How Being Diagnosed With Stage IV Cancer Made Me A Better Entrepreneur

Read about the day Lindsey Walker was diagnosed with cancer and her life was turned upside down.

In a world full of secure the bag at all costs, Instagram Likes and showcasing the glamourous life of entrepreneurship, who is teaching us to truly take care of our health first?

I was  fresh out of college when I decided to take a leap of faith and start my own business. After applying to over 100 jobs with no callbacks, I was frustrated, confused and felt a little misled. I graduated from the best HBCU in the world, Jackson State University, with a 3.89 GPA and tons of awards. How was it possible that I couldn’t find a job in my field?

Creating Opportunities

Once I got over the initial shock of this, I was determined to create my own opportunity and fulfill my dreams of becoming a publicist. I began researching and pitching to potential clients on Twitter. I landed my first three, bought my LLC and my introduction to entrepreneurship began.

Over the next 6 years, I worked with clients and projects such as BET, National Geographics, Interscope Records and more. I never imagined that as a first generation college graduate I would be able to sustain my business and make it as a full time entrepreneur.

Neglecting The One Person That Matters

Being in business for yourself is no easy feat. There are a lot of long nights, tears, overwhelm, stress and loneliness. I remember staying up until 3 a.m. to work on a project and then waking back up at 6 am to get on a client call for another one.

There were times where I was so exhausted, I would burst into tears in my room because I simply couldn’t go to sleep. And let’s not even talk about family support. Every now and then, although I moved out of the house, had my own car, paid my own bills, etc, I would still hear, “have you thought about getting a job yet?” As though the countless hours that I put into my business day in and day out just didn’t matter.

I was so busy trying to keep up with my clients, managing their lives, answering phone calls and emails, being available almost 24/7, that I neglected to take care of the one person that mattered most-me.

The Day My Life Changed Forever

I wasn’t eating properly, barely slept and don’t even begin to ask me about working out. In June 2018, life as I knew it came to an abrupt halt and my life was forever changed. One day, I was on the phone with my friend and I kept coughing. All of a sudden, I couldn’t breathe. I was rushed to the ER where I stayed for 4 days.  After having a biospy, I was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin’s Lymphoma better known as cancer.

I couldn’t believe it! At only 27 years old, I didn’t have time for cancer! I had work to do! Up to the day of my biopsy, I was taking client calls.  Cancer was going to do nothing for me but get in the way, right? WRONG.

Who Am I?

Over the next 6 months of , my life flipped upside down in ways you could never imagine. I lost my hair, my pride, my relationship and my sense of self. I had nchemotherapyo idea who I was or who I wanted to be. All I knew was, the moment I got better, I was going to live life to my fullest potential, taking no prisoners. And on December 13, 2018 when I rung the bell. I decided to do just that.

Setting The Boundaries

I started watching what I ate and hired a personal trainer. I started being intentional about the books that  I read, the movies that I watched and who I allowed in my circle. And I finally decided to set boundaries in my business and my personal life. No more late night meetings discussing strategy. No more 3 am work sessions. I said goodbye to the me that I used to be and hello to the entrepreneur that I was destined to be.

Now, I spend most of my time reflecting on my life and all of the little things I once took for granted. I feel as though a part of my purpose is to reach as many of my fellow women in business as possible. Urging them to take care of themselves first. Who cares how many Instagram likes you have?  Who cares about your favorite business coach and her new car?

How Are You Putting Yourself First?

What are you doing to put yourself first?  How are you showing love to yourself on a daily basis? Those are the moments that matter. You can only make an impact if you are happy, healthy and able to serve from a place of wholeness. The days of pouring from an empty glass stop here and now.

Bio

Lindsey A. Walker is a communications expert for beauty, entertainment and lifestyle brands. Her love for connecting brands with consumers and the media alike led her to a career in public relations.  She founded PR Mentality, LLC, Walker + Associates Media Group and PR Girls Do It Better.

Lindsey is also the author of “Thriving Through The Storm”,  her compelling testimony of learning to walk in purpose and self-love, no matter the forecast or season.  Click here to pre-order Lindsey’s book.