Sustainable Success: Nervous System Alignment for Burnout-Free Leadership

Sheridan Ruth
  • 5.0 (28)
  • CAREERS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

If you’re capable, thoughtful, and doing everything “right,” but work still leaves you exhausted, wired, or unable to switch off — this podcast is for you. Sustainable Success explores burnout, over-functioning, and decision fatigue through a nervous-system lens. Not as personal failures to fix, but as understandable patterns that develop when you’ve been adapting to pressure, responsibility, and expectation for a long time. I’m Sheridan — a somatic trauma practitioner and yoga therapist with a background in trauma therapy and behavioural psychology. I work with high-functioning professionals who look fine on the outside, but feel depleted, frozen, or stretched thin underneath. Each episode offers clear explanations, grounded examples, and practical reframes to help you understand what’s actually happening in your body — and how to work in a way that’s more sustainable, steady, and workable over time. This is not a productivity podcast. It’s for people who have already tried the tools and want a calmer, more embodied way forward.

  1. 1D AGO

    245: 8 domains of nervous system capacity: how much can your body actually hold?

    If you've ever felt overwhelmed, exhausted, or unable to manage tasks that you think you should handle by now, this is for you. This episode delves into nervous system capacity—how much your system can handle before it leads to anxiety or burnout. Sheridan, a somatic trauma therapist and yoga therapist, explains the concept through practical advice and actionable strategies. Key takeaways include: understanding the impact of body-based sensationsthe importance of co-regulation through social connectionsrecognizing the influence of societal factors on personal capacity. 00:00 Introduction to Nervous System Capacity 00:36 Signs You're at Capacity 01:37 Understanding Nervous System Capacity 01:52 About the Podcast and Training 02:46 Welcome to Sustainable Success 03:57 Personal Experiences and Insights 06:37 Defining Nervous System Capacity 15:45 Increasing Your Capacity 16:44 Body, Mind, and Soul Practices 21:21 Societal and Environmental Factors 23:42 Final Thoughts on CapacityReceive Support:The 5-week Energy Management Program: Work Doesn’t Have to Cost All Your EnergyOne-on-one somatic support for nervous-system-level patterns Free Resources and Reports:What if you're not the problem? Full report. Access the full report here: https://sheridanruth.com/what-if-youre-not-the-problem/Burnout Is Weird PDF: 7 real stories of people who stopped trying to “fix themselves” and found steadiness in unexpected ways. click here Read Somatic Intelligence for Success: Nervous system alignment to prevent burnout and leave an impact. Purchase here. Regulation Your Nervous System At Work: Learn to regulate with practices you'll actually use. No need for more time, space or privacy. Download here. Try the Burnout Prevention AI ChatBot: Soma helps you shift out of spirals, self-doubt, and stress-based decision-making—so you can lead from your most grounded, self-aware state. Access here. Let Me Know You're ListeningConnection is my love language! Let me know you exist and are listening along by sending me a ✨ on a...

    24 min

  2. JAN 19

    244: Work drains me more than it should — is it my nervous system?

    In this episode, we explore why work can feel disproportionately exhausting — even when you enjoy it and are “doing everything right.” You’ll hear about: Why end-of-day exhaustion isn’t always a motivation or discipline problemHow constant adaptation to mismatched environments quietly drains nervous system capacityThe difference between healthy effort and chronic over-exertionA simple nervous-system-based energy audit you can start todayHow to track energy drain through body sensations rather than stories or self-criticismWhat decision fatigue, overthinking, and post-work collapse are actually signallingWhen exhaustion points to deeper patterns like freeze, trauma history, or family rolesWhy some patterns don’t shift through insight alone — and what support can helpHow to redesign work without blowing up your life Mentioned in this episode: The 5-week Energy Management Program: Work Doesn’t Have to Cost All Your EnergyOne-on-one somatic support for nervous-system-level patternsDeveloping interoception (your ability to sense and name internal body signals)

    10 min

  3. JAN 7

    243: Working WITH hyperfocus: adhd transitions without willpower (burnout & your nervous system)

