The Soft 7: Seven Rhythms for Moms Rebuilding After Burnout

Becoming After Burnout - Pt. 4

When I was in burnout, I didn’t know how I was going to make it. Looking back, I see how tenderly God brought me through the hard times. The more I parented, the more I realized how much I also needed to be parented. I was growing alongside my kids.

It is when our cup runs dry as moms that God is then able to heal us, use us, strengthen us, and grow us through the overflow we receive when our eyes and our reliance are set steadfast upon Him.

I did not rebuild myself after burnout on my own. I am here today because my life, my discipline, and my rhythms have been the results of God’s loving parenting of me, and in turn, I am able to better parent HIS children that He so graciously gave me to steward.

The Soft Seven Rhythms for an Intentional Life

In Part 1, we talked about the 3 steps of The 3S Method: Slow Down, Simplify, Sustain—that help you create margin and begin rebuilding after burnout.
But once you’ve slowed down and cleared a little space, the question becomes: What do I do with that space?
That’s where the Soft 7 Rhythms come in.

These rhythms aren’t a checklist to conquer or a routine you’ll master perfectly every day. They’re small practices you can return to again and again that help you live with intention and connection in all areas of your life. When I was at my lowest, I didn’t need a complicated wellness plan. I needed tiny ways to reconnect with who I was, what I valued, and how I wanted to show up as a mom, wife, and woman of faith.
These seven rhythms became that structure for me.

1. Scripture
Anchor yourself in truth daily.
Even one verse can shift your perspective before the noise of the world creeps in. Sometimes it is a quick verse through my Bible app or singing Bible memory verses in my car. Other times, it is a more intensive Bible In A Year study. No matter how big or small in amount, God’s Word meets you right where you are.

2. Stillness
Pause long enough to notice your breath.
Stillness doesn’t mean silence or an empty house (though that would be nice!). It means being present enough to recognize that you’re safe, loved, and held—even in motion. Sometimes it’s two minutes in the car before pickup. Sometimes it’s a whispered prayer over the sink. Those moments count.

3. Sustenance
Feed your body kindly.
This rhythm reminded me that nourishment isn’t vanity but biblical stewardship. I stopped viewing food as either a punishment or a reward and started asking: “What will make me feel steady for the day ahead?” For me, that’s been protein in the morning, hydration before coffee, and grace when it’s just takeout night again.

4. Steps
Move your body gently
When I started working out again after years of fatigue and anxiety, I realized how healing simple movement could be. A walk with my kids. A Pilates YouTube video. Even just dancing in the kitchen with my kids. These “steps” became a form of worship and thanking God for the body that carries me through this season and reminded me that I didn’t need to work out the same way I did when I was a 20 year old gym rat.

5. Service
Do something small for someone else.
In burnout, we often turn inward because we’re so empty. But service refills us in ways self-focus never can. It can be as simple as sending a text to check on a friend, praying for someone in need, or reading one extra bedtime story even when you’re tired. Service softens us and can often pull us out of survival mode when we realize we aren’t alone in the trenches.

6. Story
Create or consume something that reminds you who you are.
This rhythm came alive through creative expression or communal collaboration. By engaging in a narrative outside of our own head by making something, sharing something, or listening to someone else’s story, this is another rhythm that connects us with others and reminds us we are not alone.

7. Surrender
Release what you can’t control.
Every night, I try to mentally hand God the things I tried to carry alone. The to-do list I didn’t finish. The prayers I don’t have words for. The worries that follow me to bed. Surrender doesn’t mean giving up but trusting that grace will meet you where your strength ends.

Together, these seven rhythms give your soft life structure without suffocation. They invite you to live intentionally, not perfectly. They’re how I rebuilt my life after burnout—not through massive overhauls or morning routines that only work for influencers—but through small, repeatable choices that remind me who I am and Whose I am.

The Soft 7 is a framework you can adapt to your season. Some days you’ll touch all seven rhythms without realizing it; other days, just one is enough.
If you’re in a rebuilding season, start small. Pick one rhythm this week and nurture it gently. Let it fit into your real life—between preschool drop-offs, work emails, and bedtime routines. Over time, these small acts of intention become the threads that quietly stitch your soft life back together.

If you want deeper support as you rebuild, my Digital Resource Library was created for moms who need guidance without pressure. Inside, you will find reflections, frameworks, and practical tools rooted in faith and designed for real-life seasons, not ideal ones.

These resources are meant to meet you where you are, whether you have five quiet minutes or a longer stretch to reflect. Think of it as a place to return to when your days feel scattered and you need something steady to anchor you again.

You can buy the Digital Resource Library here.

I am so excited to spend the next few weeks diving into these rhythms individually with you!

You are doing better than you think, sweet friend.

Much love,

Sarah

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