03/16/2026
THE WAKE UP CALL I DIDN'T ASK FOR:
Today marks the anniversary of a day that changed my life in ways I never expected.
Several years ago, I experienced a stroke. It wasn’t something I saw coming, and like many people who live busy, purpose-driven lives, I assumed I could keep pushing forward without slowing down. I was doing meaningful work, helping others heal, building programs, speaking, and showing up for the people who needed me. What I did not fully appreciate at the time was that even the most meaningful work does not exempt our bodies from their limits.
That experience became an unexpected teacher.
One of the most profound lessons was about the necessity of slowing down. Our culture celebrates productivity and endurance. We admire the people who keep going, who show up, who push through exhaustion. But the body has its own wisdom, and sometimes it whispers before it finally decides it must shout.
For me, that moment was a powerful reminder that self-care is not indulgence — it is stewardship. It is the responsibility we have to care for the only body we will ever live in.
Another lesson came from something many of us overlook: underlying health conditions that quietly develop over time. Some conditions do not cause obvious symptoms. They do not interrupt your day or demand attention. They quietly accumulate risk in the background — blood pressure, inflammation, metabolic factors, stress load. Because we cannot feel them, it is easy to assume everything is fine.
Until one day, the body asks for attention.
Research from the American Stroke Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that many stroke risk factors are silent for years: hypertension, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, and chronic stress can all progress without obvious warning signs. Routine medical care and preventative monitoring are often the only way they are detected (American Stroke Association; CDC). For me it was a genetic disorder that had never been discovered.
That reality changed how I think about health.
It is not only about responding when something goes wrong.
It is about listening early, caring consistently, and respecting the signals our bodies send us. Signs were in front of me for years, but I never questioned them.
The experience also deepened my appreciation for the work I do every day. When we talk about healing, resilience, and mind-body connection, we are not speaking in abstract ideas. Our emotional lives, stress levels, and physical health are deeply intertwined. The nervous system, the body, and our daily habits all shape our long-term well-being.
Today, on this anniversary, I feel grateful.
Grateful for medical care.
Grateful for recovery.
Grateful for the reminder that life is precious and that caring for ourselves is part of caring for the people and work we love.
If there is one message I would share from this experience, it is this:
Pay attention to your health before your body is forced to get your attention.
Schedule the check-ups.
Ask the questions.
Notice your stress levels.
Allow yourself to rest.
Sometimes the most important thing we can do for our future is something deceptively simple: slow down long enough to care for ourselves today.
