What a Year It's Been.

June 2024-June 2025.

Welcome to Denyse Whelan Writes Here.

What a Year It's Been. June 2024-June 2025.

It’s early days in June 2025 and yet, I know I am doing much better and so, the reason for this post will explain more..I hope.

When I saw the image of me at Manly Beach in June 2024….

and then saw the recent photo at the same place at the beach - wrote about here - almost a year on,

I knew it was time to share what has meant more to me than I realised.

And as a hat tip to my husband, he had already mentioned in July 2024 that he thought I may have ‘burnout’ and “I” kind of agreed and then ignored it.

And kept going…going…and OK, dear readers, you know about what happened but if you don’t there’s something

here. and here….( I am slow to take advice until my body shouts at me…) and with more insight….here.

And as a reminder to me, and my readers, more info is here…

The symptoms of burnout

Burnout encompasses a wide range of symptoms, including low energy, motivation or mood; feeling isolated or trapped; feeling cynical or disengaged from work; decreased life satisfaction; procrastination; irritability; feeling exhausted or drained; disrupted sleep; and physical responses like headaches and body pain.

You don’t need to exhibit all of these symptoms to be experiencing burnout. Conversely, if you’re exhibiting some of these symptoms, it doesn’t mean you’re necessarily experiencing burnout. Burnout usually occurs when you experience some/all of these symptoms in combination with feeling emotionally overloaded.

https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/news/experiencing-burnout-heres-what-to-do-about-it/

I admit, that November Denyse was already wearing out…

Rather than make it a story in chronological order…because even I, the writer, needs a change…

I decided to write about the 4Gs I had mentioned before, here.

Telling the truth with all the honesty I can muster, also matters and when I considered doing a look-back type of post and sourced some photos from then I felt ‘triggered’ by some of the memories which had, over time, also been part of my emotional exhaustion aka burnout diagnosis. So I did the caring and sensible thing to share this next part of my news and recovery strategies.

The 4 G’s…..

I’ve chosen these words as they have meaning for me. And in recovery as well as moving forward remembering how far I have come and also to ensure I do not slide back to ‘old behaviours’.

I’m going to post on social media from time to time about the 4 G’s but no longer giving myself internal pressure by making it a ‘planned’ thing.

GRIEF

GRATITUDE

GLIMMERS

GROWTH

Here’s my take for today, Monday 9 June, as I write to complete this post ready for Wednesday’s WWWhimsy link up.

Today I remembered with love and affection my late parents who drove from the Northern Beaches to Windsor to pick me up on a Friday night, when a friend from the country school where I was in my first year of teaching, offered me a lift to have a weekend back in Sydney. Aged 20 I think, knowing me, I probably took it for granted that my parents did that drive (at least an hour) to collect me …and they would have missed me, again something I did not even consider…and would have done that to see me for a while.

A grief memory of love and care.

These flowers make smile…especially as I know they are a bloom with lots of memories. My husband chose these for the garden after I asked him to plant something reminding me of Mum close to Mother’s Day. And here they are.

I notice a lot of things. Sometimes I pay more attention but what I do know is that if I am really noticing things, I see glimmers in my life that remind me that there is always “something” awesome around me. I chose this image of the sky to represent glimmers for me. I’m currently reading through Deb Dana’s Glimmers Journal and may share more of that another time.

Choosing an image of the ocean as it hits the shore to represent growth is pertinent to me. I am a life long learner and so I am interested in growth. A growth mindset will keep me on target for improved health too. It’s been an interesting time, the past year, and I am sensing the growth in my more positive outlook for my health, and knowing, thanks to my research and acting upon it, that growth is there!

A longish tale for readers and I hope one which helps you sense some of what I have been doing to become well again.

How are you going?

Denyse. x

I am linking up with Min and friends too here for WWWhimsy and am grateful for that kind place in the world of blogging. I understand that friends Sue from here and Debbie from here are hosting for now.