Book excerpt: My story is one of tragic proportions, having squandered away a career that I loved deeply due to professional burnout, followed by poor choices in coping with the stress and depression I faced at work and at home. Stress can manifest itself by disrupting your mental, physical and spiritual health. In turn, it can affect your ability to make sound decisions surrounding these areas and thus jeopardize everything you have worked to build in the establishment of your career and personal life. For me, it was a dream deferred. My story depicts rising to the pinnacle of success only to crash and burn. We all can change at any moment and decide to choose a healthier lifestyle. But, if nothing changes, nothing changes. This is not a book of war stories, but a blueprint for overcoming the heavy-laden obstacle of stress in your life and in the workplace.