Stress Really Worsened My Illnesses

When I was self-employed as a Mary Kay Sales Director, my health situation was VERY severe.  Two months after I debuted as a Sales Director, I ended up bedridden for months from a CFIDS flare.  Around that same time, I was diagnosed with Interstitial Cystitis.  I was in really bad shape.  I thought that by being self-employed I would actually have less stress because I could set my own hours, and was told by uplines in Mary Kay that I would be working less hours than what I was at my full-time job. 

The reality was I ended up working more and the stress was greater because I didn’t have a set income.  I felt as though I always had to be “on” regardless of what I felt like.  I had to always look the part, walk the part, talk the part, of a “successful” Mary Kay businesswoman.  Faking it just became too much.  I could no longer pretend to be something I wasn’t.

But the truth was I was not successful – not by any means.  To me, success is being happy at what you are doing.  I felt as though I was misled into the Mary Kay opportunity and the directorship role.  Then once I became aware of the manipulations and discrepencies in the company’s marketing plan, the TRUE income vs. expenses, I couldn’t honestly share excitedly the company’s marketing plan information to anyone else.

Once I gave up my Mary Kay business, my health did a huge turnaround.  Although I am still unable to work, the lack of stress in my life has greatly improved my well being compared to what it was!