DO YOU HAVE A CORPORATE HANGOVER?

Physically, the transition from employed to self-employed can happen overnight, but the mental and emotional transition can take far longer.

Seven years after leaving the corporate world, I realised I’ve suffered from a corporate hangover!

It got me thinking about how our experiences in the corporate world can haunt us long after we shed our 9-5 shackles.

[Side Note: Anyone else find the whole ‘9-5’ thing hugely ironic? Who actually works 9-5 in a corporate career? I certainly didn’t!!]

I’d always worked in a male-dominated environment, and it suited me just fine.

I’m strong, confident and outspoken – I’ve never been afraid to put myself forward, roll up my sleeves, and let the results of my work demonstrate my worth.

I thrived in the corporate world, until I didn’t anymore.

Not many people got to peek past my powerfully ambitious exterior, I was laser focussed on getting ahead and getting the job done, and showing any emotion other than passion for the job would have been seen as a weakness.

Being this one-dimensional may have propelled me forward, but it didn’t do me any favours mentally or emotionally.

I was blocking a huge part of myself out.

I really thought that to be ‘professional’ meant not letting anyone in, not showing any emotion, and never letting my guard down.

Being this way stopped me from properly connecting with my colleagues, which made my working life feel a bit lonely at times.

It took being systematically bullied by the Incredible Hulk version of me for two years, to make me realise what I would become if I stayed.

If I didn’t leave, I’d end up being a shell of my former self – I’d become ruthless and heartless, scrabbling to get ahead at any cost.

That was how the Incredible Hulk version of me appeared – and it repulsed me.

I had to save myself.

So I left.

In the self-employed years that followed, I was haunted by the Incredible Hulk version of me.

I became afraid to be seen as too strong, too opinionated, too forceful.

I dimmed my light and watered down my opinions.

I detached emotionally even more – confused about who I needed to be, showing whatever face I thought would keep me safe and make people like me.

I’d dropped one mask to wear another.

I’ve recently realised that being strong, straight-talking and opinionated doesn’t make me the Incredible Hulk version of me, it just makes me strong, straight-talking and opinionated.

I’ve also realised that my caring, empathetic, sensitive and intuitive side is a huge advantage in being able to do a brilliant job.

Over the last 18 months, I’ve learned how to drop the mask and let both sides of myself come together and shine.

I’m no longer afraid of who I am because I know I am good.

I’m no longer afraid to be too much of anything because I know I am enough.

I now realise that I don’t have to please everyone, that the people who get me will like me, other’s will be ambivalent, and some may not like me at all – and I’m cool with that.

My self-employed journey has brought me back to me, I’ve finally released myself from my corporate hangover, and it feels absolutely fantastic!

If you’re corporate hangover is still lingering, blocking you from sharing your brilliance with the world, I’d like to help you shine.

I help new and existing business owners find clarity in themselves and their message, step fully into their light and become the brightest version of themselves.

If you’d like to chat about how we could work together to cure your corporate hangover, please book a call using the link below:

https://calendly.com/highvibesociety/discover