What happens when Grammy-winning success feels hollow inside?
Melinda Jackson's story reveals the dark side of high achievement and how she built back from the brink.
After years of childhood anxiety that escalated through college and into a high-pressure Los Angeles agency career, Melinda found herself facing severe burnout, physical illness, and suicidal ideation, despite professional accolades including Grammy recognition. The contrast between public triumph and private exhaustion became unbearable.
In this raw conversation, Melinda shares how she quit the corporate grind to start her own business and spent seven years building a comprehensive nervous-system toolkit. She reveals practical strategies like recognizing bodily warning signs, accepting small wins ("laying down and sending two emails counts"), daily journaling, and prioritizing basic self-care.
The discussion covers everything from distinguishing PMDD from regular PMS to building supportive networks for entrepreneurs. Melinda emphasizes the importance of authentic storytelling for business leaders while maintaining healthy boundaries and shares how she launched Raleigh Female Founder Happy Hour to combat isolation.
Key takeaway: entrepreneurship requires constant recalibration and the grace to honor your changing limits, whether hormonal, energetic, or emotional.
Ready to learn how to turn your pain into purpose while building sustainable success? Listen to discover Melinda's hard-won wisdom on balancing ambition with well-being.
00:00:00 - Balancing Ambition and Mental Health
00:02:24 - Recovering from Extreme Burnout
00:03:45 - Fame, Anxiety, and Burnout
00:06:05 - Small Actions Count as Work
00:07:45 - Managing Burnout with Self-Care
00:09:59 - PMDD: More Than PMS
00:11:29 - Period Hormones and Temporary Moods
00:12:42 - Choosing Stories That Resonate
00:16:27 - Delegate and Ask for Help
00:17:39 - Combating Isolation While Working Alone
00:19:24 - Work-Life Balance for Entrepreneurs
00:21:19 - Work-Life Balance and Community
00:24:44 - Choosing Values Over Corporate Grind
00:26:14 - Find Your Battle Buddy
00:29:21 - Find Your Tribe
00:31:39 - Book PR and Podcast Placements
00:33:14 - Making Pain Have Purpose
• Major professional success (Grammys, elite agency career) can coexist with severe burnout, physical illness, and even suicidal ideation — public wins often mask private collapse.
• Burnout is often prevented by tiny, concrete habits: noticing bodily cues (thirst, hunger, energy dips), counting small wins (“laying down and sending two emails”), journaling, and basic self-care.
• One-on-one therapy may not be enough — peer groups, group therapy, and a “battle buddy” frequently break through masking and provide more practical, sustained relief.
Learn more about Melinda Jackson https://www.melindajacksonpr.com/
Host Ariel Faith's website: arieljoyfaith.com
For Women in Business, Because You matter in your Business.
