Well it's been three weeks now since I went back to work following my heart surgery and time away to recover and it's going okay...

The "welcome back" reception that I have had from friends and colleagues has been amazing. I don't think I truly understood how many people that I have a "real" personal connection beyond supporting them as a manager or just doing a good job. I feel the hard stop that I have had in my life has sort of switched on my sense of appreciation of the people around me.

I am a lucky guy after all!

(Despite the way in the past I would depreciate myself)

I knew that I had to make real change when I went back. I even made a list of all my past habits that I now knew were contributing to the pressure I put myself under and damaging my health. I now check in every week to see how I am doing and so far, so good.

I hope that these few weeks of easing myself back to work are the new norm for me. I hope that I can respect myself enough to remember the impact and consequences of returning to my old ways. If I can really do this, then there is a danger I will actually start enjoying my work, like I used to all those years ago.

I have become a preacher...

...well just about. I can't help myself, when asked how I am feeling, to warn those around me about being complacent about their mental and physical well-being. Even writing this I hope my journey and experiences are read by more people to help them through their own challenges but also to take note and to avoid them altogether.

So please,

Wake up your self-conscious and really check in on how you're doing.

Attend those medical appointments and do those annual physicals. Get checked out early and take action, while you can.

And be sure that you understand that we all should "work to live," not "live to work."

I am not preaching here...

...this is From the Heart.