I really do want it, and I hustle hard to get it. I work a 9 to 5 and side hustle with Uber, Lyft, and Spark. You know I am working these side hustle streets. I’ve saved a lot in the first three months of 2023, more than in any three months before. My hustle game is on point, but it has come with a price: the toll the long hours are taking on my physical and mental health.
Signs I Needed to Slow Down
About two weeks ago, panic attacks returned, and this time with a vengeance. It seems panic attacks want to be my constant friend as they return to me faithfully daily. I was labeled a person with diabetes some two years ago. I’ve struggled with this diagnosis, but recently (within the last six months) realized that the symptoms I exhibited, such as tingling in my hands and feet and what feels like fireworks going off inside my body, I could no longer deny the diagnosis.
So, I started to get it together. I agreed to take the Metformin for three months, remove sugar from my diet and monitor the carbs I consumed. It was all going GREAT! I managed to lose five pounds, and the tingling and fireworks STOPPED. I know you think these are all good things, and they are. However, since the beginning of this year, I have slacked considerably on what I need to do to maintain my sugar levels.
Working 12 hours daily leaves little time to do anything else, including staying on top of my sugar levels. After working all day, I only want to go to bed to do it again the next day. My body is protesting against me. It has set off alarms that I can no longer ignore. It’s saying, “Hey, what about me?” “Remember me?”
The Effects of Hustle Culture
“I need to hustle!” I told my body as I continued to work 70+ hours each week. Its response to me was to cause my eyesight to blur and cause panic attacks due to the increased inflammation from the unhealthy foods I consumed. It resumed its fireworks attack on my nerves, and it caused my lower and upper back pain to return. My body has been relentless with its case. Day and night, it argues with me, constantly reminding me of its presence.
My spirit tells me I am heading for permanent disaster, but my mind says I can handle it, while my body proves I can not. It’s telling me this is too much and that I need to slow down.
It seems my goals are fading before my eyes, and that saddens me. Yes, I have goals, and I desperately want to achieve them. If I slow down, my plans will be delayed, and I want what I want, and I want it now. If I am honest with myself, I can not keep up this pace for the rest of the year. My body will not allow me to; it just won’t.
Deciding to Listen to My Body
Seeing no other option, I am forced to put my body first. I’ve rededicated myself to keeping my blood sugar levels within range. I will not partake in the many office treats as they do not serve my goal. Getting enough rest is important so I reduced my work hours to ensure that I give my body the rest it requires. I will get some exercise because I know that exercise aids in blood sugar control. Taking regular office rest breaks enabled me to relive my tired eyes and achy body.. I will resume my supplement regime to provide the nutrients that my diet lacks, and I will be grateful that my body loved me enough to send me warnings and gentle reminders to love her back.
You Can Still Reach Your Hustle Goals
With all this, I have realized I will still reach my goals. It may take a little longer, but I will get there because I am determined to. After all, without my body, I cannot achieve anything. So I will treat my body with love and care because she rightly deserves it. She just whispered to my spirit, “Thank you.”