The not-so-secret secret to getting everything you want and still make it to yoga class. (If I can do it, you can too).
Thrive Global saved my life. Here’s why.
I was yet again working until daylight, having not slept in a matter of days. My obsession with work was going to be the death of me.
I always made up excuses for why I was the way I was. Why I was always obsessively working. Why I never took time off. In the back of my mind, I knew it would catch up to me, but a matter of when was the question.
My answer soon came to me, when I was 4,500 feet in the air. At 19, I was training to become a private pilot. This meant that between being a full-time college student (and involved in almost every club on campus), working a job as a reporter full time and starting my business, flight school somehow “had” to fit in my schedule. When I hit fatigue while practicing my 360 degree turns, I lost control.
My life at that very moment, changed.
I remember feeling the G-force, and suddenly not being able to breathe.
I looked over at my flight instructor, who noticed all the color had disappeared from my face.
I had hit fatigue. And hard.
Between Presidential Ambassador meetings, Entrepreneurship meetings as President, leading meetings for my International Travel Club, volunteering, building my online business and traveling once per month I decided to fit flight school into the mess. I thought I could do it all at once, and boy was I wrong.
My moment of fatigue led to a pinnacle life changing moment in my existence.
Not only was I depressed, anxiety ridden and overall overwhelmed, my body was ready to shut down.
I was driving to class after that long morning of flight training when I fell asleep at the wheel.
Thankfully, I woke up in time to prevent my car from crashing into the highway sidewall. Thankfully, I had not hit anyone else; I awoke just in time.
Heart racing, I pulled over and collapsed. Fell asleep.
I collapsed because I pulled an all-nighter the night before, something I did regularly. I went through the daily cycle: Flight school, study, class, work, study, class, work, fly. It never seemed to slow down.
Honestly, this is hard for me to admit, because I haven’t even told my family or friends about this incident. I didn’t want to worry them more than they already were. I was ashamed.
I found Thrive Global through an article on Facebook, and I was delighted to know that having a work-life balance was actually possible. I learned that not only did I NOT have to give up my business, but I could still have everything I wanted and still sleep at night.
We feel this need to be obsessed and invincible, when really we just need to take a nap.
Meditate.
Journal.
Practice yoga.
When we are not rested, when our minds are not rested, not only are we unproductive, but we look and feel like garbage.
It wasn’t until I had collapsed that I realized that I needed to make a change. So I did. I read self-improvement books and articles in Thrive Global that talked about the importance of finding balance.
I decided to actually go to bed at night, and my results were astonishing.
Instead of getting worse at becoming a pilot, I am now 20 years old and a licensed private pilot. The moment I stopped stressing out and started to take care of myself and trust the process, was the moment I was able to achieve success.
At 20 years old, running a six-figure business as a business coach, working on my Instrument Rating and helping my mom fight breast cancer, I can say I am truly passionate about finding balance within, and am a strong advocate of Thrive Global and their mission.
The truth is, there is no secret to finding balance in your life. You need to listen to your mind and your body. You need to have trust in yourself and take a break when you know you need one. For me, balance looks different every day, but there are a few staples that I will schedule in my calendar to ensure I am my best self. Those things are: meditation, reading, journaling, yoga class, meals, breaks and sleep time. Yes, I absolutely will schedule my meals in my Google Calendar to ensure I am doing what my body needs in order to stay happy and healthy. Do what your body needs you to do.
I always tell my clients to schedule their life first, and their business second. Because health is wealth and if you don’t have your health, you won’t be around to enjoy your wealth.
Take care out there.