What Hard Work Really Taught Me About Rebuilding My Life
There was a time in my life when I felt completely stuck.
I was working 10 to 12-hour shifts in a senior care facility during the pandemic — emotionally drained, physically exhausted, and spiritually numb. My Peace Corps dream had just been ripped away weeks before I was supposed to leave, and I remember thinking, “Is this really it? Is this my life now?”
It felt like I was drowning in burnout. But that season — as painful as it was — became the foundation for everything I’ve built since.
Lesson #1: Resilience Is Built in the Fire
One of my hardest days involved caring for a neglected, verbally abusive senior. He degraded me, humiliated me, and treated me like I didn’t matter. And I still had to help him.
I remember standing in the bathroom afterward, shaking. I looked at myself in the mirror and thought, “Why am I waiting for someone else to give me permission to start living again?”
That was my wake-up call. I was so tired of surviving. I wanted to feel alive again.
So I started small. Every day, I went on an hour-long walk, listening to podcasts about mindset, purpose, and transformation. At first, it was just a way to escape — but slowly, it became a way to reclaim myself.
Lesson #2: No One Is Coming to Save You
Hard work taught me that if I wanted things to change, I had to move.
So, I did.
I joined a virtual assistant course, gave myself six months to figure it out, and quit my job cold turkey (not something I recommend for everyone — but for me, it was necessary). I hustled. I networked, pitched myself, and landed clients within two months.
That experience taught me something powerful: I can create my own opportunities.
I don’t have to wait for someone to hand me a golden ticket.
Lesson #3: You Start Believing in Yourself When You Show Up Consistently
Before that season, I thought hard work meant sacrifice — giving and giving until you burned out. But now I know: real hard work, when it’s aligned with your values and vision, is a form of self-respect.
Since that time, I’ve completely reinvented myself — as a coach, a speaker, and now, a future therapist. None of it came easy. I’ve invested in my growth, launched a business, traveled the world, and kept going even when fear and doubt crept in.
And that’s what hard work really gave me:
Self-trust.
Even when no one was clapping. Even when I felt lost.
I kept showing up.
The Big Takeaway
Hard work — especially the kind that isn’t glamorous or Insta-worthy — taught me that I’m capable of more than I imagined. That growth lives outside your comfort zone. And that the life you want?
It doesn’t come from waiting.
It comes from building.
If you’re in a season where it feels like no one sees your effort, or you’re just holding on, please know this: what you’re doing matters. You’re becoming someone stronger, wiser, and more grounded with every step.
And when the breakthrough comes?
You’ll know that you built it — with your own two hands and a whole lot of heart.
Want more personal stories and neuroscience-backed mindset tips?
Sign up for my free mini series about the mindset shifts needed to break free from the daily grind or check out the Notes from a Neuro Nerd Podcast — where we talk about what it really takes to create a life that feels aligned, empowered, and fulfilling.
