Are you resting but still exhausted? In this episode, I talk about the kind of burnout that doesn’t go away with sleep, vacations, or time off, the hidden exhaustion so many women carry while still functioning, serving, and showing up.

Learn why surface-level rest doesn’t heal deep depletion, how faith and exhaustion often get tangled together, and how God responds to burnout with care instead of condemnation. This episode will help you recognize hidden burnout, understand why what you’re doing to rest isn’t working, and begin responding to exhaustion with wisdom, compassion, and truth.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

[00:00] Why “I’m Tired” Doesn’t Always Mean You Need More Sleep

[01:00] Why Doesn’t Rest Work When I’m Praying and Asking God for Help?

[03:00] What Is Hidden Burnout and Why Is It So Normalized?

[06:00] When You Associate Exhaustion with Faithfulness and Worth

[08:00] God Meets Exhaustion with Care, Not Condemnation

[13:00] Why Inner Chaos Matters More Than Outer Busyness

[16:00] Rest Isn’t a Willpower Problem but a Self-Understanding Problem

[19:00] Why Learning the Different Types of Rest Changes Everything

Join me for the Virtual Rest Retreat in Feb 2026!

Are you exhausted and in need of deep rest (but can’t get away)? Find rest with God that fits your budget, your schedule and your season of life at my Bible-based virtual retreat for Christian women seeking deep replenishment of mind, body and spirit!

Register for the virtual rest retreat: AliciaMichelle.com/virtual-rest-retreat

RELATED EPISODES:

Ep 344 — How to DIY Your Own Rest Retreat (When Getting Away Feels Impossible)

Ep 346 — Seasonal Affective Disorder: When the Darkness Affects Your Emotions

Ep 341 — Step #1 to Calming Emotional Spirals: Notice + Name Your Feelings

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Do you feel heavier, more tired, or spiritually foggy during the darker winter months?

Let’s talk honestly about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), what’s actually happening in your body, how reduced light affects your emotions and motivation, and why this struggle doesn’t mean your faith is weak.

Seasonal Affective Disorder doesn’t always announce itself clearly. For many women, it shows up quietly, through lower energy, emotional heaviness, irritability, foggy thinking, or a sense of spiritual distance they can’t quite explain.

In this episode, I wanted to make this real and human by sharing stories from three women, Chrissie, Melody, and Beth, whose experiences reveal how differently Seasonal Affective Disorder can affect emotions, energy, and faith, especially in darker seasons.

This conversation isn’t about diagnosing yourself or forcing solutions. It’s about understanding what darkness does to the body and nervous system, and how God meets us with compassion instead of shame.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

[00:00] Why Seasonal Affective Disorder Is Real and Why It Affects So Many Women

[04:00] What Is Seasonal Affective Disorder and How Does Reduced Light Impact Emotions and Energy?

[08:00] Why Does Winter Darkness Affect Motivation, Mood, and Spiritual Clarity?

[12:00] How Different Women Experience SAD in Unique Emotional and Physical Ways

[17:00] Why Experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder Doesn’t Mean Your Faith Is Weak

[18:00] How Can SAD Be Reframed as a “Wilderness Season” Instead of a Personal Failure?

[22:00] How God Uses Darker Seasons to Invite Deeper Awareness and Growth

[23:00] Using the A.D.D. Model to Confidently Manage Emotions During SAD

[28:00] What Practical Supports Help the Body and Nervous System During SAD?

[31:00] Why You’re Not Alone and Taking Gentle Next Steps Toward Support

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Links to tools and resources mentioned in this episode are shared below to support emotional health and energy during darker months. Some of these may be affiliate links, which provide Alicia with a small commission at no additional cost to you.

• Light boxes
• Sunrise Alarm
• Better Help Counseling (10% off link)
• Free 7-Day Notice + Name Course
• Emotional Confidence Book

Get the FREE 7-Day Course: Notice + Name Your Feelings

Learn the simple mindset tool that helps you understand what you’re really feeling, so you can stop spiraling and experience more peace!

Start the free course here: AliciaMichelle.com/feelings

RELATED EPISODES:

Ep 330 — How to Manage Big Out-of-Control Emotions

Ep 341 — Step #1 to Calming Emotional Spirals: Notice + Name Your Feelings

Ep 343 — Is Your Emotional Health Blocking Your New Year Breakthrough?

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What does it look like to show up well for those walking through grief? When someone we know is walking through grief, we want to help by knowing what to say to ease their pain.

And yet, many of us feel awkward around grief and loss. We worry that we’ll make things worse by saying the wrong thing. Often we don’t know how to emotionally support others without trying to fix the situation or offer what can feel like empty platitudes.

Today I’ve invited my friend and fellow podcaster Sherrie Pilkington to share her grief journey after the sudden loss of her husband several years ago. As an advocate for those walking through grief, Sherrie offers practical, much-needed suggestions to best care for a loved one on a grief journey in order to show Christian compassion during this challenging time.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN:

[00:00] Why Grief Feels Confusing and Uncomfortable for Everyone

[09:00] “Grief Doesn’t Need Answers. It Needs..”

[12:00] Why Sitting With Someone’s Grief Is Often More Healing Than Trying to Fix It

[14:00] How Consistent, Thoughtful Support Helps Restore Connection To the Grieving

[16:00] Why Does Being Remembered After the Initial Loss Matter So Deeply?

[18:00] What Does Grief Support Look Like When Words Fall Short?

[23:00] How Simple, Tangible Gifts Can Help Those Grieving Feel Seen

[25:00] Which Phrases Unintentionally Increase Pain for those in Grief?

[29:00] Monthly Grief Boxes: How to Offer Realistic, Specific Help Without Overwhelming the Grieving

Connect with Sherrie Pilkington via her podcast Finding God in Our Pain, on Instagram (@livelovedthrive), or check out her Sealed With a Hug Grief Boxes (for those wanting to support others walking through grief).

Get the FREE 7-Day Course: Notice + Name Your Feelings

Learn the simple mindset tool that helps you understand what you’re really feeling, so you can stop spiraling and experience more peace!

Start the free course here: AliciaMichelle.com/feelings

RELATED EPISODES:

Ep 119 — Find Healing Through Grief by Serving Others with Ashley from Bridget’s Cradle

Ep 177 — Coping with Grief and Shattering Loss When Tragedy Strikes (with Lisa Appelo)

Ep 297: Believing in God’s Love Again After You’ve Been Hurt with Rachael Adams

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