Curiosity Reframed Me: From Burnout to Authentic Freedom
How Curiosity Unlocks the Way We Lead, Live, and Feel Seen
The Breaking Point
There’s a moment you don’t see coming—the one where everything shifts, and suddenly, you’re on the outside of something you spent years building. Not because you chose to leave, but because the space you filled simply… closes. No transition. No next step. Just the quiet realization that the work, the impact, the presence you poured into it has moved on—without you.
I had spent 24 years showing up, anticipating needs, making things work. I was woven into the fabric of it all. And then, one day, the seat I held wasn’t there anymore.
At first, I told myself I just needed to reset. Rest. Recalibrate. Keep moving. But the truth was, I didn’t just feel tired. I felt invisible. Unseen. Disconnected.
And then, something unexpected happened.
The Mindshift I Couldn’t Unsee
During my yearlong coaching certification at the University of Texas at Dallas, everything in my life started to shift. I began to hear differently. I was more present. More aware. It was as if someone had turned up the volume on things I had ignored for years—my own thoughts, my own needs, the patterns I had been living on autopilot.
Once you see things through curiosity, you can’t unsee them.
The way I had measured my worth by how much I gave.
The way I had silenced my own voice to keep things running smoothly.
The way I had spent years doing instead of being.
Curiosity cracked something open in me.
Instead of reacting, I started questioning.
Instead of assuming, I started listening—really listening.
Instead of pushing through, I started paying attention to what actually felt aligned.
That’s when I realized: Curiosity didn’t just help me recover. It set me free.
Curiosity as a Reframe
Curiosity is more than a mindset shift—it’s a liberation.
At the heart of authentic leadership is a simple but profound transformation: moving from transactional interactions to human-centered connection.
When we lead with curiosity, we stop seeing people—including ourselves—as roles to fill or expectations to meet. Instead, we start seeing whole humans—complex, dynamic, and worthy of being fully seen.
Curiosity invites us into that possibility.
It frees us from outdated stories, helping us reframe challenges as growth.
It creates space for others, shifting from control to collaboration.
It anchors us in presence, allowing us to lead with more clarity and less urgency.
From Burnout to Being Holistically Seen
When I was deep in burnout, I thought I needed to fix myself. What I really needed was to see myself fully.
Social by Matthew Lieberman explains that our brains are wired for connection. When we feel unseen, unheard, or disconnected, our nervous system registers it as a threat. We shrink. We disengage. We burn out. As Chad Littlefield and Will Wise write in Ask Powerful Questions, "Connection is strengthened not by the right answer, but by the right question." The moment we shift from certainty to curiosity—when we ask questions that invite understanding instead of assumptions—we start to rewire how we connect.
Curiosity shifts that.
Curiosity creates psychological safety—the kind of environment where we feel safe to be vulnerable, to explore new possibilities, to trust ourselves again. When we practice curiosity, we activate neural pathways that fuel empathy, self-awareness, and emotional regulation—all essential for resilience and adaptability.
This is the work of curiosity—not just asking questions but giving ourselves permission to be fully seen in the answers.
Reframing How You Show Up
Curiosity isn’t just about leadership. It’s about how we show up in every space we enter.
Instead of “What’s next on the list?” → “What actually matters to me today?”
Instead of “How do I make them happy?” → “Where am I abandoning myself?”
Instead of “What should I do?” → “What feels true to me?”
This is the difference between living on autopilot and living with intention.
An Invitation to Reframe Your Own Story
If you’ve ever felt exhausted, unseen, or as though you’re just going through the motions instead of making a real impact, start with curiosity.
Lead with curiosity, not assumptions. Ask questions that invite understanding, not just answers. Approach yourself and others with care, openness, and a willingness to explore.
Create space for real connection. Be present. Be vulnerable. Let go of the need to have all the answers, and instead, embrace the power of listening—without judgment, without rushing to fix.
Trust that the questions themselves have value. You don’t have to get it “right.” Simply asking—genuinely, courageously—can unlock clarity, connection, and a deeper sense of belonging.
Because when you lead with curiosity, you don’t just unlock potential in others—you unlock something deeper in yourself.
This is how curiosity sets you free.
Let’s Get Curious Together
Curiosity has been the key to unlocking the next chapter of my life—and it can be yours too. If this resonates, I’d love to hear from you.
Welcome to a new way of leading, living, and showing up fully.