KNOW NEWSLETTER
May 2025
Burnout recovery isn’t just about self-care.
Over the last five years, burnout has become a buzzword for realizing we need to take a step back and give ourselves the space to reset and unwind.
The solution for burnout? Self-care. Or at least that’s what influencers tell us, right? If we take a bubble bath, pour a glass of wine, and wear a $5 face mask, we’ll feel better. And maybe we will for a little bit.
But unfortunately, glowing skin doesn’t help us set boundaries around work, resolve personal conflict, or deal with a multitude of other stressors that lead to burn out.
As our guest feature writer, Chelsea Mitchell from DLX, tells us, “Stress, in itself, isn’t inherently harmful – it’s our inability to release it properly that causes burnout.” Chelsea did the grunt work of reading a book on burnout and its effects on women and is sharing her insights with us.
The book in question: Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by Emily Nagoski, PhD, and Amelia Nagoski, DMA. The twin sisters and co-authors combine personal experience, scientific evidence, and extensive research to create a women-focused approach to dealing with burnout.
The book is one of our Downtime recs this month, along with an episode of Brené Brown’s podcast Unlocking Us featuring the Nagoski sisters.
Other items: March Madness bracket results, Pineapple Coconut Margarita recipe, ‘Dear Katie’ advice on feedback, and so much more in the May KNOW Newsletter.
Upcoming Events
Habitat for Humanity Women’s Build
Friday, May 16
Women Build is right around the corner! Together, we’re helping Habitat for Humanity bridge the gap for women in our community facing disadvantages in the housing market.
Each company has selected their participants for the Women Build outing. If you have any questions about day of details, reach out to your KNOW champion.
See you on May 16!
STAY IN THE KNOW
Exciting news in our Network.
Ashton Fink Nominated for the Circle of Excellence Award
On Friday, April 25, Ashton Fink received the Circle of Excellence Award at the Kompass Kapital Annual Party.
The Circle of Excellence Award recognizes associates who made significant contributions in the past year. Ashton was nominated by her peers alongside colleague Brett Carmical, for their hard work, dedication and lasting influence on Kompass Kapital’s team and success.
Ashton shared the impact of this recognition with us:
“Winning this award is both an honor and a humbling experience. This recognition reflects not just my efforts, but also the collaboration, encouragement, and shared commitment to excellence that I’ve been fortunate to be part of at Kompass. It inspires me to keep learning, contributing, and striving to make a meaningful impact.”
KNOW Now Offering Professional Development Sponsorship
As part of our commitment to empowering women in their careers, we’re excited to introduce our new Sponsorship Program to support KNOW members’ continued professional development.
Our goal is to support local, Kansas City-based opportunities such as:
- Chamber of Commerce Events
- Association Events
- In-Personal Continued Education Courses
- Professional Development Courses and Events
Our sponsorship will not extend to out-of-town or multi-day conferences. We encourage you to discuss your chosen course or event with your manager before reaching out.
Take your career to the next level with KNOW’s support!
Women’s March Madness Bracket Results
Congratulations to the top three brackets! Email knownews@kompasskaptial.com to claim your prize.
1st Place: Lori Harlow
Champion Pick: UConn
1790 pts
2nd Place: Bethany Zimbleman
Champion Pick: UConn
1690 pts
3rd Place: Maria Blong
Champion Pick: UConn
1650 pts
PSST!
Is It Possible to Prevent Burnout?
By Chelsea Mitchell
Is It Possible to Prevent Burnout?
Throughout my career I’ve heard colleagues say they’re burnt out. I imagined it was like a light switch. Click! It appeared. Click! It went away. Burnout was all or nothing.
My understanding of burnout flipped upside down and inside out after discovering Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle by twin sisters Emily Nagoski, PhD, and Amelia Nagoski, DMA.
The book is refreshingly tailored to the female experience, exploring the emotional landscape of burnout with extensive research and evidence-based solutions. I found it extremely helpful for identifying the warning signs of burnout and learning some tactics to prevent it.
Here are a few secrets I learned from the book.
What is Burnout?
Burnout isn’t just being tired. It’s a complex combination of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that can leave us feeling disconnected from the world.
The key message I took away from the book: Burnout happens when our stress cycles go uncompleted.
Stress, in itself, isn’t inherently harmful – it’s our inability to release it properly that causes burnout.
Why We Get Stuck in The Stress Cycle
The sisters’ concept of the stress cycle helped me understand the human body’s fight-or-flight response on a deeper level.
The cycle starts with a stressor (work deadlines or personal conflicts), followed by the body’s natural stress response (the release of adrenaline and cortisol), and concludes with the recovery phrase.
It’s the recovery phase that most women neglect.
Work demands, emotional exhaustion, and limited time to recharge, make it difficult for women to enter recovery and essentially tell our body the “threat” is gone or complete. We stay in the stress phase. It’s why many of us feel stuck in a loop of endless stress, and eventually, burn out.
