We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Dr. Janet Little a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Dr. Janet, thrilled to have you on the platform as I think our readers can really benefit from your insights and experiences. In particular, we’d love to hear about how you think about burnout, avoiding or overcoming burnout, etc.
Burnout is often misunderstood as a one-time event. You hit a wall, you crash, you recover—end of story. But that wasn’t my experience. Burnout, for me, wasn’t just an endpoint. It was a wake-up call… and later, an invitation to go even deeper.
Years ago, I was living the dream my 10-year-old self had envisioned—becoming a physician, a leader, someone who made an impact. I was a wife, a mother, a medical director overseeing over 20 offices and 75 providers across the Mid-Atlantic. From the outside, I was everything I’d hoped to be. But on the inside, I was disappearing.
I gave more and more of myself to hold it all together—longer hours, greater availability, putting out everyone else’s fires. But the more I gave, the less of me there was. I numbed my emotions. A glass—or more—of wine became my escape. I felt so much… that I started to feel nothing.
Then one evening, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror—exhausted, hollow. Next to me was a picture of my young son, eyes full of wonder. And in that moment, I faced a truth I couldn’t ignore. If I couldn’t find the strength to rise for me, I had to do it for him.
That was the first pivotal moment: surrender. Not to more striving, but to God. And that surrender began with one hard but honest admission: “I am not okay.”
The healing didn’t happen all at once. It took intention, and it took investment. I began rebuilding my physical energy through body recomposition—committing to consistent movement, nourishing foods, and sleep that actually restored me. I made space to feel again, to journal, to sit in uncomfortable, even dark places—not to stay there, but to find my way back to myself. I wasn’t just trying to survive anymore. I was learning to be the light again.
My connection with God began to shift. I no longer felt the need to perform to be accepted or loved. I realized burnout wasn’t just about external demands—it was about the internal disconnection from my intuition, my worth, and the truth of who I was created to be.
Years later—after I had built a more balanced life and was even helping others navigate their own burnout—another wave came. Softer this time. More subtle. I felt the fading of clarity, the quiet overwhelm creeping in again. I stepped back—not because I had nothing to offer, but because I needed to listen.
Could I trust my “picker” again—that inner compass that helps me make aligned choices? Could I trust my “get-up” muscles to rise, not from fear or pressure, but from purpose?
This second burnout wasn’t a failure. It was an invitation to go even deeper.
And what helped me navigate that second wave—what still grounds me today—is what I now teach as The Resilience Code—an approach to wholeness that strengthens every energy source: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Because true resilience isn’t about pushing harder. It’s about living aligned, rooted, and fully connected to what matters most.
Burnout didn’t break me. It brought me back to life.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Dr. Janet Little, affectionately known as Dr. Jan, is a physician, trauma-informed resilience coach, and international speaker who helps high-achieving professionals create sustainable success without sacrificing their health. A seasoned physician leader who has overseen 75+ healthcare professionals, she understands the hidden costs of high performance and the toll burnout takes on individuals and organizations.
After her own battle with burnout, Dr. Jan founded Optimal Vitality MD, LLC, integrating neuroscience, medicine, and personal development to equip professionals with strategies for lasting resilience. As a Lisa Nichols Certified Transformational Trainer and Lodestar Trauma-Informed Professional Coach, she specializes in guiding leaders, healthcare professionals, and corporate teams through the process of reclaiming their energy, confidence, and fulfillment.
Her signature framework, The Resilience Code, teaches professionals how to build sustainable energy—physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually—so they can thrive, no matter the circumstances. She believes true success isn’t just about achievement but about sustainability—helping leaders show up powerfully without burning out.
Through coaching, consulting, and speaking, Dr. Jan helps individuals and organizations navigate stress, optimize performance, and build cultures of resilience. Her heart-centered, results-driven approach empowers professionals to break free from cycles of exhaustion and step into vitality, confidence, and lasting impact.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Looking back, three qualities were most impactful in my journey: resilience, surrendered action, and self-trust. Each played a crucial role in my ability to overcome burnout—not just once, but when it crept back in years later.
1. Resilience: The Power to Rise and Rebuild
Resilience isn’t just about pushing through exhaustion or toughing it out—it’s about knowing how to replenish yourself in ways that are sustainable. Early in my journey, I thought resilience meant working harder, proving my worth through performance. But true resilience came when I learned to balance my energy, not just spend it.
Advice: Build resilience by managing your core energy sources—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Invest in practices that restore you, whether that’s movement, nutrition, therapy, or faith. Resilience isn’t about never falling—it’s about knowing how to rise, stronger and wiser.
2. Surrendered Action: Releasing Control to Move Forward
One of my biggest breakthroughs came when I stopped trying to control everything. I thought success meant having all the answers, doing everything myself, and never appearing weak. But it was in surrender—when I admitted I wasn’t okay, when I allowed myself to receive support—that I found real momentum. Surrendered action means you don’t just sit back and wait; you take steps forward, but with trust instead of force.
Advice: Learn to discern between striving and aligned action. If you’re forcing things, feeling depleted, or constantly chasing, step back and ask: Am I moving in faith or in fear? True progress happens when you release the need for control and trust that the right steps will unfold.
3. Self-Trust: Reconnecting with Your Own Wisdom
Burnout had eroded my ability to trust myself. I had spent so much time overgiving, listening to external expectations, and second-guessing my instincts that I no longer knew what was truly mine. Rebuilding self-trust meant reconnecting with my intuition—learning to listen to that quiet, inner voice that had been drowned out by years of striving.
Advice: Cultivate self-trust by getting quiet, reflecting, and honoring your intuition. Journaling helped me process my emotions. Therapy and coaching provided a safe space to work through doubts. The more I leaned into my own wisdom, the more confident I became in making decisions that aligned with my well-being.
How would you describe your ideal client?
My ideal client is a professional, typically between the ages of 35-50, who feels deeply exhausted, overextended, and disconnected from their true self, yet is unsure of what they’re missing. They know they can’t stay where they are, but they aren’t sure exactly what needs to change. Despite this uncertainty, they are ready for a shift and open to healing and transformation. They seek to reclaim their power, purpose, and balance, understanding that “sleep doesn’t help if it’s your soul that’s tired.” My role is to guide them on a journey of resilience, helping them tap into their physical, spiritual, and emotional energy sources to overcome burnout and create lasting, meaningful change.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://drjanetlittle.com/
- Instagram: @drjanetlittle
- Facebook: www.linkedin.com/in/drjanetlittle
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/drjanetlittle
Image Credits
Milton Lawrence Creative Agency
Ryan C. Greene @ GreeneHouse Media
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
