Way Out #20: From Burnout to Building My Own Business with Haley Scruggs
For years, Haley Scruggs believed that success required pain. Born premature and battling chronic, daily migraines for the first 30 years of her life, she learned early on that her default state was to simply "muscle and hustle" through discomfort.
Growing up as a self-described "goody two-shoes" and a recovering perfectionist, she quickly internalized a dangerous lesson: her worth was entirely dependent on her productivity. This belief set the stage for a highly successful—but deeply exhausting—corporate career.
The Trap of the Workhorse
Haley’s relentless work ethic started early. During a grueling college internship selling books door-to-door, she internalized toxic company messaging that if she ever quit something hard, she would never succeed in life.
She carried that exact same "workhorse" mentality straight into the tech startup world. Haley built an incredibly successful career on paper as a technical recruiter for fast-paced companies like Bumble and The Zebra. She was always the first one in, the last one out, and constantly sacrificed her own hobbies and well-being to prove her value. She pushed herself so hard that she would literally conduct recruiter phone screens while experiencing visual auras from migraines.
The Breaking Point
The climax of Haley's corporate grind came when she landed what she thought was her ultimate dream job: a Head of Recruitment role with an incredible salary and a title she had worked years to achieve.
But almost immediately, her body sounded the alarm. From week one, she was working 12-hour days with barely two minutes between meetings, entirely trapped in a state of "fight or flight". The environment was intensely stressful, and her imposter syndrome skyrocketed when the CEO told her he had heard she "walked on water"—a compliment her nervous system interpreted as a massive threat that she now had to be perfect.
Haley hit a profound wall of burnout, reaching a breaking point where the sheer exhaustion and anxiety began to physically manifest as severe panic and sleep deprivation. She realized that "muscling through" was no longer an option—it was destroying her.
A few weeks later, the universe stepped in to make the decision for her: she was part of a company layoff. Instead of panicking, Haley exhaled and laughed. It was the ultimate blessing in disguise.
Taking the Wheel
With the corporate spell finally broken, Haley knew she couldn't go back to the startup grind. She decided to bet entirely on herself and launch her own coaching business.
Of course, taking the leap was terrifying. But instead of letting fear stop her, Haley developed a brilliant, relatable strategy to deal with her inner critic. When she feels overwhelmed or afraid of failure, she imagines those feelings as a scared three-year-old version of herself.
"I'm driving this car and I'm going to put overwhelm in the little car seat in the back. You are a part of this family... You don't get to drive this car. I'm driving".
A Lighter Way
Today, Haley is the founder of A Lighter Way Consulting, where she uses her decade of HR and recruiting experience to help driven women in tech navigate their own burnout, and partners with startups to humanely handle layoffs.
She has completely reclaimed her autonomy and now honors her body's natural energy cycles. Part of this healing journey includes a beautiful practice of radical self-compassion inspired by her rescue cats. Realizing she needed to give herself the exact same unconditional love and grace she gives her pets, she started calling herself "Honey Bunny," allowing herself to nap in the middle of the day guilt-free if she needs to recharge.
She has also experienced a massive creative revival, noting that she is currently the happiest and most creatively expressed she has ever been. Haley recently did her first poetry reading, and her ultimate vision includes releasing a memoir she has already written, alongside multiple albums of her original music. She is manifesting abundance in simple ways, too—purposefully collecting pennies on her walks to train her brain to feel deep gratitude for any wealth that flows into her life.
Haley’s journey is a powerful reminder that you do not have to sacrifice your health and happiness to be successful. As she beautifully puts it:
"Success to me used to mean working my little heart out and getting the external validation... Now it means having a grounded faith in myself and a certainty in myself".
Haley’s Tips for Wayfinders
Treat fear like a passenger, not the driver.
Taking the leap will be terrifying, but you don't need to avoid the fear. Haley recommends personifying feelings of fear or overwhelm as a scared three-year-old version of yourself. Put them in the "backseat" of the car and acknowledge they are along for the ride, but remind them: "You don't get to drive this car. I'm driving".Follow the "energetic breadcrumbs."
If you have a yearning or a pull toward something more, that is your truth—and it deserves to be followed. Don't ignore synchronicities or coincidences. For Haley, following these breadcrumbs led to a magical manifestation at her favorite Austin spot, Barton Springs. She and her friend were absolutely certain they were going to the Taylor Swift Eras Tour, even booking their New Orleans Airbnb months in advance without actually having tickets. Later, while hanging out at Barton Springs, she randomly bumped into an acquaintance who had two extra tickets and sold them to Haley for exactly her budget of $300! The universe will meet you halfway when you get clear on what you want."Communify" your life.
You do not have to figure out your next steps alone. Haley believes deeply in "communifying"—finding people who are already living the life you want or doing the things that make you say, "I could never". Start having conversations with them; surrounding yourself with a community of growth-minded people will help you take the tiny steps forward you need to launch your own dream.
Follow Haley's Journey
If you are inspired by Haley's story and want to learn more about her coaching or her work with A Lighter Way Consulting, you can connect with her directly on Instagram at @HaleyIreneSings.
You can also reach out to her directly via email at hello@HaleyScruggs.com
This post is part of the 101 Ways Out series: stories of people who found the courage to exit the status quo and build a life of purpose, freedom, and joy.
