HAVE YOU LOST YOUR SPARK?
An Invitation to burned-out professionals to get your inner light turned back on.
When was the last time you felt truly energized, motivated about your work, and overall joyful? If you're struggling to remember, you're not alone.
We all know that feeling when our inner fire dims. Especially during times of constant change, it's challenging to maintain focus on our purpose. We find ourselves experiencing what I call the "spark deficit"—that feeling when our inner fire has dimmed to barely a flicker or completely blown out.
Why do we lose our spark?
It's easy to blame exhaustion, but the real culprit is more subtle than that.
The FUD (fear, uncertainty, and doubt) acts like a steady fog, dimming our inner light. We get caught in a cycle of worry that paralyzes our creativity and depletes our natural enthusiasm.
We might wake up one morning, look in the mirror, and wonder where our excitement and inspiration went. While it can feel like depression knocking at our door—and indeed, it can lead there—it's often just our old friend FUD (Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt) paying an unwelcome visit.
Here's the truth: what we worry about is what we care about. Our spark isn't gone—it's just waiting to be rekindled through reconnecting with what truly matters. During times like these, we ask ourselves essential questions: What is it all for? What truly matters? What do I care about? These are valuable questions for inner reflection and reset. They have helped me evolve and reshape my life and goals over the years.
Avoid asking yourself questions like "What's wrong with me?" Even though it might feel that way, trust me—there's nothing wrong with you for losing your spark. Instead, see it as an invitation to pause and discover what you care deeply about so that you can reignite that spark.
What does a good life mean to you?
Change and uncertainty can push us into survival mode, holding on to what we know and resisting the tension of what we don't know—the future around the corner that is not yet visible.
When we resist change and defend what we know and have, we get stuck. The essential truth of life is change—it's at the core of all growth, and life essentially is about growth. Nature is in constant change and growth, and we have accepted that as natural. Children change and grow; we expect them to. And we mature and age, even if we resist that; we still know it's natural. All we can do is take good care of ourselves so that the process becomes enriching instead of defeating.
Too often, we look at the end of something when change is pushing us forward, yet all change offers an opportunity to rethink what "good" looks like.
Often when I ask people—and leaders in particular—what good growth means to them, their answers tend to be about more of something rather than better of something.
I wonder if we are so conditioned to believe that abundance is always about more, instead of seeing it as an evolving mindset, a deepening relationship with ourselves and others, and a work environment where learning helps us harness possibilities, broaden our horizons, and innovate toward a better future for everyone.
It's easy to get lost thinking we have to follow everyone else's version of what a good life means, but it can wear us out. It can make us feel like we're on the "wrong shelf," where our work loses meaning beyond paying the bills, or where we crave recognition to feel that we—and our work—matter.
We can get caught in a cycle of meaninglessness instead of meaningfulness.
The Path to Reignition
Here's what I've learned from two decades of coaching professionals through their darkest moments:
Your spark isn't gone—it's buried under layers of worry, mental clutter, and disconnection from what matters to you. This realization can feel scary because it might mean breaking from societal norms and others' expectations.
What we worry about is what we care about. Rather than judging yourself for worrying, use your concerns as guideposts to what matters most. Every choice—big or small—shapes the puzzle of a good life.
Pushing harder isn't the answer—Power-Pausing is. True success comes from wisdom, not speed.
When we create space for listening, noticing, and observing, we realign our attention with our intention. This reconnection helps us reclaim our presence, choice, and inner fuel—powering peak performance without burnout.
Remember: A dimming spark isn't a sign of failure—it's an invitation to pause and evolve. Let’s rethink mental health as an essential part of our daily spark—something we must actively protect and nurture.
May the Pause be your Force.
