Episode 044
Burnout Wasn’t Her Destiny - It Was Her Wake-Up Call with Dr. Zarya Rubin
She spent 15 years becoming a doctor. And then she quit.
Dr. Zarya Rubin did what most people only fantasize about: she stepped off the treadmill before it broke her completely. After chasing the dream of medicine all the way to Columbia and beyond, she hit a wall – the kind you don’t bounce back from with a vacation or a green juice. It took a literal wake-up call (a phone call, actually) to snap her out of the “I’m fine” trance and into a radically new life.
In this conversation, Zarya shares what no one tells you about burnout, why your check engine light is blinking for a reason, and how “do one thing less” became her mantra for healing. She also drops knowledge on stress, breathwork, and how opera (yes, opera) can help regulate your nervous system.
If you’ve been pushing too hard for too long, this one’s your permission slip to stop.
“I went into medicine to help people. I didn’t realize I’d have to abandon myself to do it.”
Connect witH Dr. Zarya:
- Website + Burnout Toolkit: drzarya.com
- Instagram: @drzaryarubin
- Podcast: Outsmart Burnout
Timestamps:
00:00 – From doctor to dropout: Zarya’s “dream” career becomes a nightmare
04:46 – The toxic matching system and the cold, dark truth about residency
07:13 – A tragic phone call becomes the turning point
09:43 – Why walking away felt impossible – until she did it
12:24 – A fresh start in NYC and the slow climb out of burnout
15:37 – From startup stress to stay-at-home mom and full-circle healing
18:08 – What functional medicine taught her that med school didn’t
21:12 – Check engine lights, duct tape, and the body’s warning signs
26:35 – When your body says “no more” (aka perimenopause hits)
32:08 – Her life-changing mantra: “Do one thing less”
34:52 – Multitasking is a myth – and a burnout accelerant
40:31 – Opera, breathwork, and the secret weapon for nervous system regulation
44:30 – What to do when you think you’re burned out (but aren’t sure)
50:03 – “I knew for years I had to leave medicine. I just didn’t want to admit it.”