When I got out of college I wanted to travel and see the world. In 1991 I got a job that allowed me to do just that--my dream job. I traveled all over North America as a program manager, arriving in a different city every 18 hours. This was it, I thought—I'll never have to cook for myself, clean or do any of those domestic chores. How perfect! And that's when I learned about the old adage, "Be careful what you wish for."

I was on up to four planes a day. At meetings, people would ask me the name of my hotel. I began to find I couldn't remember what city I was in, let alone what hotel I was staying at.

I was so sleep-deprived I had to live on caffeine and sugar. I gained fifty pounds and carried it with me for ten years. I had the equivalent of ten migraines per day—something I later learned are called suicide headaches; many people kill themselves because of the pain. But while my body screamed for attention I, like a good employee, refused to give up working hard.

I was in so many time zones I had to set up a three-way wake-up system to arrive at meetings and events on time. Step one--set my travel alarm. Step two--set the hotel clock radio. Step three--request a wake-up call. Thus if any one system failed, I still had two back-up systems.

One morning the phone rang and, like any other morning, I picked it up and hung up, knowing it was my wake-up call. It rang again. I was a little more awake but I picked it up and hung up again. By the third time it rang I was furious. Couldn't the front desk clerk be a little more appreciative of my right to sleep? I had a few choice words to say this time around so I answered the phone starting with, "WHAT?" However, to my chagrin, I heard a very familiar voice at the other end say, "Why are you hanging up on me?" It was my mother. I was at home in my own bed.

That call from my mother should have been the true wake-up call for me. I knew my life was out of balance. But I continued my pace until the day I had to fire someone. My health at that point was so bad I had a heart monitor strapped to me to be certain I didn't give myself a heart attack from the stress. I was in my late 30s.

That was the day I finally admitted my life needed to change and it needed to change immediately.

I stepped out of the rat race, hired a life coach and transformed my life so that now my purpose is to walk along side of those that want to make real change from the inside out and live life to the fullest.

About Rebecca Wilhite

Rebecca Wilhite, C.P.C., is currently on staff at Seattle Pacific University (SPU) as the senior events manager. Prior to working at SPU, she provided educational seminars throughout North America while living on the road, and served as vice president of an event management firm. She has worked in the hospitality industry at hotels, convention bureaus, and on cruise ships as well as in private, public, business and educational environments. She also served on the Board for Meeting Professionals International.

Rebecca's presentations include true-to-life stories that are fun and, at times, totally outrageous. She is owner and president of Leap of Faith Coaching and Consulting where she works with small groups and individuals who want to make life changes so they can live with passion and vision while making a difference in the world.

Rebecca resides on Bainbridge Island, Washington with her husband Jeff and cat Cassie.