Balancing Anxiety, Your Career, and Your Health

These past two months were spent focusing on my next target in my life, I know I’ve been super MIA!

I’ve always been career driven, it’s a trait passed on to me by my first-generation Chinese-American mindset. These traits  were driven by my parents who moved to NY from Malaysia when they were in their 20’s. I would be lucky if I was ever able to carry out a goal so drastic with the aptitude that my parents had, if I were to ever move to a foreign country to start a new life.

I spent the last couple months honing in on where I wanted to be career-wise. I’ve always loved working towards a goal, and love the challenges that projects present to me every single day. My curiosity outgrew what my role at work required of me, and I was left feeling very unfilled for a good amount of time which seemed to drag on and on. I knew I had to make a change since this feeling of dissatisfaction was trickling into all other aspects of my life. I lacked motivation to work out, which is usually my go-to whenever I’m feeling blah. I stopped eating with intent to fuel my body, had no appetite for the foods that provided me nourishment, and instead, turned to quick and easy carb sources that were laden with processed ingredients and sugars that my body wasn’t used to. I was in a pretty big rut, and I knew I had to quickly pivot to get my life sorted out, which meant making some career adjustments.

My career and what I do for the majority of my day is important to me, and I knew I wanted to be working with a company of like-minded individuals where I could apply my business and strategy-focused skills. I love innovation, intelligent people, and ideas that inspire. I was on a mission to find a place where I can contribute what I know for a cause that I believe in.

SO, I’m so happy to say that I will be working for an amazing biotech company starting in April, after taking a two-week decompression trip to Malaysia with my mom to see my grandmother who I haven’t seen in about 8 years. Decompression is essential to keeping your mind healthy, and seeing my family in my ancestral roots will be a huge breath of fresh air.

I’ll also slowly be getting back into prep mode, with some shows in mind around August! As much as I wanted to work out consistently these past couple months, it was hard to keep my mind focused on my health when I was so stressed out about where I wanted to be career-wise. Stress and anxiety can do that to ya! I’ve learned that when it comes to anxiety, my method to tackling it is to work top-down from the thing that is bothering you the most to the ones that seem so much clearer after the main impediments have been removed.

I realized that if I had stuck to the foods I knew would energize my body the best, I would’ve probably been feeling better, physically, and not suffered from the lethargy that I felt.

Being able to voice my angst to friends and people I trusted made a huge difference in understanding my stressors and also allowed a second perspective into my decisions.

On the days where I was motivated enough to work out, I felt like a million bucks. Getting a sweat on and exerting excess energy that I had cooped up allowed me to structure my thoughts clearer.

What I’m trying to say is, these are my four key takeaway points to living in balance, no matter what your goals are:

1. Get your heart pumping 2-3 days a week min.

2. Focus on nutritious, wholesome food

3. Confide in loved ones

4. Keep your head up and keep positive

Focusing on these four points will support you in reaching your goals since both your body and mind will be working in tandem with each other, instead of against one another.

If you would like to share your goals, feel free to comment on how you’re tackling them and what you do to keep yourself balanced.

Thanks for listening,

Val