Checking Emails While Brushing? The Burnout Story That Led Me to OPA!

"I'm like, 'Oh my God. I couldn't even wait to answer his email as I'm brushing my teeth.'"

That was my wake-up call. Well, one of them. Looking back now, I can pinpoint exactly when corporate life started consuming me. It wasn't the 60-hour workweeks or the constant pressure to perform. It was that morning, standing there with toothpaste dripping down my chin, frantically responding to my CEO at 5am before heading to the gym.

I was the "healthy" one at the office. The "health guru" everyone asked for advice. "Hey, is this Frank approved?" they'd say at the grocery store, holding up some trendy health food. I exercised religiously, ate all the right things, checked all the wellness boxes.

And yet, I kept getting sick. Bronchitis. Sinus infections. Upper respiratory infections. Six months straight of my body breaking down while my mind kept pushing forward. "You're the healthiest person I know - how are you always sick?" my colleagues would ask, bewildered.

The irony wasn't lost on me. Here I was, doing everything "right," and still feeling completely wrong.

The Greek Paradox

Meanwhile, my Greek relatives were thriving well into their 90s without ever seeing a Peloton. My grandparents, who grew up in a remote village on Zakynthos, shared one egg between two people for dinner some nights. They worked in the fields, made their own cheese, grew their own crops. No grocery shopping, no wellness apps, no productivity hacks.

Just simple, sustainable living.

They measured life in moments, not meetings. Success wasn't something to chase—it was something that flowed naturally from connection, purpose, and joy.

The Breaking Point

Eventually, my body forced the decision my mind wouldn't make. I was managing a national commercial bank's day-to-day affairs, renovating my house, and still trying to maintain my "healthy" lifestyle. I kept getting sicker because I wouldn't stop or slow down.

The physical breakdown led to an awakening: I was living a different life than the one I was meant for. Despite my Greek heritage, I had forgotten what my ancestors knew: that true wealth isn't measured in billable hours, and joy isn't something you schedule between meetings.

Finding OPA!

My journey back to wholeness didn't require moving to a Greek village (though sometimes I was tempted). Instead, it meant bringing village wisdom to modern life. Learning to:

• Find joy in simple moments, like washing dishes while looking out the window

• Prioritize connection over productivity metrics

• Let well-being flow naturally rather than forcing it into a schedule

• Create micro-moments of mindfulness throughout the day

• Live life instead of managing it

  
  

Today, when people ask me how I transformed from burned-out attorney to wellness guide, I tell them: "I'm the anti-attorney attorney." I learned that success doesn't have to cost your soul, and that the corporate hamster wheel isn't the only path to achievement.

Your Turn

If you're reading this while checking emails (maybe even brushing your teeth), I want you to know something: that voice inside saying "there must be a better way" is right. My Greek relatives proved it. I've lived it. And now, I help others find it.

The life you're craving isn't a fantasy—it's your heritage. Ready to rediscover it?

Let's find your OPA! moment together.

Your Path to OPA!