Why Women Feel Burnout More
Gendered expectations at work combined with caregiving expectations at home can compound the amount of stress that women experience. The authors highlight that women are often socialized to be caregivers, perfectionists, and multitaskers, which leads to many of us feeling guilty for prioritizing our own needs.
Practical Tools to Complete the Cycle
They shared a variety of tactics that women can use to break the burnout cycle, including physical movement, emotional self-care, and mental rest. Exercise, journaling, meditation, and finding a supportive community are a few of the examples they gave. Personally, I have found that exercise is the best remedy for me when I’m looking to complete my stress cycle.
Instead of viewing burnout as a failure and pushing through the fatigue, I’ve started to reframe it as a signal that it’s time to reset.
If you’re interested in learning more about burnout, I encourage you to read the book.
Chelsea Mitchell
Chelsea is the Marketing Operations Manager at Dynamic Logistix.
Connect with her on LinkedIn.
Dear Katie
“How can I reframe criticism as a positive thing?”
I spent weeks working on a project for my manager. After they reviewed it, they sent me feedback on ways to make it stronger.
I know I shouldn’t “take criticism personally,” but I poured my blood, sweat, and tears into this project. The criticism felt like an attack on me and my abilities and highlighted all the ways I messed up.
I know feedback is important for growth and getting better at my job. How can I reframe criticism as a positive thing without mentally beating myself up?
Signed,
Thin-Skinned
Dear,
Thin-Skinned
Criticism is tough for everyone. You’re not alone in feeling this way. You get better at receiving over time and with the right approach.
First, interpret the communication style. Is the person providing feedback attacking you or providing ideas to make the work better? If they’re saying, “You’re terrible at this, don’t try” (extreme example) consider that they might have malicious intent and consult another source. If they’re saying, “This is a great start! Consider x, y, and z to make it stronger” then they’re focusing on the work itself and not you.
Second, when you work closely on a project, we overlook certain details. It’s like working on a puzzle with them. If they say “Hey, I found a missing piece, add this in,” it will make your picture more complete. They’re trying to help you build, refine, and sharpen the project and its already strong foundation. Remember, both of you have the same goal in mind: making the work better.
If you’re confused on a note, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification.
And sometimes, criticism is just a matter of opinion. Just because someone else thought it, doesn’t make them automatically correct. Take a step back, consider the note, and then decide whether or not to move forward with it. Getting some space and coming back to it the next day makes the criticism less personal and more objective.
Most people aren’t born with thick skin, they develop it over time. You’ll get better at it, don’t worry.
Good luck,
Katie
Drink & Food Recipes
Pineapple Coconut Margarita
INGREDIENTS
Single Serving
2 oz. cup pineapple juice
1.5 oz. cup coconut milk
1 oz. cup agave syrup
1.5 oz. lime juice
1.5 oz. orange liqueur, orange curaçao works great here
3 oz. tequila or mezcal
Pitcher
1 cup pineapple juice
3/4 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup agave syrup
3/4 cup lime juice
3/4 cup orange liqueur, orange curaçao works great here
1.5 cups tequila or mezcal
Rim
Chamoy sauce
Tajin
DIRECTIONS
Mix together, add ice, and pour for your friends. Use RealCoco organic coconut milk to avoid curdling.
One-Pot Tortellini with Prosciutto and Peas
INGREDIENTS
1.5 tbsp. unsalted butter, plus more if needed
4 slices prosciutto (about 2 ounces)
1 shallot, finely chopped
16 to 20 oz. refrigerated cheese tortellini
2 cups (10 ounces) frozen peas (no need to thaw)
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional)
Salt and black pepper
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon (about 1.5 tsp. zest plus 1.5 tbsp. juice)
DIRECTIONS
In a large nonstick skillet, melt the butter over medium. Add the prosciutto in a single layer and cook, flipping halfway through, until golden and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Press occasionally with a spatula to ensure even crisping and reducing the heat as necessary if the fat begins to smoke. Transfer the prosciutto to a plate, leaving the fat in the pan.
To the skillet, add the shallot and cook over medium until softened, 2 to 4 minutes, adding about 1/2 tablespoon butter if the pan is dry. Add the tortellini, peas, chicken broth, heavy cream and nutmeg (if using) and season with salt and pepper. Simmer over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until the pasta and peas are tender, 3 to 5 minutes. (The sauce will thicken as it cools.) Turn off the heat and stir in the lemon zest and juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Crumble the prosciutto on top.
Downtime
Our May Recommendations:
Unlocking Us with Brené Brown
Emily Nagoski and Amelia Nagoski on Burnout and How to Complete the Stress Cycle
BOOKBurnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycleby Emily Nagoski, PhD, and Amelia Nagoski, DMA.
Buy a personal copy or borrow from your local public library through Libby.
Help us stay in the KNOW
Send us your promotions, recipes, downtime recs and other exciting news to: