Mental Health and Sales.

For a long time, I was a picture of toxic masculinity. I thought I had three emotions. Yes only three. I did not embrace my emotional side. I simply set my jaw and pushed forward, even if it made me miserable. I skipped meals, lost weight, gained weight, and overall lived a very self-destructive life.

I am lucky. I did not become addicted to drugs or alcohol, although looking back now I see the appeal. I was addicted to being seen as smarter than I really was. I wanted to be seen as an expert without having to learn the hard lessons. Doing so for as long as I had lead to the hard lessons coming to find me.

Let me say something clearly. THERE IS NOTHING WEAK ABOUT ASKING FOR HELP. Weakness comes from the fear of what others think of you. Asking for support shows strength, not weakness.

When I was at my lowest point, I was lucky because I had people who cared about me. When the wall came crashing down, they were there to put humpty dumpty back together again.

Looking back five years later, I want to tell you my biggest regret was I did not ask for help sooner. I never should have let it get as bad as I did.

I do not think you can explain a panic attack to someone who never suffered them. While I was never diagnosed as depressed, I understand it. It is the idea that you cannot get out. It was this drowning feeling where you reach and strech for a gasp of air that doesn’t seem to come.

I was in this malaise for months before I could not set my jaw and bottle it up any longer. Let me tell you, I hope to never end up back there again.

Please make sure you are taking the time for your mental health. Sales is all about mindset, and if there is something eating away at you internally you are only hurting yourself by not taking care of it.

Anxiety and depression are not things to white-knuckle through. Trust me, I tried. Ask for help. It is not weakness to admit you are having a tough time. It is only weak if you allow yourself to stay there when you don’t have to.