For years I thrived in the fast-paced corporate world climbing the ladder two rungs at a time, working on high-profile projects with Qantas, Schroders Banking, and Capitol Property Trust. I measured success by how much I could take on; the more I pushed, the more valuable I felt. But beneath the polished exterior, my health was quietly unravelling.

The turning point came when a colleague Malcolm pulled me aside and said, “The team is worried about you. You don’t look well. In fact, you look 10 years older.” His words cut deep. When I looked in the mirror that night I saw the toll that stress, poor nutrition, and relentless work had taken on my body.

Desperate for change, I booked into a wellness retreat. At first, it was agony. Waking up at 5.30am, no caffeine, no wine, and not a sugary muffin in sight. Only wholesome food, rest, and stillness. I was irritable and restless. But by the third day, something remarkable happened: my energy returned, my mind cleared, and I felt more alive than I had in over a decade.

It was the first holiday in 10 years where I didn’t spend the whole time sick. That experience was my lightbulb moment. I realised that what I thought of as “success” – endless hours, constant pressure, wearing exhaustion as a badge of honour – was actually slowly breaking me down. I realised that the corporate wheels would keep turning whether I was there or not.