Hasnaa Akabli
I spent my whole corporate career in fast-paced and demanding roles in finance, business development and strategy. That was a time when, as a high achiever, the concept of self-care was nonexistent as I have had unhealthy lifestyle habits for decades. I was working long hours, my mind was constantly “on”, I consistently felt that I was always behind and this lifestyle impacted my level of confidence and productivity. I sacrificed my time with loved ones as well as my workout routine. I literally had zero “me time”. I experienced chronic anxiety, which caused me to hold a pretty pessimistic outlook on life, myself and others. My overall life satisfaction declined. I eventually found myself at the verge of burnout.
I was constantly worried about my performance, afraid to make mistakes and to let people down. I had the unconscious urge to constantly please others because I thought that I would then receive more recognition and guarantee my professional development.
I was wrong.
The more I was doing for my job, the more I found myself running endlessly like a hamster in a wheel. There was no end in sight. At some point, I realized that that pace wasn’t sustainable. The problem was that I had no clue how to get myself out of it. I grew up hearing and believing that “hard work” was the only way to success. I knew no alternative.
One day, I was let go from the company I was working for. In the moment, it felt terrible but, looking back, it was one of the most freeing events that I have ever experienced because I had to reinvent my whole life and identity. I was not only my job. My life wasn’t just about work. Then who am I? What is life really about?
These were deep questions for someone who just lost her job and who used to believe in hard work and self-sacrifice to achieve success. My life at that time was proof that that belief wasn’t true. So, I hired an executive coach to have someone to talk to, think with, brainstorm with, ask important questions out loud and be guided to find my answers and eventually come up with an actionable plan.
Thanks to that first coaching experience, I started to realize that I was living a lie. That life was never just about work only. That performing well at my job doesn’t require me to sacrifice my well-being, my social life, my family life, my joy and my physical and mental health. That working hard isn’t the only way to achieve my goals and receive love and recognition. Worse, that working hard without any breaks can even become counterproductive as it eventually leads to exhaustion, tense relationships, mental confusion, burnout and even depression.
The problem is that I realized at that time that self-care was a totally foreign territory for me and that I had no clue where to begin! I wasn’t equipped to bring rest, clarity and a sense of purpose back into my life. This is when I started a lifetime journey of learning and personal growth on how to take care of myself. And that first coach I worked with helped me tremendously.
Long story short, this is why later, when I became an established executive coach, I decided to specialize in self-care and executive well-being to provide valuable support to other leaders who desperately need to take better care of themselves but don’t know where to get started.
Trust me, you’re not alone. Many driven and success-oriented leaders struggle with a poor work/life balance, high stress and the feeling of there’s no end in sight.
I’m here to tell you that there is help and hope. You can take a holistic approach to work and life. With my guidance and support, you can get in touch with your true self and make choices that allow you to have it all: making a meaningful impact at work as well as creating a harmonious personal life.
