Stress management and your values

2015 was a milestone year for me. I was going strong in my corporate career, pushing all the limits and gunning for my next role/promotion, with no regard whatsoever to taking care of myself (incl. eating my meals).* 

*Disclaimer: there's nothing wrong following a corporate career, as long as we take care of ourselves along the way. 

A burnout led to sickness which led to back to back surgeries days apart. Despite the mess, I'm grateful for that episode to have opened my eyes to what I needed to do - prioritize myself and the experiences I was craving to have which included:

1. More time for myself to simply be, breathe, spend time with myself and my hobbies

2. Do work that aligns with my personal values which include connecting deeply with people, exercising important life-skills (true listening, empathy, seeing the best in others and encouraging them to live their potential) and balance in life. I'm glad the coaching work that I do now fits that description. 

3. Spend time with my loved ones, including my family in India. I now visit my family at least 2-3 times a year for almost 3 weeks and am looking to improve on that important KPI ;-) and leave enough time for explorative/leisure travel. It isn't easy but I am working on it, it’s the right kind of challenge to have.

Why am I telling you this? If you resonate with my story, know that you aren’t alone. There are so many of us who aren’t speaking out or asking for help. It can change starting with you. 

Here’s what you can do: share your story and seek support with someone who is qualified, experienced and whom you trust. That could be someone in your network or me, let the change start one step at a time.