Last summer, I woke up feeling like I had a 50 pound weight wrapped around on my shoulders. This was not the first day I felt this way. In fact the weight I was feeling had become increasingly heavier as the weeks and months went on. This was just the day I woke up feeling its full force.

My anxiety was through the roof and I had a sinking feeling I just couldn’t shake. I kept telling myself that spells of unrest come and go, but I knew this was different. 

I’ve had my share of stress over the years and am pretty good at telling myself to put a positive spin on any given situation, but this felt non-negotiable and I knew I needed to pay attention. If I didn’t make a change, it would only get worse. 

The intensity of my work had become unmanageable over the past two years and it was taking a serious toll on my health. I’d been longing to break free for quite some time but the uncertainty of the pandemic had left me feeling a need to play it safe and embrace the predictability.

I finally realized that the risk I was taking by staying was far greater than the uncertainty of leaving. Just as I’d done when I got sober 10 years ago, I listened to my inner voice and decided to walk away. I said goodbye to my sense of security, good steady pay, stock and all.

This happened 8 months ago and I can honestly say, I’ve never been happier. Pursuing my dream of building a business is what I was meant to do and although every day presents a new set of challenges, I get to overcome them on my own terms.

Is the future uncertain? Of course it is, but that’s true for all of us. This little gamble has been well worth it. My only regret is that I hadn’t done it sooner. 

What change have you been wanting to make that will take a leap of faith to make it happen?