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This week we’re joined by Francesco & Ilona, who are on a mission to build a community of meditators in love with life through their company Bliss Out. In this episode, they discuss why they started Bliss Out and how they’re recovered from burnout.
Topics Discussed In This Episode:
Why Francesco & Ilona decided to change industries.
The signals that suggested it was time for Ilona to change her lifestyle.
Why Ilona said leaving her career to start Bliss Out was a difficult decision to make.
Francesco’s professional background and what the environment in that career was like.
The way burnout expressed itself for Francesco.
How both Francesco and Ilona’s mornings have completely transformed since changing careers.
The difference between meditation and a meditative process.
The three-step formula used at Bliss Out to promote an ultimate level of relaxation.
Why Ilona initially decided to explore meditation.
How Francesco adjusts his routine leading up to an event versus focusing on recovery.
How the absence of meaningful work contributes to burnout.
What happens inside Ilona when her energy is depleted.
Francesco and Ilona’s experience recovering from burnout.
Key Takeaways:
Francesco & Ilona came from the investment banking industry and decided to make the switch to starting Bliss Out to create a better and more suitable lifestyle.
Burnout can manifest as physical symptoms such as digestive issues, fatigue, low quality sleep, and more.
Although she knew she needed a career change, starting Bliss Out wasn’t an easy decision for Ilona to make. She was at a point in her life and career where she was comfortable, but she went for it anyway.
If you can’t find time or motivation to meditate, you can try making room for practices that are meditative. For example, sitting and drinking a coffee slowly in a quiet, relaxing environment.
At Bliss Out, they use a strategy to activate the parasympathetic nervous system to flood the body and brain with “happy chemicals” before moving onto relaxation and meditation.
Ilona was drawn to meditation to explore consciousness. She enjoys practices that include human expression, including dancing. Meditation works best for her when done twice each day.
Francesco has been focusing on working on his breathing lately. One strategy that’s been working for him is mouth taping so that he has to focus breathing through his nose.
Infrared saunas are great for recovery, and it’s one of Ilona’s favourite tools for relaxation.
A lack of meaningful work is at the core of burnout. It influences your life both inside and outside of the workplace including your lifestyle habits and how you approach your daily tasks and your boss.
When Ilona is low in energy, fear comes to the surface. She is able to step back and use reason and logic to overcome these thoughts. Exercise and being in nature helps her too.
For Ilona, recovering from burnout is a work in progress. It has taken time to become comfortable in a slower-paced lifestyle and finding harmony within. For Francesco, some effects have been immediate, whereas finding an overall better sense of wellbeing takes time.
Action Steps:
How to support a healthy lifestyle according to Franceso and Ilona:
- Slowing down.
- Meditation and meditative practices.
- Regular exercise.
- Practising healthy breathing techniques.
- Adjusting your career to fit a healthier lifestyle.
Ilona said:
“I can’t even describe to you the pleasure of waking up and taking a moment in bed. It may sound like being lazy getting up, but after years of getting up for a train and feeling that adrenaline in your blood, to wake up and actually feel yourself, feel where you are, feel who you’re with, and slowly start the day—and of course we work. But taking away the commute and living in a big city has given us a lot of hours. So, the beginning of the day is completely different.”
Francesco said:
“Many people are talking about dopamine, and the way dopamine works is that it’s a reward mechanism. But if you try to keep the dopamine constantly up, you’re going to fail. That’s not the way it works. You need to have these ebbs and flows.”
Links To Things Mentioned In The Podcast:
Bliss Out: https://www.blissout.co/
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