It started with a Zoom call. Not the planned out “Hey, I can grab lunch or a quick walk during this call” kind. No, this was the kind that pops up on your calendar with no warning. The kind that immediately makes you think your sudden irregular heartbeat might warrant a Cardiology visit. The kind that makes you realize you may have a bit of PTSD from the last unexpected meeting like this when so many of your co-workers were encouraged to find work elsewhere. The kind that makes you jump on Indeed for those “elsewhere” options. In a way I already knew what was coming. Hundreds of us were let go with no time to say goodbye or even wrap our head around the fact that our computer access was suddenly cut off.

I had a job I loved! I had a job that allowed me to be on standby for my homeschooled daughter if she needed me. I had a job that allowed me to work anywhere my family needed me for that matter. My computer went to the hospital when my Mom was sick. It went outside when I needed to thaw myself out from keeping my house too cold (you know hormones can wreak havoc). My computer went into my car when that needed to be my office while traveling. You see, I didn’t take those sick days. I was dedicated, and would have felt guilty calling in sick, to a job that gave me a permanent sick day with no warning.

That’s just one example of many I have experienced when life has other plans. One minute you are standing at the top of the mountain enjoying the crisp clean air, the chirping birds, the sun warming you all the way to your soul, and the next you are landing bottom first in the valley. The kind of landing that makes you wish you didn’t live life in thin yoga pants. The same pants that you wore working from home, because your days of office dress were over.

Life doesn’t ask for your approval before changing your path. It hands you your next path without a warning notice, and with total disregard of your feelings. Wouldn’t it be nice if life gave you an alert? You know the kind of alert like we get on the SC coast before bad weather. The kind with the ear splitting alarm that suddenly goes off on every phone around you at once. Alert! Alert! Something is about to change! The kind that allows you to shutter your house, move things to prevent flying debris, stock up on food (instead of buying all those goodies on your last Target run), and light some candles.

What I’m saying is take the sick days, take the vacation days, take the mental health days. Life doesn’t stop to check on you before the next phase of your life begins. You have to show up for yourself when you are standing on the mountain, because the valley is waiting. Just remember when you are in the valley, another mountain is in the distance waiting on you to reach the top and claim that next deep breath. Dust off your pants when you land on your bottom. Don’t sit there and wait on the world to notice and offer a hand. The rest of the world is too busy on their own hike. No one is immune to challenges, but you can start climbing your next mountain before anyone notices.