    This is for people who: can focus deeply… sometimes too deeplystruggle to stop once they’re “in it”feel physical resistance or distress when switching taskssuspect adhd, autism, or nervous system sensitivityare tired of productivity advice that ignores physiology This episode is an excerpt from a recent teaching session many of my clients receive. If you're also like to receive in depth support that covers the topics of work, money, the nervous system and how to live in this crazy world as a sensitive human without burnout, you can click here to book a consultation call and learn about support. I'll also have a new course "Work Doesn't Have To Cost All Your Energy" out soon for those of you who prefer structure and self-pacing. Stay turned. In this episode Why your brain is never “off”: the default mode network (dmn) and task-focus network (they’re anti-correlated, so switching is real work for your system)The salience network as your internal switchboard: how stress load and sensory/emotional input make transitions feel abrupt or even threateningUsing interoception as a bridge: noticing heart rate, breath, hunger, sensation to calm the switch instead of muscling through it4 somatic practices to exit hyperfocus without fighting yourself or your loved ones :) What if you're not the problem? Full report. Access the full report here: https://sheridanruth.com/what-if-youre-not-the-problem/ Your Next Step“I’m ready for something else... but I don’t know what that is.” If that’s you — start with a 90-minute Somatic Clarity Intensive. We’ll find your next step, the one your body can actually follow through on. Or if you’re tired of circling between “almost-ready” and “total doubt,” the 6-month journey helps you rebuild energy, boundaries, and clarity — so you stop second-guessing and start leading from your center. 🤍 Explore coaching here Burnout Is Weird PDF: 7 real stories of people who stopped trying to “fix themselves” and found steadiness in unexpected ways. click here Let Me Know You're Listening Connection is my love language! Let me know you exist and are listening along by sending me a ✨ on Instagram @_sheridanruth_ or LinkedIn Read Somatic Intelligence for Success Nervous system alignment to prevent burnout and leave an impact. Purchase here. Regulation Your Nervous System At Work Learn to regulate with practices you'll actually use. No need for more time, space or privacy. Download here. Try the Burnout Prevention AI ChatBot Soma helps you shift out of spirals, self-doubt, and stress-based decision-making—so you can lead from your most grounded, self-aware state. Access here. This podcast explores the intersection of sales, money, and business success, offering entrepreneurial insights on overcoming the inner critic, burnout, and the unique challenges of ADHD and autoimmune conditions, while...

    25 min

  4. 12/17/2025

    242: Interrupted, dismissed, not appreciated: burnout & your nervous system

    “I step up for everyone, but the second I need support, it’s ‘Well, that’s not my problem.’ It makes me feel like my effort doesn’t matter.”This episode goes into the burnout dynamics behind this quote. What if you're not the problem? Full report. Access the full report here: https://sheridanruth.com/what-if-youre-not-the-problem/ Energy Management Pilot This 5-week program helps thoughtful, sensitive, or neurodivergent professionals understand how their brain and body actually work — so they can rebuild focus, energy, and calm at work without pushing through. If you love your work but end the day drained, forgetful, or tense — this is for you. It’s not therapy or time-management hacks. It’s practical, body-informed psychology that helps you redesign the way you work so your system supports you instead of fighting you. You’ll learn to: ✨ Read your energy in real time and prevent create-and-crash cycles ✨ Recover faster after stress ✨ Set boundaries that hold ✨ Redesign your workflow to fit your brain ✨ End the day steady, not spent How it works: Short 30-min lesson on MondayGuided body practice on Wednesday5-min reflection on ThursdayOptional live call on Friday → About 1.5–2.5 hours per week, at your own pace. Join the pilot: Click here to apply or express interest.  Your Next Step“I’m ready for something else... but I don’t know what that is.” If that’s you — start with a 90-minute Somatic Clarity Intensive. We’ll find your next step, the one your body can actually follow through on. Or if you’re tired of circling between “almost-ready” and “total doubt,” the 6-month journey helps you rebuild energy, boundaries, and clarity — so you stop second-guessing and start leading from your center. 🤍 Explore coaching here Burnout Is Weird PDF: 7 real stories of people who stopped trying to “fix themselves” and found steadiness in unexpected ways. click here Let Me Know You're Listening Connection is my love language! Let me know you exist and are listening along by sending me a ✨ on Instagram @_sheridanruth_ or LinkedIn Read Somatic Intelligence for Success Nervous system alignment to prevent burnout and leave an impact. Purchase here. Regulation Your Nervous System At Work Learn to regulate with practices you'll actually use. No need for more time, space or privacy. Download here. Try the Burnout Prevention AI ChatBot Soma helps you shift out of spirals, self-doubt, and stress-based decision-making—so you can lead from your most grounded, self-aware state. Access here. This podcast explores the intersection of sales, money, and business success, offering entrepreneurial insights on overcoming the inner critic, burnout, and...

