I quit my career at 40 when a diagnosis stopped me in my tracks. Prioritizing my health was scary, but it helped me redefine success.

"Last year, building my career and staying focused on my profession mattered the most to me. I didn't have time for really anything else. I'm used to powering through things. I'm a military spouse and I'm raising kids, but over the course of several months, I noticed my health was declining in ways that didn't feel like typical burnout. I found out I was suffering from the effects of two undiagnosed autoimmune conditions: rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto's disease."

"Work was my identity for so long. Walking away came with a major feeling of uncertainty. After I left my job last October, I had a knee-jerk reaction to tell myself that maybe it was just that job. Perhaps I needed to go back and find another job, and then everything would be OK. I spent nearly three months exploring creative outlets and recovering."

Mel Hoeppner experienced declining health while juggling career, military spouse obligations, and parenting, which revealed two undiagnosed autoimmune conditions: rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto's disease. She left her corporate job to focus on recovery and reassess priorities. During nearly three months of recovery she explored yoga, painting, and yard work, and addressed long-postponed tasks. Reading Anticancer prompted attention to inflammation and lifestyle changes. Illness catalyzed her decision to invest in herself and launch a health brand, The Healing Habit. She reports finding inner happiness and fulfillment that she found difficult to attain within a corporate environment.

Read at Business Insider