You’re Not Broken—You’re Burned Out: Why So Many Moms Feel Like They’re Failing
There’s a moment—maybe more than one—when you find yourself hiding in the bathroom, locked door between you and the chaos, wondering if you’re just… bad at this. Motherhood. Womanhood. Life.
You’re not. You’re burned out.
And no one told you it would feel this much like personal failure.
We’re fed this idea that exhaustion is the price of admission to motherhood. That stress is just a sign you care enough. That losing yourself is noble, even beautiful.
But here’s the truth: burnout isn’t a personal flaw. It’s the predictable outcome of an impossible system. A system that asks women to do more with less—and smile while doing it.
The Myth of the “Good Mom”
Our culture worships the “good mom” ideal: endlessly patient, selfless, productive, grateful. She feeds her baby organic kale purée while answering work emails with one hand and making sure her toddler doesn’t fall off the couch with the other. She bounces back. She doesn’t complain. She always chooses her kids over herself.
And when you can’t live up to that fantasy? The shame is deafening.
But let me say this clearly: that version of motherhood is a lie.
What Burnout Really Looks Like
Burnout doesn’t always come with sirens or smoke. It’s often quiet. Creeping. It looks like irritability and numbness. Brain fog and guilt. Resentment and confusion about why everything feels hard when you “should” feel happy.
It’s the disconnect between what you’re doing and who you are. The gap between the care you give and the care you receive.
And it thrives in silence.
You’re Not Alone—and You’re Not Broken
You are not the only one who feels this way. I’ve been there. Many of the moms I care for have been there too.
Burnout is not a measure of your capacity to love. It’s a measure of how much you’ve been asked to carry without rest, support, or recognition.
It’s not that you’re not enough. It’s that no one is meant to do this alone.
What Helps (and What Doesn’t)
This isn’t a blog promising that a bubble bath will fix systemic inequity. But here are a few things that matter:
Name it. Burnout loses power when you call it what it is. It’s not laziness or weakness—it’s an injury.
Connect. Talk to the people who see you. Your friends, your partner, your therapist, your doctor. Let someone in.
Rebel. Say no. Ask for more. Burnout is not just a personal issue—it’s a cultural one. Pushing back is brave.
Reclaim something. Music, movement, rest, creativity, pleasure—whatever reminds you you’re human and alive.
You Deserve More
Not because you’ve done enough to earn it. But because you’re already enough.
You’re not broken. You’re tired. And your fatigue is not a failing—it’s data. Listen to it.
Let it lead you somewhere gentler.
If this resonated with you, I hope you’ll share it with someone else who needs the reminder. And if you’re looking for tools to reconnect with yourself again—especially during early motherhood—I’m building resources just for you. Subscribe to stay in the loop. 💛