    19 min

  5. 12/08/2025

    241: I was overfunctioning in every role: a somatic trauma therapist on burnout & your nervous system

    For years I believed burnout meant I was doing something wrong — not resilient enough, not organised enough, not disciplined enough. By 2018 I’d already survived a violent relationship, the suicide of an ex-partner, losing my hair to an autoimmune condition, a cPTSD diagnosis, and working myself into the ground running a nonprofit in Colombia. From the outside, I looked capable and committed. Inside, I was collapsing for days after every big effort. I kept changing roles — yoga therapist, somatic trauma practitioner, relationship coach, Ayurvedic wellness coach — thinking, “Maybe the next job will finally feel better.” But under all of it was the same pattern: a nervous system stuck in overfunctioning, constantly scanning for threat and trying to earn rest. In this episode, I talk about: What overfunctioning actually feels like in the bodyHow ISO 45003 describes the point where performance and emotional regulation start to frayThe turning point in late 2022, when I realised I couldn’t hack or hustle my way into safetyWhat changed when I began rebuilding from the inside out — my sleep, energy, creativity, and relationship with work This isn’t just about me. It’s about how every time one person learns to work with their nervous system, it ripples into their team, workplace, and family. If you’re exhausted, over-responsible, or quietly wondering why you “should be coping better,” I made this episode for you. 💛 What if you're not the problem? Full report. Access the full report here: https://sheridanruth.com/what-if-youre-not-the-problem/ Energy Management Pilot This 5-week program helps thoughtful, sensitive, or neurodivergent professionals understand how their brain and body actually work — so they can rebuild focus, energy, and calm at work without pushing through. If you love your work but end the day drained, forgetful, or tense — this is for you. It’s not therapy or time-management hacks. It’s practical, body-informed psychology that helps you redesign the way you work so your system supports you instead of fighting you. You’ll learn to: ✨ Read your energy in real time and prevent create-and-crash cycles ✨ Recover faster after stress ✨ Set boundaries that hold ✨ Redesign your workflow to fit your brain ✨ End the day steady, not spent How it works: Short 30-min lesson on MondayGuided body practice on Wednesday5-min reflection on ThursdayOptional live call on Friday → About 1.5–2.5 hours per week, at your own pace. Join the pilot: Click here to apply or express interest.  Your Next Step“I’m ready for something else... but I don’t know what that is.” If that’s you — start with a 90-minute Somatic Clarity Intensive. We’ll find your next step, the one your body can actually follow through on. Or if you’re tired of circling between “almost-ready” and “total doubt,” the 6-month journey helps you rebuild energy, boundaries, and clarity — so you stop second-guessing and start leading from your center. 🤍 Explore coaching here Burnout Is Weird PDF: 7 real stories of people who stopped trying to “fix themselves” and found steadiness in unexpected ways. click here Let Me Know You're Listening Connection is my love...

