Last weekend, my appendix nearly burst. It probably shouldn’t have come as such a surprise.
The truth is, my body had been sending me signals for months that something was wrong, but I told myself I was “too busy” (as an entrepreneur, mama to a toddler, and ever-productive human) to slow down and investigate.
After a full day in the ER, an emergency appendectomy, God knows the medical cost, and nearly a week of lost work while I recovered, here I am (REALLY wishing I’d paid more attention to the warning signs).
Cue the lesson I’ve been given more times than I can count:
If you don’t take care of yourself, at some point your body will force you to. And often at the most inconvenient time.
And the broader life (and leadership) lesson: if you continue to ignore the small problems, they turn into big ones. Life will keep offering you opportunities to learn until you finally do.
The last week has humbled me in more ways than one. It also reminded me why I’ve chosen to do the work I do, supporting people to prioritize their well-being and build more sustainable ways of living and working. Because ignoring the early signs of burnout is far more costly than addressing them when the crisis becomes real.
It’s so easy to neglect yourself in service of the life you are creating. To kick the can down the road and buy into the martyr mentality that says, “I’ll do more for myself when I get through x, y, z, thing…”.
But there’s always another “thing.” And that path leads straight to burnout.
So today, I (and my now-gone appendix) am here to encourage you:
Make the doctor's appointment.
Take the yoga class (or just some deep, relaxing breaths).
Go for a walk.
Call your friend back.
Drink some water (more than you think you should!).
Shut down your computer early.
Take the morning off.
Do something that replenishes you or brings you joy — not someday, but today.
Your work will benefit. Your relationships will benefit. Everything in your life will benefit. But most importantly, you will.