When Thriving Looks Different

What Wellness Really Means

August is National Wellness Month. At SIMMER, we’re exploring what wellness really means — not just physically, but emotionally, mentally, and financially too.

I spent a decade in a job I genuinely loved. The people were incredible. The work was meaningful. My manager became a mentor I still lean on today. It checked every box.
From the outside, it looked like I was thriving.
But what I know now is that I was in survival mode.

Signs I Wasn't Thriving—Even Though It Looked Like I Was

During those ten years:

• I went through cancer
• I had two kids
• I stopped moving my body
• My hair started falling out
• I gained weight—over and over again
• I was always tired

I told myself I didn’t have time. That I was too busy. That this was just how life was when you were ambitious and juggling everything.

But I wasn’t fine. I was running on autopilot.

And then, I left.

What Changed When I Finally Stopped

Within weeks, everything shifted:

• I started sleeping again
• Walking more
• Laughing louder
• Being present with my kids in a way I hadn’t been in years

It felt like I had been holding my breath for a decade—and I didn’t even realize it until I finally exhaled.

Burnout Costs More Than You Think

Somewhere in that survival season, I noticed something else:

• Takeout
• Grocery delivery
• Outsourcing errands

Not because I couldn’t do them—but because I didn’t have the energy to care.

I wasn’t spending out of joy or choice.
I was spending out of depletion.

Burnout makes you think you’re saving time. But really, you're avoiding your limits.
And that avoidance comes with a cost—not just emotional, but financial too.

What We Mean By “Financial Wellness”

This is why we’re talking about wellness at SIMMER this August.

Not just spreadsheets and saving tips. But the deeper stuff:

• How your mental state affects the way you spend
• How stress makes you say yes to things you don’t even want
• How exhaustion leads to avoidance
• How survival mode is one of the most expensive places to live

Money Isn’t Just Math—It’s Mental

When we talk about financial wellness, we’re talking about:

• How you treat yourself
• Why you spend, not just how much
• The decisions behind the dollars

Your wellness is financial.
Your finances are emotional.
They’ve never been separate.

Where to Start

If you’re feeling burnt out or just ready to feel like yourself again:

✔️ Start with awareness
✔️ Check in with yourself
✔️ Notice what your money might be reflecting back

And when you’re ready:
👉 Join the SIMMER waitlist — to learn money in a way that actually supports your real life. Grounded. Clear. Shame-free.