Running on empty?

Oftentimes we may minimize or ignore health issues?that we consider "minor".? These can range from a sore back, to insomnia, fatigue, weight gain/loss, or an uptick in anxiety.? However the longer term cumulative effect of not addressing or perhaps even acknowledging?these symptoms can have significant consequences.? As an analogy, let's use the brakes on your car.? One day you begin to hear them squeal but it is intermittent. This is a busy week, so you put off going to the mechanic.? Also you didn't budget for new brakes this month.? And then the noise stops for a while. Later the?squealing becomes more pronounced and eventually turns to a grinding noise so you finally take your car in for service.? But now that you have waited it's not just the brake pads that need replacement. Due to the?prolonged damage the brake rotors now need to be replaced as well, making the service?much more expensive than if you had initially addressed the brake pad noise.??

This is what chronic stress is like for your body. It may begin as a physical symptom that is annoying...but bearable. You push through and ignore the warning signs. You have deadlines after all and people depending on you! You dream of a vacation in a few months, or a weekend of rest and recuperation. But the physical and/or emotional manifestations increase over time. Maybe you begin to have more joint pain, or your sleep is even more compromised.? You find yourself being more tense and less patient within your relationships. You may feel a general sense of anxiety without a specific cause.?

Now let's expand the automobile analogy.? Are you maintaining your car regularly with routine maintenance?? Does the oil get changed within a reasonable mileage period?? Do you keep the tires inflated during hot summer months before they become dangerously?low?? And although it doesn't affect how it runs, do you occasionally run it through the car wash so you feel good having it shiny and dirt or pollen free for a spell?? Again, the same goes for us. Do we provide ourselves regular stress reduction sessions such as a walk in nature, a massage, quality time with our friends and family? What does self-care look like to you? Do?you feel that your life is in balance regularly, or are you trying to race around the track for one more lap before pulling into the pit stop for the crew to do the basics to get you back in the race?

Chronic work stress doesn't always look like we may imagine. You can love your job, your colleagues and your clients and still be heading for a crisis. And this stress is exacerbated if your workplace has elements of toxicity, such as escalating workloads and responsibilities or a narcissistic colleague or manager. Or you may be an early-stage founder with a never ending list of to dos to keep the doors open. But unfortunately unlike a car mechanical issue, money alone can't fix health issues, especially if they become severe or chronic.?

It can seem like options are limited when your workplace is a source of your stress. After all this is likely your primary (or only) source of financial independence. But the belief that we have limited options is part of what fuels the stress. You can create more control over your environment than you may believe and still perform and succeed at a high level.?

This story is inspired by my own experiences "racing around the track".? After a major health crisis I learned that a common variable for those who develop chronic illness is Type A personality.?And this is even more pronounced for women. We continue to take on increasing amounts of responsibilities, yet don't make space for a parallel amount of self-care. We may try to diplomatically please others in our professional life, while compromising our own needs. And it may even seem glamorous, and exciting as we roar around the track, crowds cheering, and victory flags waving!? So what if the shocks are rattling and the gas is low?? We will address that soon...at the next pit stop, before the next race! But sometimes, eventually, the continuous excessive speeds catch up. Perhaps in a worst case scenario a pin breaks from the constant stress to the machine and at high speed our car spins out of control and causes more damage than we could have imagined. And while that analogy may seem extreme, and it is, I have heard this story again and again from people in many professions.?People who were ostensibly at the top of their game, as they were heading into the curve.

As Irene Ortiz-Glass so eloquently said "The body whispers before it screams".

Today is Friday in the middle of the month.? Ask yourself.? How has this week been? How has this month been so far?? How are you approaching the weekend?? What does the second half of your month look like?? How does your body feel when you consider these questions?