I quit my job today

It started when I noticed I was complaining about my day job to anyone who would listen.

Literally, anyone.

And then it got worse a few weeks later, when I noticed I would get increasingly exhausted and aggravated throughout the day.

Things really picked up speed when my health started declining - I wasn't sleeping well, my bowel movements were all messed up, and I started eating emotionally again.

It was hard to get myself going in the morning.

I wasn't putting on makeup or brushing my hair.

I was doing the absolute minimum. 

And I hated that feeling.

Finally, I got an ulcer. And I knew I couldn't ignore it anymore.

I had to leave my job.

So I talked with Ben, my mom, and a few close friends about what was going on. They all agreed that I had not seemed well for some time, and that this position seemed to be the culprit.

Luckily, I had some financial cushion, so I was able to leave before I found my next position (fingers crossed, final interview tomorrow!)

But my point is I should have been listening to my body LONG before now. 

We give our bodies MUCH less credit than they deserve.

It was practically screaming at me "THIS JOB IS TERRIBLE AND IS CAUSING YOU INSANE STRESS LEVELS WHY ARE YOU STILL THERE?"

I'd never been so stressed out that I'd actually given myself an ulcer before (side note - there's debate on whether or not ulcers are related to stress, but the links seem pretty clear in this situation).

And yet, I kept going to my job thinking "I wonder why I'm so tired today? Maybe if I eat another cookie I'll feel better"

Your body is going to tell you when something isn't right.

Sure, it can be hard to decipher just what your body is saying sometimes, so that's why it's important to listen!

Here's what you can do to ensure that the quantity of stressors in your life are not detracting from the quality of your life:

• Keep in touch with multiple "body language" interpreters such as
• Nutritionists
• Therapists
• Doctors
• Naturopaths
• Start a journal. Writing about what you're dealing with is incredibly therapeutic, and can help you work out what's causing you stress or what is giving you joy!
• Meditate! We have SO much coming at us in our every day lives. Being still is crucial to decluttering our minds and relieving stress

Ultimately what I want to express to you all is that wellness is not always found at the gym. 

It's not always in a blender. 

It's not always about how many bench presses you do, or how many calories you eat, or how many miles you ran.

Wellness is also about finding joy in your day to day.

Feeling grateful and honoring your journey.

Taking time to recognize your struggles, unwind the tension they may have caused, and let them go.

(I couldn't bring myself to do a "Let it Go" gif, so Channing Tatum being Elsa will have to do)

So this week, if nothing else, take a moment to pick ONE THING you are going to do for your mental well being. And set a reminder to stick to it.

See what happens (because you're journaling now, right?) and see if there's any difference in a few days/weeks/months from now.

It's not worth it to give yourself an ulcer just to find out something isn't working for you.

Love,

Megan