KubeCon + CloudNative North America 2021

This vulnerable tale is a personal journey through the unpredictable world of depression and burnout. It could have been easily predicted because Julia was "doing it all". Yet it was totally unexpected because she assumed her mental health was strong and stable; she could handle anything. Until she couldn’t and everything became unbearable. She made the impossible and necessary decision to stop working in order to recover, setting out on what became four months of self-discovery. Julia will talk about what what led her to this state, what it looked like, and how she was able to get the necessary help to feel strong enough to not only go back to work, but to shift career paths all together as a hopeful and positive outcome that arose out of dark times. Julia will talk about key takeaways that allow her to maintain a healthier balance at work and in life.