There’s burnout, and then there’s the kind of burnout where even eight hours of sleep feels like nothing, your chest feels heavy for no reason, and the thought of answering one more email makes you want to evaporate into thin air.
That’s where today’s guest, LaKisha Mosley, found herself... on the edge of her 46th birthday, wildly “successful” on paper, and soul-tired in a way she couldn’t ignore anymore.
In our latest episode of If You Have Feelings, LaKisha opens up about hitting emotional rock bottom, losing both parents within a year, building a career during the chaos of 2020, people-pleasing her way into burnout, and the moment her doctor sat her down and said, “You’re severely depressed and you need help today.”
It’s raw, it’s real, it’s funny in that “if I don’t laugh, I’ll cry” way, and it’s painfully relatable for anyone who’s ever been the strong one, the high achiever, the go-to person, or the entrepreneur who just keeps pushing because… who else will?
Before We Dive In
First, start with our minisode on burnout. It’ll help you figure out what burnout what it looks like and how it feels in your body.
🎧 Listen to the I’m Feeling: Burnt Out minisode on →
If you listen and think “holy shit… that’s me,” you’re not alone.
That gut-level exhaustion you’re carrying might not just be stress. It might be burnout, the kind that sits in your body, not just your calendar.
The Moment You Realize “I’m Exhausted” Isn’t Just Being Tired
She talks about feeling:
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Overworked
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Disconnected from joy
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Physically exhausted in a way that hurt
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Outwardly “successful” but inwardly falling apart
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A sense that life was happening to her, not with her
This wasn’t about working long hours. It was grief, pressure, loss, perfectionism, and the silent expectation to carry everything all the time.
Her line that will stick with you forever: “It was a tiredness that sleep can’t even help.”
Burnout Isn’t Just About Your Job... It’s About How Much of Yourself You’ve Been Holding Together
One of the most powerful threads in this conversation is LaKisha’s relationship with “masking," performing okay-ness when she was internally unraveling.
On the outside?
Awards. Features. Success. Clients. Growth.
On the inside?
Doubt. Depression. Disconnection. Passive suicidal thoughts.
(Yes, those “I just want everything to stop for two days” thoughts that so many of us silently have and never say out loud.)
We also break down something people rarely talk about:
Burnout and depression often blend together, but they’re not the same thing.
Burnout = exhaustion tied to the roles you carry.
Depression = exhaustion that follows you everywhere.
And they can (and often do) feed each other.
You Can’t Heal Burnout Without a Community
This part of the episode is a gut punch in the best way.
LaKisha talks about:
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How burnout made her isolate
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Why “let me know if you need anything” is useless
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The importance of honesty in friendships
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Why we need accountability partners, not cheerleaders
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Setting boundaries without guilt
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Creating a crisis plan before you’re in crisis
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The importance of having people who can read your patterns
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Why entrepreneurs need community more than anyone
She’s transparent about how her support system works:
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If she disappears for more than two days? They show up. Literally.
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If she’s overwhelmed? They call. Repeatedly.
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If she’s spiraling? They have a system, not guesses.
Her message is simple: “We have a responsibility to tell people what burnout looks like for us. They can’t help if they don’t know.”
And she means that. This episode leaves you thinking about your own support system... who’s in it, who isn’t, and how to create the kind of friendships that actually hold you.
About LaKisha
LaKisha Mosley (she/her) is a mental health advocate, event curator, and founder of The Soft CEO Society. She helps women entrepreneurs prioritize mental wellness without sacrificing ambition, curating powerful spaces for healing, connection, and sustainable success.
Follow on Instagram or LinkedIn and join her brand new Soft CEO community.
