I built my career by pushing through a painful chronic health issue. At 29, I'm adjusting my expectations.
A PR business owner and doctoral student shares her struggle with balancing a high-pressure career and education while managing stage 4 endometriosis. After a health crisis forced her to adjust her expectations, she reflects on the necessity of prioritizing personal well-being over professional milestones.
Why it matters
It highlights the often-hidden challenges of chronic illness in the workplace and the societal pressure to maintain high productivity despite severe health limitations.
The author had to redefine success after her second endometriosis surgery. Courtesy of Erica Williams At 27, I was building my PR business and in a doctoral program for business administration. Stage 4 endometriosis was making it hard to juggle both school and my clients. After my second surgery for endometriosis, I realized I needed to prioritize myself. In October 2025, Blackboard, the online platform through which I attend my doctoral program for business administration, displayed a grade I had never seen next to my name: an F. I had been working to run my new public relations business, maintain my 3.87 GPA, and manage ongoing health challenges . So, I couldn't hide my shock as I sat up in bed, looking at the unfamiliar score. I slid the laptop cursor over the grade repeatedly, as if it would magically change. I knew that it wouldn't.
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