Originally posted on my LinkedIn page.

I’ve started being a lot more honest with people about how much I’ve struggled with stress, perfectionism, low self esteem and high standards. The first thing most people say is “I had no idea. You were always so cheerful and upbeat!”

I felt like I had to hide it from the world. I thought everyone felt stressed all the time. I thought I was the only one who couldn’t “hack it” in a high-stress, fast-paced consulting environment. As a manager, I didn’t want to put additional stress on the people I was managing. And I was afraid of the very real consequences of talking about mental health at work – because let’s be honest, lots of people get denied promotions, raises or high profile work because of doubts about their mental health and abilities. But I was pushed to my breaking point, and that ultimately ended up being why I left.

I felt like I had to hide it from the world. I thought everyone felt stressed all the time. I thought I was the only one who couldn’t “hack it” in a high-stress, fast-paced consulting environment. As a manager, I didn’t want to put additional stress on the people I was managing. And I was afraid of the very real consequences of talking about mental health at work – because let’s be honest, lots of people get denied promotions, raises or high profile work because of doubts about their mental health and abilities. But I was pushed to my breaking point, and that ultimately ended up being why I left.

So if you didn’t know before, I’m saying it now – I was burnt out, overwhelmed, depressed and unhappy. It took me over a month to recover after I left my job last June, and I’m still recovering – even 4 months into my new job.

If you’re struggling and you feel like you’re the only one, and you wonder if this is just how work is…send me a message, and I’ll help you build a plan to get into something better. It’s not just you. It’s the system.