The Iris That Waited — A Story of Letting Go and Beginning Again
- Heather Headley
- Apr 29
- 3 min read
Updated: Oct 2
This iris bloom you see pictured is special. It’s blooming for the very first time.
Five years ago, I dug up bulbs from my grandmother’s iris bed in Missouri and carried them home to Oregon in my suitcase. Each year, I planted, watered, and waited. Each year, the green grew tall but never bloomed.
Until now.
And the timing of this bloom? Impeccable.
When Life Forces You to Let Go
Earlier this year, I was fired.
After being named CEO of a small organization and leading through what felt like a seamless transition, I believed I had finally found the job I’d retire from. But life — or maybe God — had other plans.
“It felt like being ripped out of the ground by a storm, flung into a dry, desolate place.”
The loss left me untethered. Embarrassed. Angry. Sad. But also — to my surprise — grateful.
Grateful to be free from the enormous weight I had carried. Grateful to be given a chance to rest, even though I didn’t know how.
The Crash After Burnout
For a few days, I did what so many of us do when change hits: I went into overdrive. I updated my resume, called contacts, filed for unemployment, and made ambitious to-do lists to prove I was still “worthy.”
And then came the crash.
Years of over-functioning had left my nervous system depleted. My body slowed to the point where even simple tasks felt like walking through concrete.
“Burnout showed up for me as constant pushing until I broke down in an uncontrollable crying fit at work — convinced I was headed for a panic attack. Me, the one who always stayed calm under pressure and rarely expressed emotion.”
My doctor had warned me just a week earlier: if I didn’t stop, my body would force me to. She was right.
Burnout Is a Sacred Signal
This wasn’t laziness. It was burnout. And burnout isn’t weakness — it’s wisdom. It’s the nervous system’s way of saying: “You can’t keep living this way. Something has to change.”
We live in a culture that glorifies hustle and productivity, but it’s killing us. We’ve never been more “productive,” yet we are more anxious, exhausted, and disconnected than ever before.
Renewal Through Rest and Healing
What I came to understand is that burnout and grief are deeply connected. Losing a role, a rhythm, or an identity requires grieving. And grief doesn’t want productivity — it demands stillness.
Rest. Silence. Grace.
That’s when I remembered: I’m not just a nurse. I’m also a Reiki practitioner, a coach, and someone deeply committed to holistic healing. And while I had paused my business, Look Within Holistic Coaching, to survive my demanding job, the truth is: this work is where I feel most alive.
A recent client put it best:
“Heather picked up exactly what I was struggling with without me saying a word. After Reiki and intuitive guidance, I left feeling lighter, more balanced, and supported.”
The Wisdom of Letting Go and Beginning Again
Burnout, grief, and transition all ask the same thing of us: to release what no longer serves and to trust that something new is waiting. Letting go and beginning again doesn’t mean erasing the past. It means creating space for growth, healing, and renewal.
Just like the iris that bloomed only when the time was right, we bloom when we surrender the old patterns and step into what’s next.
Beginning Again
This May, I’m reopening my business with new clarity, new offerings, and a nervous system that finally feels supported. My focus now is on helping others who feel stuck in burnout, grief, or transition find their own reset through Reiki and holistic coaching.
And then, there was the iris.
It didn’t bloom when I wanted it to. It bloomed when it was ready. Just like me.
“Letting go isn’t about giving up — it’s about creating space for something new to grow.”
Because beginning again happens in its own time. And sometimes, the waiting is part of the wisdom.
If You’re in a Season of Burnout or Transition
If you’re walking through grief, burnout, or a big life transition — I see you.
Your body’s signals matter. Your nervous system knows when it’s time to release, rest, and realign.
I invite you to explore Reiki or Holistic Coaching sessions with me at Look Within Holistic Coaching. Together, we’ll create space for you to regulate, recalibrate, and bloom again — in your own time.
Because just like the iris, your moment will come.
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