From the outside, it looked like I had an incredible situation -- I worked from home, doing work I really enjoyed, with an amazing team of smart, nice, people. I had a great boss, and was well compensated working for a huge, well-respected company. Sounds ideal, right?
And in many ways it was -- except that it was killing me.
I had wanted that job for years, and after applying a few times, I was ecstatic to finally land this "dream job." But my body had other ideas. I could not stay well working in that role. I was sick so often that it started to worry me -- especially when I was in the emergency room on both Thanksgiving and Christmas!
It would be easy to blame the job - it required long hours, and it was pretty stressful due to high public visibility, tight deadlines, and a small team. The final straw came when I found myself in the doctor's office yet again and she told me that not only did I have a sinus infection (which was what brought me to her office) but also had both influenza A and influenza B -- at the same time! I had to ask my doc what was causing all of this illness. She said, "Well, look at yourself - you are totally stressed out!" And then she went on to explain the connection between stress and our immune systems.
I've seen this in others, too. I have a client who used to love her job. Then there was a change in leadership, and her new boss has created a pretty toxic work environment. Since she started reporting to this woman, my client has been ill quite often. And I have seen many other cases of people working in high stress jobs who were sick often or had silent symptoms like high blood pressure or high cholesterol. So, while I could blame my repeated illness on the stress, there was likely something else going on with my body, too.
During my life coach training our first module was on the mind/body connection. And while I always had a hunch that there was a connection, the information we were learning was quite eye opening for me. And as I continued to study the mind/body (and spirit) connection, and put into practice what I'd learned, I became a believer.
Our bodies really are our very best indicators as to when we are headed for something that is right for us, or toward something or someone that is not good for us.
You've experienced this yourself, I'd bet. Maybe you've felt that sinking feeling you get in the pit of your stomach when you've just agreed to do something you really don't want to do. Or maybe you've noticed the way the hair on the back of your neck rises when you sense danger. Those are all signals from your body telling you to pay attention.
Our bodies try to give us those subtle signs first. But when we ignore those early, gentle whispers, it starts yelling louder to get our attention. That "yelling" can manifest as injury or illness.
When I sat there in the doc's office hearing her tell me what the stress was doing to my body, I knew what I had to do. It was time to make a major change.
I've known for years that life coaching and teaching are my true callings. Yet, at that time, I was putting off making them my full-time business for "someday." My plan was to start my business as a side hustle while working full time. But with the long days at my job, I had no time or energy left for building my coaching practice.
Driving home from the doc that day, I knew there was only one thing to do - I had to quit my job and go do what I was born to do. Although losing the security of a regular paycheck felt terrifying, I knew that if I didn't make the leap, I would continue to be sick and put my very life at risk. I gave notice at my job shortly after that and left it a few months later.
Since leaving corporate life behind, I've been healthier and happier and less stressed than I'd been in years.
Think about your own work life. How are you feeling? Is your body giving you any signs you should be heeding? Are you doing work that you believe is your true calling? Does your work feel like it fills you up? Or does it drain you?
You have just this one life, and just this one body. Is it worth risking your health to chase a paycheck?
One of my favorite quotes is from the poet Mary Oliver. It's from her poem "A Summer Day." She ends the poem with this line: "Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"
So many of us trade our lives and our health to do what is expected of us versus doing what we love. Yet, if we listen to them, our bodies will tell us if we are living our best lives.