For years, Melissa carried the weight of the Invisible Load without realizing it had a name. From managing birthdays to tracking groceries, she did it all… until she discovered the research behind mental labor and how it quietly fuels burnout.

For years, Melissa thought her exhaustion and restlessness were just part of being a woman in her forties- teaching, parenting, and juggling it all. But when every new job brought the same feelings of depletion and dissatisfaction, she realized something deeper was going on. Was it burnout… or a midlife reckoning?