“My mind is tellin’ me no but my body, my body’s tellin’ me yes
Baby, I don’t want to hurt nobody
But there is something that I must confess (to you)”

Actually, my body is telling me no too. 

Sometimes, just before my alarm goes off, just before I’m actually awake, I start to think about work and I start muttering “no” and it gets louder and louder until I enter complete consciousness. I wish that I could tell you that this only happened once or twice, but that wouldn’t be true. Until recently, I would start my day this way about 85% of the time. Not only that, but I consistently put up with stress and anxiety that left me feeling drained and unhappy.

I’ve told myself I should stay because:

1. I got bills to pay.
2. I make good money.
3. I thought eventually it would get better.
4. I feared jumping ship just to end up doing the same thing at a new place.
5. I feared that I didn’t have the skill set to take on a new career path.
6. I feared that my parents would be disappointed if I quit this job with these good benefits.

But none of these reasons are really good enough.

I’ve discussed feeling as though I wasn’t enough in a previous post, but I think it's bigger than that. How many of us have allowed our “responsibilities” to keep us from making a change? How many of us cling to fear rather than stepping out on faith? How many of us ignore our heart or our gut because we’re afraid to leave our comfort zone?

As I approach my first milestone work anniversary, my mental, emotional and physical well-being are becoming a priority. I am sometimes frustrated by all the reasons that kept me stuck in this place, but there’s no time for regret. So instead of dwelling on what I should have done, I am embracing the idea that there is a space for everything I desire and no room for anything less.

So here’s to working towards what we want rather than settling for what we’ve got. Go take that class so you can pivot your skills. Stop taking your work home with you and constantly carrying around those anxieties. Stop believing that your talents and skills don’t deserve recognition. Stop allowing outside influence to deter you from what you know you want.

When was the last time you trusted your gut?

Was it worth it? What did you gain?