I’ve been at some low points in my life, but the past few weeks took me to a place I haven’t seen in a long time. A kind of heavy, bone-deep exhaustion that no amount of sleep or strong coffee could fix. I was functioning, sure… but barely. Just dragging myself through the motions and pretending that was enough.
The truth? It wasn’t.
But something strange happened in the middle of all that mess. I didn’t give up.
Radio. good old radio – kept me going. Sitting behind the mic, talking to people, connecting through stories and music… it gave me structure when everything else felt like it was falling apart. It’s funny how a job that demands so much energy can also give it back when you need it most. Even on the hardest days, it reminded me I’m still me. Still here. Still fighting.
But even with that lifeline, I’ve realised something crucial: I need to stop. Not quit… just pause. Take a breath. So, I’m taking two weeks off from next week. Not because I want to (believe me, it’s hard to let go of the mic), but because I have to. The tank’s empty, and if I don’t refill it now, I’ll burn out completely.
Part of what’s made the burnout worse is something else I’ve been tackling: my relationship with alcohol. After years of excuses and false starts, I’ve started going through Inclusion in an effort to give up drinking. It’s early days, and it’s hard. Like, really hard. But for the first time, I’m not pretending I can manage this solo. And that makes a massive difference.
This isn’t some glossy redemption arc. I’m still tired. Still anxious. Still working through it. But there’s a shift. A small one, sure—but enough to know I’m not stuck anymore. There’s movement. There’s intent.
The next two weeks aren’t about running away. They’re about resetting. Giving myself permission to rest, reflect, and come back stronger… not just for the radio, but for myself.
If you’re reading this and you’re deep in it too, whatever your version of ‘rock bottom’ looks like… please believe me when I say there is a way out. It’s slow. It’s messy. But it’s real.
And if you’ve got something in your life, like I do with radio, that gives you even a flicker of light in the dark… hold onto it. Let it remind you who you are, even when you’ve forgotten for a bit.
I’ll be back on-air soon. Just with a slightly fuller cup, and hopefully, a little more peace.