Why did I prioritize health over work?

Throughout my professional journey in a fast and competitive environment, I strive and thrive to be at the top. I am driven, ambitious and solve every struggle and problem that comes my way. I conquer any challenge with a growth mindset – building scenarios and understanding consequences in my decision-making process.

It was the programming I received on how to survive a competitive and stressful working environment. However, every neglect of my health and personal desires come with a hefty price tag.

At some point, I developed eczema. I saw two allergologists and two dermatologists, but they couldn't figure out the root cause of my eczema. They were just prescribing me a strong pill to cure the cracks in my skin.

I reached a severe state of eczema where I couldn't sleep because my skin, especially my back, was so itchy, painful, and bleeding.

I found a doctor who practices naturopathy. He diagnosed that the cause of my eczema was because my stomach was so acidic. The cause of acidity was triggered by three things: 1. Lactose 2. Stress 3. Greasy food.

Lactose. Living in France, the majority of the food I eat was with butter, cream, and cheese. It's French cuisine, it's delicious, but it's something that I didn't grow up eating. Therefore, my body reached its limits and at some point, it's rejecting it.

Stress. I worked in a fast-paced working environment, managing bid teams responsible for answering multi-million Request for Proposal. The work life is like a pressure cooker.

Greasy food. I didn't have much time to cook healthy food. My default is to go to the grocery store and grab a slab of meat that I can just pan-fry in a few minutes.

It was a sustainable lifestyle until I received the wake-up call. Time to change and prioritize my health.

I drastically changed my diet and underwent a kind of detox for 6-8 months. I went to the sauna every week to release and sweat out all the stress in my body. I managed my working hours by setting boundaries and saying "No" to working unnecessary extra hours. I took some herbal medicine to help the cracks and swelling in my skin subside.

The result?! I saw the change in my skin two weeks after I changed my diet. I felt better and lighter. I was able to have a good sleep at night. I became more productive by prioritizing what I needed to deliver based on my objectives and declined any request that I felt was not value-added to me – I stopped being an accommodator.

Why did I prioritize health over work? Because I came to these simple realizations.

- Stress in the long run leads to disease and illness. It's just a matter of time until it becomes evident in our bodies.

- A sedentary lifestyle leads to fast aging. The more we don't move, the more we feel fatigue.

- A fast-paced life leads to the consumption of junk food. We grab whatever is convenient and fast.

In the end, I realized that a healthy body equates to a healthy mind. And that a healthy mind leads to creativity, productivity, and a structured way of working.