-- A quiet struggle is affecting women across the world - one that looks like burnout on the surface but goes much deeper. Experts describe this as emotional exhaustion, but writer and creator Mary Brey of Following Sparks calls it a “soul drought.” It is a season of depletion that no amount of bubble baths or productivity hacks can repair.
A soul drought can feel like craving rest but feeling worse afterward, losing interest in things once loved, or moving through daily life with a sense of distance. Many women in this state describe feeling like they are watching their lives from the outside. Even when responsibilities lessen, joy feels flat and unreachable.
According to Following Sparks, a soul drought often follows long periods of survival mode or trauma. When the body is finally safe, the nervous system has not yet caught up. Instead of relief, women may feel blank and unmotivated, wondering why “rest” does not bring recovery.
To address this, Following Sparks has created a growing collection of 30-day guided journals that focus on tiny sparks instead of big leaps. These journals — including Permission to Pause, Softening the Edges, and The Leapbook — provide approachable daily prompts and reflections designed to help women reconnect with themselves gently.
The approach is intentionally simple. Instead of pushing readers to answer overwhelming questions or pursue major transformations, the journals emphasize micro-moments of care and awareness. Prompts may include noticing one small thing that feels good, practicing a tiny ritual, or reflecting on a shift in mood.
The Following Sparks blog expands on this concept in its article, It’s Not Just Burnout — It Might Be a Soul Drought. The piece explains why women often feel worse after resting, why the drought is not a personal failure, and why gentle practices are often more effective than drastic changes.
The blog also introduces the Spark Path framework, which maps out phases of rediscovery. The first phase, Spark Embers, honors the numbness and depletion of the soul drought and encourages readers to trust that a spark still exists beneath the ashes.
By naming the soul drought and offering accessible tools, Following Sparks provides validation and relief for women who feel unseen in traditional wellness conversations. The focus is not on forced positivity or immediate transformation, but on small, genuine sparks of life that gradually lead out of exhaustion.
For more information and to read the full article, visit: https://www.followingsparks.com/blog/soul-drought-vs-burnout
Contact Info:
Name: Mary Brey
Email: Send Email
Organization: following sparks
Address: 5775 Rolling Pines Court, Kalamazoo, MI 49009, United States
Website: https://www.followingsparks.com/
Release ID: 89170915