I’ve held a lot of jobs — from barista to bookseller — and, over the years, these jobs eventually led me to a career. I studied hard in college to earn my degree, and when I landed my first job in said career sector, I thought, Aha, I have arrived! But that feeling was fleeting. It felt like a slow careen off a hill, and it lasted for five years. I fought for that career because I was sure it was right for me; after all, I had put in all the work in college.

It turned out that while the actions of that job fed my soul to a degree, there was a heavier weight that pulled me into a little corner where I basically ended up begging for mercy.

Listen to Your Body’s Signals

I didn’t listen to the signals that my body was offering me and it blew up in my face.