The Secret to Real Rest And Why You Can't Stop artwork
Unlearning Stress with Mischelle

The Secret to Real Rest And Why You Can't Stop

  • E120
  • 13:34
  • September 8th 2025

You’re not exhausted because you lack discipline; you’re exhausted because your worth has been wired to your output, your utility, your availability. In this episode, I expose the core fracture that no “productivity hack” or self-care checklist can touch: the buried belief that rest is only for the unneeded, the unworthy, the lazy.

 Let’s tell the raw truth: You don’t just overcommit, you’ve made proving your value a full-time job. You apologize for resting, fill any silence with more tasks, and confuse exhaustion with excellence. You don’t know how to stop, because stopping feels like disappearing.

This isn’t self-help cheerleading. This is strategic rewiring. Here’s how we break the old circuitry:

  • Spot the costly story running your life, and trace its toxic influence on your body, peace, and relationships.
  • Interrupt the reflex to over-function by asking: Is this real strength, or is it anxiety wearing a mask?
  • Shift from survival autopilot to conscious leadership of your own wellbeing, by recognizing that rest is not an indulgence, but wisdom in action.

 If you’re seeking comfort, not clarity, this episode isn’t for you. But if you’re ready to stop living as a resource and start leading from internal authority, this is your moment. Hit subscribe, connect, and take the first step: notice, name, and reclaim your own rhythm. The reset starts here.

 [00:00] The truth about burnout & the belief you're not enough [02:30] Identifying patterns of overworking

[05:10] Why rest isn't weakness, it's wisdom

[08:00] The real cost of constant productivity

Unlearning Stress with Mischelle

You’re exhausted but can’t slow down. You’re doing all the right things, but you’re still running on empty. What if the way you’ve been taught to manage stress is actually making it worse?

Welcome the Unlearning Stress with Mischelle O’Neal, Me? Hi there, I'm Mischelle O’Neal, your Emotional Wellness Coach, and I’m here to help you rethink stress, reclaim your energy, and create a life that finally works for YOU.

This podcast is about unlearning the habits, beliefs, and pressures that keep you in a cycle of exhaustion—and finding real, doable ways to take back your time, energy, and peace of mind.

Expect straight talk, practical strategies, and deep insights—along with occasional expert guests—to help you stop carrying the weight of the world and start building a life that feels fulfilling, free, and fully yours.

You don’t have to figure this out alone. Hit subscribe, and let’s do this together.