Memories of Courage In May.

Now Helping Me in Recovery from Burnout.

Welcome To Denyse Whelan Writes Here.

I recently updated my header to include:

‘Words and Pics from Australia’ because that’s where I live. In Sydney’s North West.

About May.

Today is 1st May 2025 and I had these words pop into my head today as I was reflecting after doing my Daily Calm Meditation and reflection….

I need to find and use my courage again as I have before in May way back

Why Do I Need to Do This NOW?

I have been doing reasonably well taking the desired self-care path my G.P. ordered back in January 2025 when she diagnosed me with ‘emotional exhaustion’ aka burnout after a challenging decade. And I have lots of help and kindness from my husband, family and friends and am seeing a psychologist again, and doing some internal work via reading and a couple of awesome apps.

BUT…there is often a but, other things piled in on me a bit and I was not well …from a couple of virusses and good ole Irritable Bowel Syndrome* and a sudden but real fear of ‘going anywhere’ just in case….IBS*

BUT, BUT, as I thought about this today I realised I actually WANTED to take a few more risks so to speak to get me ‘back on a recovery track’ and here’s what happened.

May. It’s My Month of Courage.

It seems serendipitous that this very memory came up today and I remember how unsure I was around my physical health then as it would be less than 3 weeks in 2017 I would hear I had oral cancer.

I thought I would be dreading May’s arrival but now I see May as a friendly reminder of my capacity to raise my levels of courage, and build my inner confidence again and act ‘as if’ but also to know my age and current health and to do this changing steadily and quietly..and with NO INNER PRESSURE….did you hear that, inner critic?

Learning And Loving It.

Listening to 2 audible books as I follow on my Kindle (I tend to highlight and save for later) Titles are in quotes.

The first is almost finished and it’s about burnout, and written by 2 experts in compassion who found themselves on the brink of burnout (not feeling so lonely now) and the second I have just started and I am already loving it and the ideas.

I admit self-compassion has been a tough gig for me to encompass. But I am doing entries most days about my compassion towards myself and it really softens the voice of the inner critic.

My Therapy Works psychotherapist Julia Samuel MBE drew more of my attention to “Internal Family Systems” when she did training in it recently. Julia is on Substack.

I can see this helping me in many ways.

MAY I GO ON…YES YOU MAY.

There are some other courageous women I remember in May. One is my mother …sadly she has not been here for 18 Mother’s Days. Always in my heart…especially when I am cooking! My second granddaughter was born on a magical May morning in 1999 and I will never forget meeting the blondie at the San. She has faced more health challenges than most and I admire her attitude facing life as she does. The third person is my mum’s older sister, born on the last day of May and having some ‘not great life experiences’ but being a very giving person who spoiled me and mine big time.

COURAGE IN MAY.

I am someone who enjoys a challenge but also now someone who knows her limits…

Eight years almost since I face all that ‘cancer stuff’ and to be honest, this is the first year I will not be marking it with any kind of significance due to the on-going trauma it has caused. But I am dealing with it over time.

I am going to post on social media the ups, downs and in-betweens of helping myself, and getting helped to find my courage (and confidence!) and use them well again.

And my best friend and kindest person ever, the man I love and call B who is my partner in life…for over 54 years now. He agrees to selfies with no problem these days.

Two posts in 2 days…I knew I needed to have somewhere to write, share and keep myself on track. Thanks Substack!

How is your relationship with your inner critic?

Take care, everyone.

Denyse x