003: The Hidden Cost of Success (And How to Reclaim Your Life Force)
Issue 003 | June 30th, 2025 | From Depletion to Flow: Why Your Business Can Only Be As Alive As You Are
In a world that measures success by output and optimization, we've forgotten what it feels like to be truly alive.
This month's exploration of vitality arrives at a critical moment. As entrepreneurs, we're witnessing an epidemic of depletion masquerading as dedication. The hustle culture that once promised freedom has become a prison of perpetual exhaustion. We've confused busyness with purpose, energy drinks with life force, and survival with thriving.
But something is shifting.
"Vitality isn't something we generate through force—it's something we allow through alignment."
The four powerful pieces in this issue reveal interconnected truths about vitality that build upon each other like movements in a symphony. Together, they map a journey from depletion to restoration, from forcing to flowing, from fragmentation to wholeness.
Our featured essay takes us into the treatment room of a healer who lost herself in service to others.
’s 26-year journey from being "the Best Massage Therapist in Sarasota" to a woman who couldn't recognize herself in the mirror serves as both warning and invitation. When she admits "I didn't fall out of love with massage—I fell out of connection with myself," she names the shadow side of success in a fragmented paradigm. Her story reminds us that our businesses are only as vital as we are.’s contribution from his Bangkok balcony offers the antidote through his river metaphor. His distinction between energy (that sharp force that burns bright and burns out) and vitality (the natural current that flows without forcing) provides a new lens for understanding sustainable leadership. After five years of morning QiGong practice, he's learned what many leaders are just discovering: when you stop pushing so hard and start flowing more intentionally, everything paradoxically accelerates."The intersection of what we're qualified to do and what lights us up inside—that's where vitality resides."
What emerges from these diverse perspectives is a unified truth: vitality isn't something we generate through force—it's something we allow through alignment. This distinction marks the difference between sustainable Sacred Business and the fragmented approach that leads to burnout.
The practices shared across these pieces aren't productivity hacks disguised as wellness tips. The massage therapist's return to honoring sleep as sacred restoration, Marc's five practices for reconnecting to source, Carolina's invitation to speak our true desires aloud, and the reminder that purpose provides sustainable fuel—these are all facets of the same diamond.
And for those ready to explore their own vitality patterns more deeply, the Harmony Map Assessment offers a practical next step, revealing which of the 9 Fundamental Frequencies might be blocking your flow.
"What if your next business breakthrough isn't waiting in another strategy or system, but in the restoration of your own vitality?"
This is what Sacred Business has always been about: recognizing that everything is connected. Your vitality affects your business. Your business affects your relationships. Your relationships affect your purpose. When we try to compartmentalize these aspects, we create the very blockages that drain our life force.
What if the most radical thing you could do for your business is to admit what you really want, to feel the earth beneath your feet, or to trust the river already flowing through you?
These aren't just nice ideas. They're the foundation of a new paradigm—one where success is measured not by how much we can endure, but by how fully we can flow.
Featured Essay
Vitality: From Burnout to a Reckoning and Consciously Healing
by Diane Lane
/vai'taliti/ The state of being strong and active; energy
Doesn't the word 'vitality' sound like you should have your arms thrown up in the air like a V?
At this time in my life, vitality is in a café allongé and a croissant whilst sitting near tall trees and flowering gardens. It's walking among the remarkable architecture and empty streets of Montpellier, France early in the morning. Vitality is taking naps at any time of day and whenever I feel like closing my eyes to simply rest, no matter how many times a day I feel the need.
I did not get to this fancy little Rue du Paris easily.
An Artisan of Vitality
I prided myself in being a licensed massage therapist for nearly 26 years. Add to that my degree in Marketing and a clear understanding of demographics and positioning, and it was easy to assume the position of the Best Massage Therapist in Sarasota, Florida.
What this looked like in real life was my phone ringing all day long every day. Being a "double Capricorn 'junkie,'" I took the calls and with great pleasure and added clients to my calendar wherever I could possibly squeeze in the next 60 or 90 minutes session. My ego was in Heaven!
"It's kind of like, you don't know you're a junkie until you are flat on your face."
