From Burnout to Barefoot Walks: Reclaiming My Energy as a Trauma Surgeon Mom

There was a time in my life when being exhausted felt normal. It was the rhythm of residency, the culture of medicine, and the expectation placed on women who dare to pursue demanding careers while managing a home. I wore my sleepless nights like a badge of honor. I pushed through shifts, drank caffeine like water, and skipped meals in the name of saving lives.

Things changed when I realized I couldn’t get pregnant.

That moment forced me to stop and look at what I had been calling “normal.” I wasn’t just tired—I was disconnected from my own well-being. My body, after years of sacrifice and survival, was waving a white flag. And for the first time, I listened.

What began as a fertility struggle turned into a deeper awakening. I realized I couldn't keep showing up for everyone else while neglecting myself. I didn’t want to keep pushing through life—I wanted to feel fully alive in it.

That’s when I began to see physical health as the foundation of purpose.

The first step was unlearning what I thought health looked like. It wasn’t about fitting into old scrubs or bouncing back—it was about energy. Mental clarity. The ability to feel present in my life.

I began learning about:

• Endocrine disruptors in everyday products that were quietly hijacking my hormones.

• Gut health and its surprising connection to mood, sleep, and fertility.

• Nourishment that respected my female physiology, not just my work schedule.

• Movement that supported my cycle rather than punished it.

• And the hardest piece: rest, which I had treated like an optional bonus instead of a necessity.

This journey wasn’t just physical. It was emotional. Spiritual. I began treating my body like someone I loved—not just a machine that got the job done.

And now, as I raise my son, that clarity only deepens.

Today, I don’t run on fumes. I walk barefoot in the morning sun with him. I nourish with intention. I move because it makes me feel alive. And I teach other healthcare professionals how to do the same.

Because burnout doesn’t mean you're broken. It means your body is wise—and it’s time we start listening.