Recipe For Recovery (Post-Burnout Healing Stew)

26. May 2025

Ayurveda
The image shows a close-up view of hands preparing a meal over an open-flame. A circular metal pan, likely orange, holds food and what appears to be chicken or vegetables. A small flame, possibly fueled by a small propane tank radiating a warm glow.

From Nikiya’s Lab (cocina), crafted with tired brilliance, irie vibes, and the Canarian sun a recipe for recovery. It may be your first burnout or your millionth, this recipe is hand-crafted and designed to support you on your path to free your time and mind and give you the rest you deserve.

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Recipe for Recovery (Post-Burnout Healing Stew)

From Nikiya’s Lab (cocina), crafted with tired brilliance, irie vibes, and the Canarian sun

Prep Time:
As long as it takes. No pressure, fam.

Servings:
You—and eventually, everyone who benefits from your healing.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Cups of radical rest (step away from your devices)
  • 1 Tbsp of “Aw Naw Heck Naw” (use freely and unapologetically)
  • 3 handfuls of TLC (journalling, breathwork, beach walks, or staring into the void; whatever tickles your fancy)
  • A sprinkle of supportive community (on the interwebs or live and ‘In Living Color’, must be the hype-you-up, I-got-you-boo, we-tight-like-glue)
  • 1 Cup of morning ritual (fresh, simple, grounding—tea and silence count)
  • 1/2 Cup of creativity (“Move Ya Body” in the kitchen, doodle in your planner, freestyle like we in da 90’s)
  • 2 Tbsp of boundaries (new & improved edition)
  • 3 pinches of Ayurveda (herbs, meals, self-massage—or whatever “Love Calls” to your doshic needs)
  • 3-4 Cups of sleep (the “Let’s Go Deep” kind, not the 3-AM-scroll-to-oblivion kind; or the got woken up several times by other folk kind)
  • Optional: A therapist or coach who gets the layers
  • 1 Tsp of nervous system regulation(cold plunges, long exhales, yoga nidra, whatever feels like a calm breeze)
  • Dash of trust in divine timing (okay, maybe two or three)

Instructions:

  1. Start slow. Empieza con calma No sudden reinventions or productivity spikes. Let your body get seasoned like the family dutch pot. Honour your fatigue—it’s not a weakness, just sweetness.
  2. Simmer down in stillness. Take long moments of nothingness. Rest like you did in primary school. Turn off di alarms. Turn on “Do Not Disturb” aka it can wait mode on your spirit.
  3. Season with softness. Talk to yourself like a loving abuela. Use terms of endearment. Forgive yourself for not healing fast like a Jamaican Olympic sprinter. Add extra self-compassion as needed.
  4. Gently stir in the nourishment. Cook whole, warm foods. Sip ginger tea. Feed yourself with care, like you’re cooking for a beloved child.
  5. Fold in joy. No fakin’ da funk, social-media-friendly-joy—just the good ol’, “I’m alive and still here” kind. A breeze on your face. A juicy juicy mango.
  6. Reheat boundaries. You may have forgotten them during the burnout season. Reignite saying no without a TED Talk of explanations. Let silence be a complete sentence.
  7. Taste-test rituals. Try new things. Swap out the old wellness practises that now feel heavy. Keep only what feels real, light, and sacred. Make it yours.
  8. Slow-cook for integration. This is a stew—not a stir-fry. Let all the ingredients mix gently. Give yourself grace if some days feel like setbacks. Healing isn’t linear; it’s lunar.
  9. Serve warm, ideally under a blanket, on a terrace, or right near da beach. Pair with long sighs and unplanned naps.

Storage:
This recipe is best consumed daily. Leftovers can be stored in the soul and re-warmed anytime burnout tries to sneak back in.