When Covid-19 hit in 2020, the calls ~ and my schedule ~ intensified. With loads of new clients fleeing to Florida from more restricted areas, they brought with them heightened anxiety and wild, erratic energy — straight to my massage table. For all that things seemed quasi normal, I didn't realize I was being pushed to my internal limit.
The experience of burnout came on over a period of time; slowly seeping in in a way I didn't quite realize was actually happening. An hour massage session began to feel like an eternity, 90 minutes was nothing short of torture, and I found it all but impossible to remain present to the bodywork I was now "performing."
Then one morning when I wanted to scream my lungs out. I wanted to punch the man on my table who asked if he could remove the sheet covering his body. He wasn't the first, nor the last.
From that moment forward, my tolerance of people was limited to the extent of what was (sort of, officially) required of me. And, as silly as it sounds, there would be no more "spa music." From that moment forward, it was predominantly house lounge music, played softly, of course, as the only source I had for holding onto my sanity.
"My vitality ~ my life force energy ~ was being sucked out of me, one client at a time."
I survived. Possibly, never the same.
Vitality K-O
The next level knock-out came when a marketing company killed my business. I'll spare you the details.
I spent months trying to put life into a massage practice I no longer had a heart for. I had a purpose: Scale my practice and get the hell out of Florida.
For all the effort in that last year, I consistently felt like I was banging my head against the wall. The impact, pun intended, was, my thoughts were lost; my ability to concentrate and remain focused on my future became only in the doing of what was the next physical thing to do. I rarely felt like I was managing two steps forward, but consistently felt one step back.
When you lose your heart for what you once loved, thoroughly enjoyed, felt pride for, was proud of, felt like a life accomplishment, was admired and respected for, with a great reputation among in the community and among peers, and rang all your bells….then it suddenly crashes…!!!
The fall is hard. The impact is grave. Vitality is lost.
Vitality In Flames
"I didn't fall out of love with massage ~ I fell out of connection with myself."
My body knew what my mind tried to override.
Thirty-five pounds of weight. Inflammation in my hands and feet. Not sleeping well. Eating until it became painful. Sometimes smoking weed with the intended desire of reaching the outer stratosphere, knowing I was moderately depressed. Then one day looking in the mirror and seeing a woman I thought I would never see.
Being clear I had basically lost myself, I saw vitality as shifting from overdrive and depletion to the flickers of reclaiming my energy.
Maybe I don't entirely know what vitality is right now. I know what it isn't. It isn't pushing through. It isn't being The Best of anything. It isn't ethereal spa music. It definitely isn't being at the top of Google while losing control of my health and well-being.
Sleep as the Foundation of Vitality
In an effort to regain my vitality, I have recently allowed myself to re-honor the need for sleep. My entire life I was an afternoon napper, with an exceptional affinity for my pillows, my linens, and the beauty of my bedroom. This room has always been my sanctuary. Except, of course, for the "Covid years," where I put my ego, money, and the healing of others over my own well-being and my afternoon naps. This was an huge price to pay, for which I am reminded every day.
A pivotal study published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology (2007) investigated how partial sleep deprivation impacts mood, fatigue, and vitality with impaired mitochondrial function, which directly affects energy at a cellular level.
Once sleep was restored to 8+ hours, participants reported renewed feelings of vitality and well-being, reinforcing the body's deep dependency on sleep for energy regeneration.
🌿 Vitality in Holistic Medicine
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), sleep is linked with the restoration of "Qi," or life force energy. The liver, which governs detoxification and emotional resilience in TCM, replenishes Qi during sleep—particularly between 1:00–3:00 AM, when its meridian is most active. Without sufficient sleep, Qi is said to stagnate, manifesting in fatigue, low mood, and lack of inspiration—classic signs of diminished vitality.
"Sleep is not just rest; it is cellular repair, hormonal regulation, emotional reset, and the primary source of our daily vitality."
Wide Awake with Joie de Vivre
When vitality becomes a glimmer of reality, I believe you have to become consciously aware of bringing vital life force energy into your daily life. Consciously starting with loving yourself ever so gently and learning new patterns of generating life force. Only without force, and without judgement.
