Writing this book was an extraordinary manifestation in my life; one of the most definitive and transformative achievements I have ever realized. I received a profound message from my mother, who had passed away 30 years earlier, that I HAD to write this book. It was my calling to share the inspirational story of my healing journey with others and impart all the knowledge I had acquired about harnessing the power of the mind-body connection and holistic practices to achieve success.
No sacrifice was too great to make this book a reality. I wanted full ownership, so self-publishing was the only way to go, despite the colossal expense. But nothing could stop me. I own two businesses, a website services firm and a mental fitness coaching practice, where I facilitated three monthly events on meditative breathwork and sound healing. Still, the cost of the self-published book, and the international book tour I envisioned, remained elusive. So, I made a life-changing decision to take on an additional, intensive 40-hour a week call center job. With eighty-hour work weeks between the two companies, new job, and writing the book, I led an extremely isolated life, with occasional social events draining the little time and energy I had left. Insane? Yes. But full-time was the only option for the job and I was determined to make my dream a reality. I could do this for six months.
The first couple of months were supremely intense, to the point that I felt like a fraud. I was experiencing unbearable burnout. I was perpetually stressed, short-tempered, and spent most nights crying, wondering if I could stick it out another four months . But, I didn’t give up. I continued my affirmations, gratitude practices, breathwork and meditation routine. I took things to the next level by immersing myself in inspirational and motivational videos throughout the day and These videos helped me to maintain a positive mental space and handle whatever challenge came my way. I eventually turned it into a game, the ultimate mindfulness challenge, to keep my energy high and to take better care of myself both emotionally and physically.
Each morning and throughout the day, I had to adjust my negative thinking . This was the kind of job I had avoided all my life, sitting in front of screens answering calls all day. To top it off, about 50% of callers were angry and screaming at me over money they felt the company was taking from them. I did a lot of deep breathing and reminded myself that I was here to help these customers, and no matter how they reacted, I would be calm and professional. What kept me going each day was my unwavering gratitude for this job and its potential for bringing me closer to my dream.
My book revisions took two months! During this time, I had to get up at 5 am to prime my mind and body for the day. I wrote for two hours before my call center job, two more hours before bed, and then I did it all over again the next day.
Luckily, my office is in an open area and I have a balcony and after three months the weather got warmer and I could open up the door and hear the birds and feel closer to nature. I also used grounding products, mats for my feet and a mat to sleep on my bed to help balance the electromagnetic energy that I was receiving from the monitors. My body would become extremely uncomfortable absorbing this energy. Some days during lunch I would go to a grassy area in my community and ground myself bare feet on the ground doing yoga and inversions. Or sometimes I would just eat and meditate for about a half an hour before I had to return to the calls.
As the sun set, I’d pop in my earbuds and break out my dance moves, not caring as my neighbors looked on. Little did they know, this nightly ritual was my secret to feeling great. Dancing under the stars and singing along to my favorite tunes was a personal form of therapy that helped me release pent-up energy and triggered a rush of happy hormones like endorphins and oxytocin.
The last month was a game-changer – I stapled a calendar on the wall, then put a fat X on each day I scored. As the weeks progressed, every time I clocked out, I kicked off my shoes and busted some moves to Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust.” Let me tell you, keeping up this kind of schedule for half a year was one of the toughest things I’ve ever had to do in my career. But you know what? I’d do it all over again if it meant achieving my dream of helping others.