This post feels like reopening the door to a house I once loved… and left mid-renovation. Dust on the floor. Ghosts of ambition floating in the air. That house is my blog. That house is my business. That house is me.

Burnout in Business: The Disappearing Act

I disappeared from this blog for over six months. But honestly, I was gone long before that mentally, emotionally, creatively. Running a gift curation business during an economic downturn nearly broke me.

2024 was brutal. Sales dried up. Costs climbed. Clients hesitated. And amidst all this, my family was growing. School fees. Sick kids. Guilt. And the sleepless nights of wondering if I was doing enough for my customers, my kids, and myself.

What Burnout Really Looks Like

It’s not always dramatic. Sometimes, burnout looks like opening your Shopify dashboard and feeling nothing. Like delaying your emails. Like closing your laptop because you can't fake the energy anymore.

I stopped loving the business I built. My creativity dried up. My confidence? Gone. I wasn’t lazy, I was running on fumes.

Lessons from the Ashes

But here’s what that season taught me:

• 1. Your business is not your identity. Sales aren’t your worth.
• 2. Burnout is a warning, not a weakness. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
• 3. Growth is seasonal. Even trees pause to survive winter.
• 4. Family is the real bottom line. My why. My anchor.
• 5. You can come back stronger. Not in spite of the fire, but because of it.

Rebuilding the Business and Myself

I’ve returned, but I’m doing it differently. I’m creating gift experiences from a place of intention, not desperation. My new boundaries are sacred. My energy is guarded. My joy is non-negotiable.

This time, I’m not just building a business ; I’m building a life that feels good to live.

To You, The Reader

If you’re in the thick of it, know this: You are not alone.

If you’ve lost yourself in the hustle, I've been there too.

If you're trying to find your way back; this is your sign that you can.

The comeback is always stronger than the setback. Even Gift Maestros need intermissions.

Thank you for being here. Thank you for reading. This chapter is just beginning and I’m so glad we’re writing it together.

With grit and grace,
Ajiro
*Your Gift Maestro, Back from the Brink*