    15 min

  6. 12/03/2025

    240: “I slept but woke tired”: allostatic load, burnout & your nervous system

    Why a good night's sleep or a holiday may not always reset you properly, introducing the concept of allostatic load—the invisible wear and tear from chronic stress. We explain the body's traffic light system with green, yellow, red, and blue states to illustrate different levels of nervous system activation and how they affect your ability to recover. Learn the importance of distinguishing between challenges and threats to manage burnout and maintain clarity at work. Special attention is given to sensitive, neurodivergent, or trauma-aware nervous systems.  The episode provides steps to: - Map your personal nervous system states and eliminate energy leaks.  - Know your safety cues and redesign daily transitions.  - Effectively pace your ambition and end your day on a green note.  00:00 Introduction to Allostatic Load 00:28 Understanding the Nervous System Traffic Light 00:52 Exploring the Four Nervous System States 02:11 The Concept of Allostatic Load 03:20 Impact of Allostatic Load on Daily Life 05:27 Managing Stress and Achieving Balance 08:17 Practical Steps for Nervous System Regulation 12:32 Conclusion and Additional Resources Recommended episodes 235: Fertility over 35. What your nervous system wants you to know 41: How The Freeze (and Fawn) Response Sabotages Financial Freedom 39: How The Sympathetic Nervous System (Flight) Response Sabotages Financial Freedom  40: How The Sympathetic Nervous System (Fight) Response Sabotages Financial Freedom Further Reading McEwen, B. S., & Stellar, E. (1993). Stress and the individual. Archives of Internal Medicine. McEwen, B. S. (1998). Protective and damaging effects of stress mediators. NEJM. What if you're not the problem? Full report. Access the full report here: https://sheridanruth.com/what-if-youre-not-the-problem/ Energy Management Pilot This 5-week program helps thoughtful, sensitive, or neurodivergent professionals understand how their brain and body actually work — so they can rebuild focus, energy, and calm at work without pushing through. If you love your work but end the day drained, forgetful, or tense — this is for you. It’s not therapy or time-management hacks. It’s practical, body-informed psychology that helps you redesign the way you work so your system supports you instead of fighting you. You’ll learn to: ✨ Read your energy in real time and prevent create-and-crash cycles ✨ Recover faster after stress ✨ Set boundaries that hold ✨ Redesign your workflow to fit your brain ✨ End the day steady, not spent How it works: Short 30-min lesson on MondayGuided body practice on Wednesday5-min reflection on ThursdayOptional live call on Friday → About 1.5–2.5 hours per week, at your own pace. Join the pilot: Click here to apply or express interest.  Your Next Step“I’m ready for something else... but I don’t know what that is.” If that’s you

    14 min

  7. 11/26/2025

    239: Reclaiming discipline after cPTSD, ADHD (nervous system trauma healing for work)

    With late-diagnosed adhd (and a lot of history with structure, authority, and power) my relationship with discipline has completely changed. Instead of forcing myself into strict routines, I’ve been practicing discipline as devotion and rhythm. When you trace the word back, discipline shares roots with disciple—to be devoted. In this podcast episode I’m inviting you to notice what truly nourishes you, and practice the devotion to meet it consistently. Predictable, gentle rhythms regulate the nervous system. They lower stress, soften cortisol spikes, and make emotional ups and downs easier to ride. For those of us with trauma in the mix, rhythm builds safety and self-trust. Over time, consistent devotional habits help your system trust you—and bring your power back. In this episode, we explore: Rhythm over rigidity—what that looks like day to dayHow devotion creates safety for a sensitive systemSmall, steady practices that rebuild self-trust 00:00 Introduction and Personal Journey 02:18 The Concept of Discipline 03:31 Creating Rhythms and Consistency 04:44 Practical Examples of Consistency 06:17 The Benefits of Predictability 09:24 Final Thoughts and Invitation What if you're not the problem? Full report. Access the full report here: https://sheridanruth.com/what-if-youre-not-the-problem/ Energy Management Pilot This 5-week program helps thoughtful, sensitive, or neurodivergent professionals understand how their brain and body actually work — so they can rebuild focus, energy, and calm at work without pushing through. If you love your work but end the day drained, forgetful, or tense — this is for you. It’s not therapy or time-management hacks. It’s practical, body-informed psychology that helps you redesign the way you work so your system supports you instead of fighting you. You’ll learn to: ✨ Read your energy in real time and prevent create-and-crash cycles ✨ Recover faster after stress ✨ Set boundaries that hold ✨ Redesign your workflow to fit your brain ✨ End the day steady, not spent How it works: Short 30-min lesson on MondayGuided body practice on Wednesday5-min reflection on ThursdayOptional live call on Friday → About 1.5–2.5 hours per week, at your own pace. Join the pilot: Click here to apply or express interest.  Your Next Step“I’m ready for something else... but I don’t know what that is.” If that’s you — start with a 90-minute Somatic Clarity Intensive. We’ll find your next step, the one your body can actually follow through on. Or if you’re tired of circling between “almost-ready” and “total doubt,” the 6-month journey helps you rebuild energy, boundaries, and clarity — so you stop second-guessing and start leading from your center. 🤍 Explore coaching here Burnout Is Weird PDF: 7 real stories of people who stopped trying to “fix themselves” and found steadiness in unexpected ways. click here Let Me Know You're Listening Connection is my love language! Let me know you exist and are listening along by sending me a ✨ on Instagram @_sheridanruth_ or a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sheridanruthbibo/"

