That Wake-Up Call

Posted by:Lindsay S. Nixon Category: Advice

I've been interviewing Herbies each Wednesday here on the blog; sharing stores of those who have radically changed their health through diet and all of them, somewhere in their stories, point to an event saying, "that was my wake-up call."

I certainly had that experience myself -- I had a health scare in my early 20's that threw me deep into reality that I was not invincible after all. I realized I needed to make serious lifestyle changes and I did.

But I had another wake-up call too -- one that didn't involve food at all -- and I was reminded of that experience when Scott's friend had a similar one this weekend.

Scott's good friend Bill* called saying the company he worked for had been acquired by another company and he wasn't sure if he'd survive the merger. 

In the last couple of years, Bill has been laid off or his job was eliminated a number times. Thankfully Bill had enough contacts and experience that he always found another job like the one he lost, but each time it was a little harder and took a little longer... 

After the last lay off, Scott suggested Bill change careers and start over, but Bill had his reservations. He'd been doing this job for over a decade. It was all he knew and heck, he was good at it. Then Bill found his current job and Scott's suggestion wasn't even a distant memory. 

Until now. Facing another lay off, Bill told Scott this was his wake-up call. 

We all come to a pinnacle moment where we have no choice but to face the truth. For me, that was almost three years ago when I was sexually harassed at work.

What happened to me was crushing... devastating.I thought I'd earned my job on merit but it turned out my boss had hired me because he wanted to sleep with me.and did I mention I was a lawyer?

After I reported what happened, I was terminated... err "laid off." Right. 

It was a dark time. I was broken and depressed and ashamed. 

But light came out of my darkness. Thatwas my wakeup call. Truthfully, I had never enjoyed being a lawyer. I know plenty of lawyers who love it, but I didn't. I was miserable but because I'd spent so much time and energy on becoming a lawyer, I stuck with it, hell bent on change.

So, the universe sent me a wakeup call. I needed to do something else with my life and if I couldn't help myself, the universe would shove me in the right direction... so I was shoved... 

and then, Happy Herbivore happened.

Sure it wasn't over night, but one of my greatest joys -- the source for so much happiness, all extended from one of my worst experiences.Light does come out of darkness.

But you don't have to wait for a wake-up call. I'm sorry that it took a serious health scare to make me eat and live better..healthier, and I'm sorry it took an awful experience at work to make me leave a career and job that made me so unhappy -- but I'm thankful for calls, and even more thankful that I answered and made the change. 

My hope is that my story -- and Bill's story, can help you make a change if you've been contemplating one. I don't think it's ever too late, but I also don't think it's ever too soon. to make a positive change.

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