Module 9 – Worksheet 2:The Stress Inventory – What’s Draining Me (and What’s Not Mine to Carry)
✨ Introduction
Parental burnout doesn’t always come from “too much.”
Often, it comes from the imbalance—between giving and receiving, between expectations and reality.
In this exercise, you’ll take a personal stress inventory to recognize what’s truly weighing you down… and what might not be yours to carry at all.
1. What’s weighing on you right now?
Pause and list it, without filtering. Responsibilities? Unspoken emotions? Strained relationships?
🖊️ Write down everything that feels heavy right now:
2. Which of these are truly yours—and which are you carrying for someone else?
Look again at your list above. Are you holding onto something that doesn’t belong to you?
Are you trying to control what isn’t yours to manage?
🖊️ Mark what you’re ready to let go of or stop carrying alone:
3. How does your body respond to stress?
Tune in to your physical signals. Where do you hold tension? How’s your breathing?
What do your shoulders, stomach, or jaw say?
🖊️ Do a quick body scan and jot down what you notice:
4. What small daily choices could reduce your stress by just 10%?
We’re not aiming for perfection. Just micro-changes. A 5-minute pause? Saying “no” once?
A shorter to-do list?
🖊️ Name 1–2 doable shifts for this week:
🌀 Visual Reflection (optional)
Draw two bags: one labeled “MINE,” the other “NOT MINE.”
Write 2–3 things inside each. Let your body feel the difference.
📷 Sketch here:
✅ This exercise helps you untangle what you’re truly responsible for from what you’ve absorbed or assumed. Burnout often starts when we try to be everything—for everyone. Step down from that role—and return to yourself.