The Hero Post: Welcome to The Burnout Rebellion

It's time we introduced ourselves

Hello. Come in and welcome to The Burnout Rebellion.

Thank you for being here.

The community we are building here really is something.

Here you will find a summary of what to expect. If you have been hanging around with me since the beginning, thanks for sticking with me on this topsy turvy journey.

It is fair to say that life has been pulling me through a hedge backwards for quite some time, but a while ago I released my grip, and instead of resisting, I fell into an empowered surrender. And that’s when the magic began to unfold…..

The top 3 things you should know about me;

1. I wake up every morning and walk barefoot on the grass, watching the sunrise as often as I can, before surrendering my plans to the universe. I spend at least 5 minutes in ecstatic dance because why not? Life is a trip. Every morning I want to remember that joy exists. (If you want a tip Kudaushe by Afriquoi always gets me dancing, it might be the same for you too!).

2. In the last 18 months I have been hit hard in the face by grief. You can read more about this here on my other Substack. I turn my grief into wild happiness and heartbreak, breathing in the bittersweetness of every moment.

3. I’m rebelling against burnout culture by releasing human me (the overachiever) and embracing soul me (the creative). I’m finding that the key to adult life is rediscovering your inner child. Returning to their hopes and dreams and sheer enthusiasm for life. Life has got too heavy. If this is my only chance, in this form, to experience the world I’m going for it. Want to join me?

Farrah Storr challenged her followers to share a still from a movie that accurately represented their Substack. I couldn’t think of one more apt. This was taken from The New York Times and is from the film Where the Crawdads Sing.

You’ll find a lot of spirituality here.

I sometimes find that people balk at the word spirituality as if those saying it are trying to hoodwink you into some kind of cult. No hoodwinking here I assure you.

Spirituality to me is feeling the depths of emotion, watching the world in slow motion, feeling the Earth beneath my feet. Magic does exist but we just call it nature or astronomy or love. For me, now is the time to savour. Taste. Sense. Dance. Be in this life fully.

My spirituality has led me here.

Still reading? I’m so pleased…..let’s really get to know one another.

What is The Burnout Rebellion?

If this publication was to sit in a category it would sit firmly on the intersection between Nature, Health and Wellness and Spirituality.

In the last 4 years, burnout has been slowly creeping up on me. In the shadows of tiredness, the brain fog, the lack of alignment between my values and those of my outside world. Momentary relief was provided every time I found myself on the tideline at sunrise, or I embodied the seasons in my soul. Often tracking them through my photography. When my burnout and grief took over, it was my writing and my time in nature that saved me. Above all else I am a nature writer (I’m currently working on my first book proposal; you can follow along in the section called pitch and print) and my burnout rebellion was catalysed by my return to nature. I have found it hard to see one without the other. To rebel against burnout is to rebel against fast paced living and return to the slow rhythms of nature.

A bit of my wildlife photography tracking the seasons.

So who I am?

• A quitter! I quit my stable job of 13 years in July 2024 with no plan and no idea of what was coming next. How exciting is that?

• A Psychology Master. I’ve been working on my Masters in Psychology for the last 24 months, recently graduating in December 2024. I thought I was headed in the Clinical Psychology direction, but instead something rather beautiful has happened. My first love, biology, has re-entered the equation, and biological psychology has become the name of the game. I’ve been applying for funding to continue my research but not yet been successful, however I truly believe the work I’m doing is of great importance. I’m continuing writing research papers and will be knocking on the funding doors until they open for me.

• The Inquisitor. In my masters (and hopefully beyond), I’ve been researching social bonds across taxa; how they are formed, their purpose, what can disrupt them, and at what point a bond leads to cooperation. I’ve looked at everything from dolphins to mongooses, guppies to primates, and am now applying this in a competitive context in humans. One of my lecturers said that studying biological psychology was a way of getting closer to understanding the meaning of life, and sometimes it really does feel like that. Science and spirituality, to me, are ultimately the same thing, most of us just don’t know it yet. I work at the intersection between the two and feel so grateful that I get to share it with you.

• Ceremony holder. I am a trained yoga teacher who specialises in ceremony, working with the earth, the universe, and the seasons as we perceive them. Working with them as a way to reignite our connection with ourselves and ultimately something bigger. My experience with reiki and meditation means I can elevate this connection to a different level that goes beyond the physical. Not only do I weave this into my ceremonies but also into my coaching too.

• A wannabe grower. Working in a community garden, has made me realise I have absolutely no clue what I am doing when it comes to gardening. I have a long held dream of growing my own food, making my own herbal teas and just getting closer to that cyclical connection we all have with the Earth.

• A Burnout Rebel and cheerleader. In the last 13 years one of the best aspects of my job was coaching. I would coach everyone from classroom teachers to leaders in order to support them in becoming the best versions of themselves. My aim was to leave them feeling more aligned and more full of hope and fire than ever before. Conversations would always drift away from the day to day, and require deep soul work in order for people to realise their message and gift to the world. I have rebelled against staying in the 9-5 and am forging my own path, and I am keen to support others to do the same.

So, what does The Burnout Rebellion mean for you?

I want this to be a place where we (the burnout/career changer/starting over again/nature loving/light worker generation) can gather, talk, support and lift each other, as we hear one another’s stories and grow together.

