The Art of Crumbling

Marianna Jaross

I have spent a lot of my life in higher education, chasing opportunities and degrees with the thought that I would finally land in the place that felt right.

The life I built hasn’t been sustainable. It has been characterised by burn-out, periods of rest, and not being able to function in the same way I am used to. I have gone from someone high energy and ever-curious to someone who still has these traits, but cannot maintain this pace in this season of life.

Our health is arguably our most important asset, and I have been ignoring mine in favour of the career I had built. This is the guide I wish I had had:

1.) Stop doing what is not working, and ask yourself the big questions. I had been stuck in a merry-go-round of trying to ‘make things work.’ Small tweaks. Different hours. Different jobs. I have had a forced pause on my career while I do the work of figuring out what my ‘new normal’ is going to look like.

2.) Your work doesn’t have to be your whole identity. Our jobs can become deeply entwined with our identity, particularly if they have a long trajectory, several milestones, and a title attached to it. We can internalise this as part of our identity to our detriment. If we loosen this relationship, we can release some of the pressure valves that may be keeping us stuck in places that are no longer aligned or helpful for us.

3.) Don’t rush. There is a difference between making use of your time, and ignoring your body’s cues for rest, relaxation, and recalibration.

4.) Aligned action + trust is powerful. Applying for new work. Writing. Implementing healthy routines. Self-care. Thinking about how I want my life to look and doing my best to align to it. Do the steps that make sense for you, and trust that the path will reveal itself.

5.) Give yourself grace for the hard days. The foundations of our life crumbling is stressful, especially if it is to do with our home, finances, stability, and relationships. Understand that the hard days are a part of the process, and practice pivoting towards possibilities.

6.) Sometimes things crumble to rebuild thoughtfully. If what you were doing was working, it would have continued. There is a reason that things around you have crumbled; and some of it might be because the universe is urging you to do something different. Perhaps it’s now time for you to listen.

7.) Keep your head up and your energy open for opportunities. A part of our work is to recognise opportunities when they are in front of us. Keep on the look-out by engaging with your routines, engaging with positive steps forward, and engaging with the world.

This work is messy, but deeply neccessary. Keep going.

© Marianna Jaross 2026