It was one of those lazy days of summer, and I with my newfound freedom as a solopreneur, enjoying a short siesta in my office space.

When I woke up, realized the nap was short, lasted for just 7 minutes, and here I was, refreshed and rejuvenated!

The next coach call that followed, went extremely well, both I and my client were very pleased with our work and outcomes.

Remember;

a healthy body is our key support system to fight against the daily stressors of life, you can have the best of creative ideas, but if your body fails to support you with the needed energy and push, even a simple task may seem herculean.

Self-reflection.

Then while winding up for the day, as I sat back and reflected the number of years it took me to reach this space, I was back in my past and as our mind works, one thought led to another, and what surfaced up were memories of those days at work, where I would work for more than 12 hours every single day, without break, including the holiday season, which I never availed, resulting in a demotivated, disengaged extremely exhausted body and mind.

By now if you have guessed it right, I was a hardcore workaholic.
and there was more to just being a workaholic, it was me seeking solace and escape in working hard.

Let me explain the

Why?

Because I believed long hours of work = Hard work

Hard work = guaranteed success

Guaranteed success = a lot of money and fame 

Fame = not only the reward and recognition trophies for exceptional work but “acceptance”.

So,

At a hidden root level =  I was in search of a sense of belonging and acceptance. 

( For a very long time in my life, carrying my inner wounded child, I yearned for acceptance, and in constant search for it, would try to associate it with fame, praise, and success) 

This belief was indoctrinated in me by my parents, especially my father who was a workaholic, and another case of unresolved trauma and a deeply wounded inner child which unfortunately never found its way out

Later year consequences 

  Despite my belief, my hard work never fetched me anything that I desired, on the contrary, it took a toll on my health resulting in high bouts of anxiety, and vertigo, both my mind and body throwing up signs to stop and slow down, it also impacted my performance and provided an opportunity to my toxic bosses ,who were just waiting for one, to fire me, and this was where it all started — the first knock of derailment of my career.

Present day today

I am living in the most abundant healthy and positive space of my life,  I work only 5 focused hours a day, following the “MIT”-most important task of the day principle, 

the best part of my schedule is the flexibility and freedom with time, which is also the reason for my financial success, high productivity, and performance through quality work.

What changed?

• The incorrect meanings I held
• The incorrect approaches I followed.
• The unhealthy way of coping with stress 

It took me several years and a lot of missed opportunities, to get to learn the paradox of despite the very hard work, why success evaded me.

If you find yourself with unexplained body aches, or disappointments despite your best efforts at work, or find yourself amidst problems you cannot articulate, then my friend I invite you to book your free coaching call here, let’s talk 

Also, feel free to share this with anyone you think can find help through the free coaching call.

(c) Mehnaz Amjad – 2017 -2024

About the Author ; Mehnaz Amjad, is a Coach and a Cognitive Behavior Practitioner

I’m on a mission to empower people with strategies and tools, they need to cope with difficult times & navigate through challenging circumstances.