I also have a unique take on what it means to recover from burnout. I believe we need to understand how we fit into the wider ecosystem that surrounds us and to become encased within it again. So I will always share with you ways to do that.

The overall aim is that this Substack will bring together all the different essences of who I am; my love of nature, my desire to rebel in this burn out generation, the art of slow living, learning to live as part of the Earth again, ceremony, soulful exploration and my Scientific research. There’s a beautiful golden thread that runs through all of this and I get to share that with you.

I’m hoping that by taking these steps I will find others out there, and we can continue to inspire and champion each other as we move from a life of burn out to a life of purpose.

I have found many writers to be medicine for my soul, and I hope that for some of you, my writing will touch you in someway. A wonderful butterfly effect that will continue spreading in our lives and around Substack.

Some wonderful comments from readers.

What a gorgeous read. Mark Diacano

Sat with my eyes closed in my own garden, listening, you’ve transported me to your own sense of wonderment. Mark Thomas.

Helluva debut. 👊 This will stick with me for a while I think. Hannah Hoare

What a wonderful and thought provoking article, thank you so much for sharing. Tammy (Tamlyn de Nobrega)

How joyful it is to see your Substack Anna - I know I'm going to look forward to this each week. Jo Thompson

The main categories of my work are below;

• The Burnout Rebels Membership - The Burnout Rebellion is for all of us. Those of us seeking a new way of living, a change in direction, whatever that may be. In the Burnout Rebellion you will find interviews with fellow Burnout Rebels, how they have and are navigating their path, how their lives have changed, and no doubt a ton of inspiration for our own lives. This will come in both written and podcast form. I cannot wait for you to hear it!

• From Dream to Deal - This year I have set myself the task of writing my first book. Here you will join me on my journey as I share more about my journey, the research adventures I go on, the useful resources I use to help me with my proposal and the whole process of securing a literary agent and publishing deal. I may or may not be successful, but at least you’ll learn something along the way!

• Earth’s medicine - I am learning how we can use the great wisdom of plants, ritual, history, our ancestors, breath and wisdom to heal ourselves. Here you will find an amalgamation of these teachings, and the stories of how these are being weaved into my life with helpful tips and resources for you to use too. ‘Ritualising your life’ was super jam packed with not only resources but how this can get us closer to nature.

• Deep dives into nature - Often longer pieces of writing on spectacular interactions I have had in nature, and the magic and myth behind them. My hope is that we realise that all interactions are purposeful and give a sense of meaning to our lives. Check this one out, on my absolute favourite….The Fox.

• Notes from the garden - In order for me to live more seasonally, I am learning how to tend to the land. Here I will share updates on my progress in the community garden as a complete novice, what I learn and any tips that may be helpful. Right now I am focussing on two main projects; the self sustaining Hügelkultur and the forest garden.

Want to become a paid subscriber? I adore you ❤️.

If you’d like to pay for a subscription at a cost of a coffee and a slice of a cake a month, you’d make me super happy. It will help to fund not only my time to write, but future projects such as workshops, how to/watch a beginner videos and a podcast (all of these are possible collaboration opportunities too so do message me if you’re interested!). I totally understand if you can’t pay right now, so I do still offer a fair bit for free. Outlined below is my offering for each type of subscriber.

Free Subscribers will have access to;

1. Occasional public posts such as Notes from the garden, opinion pieces, and interactions in nature.

2. The Burnout Rebellion Podcast. This will be available here on Substack and on Spotify/Apple.

As well as the above the following is included as a paid subscriber;

1. Access to the archive. All posts are archived after 4 weeks, so when you become paid you will gain access and can refer back to them as often as you would like to.

2. 20% of all workshops and courses. My new course Realign; A journey back to your soul will weave together the scientific and the spiritual. This transformative program is designed to guide you back to your true essence by reconnecting with yourself, the universe, and the natural cycles that shape our lives. Through astrology, lunar rhythms, seasonal wisdom, science, anatomy, nature, and community, you’ll embark on a journey of deep self-discovery and alignment. I will be developing this, alongside some one off workshops. By becoming a paid subscriber you’ll be sent a code for 20%.

3. Access to From Pitch to Print. This year I have set myself the task of writing my first book. Here you will join me on my journey as I share more about the writing process, the research adventures I go on, the useful resources I use to help me with my proposal and the whole process of securing a literary agent and publishing deal or self publishing. This book I have inside of me needs to be written, and so many of us never here about what it’s like to hear about to write a book, so I want to share the beauty and the chaos of its construction.

   If you become a founding member you will also receive;

1. A 1:1 coaching call (either 2 x 30 minutes or 1 x 60 minutes) with me to support you on your journey as a Burnout Rebel.

2. An optional birth chart reading (astrology) which can be added into your coaching call.

You and me

I would love to hear from you. So do introduce yourself in the comments below, whether its your own story of burnout, reconnection with nature, or why you're here.

That’s all for now. I hope you have found this useful. Thank you so much, from the bottom of my heart for joining this space, and I look forward to hearing from you soon. If you do have any questions don’t hesitate to ask them.

Lots of love,

Anna Rose xxx

p.s This post will update periodically but will always remain pinned if you ever need it!

I am writing this essay as part of the 24 essays club (this is number 12) with the wonderful Claire Venus you can read more about the essay club below.

Join our (free) Essay Club?