Ever fear that continuing your stressful, demanding (though maybe well-paying) job will damage your health? Me too. I found out the hard way!

When you stress about your future, your flight or fight responses cranks up to high voltage. This creates stress symptoms in women – overworks your adrenal glands, drains you of your energy, and prematurely ages you.

Instead of stressing, LISTEN — and make better choices.   

All we have control of is our choices. Not the outcomes.

Your health is more important than any job. Are you living a super-cushy lifestyle because it helps you to stay numb? Shopping to ease the pain? I used to as well - trust me it does give you a high but a big low too!

You may be defining yourself by your job, and find that it makes you feel like you matter. That’s cool. But I can tell you from experience - it does not last long.
Some call a JOB a ‘Just Over Broke’ others call it ‘Joy of Being’ – which do you align with?

If you have other dreams, desires, causes, cares or passions LISTEN to them. Tend to them like seeds planted in a garden.

How do you make work better? BECOME the change you desire.

I love this Chinese proverb: Those who say it cannot be done should not interrupt the person doing it. click here now, to tweet this quote.

What you can start doing NOW to manage stress at your work:

Answer: Why did you take this job? What are the benefits? Get radically honest and you may be surprised what you find.

We choose our jobs for many reasons. For me, working for Prada was my dream job. I adored fashion… but I had no idea what the culture was like. WORK like a dog, PROVE yourself and collect $$$. Protect your job, because people are lined up like vultures to swoop down if you drop the ball. Rinse and Repeat.

The money was good, the prestige was high, the benefits rocked… but I felt like I was wearing golden handcuffs. I knew I had to make a change.

Create boundaries with your work.

Can you work one day from home? Work 4 days a week?

Talk to your boss. Start by explaining how this change will help you become more productive. Be honest, though - if you just want to stay home and paint your toenails every Tuesday, you’re not in integrity.

When I was working 4 days a week as a PR director for my friend and designer in NYC, Jeffrey Grubb, I had my eyes on a yoga teacher program in LA. I applied first, then when I got in, I laid out how doing this program would make me of more value for the company. I guaranteed them a certain amount of press and laid out exactly what I needed. It was a win-win, and I was off to LA a couple of months later.

Take time to write out what you can do for them, how you’ll be more efficient and get better results. Show how it works for them and ask them what they want too. Remember: for them, it’s all about value and results.

Define what the most stressful part of your job is.

Can you stop reacting? Can you breathe more and be present to do the best job you can? If you are giving 200% that’s too much. 100% is what you want to give so your health does not suffer.

For me it was my boss who was schooled in the “Make them afraid so they produce” mentality. My co-workers were bullies. They cornered me, telling me that I had to stop doing my job so well because they didn’t want to work. CRAZY cakes, right?

Recently, I helped one of my clients reduce her work stress by 70%.  When she realized she had to set up boundaries (not react to co-workers) and take care of herself, she was able to manage until she found a new job that was less stressful, gave her benefits and paid her more. If it's possible for her then it is for you too.

Take care of yourself like your life depends on it, because it does.

Start your day 30 min earlier and meditate, do yoga, walk or just sit and breathe deeply. End your day with the same practice. Make time to take care of YOU first.

If you’re working at a job and have started to go after your dream let me know what you did in the comments.

I know it can be scary. The key is to become that person now. Start the dream now, take one small step and do another the day after, and the day after.