How ‘Hustle Culture’ Broke my Heart (and how I’m putting it back together)
(5 minute read)
Red lipstick is one of my favourite things. But last Tuesday I couldn’t wear it because my lips were blue and I needed to use them as an indicator to decide whether or not it was time to take myself to A&E.
Resilience was something that I was taught from a very young age. My mother exhibited it in copious amounts. She told me stories of her childhood in the Philippines and how she would survive off of locusts when hurricanes wiped out their rice fields. How she was sold into her first marriage as an adolescent, which brought her to California. How she then managed to get full custody of my older sister and a divorce, without speaking English. And how she managed to build a successful sewing business from nothing, even when eggs would get thrown at the house.
So what did resilience look like for me? The example I was shown set resilience at a level that seemed to require tireless effort, in order to make hers worthwhile. How could I stop, when it seemed like she never did?
There’s a new term for this mode of existence in a society where survival looks like being set apart in a distracted world. Many of us aren’t fighting for survival anymore, but rather attention. And the modus operandi has been Hustle Culture.
It may come as no surprise that (being half Asian), I strived to be set apart across academics, arts & music, athletics, and eventually the workplace. I won’t bore you with my CV, but I’ve battered myself into the <1% and <5% of a few different categories. “How do you do it all?!” was one of those phrases that would momentarily quiet my inner, raging anxiety.
Well, it looked like 3-4 hours of a sleep a night for several years, pursuing “side hustles” during my “down time,” and ultimately leveraging what I now believe was an adrenaline cycle on repeat to power me through it all.
Until I broke… in more ways than one.
Between running the product and engineering department of one of INC’s fastest growing tech companies, competing internationally as a championship bodybuilder, publishing fiction and nonfiction, and cultivating a community of other high-achievers in London, my hustle eventually caught up with me.
Within a year, I began to grapple with mental and physical ailments— from clinical depression to atrial fibrillation. And I became a statistic of another kind— the life reckoning kind.
I’ve learned that hustling can lead to heart problems.
In fact, people with stressful jobs are 48% more likely to develop atrial fibrillation*. Chronic stress can increase the likelihood of developing cardiovascular issues as much as 40%. Prolonged exposure to stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol causes a 27% higher risk of heart attacks.
Not only are these “statistical clubs” not rare, but they’re inhibiting.
People Magazine wrote an article about impressive personalities who grapple with heart problems. From Barbara Streisand to Arnold Schwarzenegger, well renown Hustlers are reckoning with the dangers of pushing yourself beyond your natural limits.
But thankfully, this is not where the story ends. I’ve been learning that my body is wise and capable of healing itself when I do a proper job of looking out for the right cues, and listening to what it really needs. I’m cofounding Feel because I’m passionate about the relationship between Embodiment, Hormones, and Nervous System Regulation.
What is embodiment, you ask? Embodiment is the practice of fully inhabiting and connecting with one's physical body, emotions, and energy. And it’s something we can leverage to lead healthier lives, heal our bodies and ultimately thrive.
Here are a few Somatic Practices for Heart Health:
Diaphragmatic (Deep Belly) Breathing: Taking deep, slow breaths engages the parasympathetic nervous system, helping to lower heart rate and blood pressure. Aim for 5-10 minutes of slow breathing, inhaling for 4 seconds, holding for 2, and exhaling for 6 to reduce cortisol and foster a relaxed state.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR): PMR involves tensing and then relaxing different muscle groups from head to toe, which can release stored physical stress and decrease cortisol levels. Practicing PMR for 10-15 minutes daily can improve blood circulation and reduce heart strain associated with stress.
Mindful Movement: Gentle, somatic movement practices like tai chi or qi gong reduce stress by focusing on deliberate, rhythmic body movements paired with breathing. These practices have been shown to reduce blood pressure, stabilise heart rate, and lower anxiety over time.
Self-Massage or Abhyanga: Engaging in a self-massage routine, especially around areas that carry tension (like the shoulders, neck, and chest), can stimulate the vagus nerve, which helps decrease heart rate and lower cortisol. Using calming oils like lavender or chamomile can enhance the relaxation response.
Grounding Techniques: Grounding exercises, such as standing barefoot on grass or engaging in a focused body scan, can help activate the body’s relaxation response. These practices reduce adrenaline levels, support mental clarity, and improve blood flow, contributing positively to heart health.
At Feel, we focus specifically on making somatic wellness accessible to modern day women.
We’d love you to get involved:
To learn and practice: check out our platform or join us for an event
To support our cause: we’re looking for both investors and philanthropists
To help with our research: we’re contributing to the growing base of evidence that shows how somatic therapy helps with hormonal and nervous system regulation, which has a swathe of benefits for both mental and physical health. If you work in this area, please get in touch.
If you’re interested in the bottom two bullets, contact danielle@feelapp.co stating your interest!
As Star Jones says:
“Women are natural caregivers; we take care of everyone else under the sun [...] put the focus back on you and make a date with your heart.”
— Star Jones
So how’s my heart today? Well, I’m not in A&E and everyday is a practice to do a better job of listening to my body’s urge to slow down. Sometimes resilience looks like resting.
✌🏽
*When the upper and lower chambers of your heart do not beat in sync, and can cause further cardiovascular and health issues.
