Sadia’s Story: From Burnout and Low Mood to Structure, Confidence and Future Direction
When Sadia started coaching, she was in a difficult place. She had been experiencing ongoing burnout, her work environment no longer felt right, and she was also navigating personal challenges, including a relationship breakdown. She described it as a very low point, where multiple areas of life felt hard at once.
Through our work together, Sadia found a kind, compassionate and non-judgemental space to process what had happened, reconnect with herself, and begin rebuilding structure in daily life. Over time, habit tracking, journaling, reflection and clearer goals helped her create anchors that supported her wellbeing and sense of direction.
By the end of this phase of coaching, she described coming out of burnout and low mood, feeling more confident and motivated, reconnecting socially, and feeling in a better position to return to work or study.
What was going on in your life when you first decided to work with me?
I was in the middle of quite a tough time in terms of my job.
At the time, I’d experienced ongoing burnout, the work environment really wasn’t suiting me, and where I was emotionally was quite difficult as well, with a lot of personal things going on, like relationship breakdown.
I was in quite a bad place where it seemed like multiple buckets of life were quite rubbish, if I’m honest.
I think I met you at a very low point in my life.
What was it like to work with me?
I thought you were really kind and compassionate, and offered to listen really openly, especially at the beginning of when we worked together.
I think it’s probably what I needed, and I didn’t get judgement from you.
It was just a safe space that you created for us to bring whatever we needed to the table.
I think that was really important for me at that time, to help me get to where I am today.
What shifts or breakthroughs have you experienced since working together?
I think the biggest thing is probably coming out of my depression and burnout. That’s probably been the most significant change for me.
When I first started working with you, I had so much low mood, I couldn’t focus on my goals or even think about them, let alone take steps towards them.
Whereas now, I’ve mentioned to you before about wanting to go back to uni. I attended an open evening this week, engaged with the course director, asked questions, and was just interested – having the brain space to go and do research.
All these goals that we’re putting together, and the habits that we’ve been developing, have been really good anchors for me to stay on track with where I want to get.
Some of the things I’ve learned from coaching through you, especially the habit tracker, and even the practices of Trello, journaling, gratitude and reflections, feel not just temporary.
I’m thinking more long-term about the sustainability of life, and keeping these practices ideally in my actual lifestyle, so I can always tap into those for future goals and next goals that arise.
What impact has the coaching had on your day-to-day life, work and relationships?
Day to day, some of the things we’ve just mentioned, like the habit tracker, have helped me add more structure and routine into my day, week, month and year.
I can’t really say work, because I’m not working at the minute, but overall, coaching has obviously played a part in me getting back to myself and feeling more confident and motivated.
I feel in a better position to be able to return to work or study.
In terms of relationships, coming out of that depression, low mood and burnout – which was affecting my relationships and my sociability - all of that has returned now.
Overall, it’s been really positive changes.
Who would you recommend this coaching to and why?
I think anyone that wants to really have a look at their life and see how they can change it, if they want to change it.
Anybody struggling to make those changes.
Although someone might not actively be looking for a change in job or any other transition, or thinks life is okay, it can still be an insightful and beneficial opportunity to really reflect and check in with yourself, in case there are things you do want to do, but maybe you’re not listening to them right now or aware of them.
What would you say to someone who is on the fence about working with me specifically?
I think I’ve had a really good experience.
I think you really listen and you really take on board what I’m saying, what I’m bringing.
Although you’ve got your programme, your ideas and concepts, from my experience, I feel like you’ve really taken on board what I’ve needed as well, and you’ve responded to feedback and adjusted things accordingly.
I really appreciate that.
I think you offer a personalised, tailored approach.
I think it makes a big difference when someone’s willing to listen to you, willing to take you wherever you are, and help you in the way that you specifically need the help.
Final Thoughts
It was a real pleasure to support Sadia through this period of burnout, low mood and rebuilding.
What stands out in her story is the shift from feeling overwhelmed across several areas of life to gradually finding more structure, confidence, motivation and future direction.
For Sadia, coaching offered a kind, compassionate and non-judgemental space to process what was happening, reconnect with herself, and begin building habits and practices that could support her longer term.
Her story shows something important about this work: sometimes finding a way forward begins with having somewhere safe enough to pause, be heard, and slowly rebuild the foundations of daily life.
If Sadia’s story resonates with you, and you’re navigating your own period of burnout, low mood, uncertainty or life transition, you can explore Between Chapters, my 8-week coaching programme, below.