Can You Hear Me Now?

On a recent Sunday, Pastor Lance’s sermon was “Can you Hear Me Now? He taught us about listening to our hearts and trusting our instincts. And, he talked at length what can happen when we ignore our inner voice.

I learned this lesson the hard way.

Early in my career I joined a startup hotel chain with responsibility for marketing and sales.

I traveled extensively to our hotels and about nine months into the job, I began to hear the inner-whisper, “This is not a good fit,” “You are not having fun.” “Find a job that makes you happy.”

But I chose to ignore those whispers and let my ego dictate my actions “This is exactly where you need to be. It’s fantastic opportunity. People would kill for this job. Don’t blow it.”

But the harder I pressed the more roadblocks appeared. Over time, the last straw was when a senior male executive began to bully me. When I repeatedly appealed to the CEO (to whom I reported) he took no action and the status quo prevailed.

I learned the hard way that a whisper ignored becomes a sledge hammer. I became so weary that every day at lunch I would drive to my duplex, put on my PJ’s, fling myself into bed and try to rest to restore my energy for the afternoon. Week after week this went on.

Finally, I did what I should have done months earlier. I resigned. But my procrastination came with a heavy price. I suffered a grave case of physical and emotional burnout, that manifested itself as severe fatigue. I was sidelined for over a year.

The good news? I learned some lessons I’d like to share with you:

• When the whispers begin, listen. There’s a reason why you are feeling this way.
• Pay attention to your emotions and energy level. If you feel severe stress like I did, seek out help to protect yourself.
• Don’t make rash decisions. Consider all your options.

Above all, be brave. If you determine that you are in the wrong place, walk away on your terms.  You’ll be fine. Chalk it up to a great life lesson and never, ever look back.