I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder in 2019. I was working at a small software company and had just been accepted into graduate school as a full time student when I experienced a series of illnesses in quick succession. At first I thought that stress and lack of sleep were catching up with me. However, after time away from work to rest and relax didn't resolve the issue, medical testing determined that my symptoms were (mainly) due to an autoimmune disorder. As someone who was raised to push through obstacles and walk off injuries, I decided to carry on working while attending school full time (although I did scale back my hours). 

After completing my degree and changing careers I continued to struggle with my health. I realized that I wasn't really living, I was existing. I enjoyed many aspects of my new career, but I almost always felt exhausted and my days all seemed to blur together. After working I had very little energy leftover to complete necessary (laundry, cleaning, self care) tasks at home. I was almost never fully present in the moment, always tired and worrying about things left undone. I realized that in order to live the life I wanted I would need to make some drastic changes.

I quit my job, I took a few months to really rest and focus on my health, and I began a journey of self discovery. I spent time reacquainting myself with activities that I had previously enjoyed, and exploring new creative outlets. I am making a conscious effort to be present in my life and in my personal relationships. I am working to let go of beliefs and behaviors that no longer served me and make joy a priority.

Yes, I know I sound like a self help book. The truth is that some of those books (and videos) have a lot of valuable information in them. Much like attending therapy, just reading or hearing the information isn't enough. You have to be willing to do the work in order to see results, and most of the time the work is actually really hard. No, my life isn't suddenly perfect. I still struggle sometimes and have bad days. I'm still a work in progress, but I'm a happier and healthier person than I was a year ago. I'm excited to be embarking on this journey into entrepreneurship, and I am grateful that you took the time to read this and become a part of my story.