Rachel Service: Permission to be joyful - SD57
Rachel Service had one understanding of success, and that understanding was working hard at her job. As it turned out, this meant more than working hard - it meant overworking, to the point of passing out in the shower. While confront enough in itself, it took a few other confronting moments, including being unable to stand-up from her desk one Sunday and having a panic attack, for her to seek out help, and start to think about redefining what it meant to succeed.
* Today, having faced her anxiety and depression and found numerous things that bring joy into her life, Rachel has started a business called 'The Happiness Concierge' that prevents others from finding themselves in the same situation as herself.
For Rachel her journey included travelling, taking time away from work, and following her curiosity to find her people and her vocation. She learnt how to listen; she started putting her thoughts and ideas out into the world; and with compassion she started to care for herself.
As well as working one-on-one with people, Rachel also speaks with groups at larger corporates about the importance of self-care at work, and about finding joy within and outside of work. As we talked about this, our conversation moved to pondering the difference between company policy of work/life balance and self care, and the behaviour that is actually valued and rewarded.
Rachel is part of a growing movement of people helping us to give ourselves the permission to look after ourselves, and to hold a mirror up to us about the way we actually work and the impact it has on our life and the life of those around us.
The nature of work and the workplace is an ongoing theme of this podcast, and I am encouraged every time I speak with someone who is challenging the status quo and enabling a new way of conceiving work. Rachel is an important part of this. I hope you enjoy our conversation.
