When Rest Feels Impossible: A New Resource to Guide You Forward
Hey you,
I wanted to share something a little personal with you.
Neurodivergence isn’t often talked about or even acknowledged in our Black+Brown community. For many of us, that silence can feel heavy. We grow up sensing something is different but without the words, support, or understanding to make sense of it.
Instead of finding tools that help us thrive, we’re often taught to mask, push through, or believe our struggles are personal failures—not signs that the world was built without us in mind. That kind of erasure can be isolating.
That lack of awareness is so unfortunate, because the truth is, neurodivergent folks need to be intentional about how we use our energy — how we spread ourselves out — just to stay afloat. When we’re not mindful of that, burnout can creep in fast.
And it’s not the kind of burnout that a nap or a weekend off can fix. It runs deeper. It can become so heavy, it gets dark.
While trying to better understand my own “boom-and-bust cycle”, I came across an article about pacing systems. One in particular, the traffic light pacing system, really stuck with me. I’ve started applying it to my life and honestly, it’s already making a difference.
It’s made me realize how much I’ve been cramming into my days, all while genuinely believing I could sustain that pace. Now I’m learning to create more space for rest and balance instead of constantly pushing myself to the edge, burning out, having a melt down then wondering why—only to rinse and repeat the same vicious cycle.
Even if you don’t identify as neurodivergent, I believe pacing systems can help anyone trying to keep up in this fast-paced hustle culture where rest is often treated like a weakness instead of what it truly is: a necessity.
Spoiler alert: rest is productive.
I’ve added the article to the Personal Growth/Healing section of the Free(ish) Resources page under the Community tab on my site, hoping it can offer you some support or clarity, just as it did for me.
Using Pacing Systems To Recover From Neurodivergent Burnout
If you decide to give it a try, I’d love to hear how it goes for you—just reply to this email.
Please, take special care of yourself.
With love,
Desiree