Send us a text

Have you ever found yourself giving 100% to so many areas of your life that the math simply doesn't add up? That breaking point where your body and mind finally say "enough" isn't a failure—it's a desperate call to reconnect with yourself.

In this deeply resonant conversation, neuroscientist-turned-wellness coach Stephanie Pasniokas takes the mic as guest host to explore what happens when we push ourselves beyond sustainable limits. Together with Melissa, they unpack the biological reality of burnout, revealing how constant stress affects us at the cellular level, creating inflammation instead of energy.

Melissa vulnerably shares her journey of complete disconnection—physically unable to feel pain from a broken toe, emotionally unable to access her feelings, and mentally stuck in loops of anxiety and perfectionism. Her story illuminates how the very traits that help us survive challenging seasons (like compartmentalizing emotions during her husband's military deployments) can become liabilities when they prevent us from experiencing a full, connected life.

Perhaps most surprising is the revelation that many women find stillness and rest actively anxiety-producing. After living in constant motion, our nervous systems actually become comfortable with stress, making calm feel strange and threatening. This explains why you might find yourself filling every quiet moment with activity, even when you're exhausted.

Through Melissa's "Peace Restoration Method," we discover that reconnecting with ourselves doesn't happen all at once. It's a dance between mental and physical healing, between identifying harmful beliefs and creating new patterns. The key insight? We must feel to heal—and when we shut down difficult emotions, we inadvertently block joy and excitement too.

If you're feeling depleted, disconnected, or simply unable to remember who you are beneath all your responsibilities, this conversation offers both validation and hope. Healing is possible, even if your path doesn't involve moving to a tropic

You were designed for connection—and sometimes all it takes is a gentle word to remind you you’re not alone. 

Subscribe to The Lemon Balm NewsLetter for weekly encouragement, peaceful perspective, and behind-the-scenes updates from Melissa. It’s your midweek moment to pause, breathe, and reconnect with what matters most.

Sign up HERE

It’s time to rediscover YOU. Join the Reignite Your Flame Facebook group—a supportive community where women like you find peace, joy, and purpose. Together, we’ll nurture your mind, body, and spirit so you can shine again.  Don’t wait to start your journey back to yourself. 
Join Reignite Your Flame HERE

Support the show

Feeling soul-tired and ready for something more? 🌿

If you’re a woman over 40 longing to rediscover peace, joy, and genuine excitement for life again—start here.

✨ Download Break the Holiday Spiral: 5 Triggers That Steal Your Peace
(and How to Reset Fast). Step into the season with calm, clarity, and strength—without repeating the same old exhausting holiday cycle.

And join the Reignite Your Flame Facebook community, where women just like you gather to restore peace, find connection, and remember who they were designed to be.

Music by Adipsia