Soul Joy: Burnout Truths for Brilliant Women
You did everything right—earned the master’s, the doctorate, the letters after your name—yet you wake up tired, anxious, and secretly wondering if all that achievement was worth it.
Welcome to Soul Joy, the podcast where Dr. Julie Merriman, PhD counselor educator and burnout researcher, says the quiet parts out loud.
Here we tackle the truths no one warned you about:
⚡ “Your PhD Is Making Your Burnout Worse” – why the traits that earned your degree now fuel exhaustion
⚡ “Self-Care Is Gaslighting for Smart Women” – how bubble-bath advice ignores real science
⚡ The Perimenopause Career Crisis – hormones, leadership, and the hidden storm of midlife
⚡ The Achievement Paradox – when success leaves you empty inside
Each episode blends hard research, behind-the-scenes vulnerability, and practical, science-backed solutions to help advanced-degree helpers—therapists, physicians, professors, clergy, and other brilliant women—ditch burnout and fall in love with life again.
If you’re ready to question the wellness clichés, rewrite the rules of professional success, and discover that your best chapter is still ahead, hit follow.
Your education prepared you to help others.
Now it’s time to help yourself.
🙏 Be part of my FREE Community: Soul Joy Circle! ✨https://www.facebook.com/groups/souljoycircle
❤️ Visit my website: www.juliemerrimanphd.com
✉️ Email me: info@juliemerrimanphd.com
Soul Joy: Burnout Truths for Brilliant Women
Chakras & Snacks
It's Friday, and you've made it through another week. Your chakras are exhausted, and you know what they need? Snacks. In this 5-minute episode of Soul Joy Fridays, we explore the completely made-up (but surprisingly helpful) Chakra Snack Alignment System™ and remember that being brilliant doesn't mean being serious all the time.
In This Episode, You'll Discover:
- The Chakra Snack Alignment System™ - A ridiculous but oddly useful guide to aligning your energy centers with your favorite foods
- Why your body is a festival tent, not a temple - And why that's actually better
- What chakras actually represent - The real wisdom behind the seven energy centers (delivered with humor)
- Your Friday assignment - One simple practice that requires eating a snack mindfully
- Permission to laugh at yourself - And why that's the most spiritual thing you can do
Key Quotes from This Episode
"Your body is not a temple. Temples are cold and you're not allowed to touch anything. Your body is more like a festival tent—colorful, full of life, occasionally chaotic, and snacks are definitely allowed."
"You don't have to earn rest with productivity. You don't have to earn snacks with salads. You don't have to earn joy with suffering."
"You're allowed to be a brilliant woman who takes herself seriously Monday through Thursday and absolutely NOT seriously on Friday. That's balance, baby."
"You're not doing spirituality wrong just because you think 'chakra snacks' is funny. Because it IS funny. And you deserve to laugh."
The Chakra Snack Alignment System™
- Root Chakra (Red): Pizza - Grounding through tomato sauce
- Sacral Chakra (Orange): Cheese puffs - Creative life force expression
- Solar Plexus (Yellow): French fries - Manifesting through potatoes
- Heart Chakra (Green): Salad with all the toppings - Self-love in action
- Throat Chakra (Blue): Blue raspberry candy (or skip it) - Communication through chewing loudly
- Third Eye Chakra (Purple): Grapes, blueberries, or wine - Intuitive truths
- Crown Chakra (White/Violet): Ice cream - Divine connection to the present moment
Your Friday Assignment
- Pick a snack that makes you happy (not the one that makes you "good")
- Actually sit down (not at your desk, not over the sink like a raccoon)
- Eat mindfully - taste it, enjoy it, honor yourself
- Text a friend and tell her what chakra your snack is healing
- Laugh together
This is your spiritual practice. This is balance.
What Chakras Actually Represent
- Root: Grounding, safety, foundation
- Sacral: Creativity, pleasure, enjoying life
- Solar Plexus: Confidence, personal power
- Heart: Love for self and others
- Throat: Self-expression, communication
- Third Eye: Intuition, inner wisdom
- Crown: Spiritual connection, bigger picture
Connect with Soul Joy
Website: www.juliemerrimanphd.com
Instagram: @dr.juliemerriman
Also Listen To
Soul Joy: Burnout Truths for Brilliant Women - Our main podcast with deeper dives into burnout recovery, boundaries, and sustainable living for high-achieving women.
About Soul Joy Fridays
Soul Joy Fridays is your 5-minute permission slip to not take life so seriously. Each Friday, we explore the lighter side of brilliant living—with humor, heart, and the occasional absurd spiritual metaphor. Hosted by [Your Name], this is where high-achieving women remember that joy and silliness are just as important as productivity and purpose.
New episodes every Friday.
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