Is work a blessing or a curse?

Sounds a bit dramatic right? it is…. Don’t forget I’m Latina!

January was a turbulent month for me, and I suddenly felt the urge to unapologetically share what’s on my mind.

While many of you have been focused on starting the year strong at work, or settling into a new role, I was going through an important life experience.

My year started collecting miles from place to place in search for family love, inspiration for a strong 2023 and supporting my father in one of the most important times of his life.

In 2022 my father was diagnosed with an aneurysm on the main aorta at the level of his stomach; the case was overly complex because my father is diabetic and has malformed kidney that developed its own anatomy (its own veins and arteries).?In late 2022, my father he was told it was going to burst anytime.?

He called the aneurysm the “ticking bomb”, when I asked him how he felt about the whole situation he answered with a single word: KAMIKAZE.

His condition could not be resolved in our home country (Venezuela) and my parents decided to rely on medical care from Colombia.

At one point I realized I was going to be an important contributor to my father’s life project: kamikaze.??in this case he was not willing to die with the bomb. (Yes, more Latin drama!)

My role was to support my parents navigate an unfamiliar healthcare system to resolve a life and death situation with an unknown future.

I traveled to Colombia on Jan 23rd; the surgery was planned for the 25th.?In a 7hr surgery and a miraculous attempt, the Dr. clipped the aneurysm while not compromising the kidney and the whole thing would soon become the topic of a medical white paper as a unique case.

Long story short, surgery was a success, my father is out of the woods and on a steady path to recovery.

Managing this situation was difficult for me because I naturally tend to control situations in search for success.?I project manage work and personal life in many ways and while I did project manage my father’s surgery, there were many variables outside of our control and while I was there to make them feel safe and supported, I was feeling completely vulnerable unable to control the outcome.??

When I felt the most vulnerable, I regressed to childhood and learned again from my parents.?With no words they taught me TRUST was the only way forward.

What does all of this have to do with work being a blessing and/or a curse?

Those of you who have worked closely with me know I always give my whole self to projects. This is a blessing AND a curse where TRUST is the key.

I have been in a process to recognize the value of trust for a few years now.

On this trip I learned trust is my best bet to defeat the need for control.

If I don’t trust my coworkers will do the best they can in everyday activities, work is a curse.?If I trust my coworkers support me while I’m dealing with an important life experience and I don’t have to be involved in everything, work is a blessing.??

If I don’t trust my boss won’t judge my performance or career development for prioritizing life occasionally, work can be a curse.??Instead, if I trust transparent communication and good intend is a great way to have a relationship with your direct manager, work is a blessing.??

If I trust success at work is as a foundation of strong guiding principles such as: strong work ethic, completing projects and initiatives with tangible results, transparent communication and thinking as an owner, work can be a blessing.??

Today I feel blessed for being able to be excellent at work and make mistakes, to be strong and weak all at the same time, to learn and coach in everyday activities. To define what success means to me.

Work can be a curse sometimes and for it to be a blessing is not a perk, it comes down to YOU.