Meet Rachel Anzalone

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rachel Anzalone. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Rachel, 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 happens when we expend more energy than we have to give. We deplete ourselves. Our tank runs dry. This is a state that I’m all too familiar with.

For years I lived in a cycle of getting excited about something new, throwing myself into it in a really intense and all consuming way, giving it everything I had, and eventually finding myself in a stage of burnout, needing to take a long break, or sometimes quitting altogether.

When you’re feeling burned out, things can feel overwhelming, even hopeless. It’s a tough place to be. The only solution is to rest and regroup, so that’s what I did, again and again. In the recovery phase I made my health and happiness a priority. My days would be spacious and filled with all of the nourishing things I loved: time in nature, taking walks, yoga, reading, journaling, traveling, eating healthy, spending time with friends.

By the end of those breaks I would feel spectacular! So spectacular, in fact, that I would feel like I could take on the world, and before long, I would throw myself into the next big challenge, adventure, or project.

And…you guessed it…the whole cycle would repeat.

For a long time I blamed the things I was doing as the cause for the burnout–the company I was working for, the person I was supporting, or the athletic pursuit I had taken on. I conveniently ignored that there were other people doing the same types of things and NOT burning out.

Eventually I saw that there was one common thread–me.

I needed to figure out why I kept repeating this cycle and how to change it. I started to lean into the idea of aligned action–that when we are in alignment, our efforts take us farther, and even better: when we’re in alignment, our actions don’t feel like effort at all. And how do we know when we’re in alignment? We feel satisfied.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

As an Advisor, Mentor and Satisfaction Strategist, my mission is to help purpose driven entrepreneurs to expand their impact and profitability without sacrificing their health, happiness and well-being along the way.

I help my clients understand that they can have it all:
IMPACT, PROFIT and PLEASURE.

I bring over 25 years of experience in entrepreneurship, brick and mortar small business, corporate enterprises and digital marketing. I combine this experience with training and expertise in holistic wellness, personal and collective development, and embodiment work. My unique approach to business growth strategy blends deep self-inquiry, strategic development, and soul-aligned satisfaction.

I believe that ‘hustle and grind’ culture is a thing of the past, and entrepreneurs who want to thrive in the new economy must learn to align with their purpose and values to maximize their impact and potential.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

As I learned to avoid burnout, I realized that I needed to make three key changes in the way I was approaching life:

#1 – I needed to get better at assessing and choosing what things I wanted to invest my energy in, what things light me up, require less effort, and bring a feeling of joy.

To do so, I studied mindfulness and embodiment practices, learning to slow down, listen and feel into what’s most aligned for me. I also dove into Human Design, learning about my unique way of being in the world, what energy traps to be mindful of, and how to best utilize my gifts and strengths.

#2 – I needed to make a point of keeping my metaphorical tank full, so that when I have to do something that I don’t love or that is depleting (which we all sometimes do), that I have the reserves to pull from.

A mentor once said, “To the level you want to be of service in the world, that’s the level you have to invest in yourself at as well.” In other words: if you want to play a big game, you need to invest big in yourself.

I realized that I needed to up my game and move from ‘self care’ to ‘self cultivation’. That filling my tank could no longer mean putting a quick ten bucks in before I hit empty, but that I needed to be topping it off on a regular basis, and doing preventative maintenance. How I do that has changed and evolved over years, and is rarely the same for any extended period of time, but I always make it a priority to nourish myself: mind, body and soul.

#3 – I needed to learn to trust that doing enough IS enough, that doing more doesn’t get you there faster (at least not without consequences), and that everything happens in perfect timing.

This was a tricky lesson for me! I had to learn the nuance of ‘just enough,’ what it feels like to challenge myself without overextending myself, and that restfulness is not laziness. I had to learn how NOT to hustle. Every day, over and over, I ask myself: Is it time to stop? If I keep going will it be too much?

At the heart of all of this is learning what it feels like to be satisfied–to not over-do things or under-do them, but to do just enough. And it’s different for everyone.

That’s what’s at the heart of long term sustainability in all aspects of life and business: learning what satisfaction feels like for you, and choosing to make the pursuit of that feeling your priority.

How would you describe your ideal client?

Over the years I’ve found that I can be of the most service to entrepreneurs who:
– Are purpose-driven and want to have a big impact in the world by making people’s lives better
– Have a proven product or service and have worked hard to get their business off the ground and keep it afloat
–or– have a track record of professional success and are now looking showcase their expertise in their own venture or build their legacy project
– Have the desire to grow their business in a way that is more aligned and sustainable for the long term
– Have invested in their own personal and professional development in the past and understand the value that it brings

Contact Info:

• Website: http://rachelanzalone.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelanzalone/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachelMAnzalone
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelanzalone/