juliana here: https://www.facebook.com/juliana.r.lindner

In this episode I talk all about the importance of investing in yourself. It's not just about money, it's about choosing to put yourself first.Enjoy 

In this episode I'm talking to Dr Hayley D Quinn all about unmasking burnout. What are the signs and symptoms of burnout and what is the pathway to recovery. Enjoy!Dr Hayley D Quinn  (She/Her)The Anti-Burnout Business CoachPhD (Clin Psych) BPsych (Hons)Founder & Director of Welcome to Self® Pty LtdWelcome to Self® with Dr Hayley D Quinn Podcast HostResident Writer Creating the Muse MagazinePast President Compassionate Mind Australia 2018-20Website https://drhayleydquinn.comPodcast https://drhayleydquinn.com/podcast/Welcome to Self®: Time to Thrive Group Business Coaching https://drhayleydquinn.myflodesk.com/timetothrivewaitlistInstagram https://instagram.com/drhayleydquinn/LinkedIn Linkedin.com/in/dr-hayley-d-quinn-43386533Facebook https://facebook.com/drhayleydquinnbrisbaneWebsite https://drhayleydquinn.comJoin the waiting list for our Welcome to Self®: Time to Thrive Group Business Coaching Experience https://drhayleydquinn.myflodesk.com/timetothrivewaitlist

Inspired by my viral Instagram reel, here are the 5 hard truths I learned as a nurse who gave everything to her job.

In this episode we're chatting with Kerryanne Farrer about how to find joy in the everyday. Connect with Kerryanne:InstagramFacebook

Here is the link to join the Love Your Life Challenge:Love Your Life Challenge

In this episode I'm talking to Vee Dixon about her entrepreneurial journey.Connect with Vee: Nursely | Nurses Compression Socks – NURSELYInstagram

In this episodes we're talking about the 4 essentials to make 2025 your year!Join my 2025 vision boarding masterclass here >> 2025 Vision Board Masterclass

In this episode we go over Cat Mason's steps to overcoming imposter syndrome.Connect with Cat below:Get more info on Cat's Elevator Pitch WorkshopWebsiteLinked InInstagram

In this episode I go over what I did to raise my standard and start thriving.

In this episode I'm talking with Lorina Christine all about stepping into your soul’s purpose. We're talking all things creating alignment, manifestation, and living a radiant life <3Towards the end, Lorina shares a couple books she's reading, here are the links for you if you want to check them out: The Soul Purpose Method by Licia Rester & Kirk Souder -- https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/1733294600Infinite Receiving by Suzy Ashworth -- https://www.amazon.co.uk/Infinite-Receiving-Conscious-Creation-Manifest/dp/1837820414___________Check Lorina out here: https://www.lorinachristine.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lorina.christine/

In this episode we're talking all about the best ways of visualising what you want, to make it come true. We even touch on a little of the science behind behind it too!

In this episode we're talking about how to not let the Nurse-life consume you. Here are the points we're going to cover:1. Living by your core values 2. Forming healthy boundaries3. Having an identity beyond nursingEnjoy the episodeFollow me on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/michellegordon_coach/

In this episode of the Finding Bliss After Burnout Podcast, we're talking all about self care. More specifically, about the several minutes you should be taking for yourself in the morning to set you up for the best day ahead. Enjoy this episode

In this episode I chat with Nurse coach and mentor, Brit Stoeckel. You can find more about Brit here:https://www.instagram.com/britstoeckel/Follow me on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/michellegordon_coach/