How to Build Shame-Free Wellness Into Your Work Routine – Dr. Portia Preston | Ep 91

Hey friends, it’s Wisdom here! Today I sat down with the amazing Dr. Portia Preston to get real about what happens when hustle culture starts costing us more than it gives. We dug into her journey—how burnout and chronic illness forced her to rethink what success should actually look like, and the powerful concept of “shame free wellness.” We talked about why it’s so hard to let go of the “shoulds” society plants in our heads, how the SANE cycle can help us check in with ourselves, and why thriving means learning to integrate both struggle and rest into our lives. If you’ve ever felt guilty for taking a break, or wondered how to balance ambition with being kind to yourself, this episode’s for you. My hope is you walk away knowing your worth isn’t tied to your output—and that it’s absolutely okay to rest.

Connect with Dr Portia Preston

Website:https://portiapreston.com/

LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/portiapreston/

I’m building an online business in public — sharing every win, setback, and “I can’t believe that happened” moment along the way. If you’ve ever wondered what it really looks like to start from scratch, come along for the ride. Join the journey at https://wisdom.beehiiv.com/

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome
01:14 The Cost of Hustle: Dr. Portia Preston’s Story
02:06 Success and Chronic Illness: Personal Impact
03:19 Stress, Shame, and Wellness in Professional Life
04:06 Defining Shame-Free Wellness
05:11 Why Shame Gets Attached to Wellness
06:11 The “Shoulds” Behind Hustle Culture
07:15 Tying Worth to Output: Entrepreneur Perspectives
08:16 Longevity vs. Short-Term Hustle
09:11 Rewriting the Cultural Narrative Around Grind
10:29 Growing Up Hustling: Culture and Survival
10:39 The SANE Cycle: Inspiration and Purpose
11:05 The SANE Cycle: Four Steps Explained
12:47 Real-Life Example of SANE Cycle in Action
14:17 Normalizing Rest and Cultural Reflections
15:10 Wisdom Okonkwo: Hustle & Rest in His Culture
17:01 Imposed Hustle and the Shame Narrative
18:31 Getting Stuck: Insanity vs. Change
19:15 Accepting Reality and Context
19:36 The Power of Asking “Why”
20:17 Why Medicine? Prestige and True Motivation
23:19 Helping People Beyond Labels and Careers
24:47 Wellness, Identity, and Shared Humanity
25:20 Understanding Flow: Sustainable Practices
26:35 Balancing Work, Deadlines, and Flow
28:07 Messy Lives and Authenticity: Behind the Scenes
29:50 Building Your Life or Your Job
30:49 Prioritizing Well-Being Over Achievements
32:24 Letting Go: Protecting Peace
33:24 Struggles, Stigma, and Representation
34:45 Suffering vs. Struggling: No Award for Pain
36:42 Learned Helplessness and Mindset
37:47 Living with AuDHD: Work and Leadership
40:50 Thriving Through Integration
42:13 Burnout: Where to Start—Hustle, Flow, or Let Go?
44:03 Burnout Beyond Work: Systems and Survival
46:36 Final Thoughts on Ambition and Wellness
47:41 Book Details, Resources, and How to Connect
48:55 Closing Remarks and Next Steps