Elena Brower on Overwhelm, Boundaries, and Self-Compassion | Burnout Recovery for Women Over 40

Burnout recovery starts with slowing down. Yoga teacher ‪@ElenaBrower‬ shares how women over 40 can reduce brain fog, protect energy, and build sustainable courage. Burnout recovery isn't about doing more—it's about carrying less. In this episode of The Uplifters, legendary yoga teacher, author, and artist Elena Brower shares her journey from New York City's achievement-driven yoga world to Santa Fe's spacious creative life, offering a roadmap for women over 40 ready to trade exhaustion for sustainable energy. If you're experiencing brain fog, sleep disruptions from stress, or the physical toll of decades of overcommitment, Elena's story offers practical wisdom. She reveals how thriving in midlife means deliberately slowing down—not losing capacity, but gaining longer, richer days and protecting your nervous system from chronic overwhelm. The Hidden Cost of Burnout After 40 Many women over 40 attribute fatigue, brain fog, and mood changes solely to perimenopause, but chronic stress and burnout compound these symptoms. Elena's journey demonstrates how addressing the root causes—endless commitments, external validation seeking, and poor boundaries—can improve both mental clarity and physical wellbeing. What You'll Learn -How to use Nonviolent Communication (NVC) for self-compassion and reducing internal stress -Why deliberately slowing down improves focus, energy, and decision-making -Practical techniques for setting boundaries with work and family (including stopping work at 5pm) -The connection between achievement culture and nervous system dysregulation Why This Matters for Women 40+ at Work The midlife mindset shift Elena describes isn't about opting out—it's about opting in to sustainability. For women over 40 navigating leadership, career transitions, or simply trying to maintain performance while managing physical changes, her approach offers an alternative to pushing through exhaustion. Guest Bio Elena Brower is a renowned yoga teacher, artist, poet, author, and host of the Practice You podcast. Her first book, Art of Attention, became a foundational text in the yoga community. Her poetry collection Softening Time explores the tender terrain of midlife transformation. After years of teaching in New York City, Elena moved to Santa Fe, where she paints, writes, and studies Zen Buddhism while training for chaplaincy. Her latest book, Hold Nothing: A New Way of Seeing and Being, emerged from her journey of learning to carry less (fewer grudges, less rancor, fewer expectations) while holding more space for truth, creativity, and genuine connection. Elena is also the creator of the Daily Ceremony decks. Resources & References The Waste Books by Georg Christoph Lichtenberg Nonviolent Communication feelings and needs inventory Elena Nominates: Ally Bogard, Co-Founder of The Twenty Six, facilitator, mentor, creator, and author of The Quiet Teachers. Sponsor: Nutrafol: Visit Nutrafol.com with promo code UPLIFTERS for $10 off your first month subscription and free shipping Host Bio Aransas Savas is the host of The Uplifters Podcast and founder of LiveUp Coaching & Consulting. A former behavioral scientist who spent years studying what drives human motivation and sustainable change, Aransas now dedicates her work to helping midlife women build their courage capital—the internal reserves of bravery that allow us to take meaningful risks in the second half of life. _____ burnout recovery, midlife mindset, women over 40, brain fog, self-compassion practices, setting boundaries, stress reduction techniques, career change 40, mindful living, yoga philosophy, work-life balance midlife, personal transformation