I built my identity around work. Then my body told me to stop.

This as-told essay is based on a conversation with Mel Hoeppner, 40-year-old CEO and founder of The Healing Habit, based in Tennessee. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

Last year, building my career and staying focused on my craft mattered the most to me. I didn’t really have time to do anything else.

I’m used to handling things. I’m a military wife and raising children, but over the course of several months, I noticed my health was deteriorating in a way that didn’t resemble typical burnout.

I discovered that I was suffering from the effects of two undiagnosed autoimmune diseases: rheumatoid arthritis and Hashimoto’s disease. Juggling everything wasn’t working and I realized I needed to take some time to focus on my health.

I always wanted to put all the work I put into other people’s dreams into my own, but getting sick was the real catalyst for quitting my job and starting my own brand.

Work has been my identity for so long. Moving away came with a major feeling of uncertainty.

After leaving my job last October, I had a knee-jerk reaction that maybe it was just this job. Maybe I should go back and find another job, and then everything would be fine.

I spent almost three months exploring creative outlets and recuperating. I went to yoga, which I had never done before, and I painted a lot; I ended up painting every inch of my house. I also started doing a ton of yard work and dealing with things I had been putting off for years.

Then I read this book called “Anticancer” about how we all have inflammation in our bodies, but there are things you can do to decrease that inflammation and live a healthier life. I took a lot of inspiration from this book, and then I started thinking about my own diagnosis.

After I left work, I launched my own health brand

When I was diagnosed, I had to spend a huge amount of time doing my own research and really understanding what an inflammatory disease is. I started making this drink mix with ingredients like turmeric, cardamom, and cinnamon, all rich in antioxidants.

I wanted to invest more in helping people and doing something good on a large scale. I decided to take a chance and develop a drink mix called The Healing Habit, which promotes a healthy inflammatory response.

I started by testing the product in my kitchen and eventually contacted a manufacturer with the ingredients I wanted to use. The manufacturer helped tweak it and determine the optimal ratios for the flavor profile.

Being my own boss is the scariest but most rewarding thing

It’s so scary to be my own boss because at the end of the day, no one is going to save me. It’s also the most incredible and rewarding thing I’ve ever done in my professional career.

I had to dig deep within myself to find the confidence to trust my vision. When I reached this point, it filled me with an inner happiness that I think is hard to find in a corporate environment.

The fun thing about building a brand is that I play all the roles. I’m the content creator, the social media coordinator, the email writer, the finance manager, the CEO – all of it. My daily life is still different, but it no longer feels like work because of my passion.

My advice for preparing for a period of life transition

There is certainly a big financial investment in all of this. I had saved money, knowing that I wanted to do something on my own one day. I don’t have any investors. I haven’t used Kickstarter. It was all me at the end of the day.

My father always told me to have contingency and backup plans in life. Follow your dreams, but don’t do it blindly or without a plan. Ten years ago, my husband and I got into real estate investing. We started small and thought about how to reach a point of freedom. Not everyone is in the same situation as me right now, but one thing you do have and can use is time.

If you have a full-time job, but want to develop a plan to achieve another dream you have, outline your plan and what it will take to achieve it, then start working on it little by little.

I don’t regret leaving the company at all because I redefined success for myself

Success now is getting my kids to school in the morning and being able to follow my passion, spending time with my friends, family and husband, and learning new things.

When I wonder if I will ever return to work in a company, I never say never. I worked the conventional 9-5 and I don’t regret it at all. However, this is not the path I envision for myself and the future I am creating.

I believe that with age comes wisdom, and now that I am 40, I am putting my affairs in order and making a plan to move forward, trust myself and commit to the future I want to create.

Do you have a pivotal career story to share? Contact this reporter, Agnes Applegate, at aapplegate@businessinsider.com.