    10 min

  8. 11/19/2025

    238: New “urgent” every day: burnout & your nervous system

    Do any of these feel familiar? your calendar keeps changing—no rhythm to your days.the plan changes every week.you’re asked to deliver without a clear definition of success.your income swings from month to month.the algorithms keep changing and your strategy feels outdated by morning.you’re stuck on the content hamster wheel—publishing but never feeling done.launch dates won’t stick, and timelines keep slipping.there’s no real “definition of done,” so nothing ever feels complete.you’re at a career crossroads with no map for what’s next. Today’s episode names this specific flavor of burnout (the kind you can function through) and explains why uncertainty (not just workload) quietly drains the nervous system. we’ll look at the physiology behind it, why classic resilience tools alone don’t resolve it, and the small, predictable cues that do: completion, clarity, recognition, rhythm, connection. What if you're not the problem? Full report. Access the full report here: https://sheridanruth.com/what-if-youre-not-the-problem/ Energy Management Pilot This 5-week program helps thoughtful, sensitive, or neurodivergent professionals understand how their brain and body actually work — so they can rebuild focus, energy, and calm at work without pushing through. If you love your work but end the day drained, forgetful, or tense — this is for you. It’s not therapy or time-management hacks. It’s practical, body-informed psychology that helps you redesign the way you work so your system supports you instead of fighting you. You’ll learn to: ✨ Read your energy in real time and prevent create-and-crash cycles ✨ Recover faster after stress ✨ Set boundaries that hold ✨ Redesign your workflow to fit your brain ✨ End the day steady, not spent How it works: Short 30-min lesson on MondayGuided body practice on Wednesday5-min reflection on ThursdayOptional live call on Friday → About 1.5–2.5 hours per week, at your own pace. Join the pilot: Click here to apply or express interest.  Your Next Step“I’m ready for something else... but I don’t know what that is.” If that’s you — start with a 90-minute Somatic Clarity Intensive. We’ll find your next step, the one your body can actually follow through on. Or if you’re tired of circling between “almost-ready” and “total doubt,” the 6-month journey helps you rebuild energy, boundaries, and clarity — so you stop second-guessing and start leading from your center. 🤍 Explore coaching here Burnout Is Weird PDF: 7 real stories of people who stopped trying to “fix themselves” and found steadiness in unexpected ways. click here Let Me Know You're Listening Connection is my love language! Let me know you exist and are listening along by sending me a ✨ on Instagram @_sheridanruth_ or LinkedIn Read Somatic Intelligence for Success Nervous system alignment to prevent burnout and leave an impact. Purchase here....

    14 min
See All (244)

5
out of 5
28 Ratings

About

If you’re capable, thoughtful, and doing everything “right,” but work still leaves you exhausted, wired, or unable to switch off — this podcast is for you. Sustainable Success explores burnout, over-functioning, and decision fatigue through a nervous-system lens. Not as personal failures to fix, but as understandable patterns that develop when you’ve been adapting to pressure, responsibility, and expectation for a long time. I’m Sheridan — a somatic trauma practitioner and yoga therapist with a background in trauma therapy and behavioural psychology. I work with high-functioning professionals who look fine on the outside, but feel depleted, frozen, or stretched thin underneath. Each episode offers clear explanations, grounded examples, and practical reframes to help you understand what’s actually happening in your body — and how to work in a way that’s more sustainable, steady, and workable over time. This is not a productivity podcast. It’s for people who have already tried the tools and want a calmer, more embodied way forward.

Information