What you might not know about me is that there was a time in my life when the relentless “BEEP, BEEP, BEEP!” of an alarm clock wasn’t just a wake-up call—it was a harsh reminder of the grind I couldn’t escape. That sound used to jolt me awake from under my work desk, marking the end of a stolen lunchtime nap and the beginning of yet another long stretch of casework.

I was working at a high-powered firm in downtown Boston, juggling a grueling schedule of ten to twelve-hour days. On paper, I had it all. I had earned my doctorate, landed my dream job, and climbed the rungs of success others only dreamed of. But the reality? I was exhausted, unfulfilled, and losing pieces of myself one day at a time.

My “social life” consisted of Friday-night drinks with colleagues—when I could muster the energy. Romantic relationships? Limited to the occasional rushed Saturday meet-up, too superficial to mean much. My family barely remembered my birthday because I was practically a stranger to them. Even my dog was depressed. I left too early in the morning and got home too late to take him to daycare or give him the attention he deserved.

From the outside looking in, I had the kind of life people admire. But on the inside, I was unraveling. I kept telling myself, This is what success looks like. This is what it takes. Yet with every passing day, I felt more drained, less healthy, and further away from the person I wanted to be.

Then one day, as I woke from yet another alarm-induced nap under my desk, something shifted. I stared at the ceiling, feeling the weight of exhaustion pressing down on me. It hit me: This can’t be it. This can’t be all there is. I knew then and there that I was crawling out from under that desk for the last time.

I didn’t have all the answers yet, but I was certain of one thing—something had to change. Life wasn’t meant to be a blur of exhaustion and missed connections. There had to be a better way to approach work, life, and success.

Turns out, there is. Find it out in Dr. Kara’s Blog.