If you’re anything like me—driven, determined, and relentlessly high-achieving—then you know what it’s like to push your limits. And maybe, like me, you’ve pushed too far. 

The summer of 1999 was one of those moments for me. I was heading into my senior year and I was either playing or practicing volleyball, basketball, and softball all summer long. 

I had my heart set on Purdue, a Division I softball program with an aerospace engineering degree and a flight school. I wanted it all—and I was willing to grind for it. 

But that grind caught up with me. 

I was sliding into third base during one of our final summer tournaments, fresh off a week of volleyball camp. I felt a pop in my knee. Then heat. Then fear. But I pushed through—because that’s what I did. I was an overachiever, and rest wasn’t part of the plan. 

That injury changed everything. For the first time, I realized just how costly it could be to ignore the whispers (and screams) of my body. 

The Line Between Pushing Limits and Overtraining 

There’s a big difference between pushing your limits and pushing past them. 

Pushing limits feels challenging, but doable. You might be tired, but you can recover. You’re growing—mentally and physically. 

Overtraining feels like: 

• Persistent fatigue that rest doesn’t solve 

• Recurring pain that keeps showing up 

• Mood swings, disrupted sleep, and declining performance 

I used to think if I wasn’t crawling out of the gym or working 80-hour weeks on NASA’s Artemis Program, I wasn’t doing enough. But that mindset wasn’t making me stronger. It was breaking me. 

The Bruiser Archetype: Double-Edged Drive 

If you’ve taken the Gutsy Chick Quiz, you might know the Bruiser archetype: relentless, gritty, high pain tolerance, and at times, self-sacrificing. I’m a Bruiser through and through. But I’ve also learned the hard way that resilience without rest leads to burnout. 

Whether it was during my engineering career or while building Body Whisper Healing, I’ve had to learn how to pause and tune in. 

3 Body Signals You Shouldn’t Ignore 

If you’re wondering whether you’re pushing too hard, here are the signs I’ve learned to look for: 

1. Persistent pain (not just soreness) 

1. Disrupted sleep—you’re dreaming about work or stress 

1. Declining performance despite working harder 

Ask yourself: 

• Is this pain or progress? 

• Am I recovering, or just surviving? 

Here’s the Truth 

Slowing down doesn’t mean you’re weak. It means you’re wise. 

When I finally allowed myself to fully recover, I didn’t lose progress—I gained it. My body healed. My intuition sharpened. My work got better. 

So, Gutsy Chick—if your body’s whispering, listen before it starts screaming.