For way too many years, I worked tirelessly, chasing money, status, and power. I was driven by the belief that once I reached “the top,” I’d finally have it all. More financial freedom, more time to enjoy life, and the ability to do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.

I poured everything I had into my career; long nights, weekends, several times I even took my laptop on holiday — all in the pursuit of that ultimate goal. Somewhere along the way, I even subconsciously paused my personal life, convincing myself that if I put in the hard yards now, I’d be able to enjoy the rewards later. But when I finally made it to what I thought would be the top, the view was nothing like what I had imagined.

Sure, I had more money, but as my pay cheque increased, so did my cost of living with more expensive brands and luxury items; it never felt like it was enough. And as for time? I had almost none. What little time I did have was spent alone on my couch or asleep, trying to regain the energy I’d drained from years of pushing myself beyond my limits.

The hard reality was that I burned out badly on my way to “the top”. With zero support from above or my friends (because let’s face it, I’d pushed all my friends away), I was forced to take weeks off work to recover, alone. It was a harsh wake-up call.

I soon realised that the path I’d been on was unsustainable and that I hadn’t found the eternal happiness I’d convinced myself would come. Then, without warning, I was made redundant from my high-flying, corporate job. At first, it felt like a devastating setback, but in hindsight, it was the push I needed to rethink my life (a literal gift from the universe).

I took the forced step back and decided to search for a new direction. I realised I had spent so much time working that I didn’t know what I truly enjoyed anymore (true story). I didn’t know what my passions were, what my hobbies could be, or even what my friends did for fun outside of work. I was lost and so very lonely; it was a rock-hard pill to swallow.