The shift towards vitality is an intentional focus on feeling. Consciously and frequently asking yourself, "How do I feel?" And then literally pausing to listen. Then act.
Before I open my eyes, I say my prayers of gratitude. As I sit on the side of my bed and my feet touch the floor, I now remind myself my day is the journey to the destination of serving. Serving myself first. Nourishing my body with water and proper nutrition. Movement to release what has become stiff and painful. Contemplation and pause to reflect on what matters most and what I desire to be accomplished on this day.
"It is at a gingerly pace I desire to hold onto the vitality of my life, for all of my life."
Ensuring I get outside to be among the air, trees, and flowering gardens has become a top priority. For it is here ~ or there ~ that my soul is mostly nourished and filled with the vitality to walk me pleasantly through the day.
Know someone who needs this reminder? Share this with them ↓
Diane Lane is a contributing writer for The Sacred Business Writer’s Collective focused on helping others rediscover the tenderness that breathes life back into romance - starting with the self. You can follow her on Substack here.
Community Insights
The River Running Through You
by Marc Engel
There I was on my Bangkok balcony, feeling something extraordinary—like a gentle river of aliveness moving through me. Not energy. Vitality. After five years of morning QiGong practice, I've learned the difference: energy burns bright and burns out; vitality flows like water finding its natural course. When leaders shift from forcing to flowing, something magical happens…
"When you lead from vitality, your presence changes the room. Decisions emerge from clarity rather than force."
The Secret That Unlocks True Vitality
by Carolina Wilke
What silently kills our vitality? Beyond the obvious—poor sleep, bad nutrition, no movement—I discovered something profound: lack of honesty with ourselves. When we hide from our deepest calling, our life force quietly disappears. I learned this the hard way when my bioenergetics practice left me drained despite helping countless clients. The truth? I was trying to serve everyone instead of admitting what truly made my heart sing...
"I am not my skills—they need to serve a bigger purpose. They need to help me feed what is truly in my heart."
Vitality: The Resource that Fuels a Thriving Career
by Juan Gonzalez
Vitality is more than dictionary definitions of energy and growth—it's your competitive advantage in business. Think of it as three-dimensional: physical vitality forms your foundation, mental vitality fuels achievement, and emotional vitality builds resilience. But there's a bonus dimension that changes everything: purposeful vitality. When you align with your "why," sustained determination replaces fleeting motivation...
"It's not fleeting motivation, it's sustained determination. Purpose will take you farther than you could on your own."
Find Your Hidden Business Pattern (Free)
by Sacred Business Flow
The Harmony Map Assessment reveals which inner pattern is blocking your next level—and why strategy alone hasn't fixed it. If you're exhausted from the push-crash cycle and know your energy patterns are sabotaging your growth, this assessment shows exactly where vitality is leaking in your business. For entrepreneurs ready to address both the inner patterns AND outer strategies for breakthrough results, discover which of the 9 Fundamental Frequencies needs your attention most...
"Your business can only be as vital as you are."
Your Voice in the Flow
What story lives in you about vitality? What have you discovered about the delicate balance between achievement and aliveness?
This collective exists because we believe in the power of shared wisdom. Each voice adds a unique current to the river of understanding we're creating together. Your experience—whether it's a moment of profound depletion that led to transformation or a practice that keeps your life force flowing—matters deeply.
"True success flows from wholeness, not fragmentation."
Learn more about contributing to Sacred Business Flow →
We invite you to step forward and contribute your unique gifts to this growing conversation. The world needs entrepreneurs who understand that true success flows from wholeness, not fragmentation. Next month we turn our attention to Service, one of the 9 Fundamental Frequencies of Sacred Business.
Help us grow this community of heart-centered entrepreneurs. Forward this issue to someone whose voice would enrich our next conversation ↓
The Sacred Business Collective is a curated publication celebrating entrepreneurs who understand that everything is connected—your vitality, your business, your purpose, and your impact. When we honor this truth, we create businesses that serve as expressions of our deepest gifts.
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When a desire aligns with purpose it's fascinating to feel a surge in energy and ideas in you. Suddenly you're willing to work more, and you find ways to accomplish you hadn't thought of before.