How Listening To Your Body Will Change Your Life
January 3rd, 2017 was the day that my life changed forever. At the time I was working for a large, global company and traveling an average of 50,000 miles a year with very little rest. On the day in question, I happened to be in Florida preparing to lead a multi-day training on best hiring practices for effectively growing teams. I was working frantically from my hotel room and took a brief break to run out for some decongestant medicine when all of a sudden, BOOM. Out of the blue, my car was hit by another driver.
My first thoughts when getting out of the car to assess the damage were not “am I hurt?” or “is the other driver okay?” but “I don’t have time for this right now! I have way too much work to do!”
Work was my life.
For nearly two decades I worked with Fortune 500 companies to recruit top-level talent. My self-worth was tied to my workload, advancement, and positive reviews. But years of 60+ hour work weeks and constant travel left me feeling burnt out, physically depleted, and detached from my own life’s calling. After the car accident, my body was injured, telling me that I desperately needed to take care of myself and take time to heal.
I tried my best to ignore it, but finally, after a few months, I decided to heed the advice of my healthcare team and take a much-needed medical leave of absence from work. It was then that I came to realize the equation that would eventually guide my coaching practice: hard work = success...until it doesn’t. I saw that I was damaging my body because I believed that the only way to achieve success was by over-working myself and burning out in the process.
During these months of healing, I learned what it means to be attuned to what your body is trying to tell you.
Through honoring these messages, I realized that non-stop work was no longer serving me. I also learned that my worth should not be determined by how many hours I work, how many promotions I receive, or how many kudos I get for all the time and effort I devote to a job. For the first time in my life, I decided to put ME first. I prioritized my recovery and self-care and immediately felt a positive shift within myself. Luckily, I happen to have an amazing partner who stood by my side and supported me on this journey from the beginning.
When you slow down enough to get in touch with your own thoughts, feelings, and desires, your true self is there to teach you some vital truths. When my leave of absence was over and I started gearing up to return to corporate America, my head, heart, and body all screamed “NO!” So, I listened. I got curious and did some deep soul-searching. What I realized is that all I wanted to do was support others on the same kind of journey that I was on. I wanted to help them eliminate negative self-talk, feelings of failure & imposter syndrome, and embrace their life’s joy and purpose. I wanted to help them explore the important question: “who am I without my work defining me?” Which is exactly why I made the best choice ever. I quit my job and got my coaching certification.
Choosing to live in authenticity and pursue my dream of professional coaching changed everything. Becoming a coach was my dream for 15 years, but I never had the confidence or courage to commit to it until three years ago. It took an accident, a lot of healing, and a huge leap of faith. And now I’m here.
I am honored to be a resource for something greater in others and to truly serve human beings on their paths to self-discovery. I believe that everyone has the right to an authentic, inspired life. Helping my clients unlock their purpose and passion is a huge part of the work that I do. If you’re interested in learning more, please reach out for your complimentary 1-hour session to see if coaching is right for you. I would love to hear your story.