Dr. Joanne Sotelo: Realigning Your Life with Your Values to Prevent Burnout

Emotional exhaustion often begins when how you spend your time no longer matches what you deeply value, and in this episode, psychiatrist and coach Dr. Joanne Sotelo explains how to realign. In conversation with Dr. Erin Hurley, she defines realignment, shares personal stories of shifting roles and leaving a large institution, and unpacks research on burnout, autonomy, and meaning for women in medicine. Listeners get practical steps to reconnect with values, audit their schedules, regulate their nervous systems, and redefine success based on fulfillment, starting with just one boundary, one act of self-care, or one honest decision. Key Takeaways To Listen For • Emotional exhaustion rises when how you spend your time and what you truly value are out of sync • Alignment means choosing roles, commitments, and daily actions that reflect your current season of life, not an outdated version of you • Misalignment often shows up as irritability, numbness, brain fog, anxiety, sleep issues, and a fading sense of joy or self • Realignment begins by clarifying your values, auditing your schedule and roles, and making small, consistent changes toward what matters most • Sustainable success requires expanding the definition beyond productivity to include fulfillment, well-being, and authenticity “This realignment doesn't mean that you're going to completely change your life. It starts with awareness.” - Dr. Joanne Sotelo Connect With Us Do you want to hear more from the doctors of the Create Meaning In Medicine podcast? Discover more empowering content when you go to https://www.createmeaninginmedicine.com! ▶️ Watch our videos:    / @createmeaninginmedicine   🎧 Want to hear more? Find us on Apple Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crea...