I’m not ashamed to say that I used to put my job in front of everything and everyone in my life.
If you asked me,
Would I go back and change anything in the past?
My answer would be no. My answer is no because I believe that all of the moments in our lives shape who we are.
Our experiences are lessons, which then become wisdom that we can share with others to support them on their journey.
I am proud of who I am.
I am grateful that I’m here today to share part of my story with you so that you know you are not alone.
You have support, and you CAN make different choices.
I spent 21 years of my life putting my job first because I thought I had something to prove.
I thought I had to do it to survive.
Even when I was off work, I wasn’t “off.” I felt like I always had to be “on.”
Always looking over my shoulder, waiting for the phone to ring, waiting for an issue to inevitably pop up over the weekend that I would have to deal with.
I missed countless significant life events with family and close friends…
- Weddings
- Graduations
- Anniversaries
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Funerals
Yes, even funerals.
And then, IT happened.
My Mom was diagnosed with cancer.
I reached my final breaking point when I was flying back and forth to be with my Mom, and I was still trying to manage various projects, and conference calls for work at the same time – work that I wasn’t even passionate about anymore.
And we’re not talking about merely working on my off time in between tasks or on the drive to the hospital.
I was handling multiple projects while I was next to my Mom’s bedside trying to keep her company, administer her medication, help her with breathing treatments, get her food, drink or whatever else she needed.
I was trying to spend quality time with her, every minute that passed knowing that it would be one of the last.
And even though I knew the moments were counting down, I couldn’t be present with my DYING MOM because I was allowing the job to take that away from me.
That was a new bottom for me.
At that moment I made a vow to myself that I would create a life on my terms.
That I would be happy and free.
I want YOU to be happy, fulfilled, and free in your life. You deserve to live life on YOUR terms.
Are you putting your job in front of everything else that is important in your life?
Here are some signs to look out for:
Relationships
You often put your relationships on the back burner because of your job. You choose work over time with your loved ones.
That meeting that runs late, the last minute business dinner, just spend a couple more hours in the office and you’ll get a jump start for the next day.
Significant life events
You often miss out on important events due to work. Your kids’ recital, a birthday party, an anniversary, date night.
Because you have to be the one at that meeting, you have to go on that business trip, you have to be at that business dinner, and it all has to happen right then, and it can’t be changed.
Guilt
The guilt is eating away at you. You always feel guilty.
Guilty for staying at work to finish a project or a meeting that’s running late when you know you are taking away from time with your loved ones.
Guilty for leaving work to be with your loved ones, when you know that you still have to meet that project deadline or some other work-related commitment.
Your identity is your job.
When someone asks what you do, you immediately answer with what you do for work. You don’t talk about anything else that interests you because you don’t do much of anything else aside from work.
If this any of this describes you, my message is this:
You can’t get time back. You can’t get back the birthdays, the recitals, the date night, the time with your loved ones. Once it is gone, it’s gone forever.
Money is renewable, but time isn’t.
Don’t make the same mistake I did.
Don’t wait until there is a tragedy to re-evaluate how you’re living your life.
Make different choices NOW.
You can have a successful career and a fulfilling, free life on YOUR terms.
You CAN have it all.
I would love to help you take back your time, balance your life, and achieve your dreams.
Click here to schedule your free Clarity Session.