I have experienced many failures in life, but my father always gave me moral support. He would say, “In bad times, nothing is permanent—never give up.” Just when everything was going smoothly, life gave me a big shock. This time, it was harder than I could bear.

I was excited to go on vacation after being away from my family for two and a half years. But three weeks before my trip, my father passed away from a heart attack. He left behind me, my mom, and my sister, who is a single parent with two daughters. I had so much I wanted to share with him, but all I could see was his lifeless body. Losing our guardian angel was unbearable.

I’m a sensitive person and often have trouble controlling my emotions, but I had no choice but to be bold and strong for everyone else. Suddenly, I had many responsibilities. I felt depressed and anxious. I had sleepless nights and cried when no one was around, but I had to appear strong in front of others. Changing from a carefree bachelor to the head of the family was a huge adjustment.

My boss was very supportive, like an older brother. He gave me time to be with my family, and I decided to bring everyone with me. Life is short, so it’s better to spend it with loved ones. My commute changed from a few kilometers to over two hours each day. At first, I struggled to balance work and home responsibilities. I had panic attacks, cried, and had sleepless nights. But I decided to change to avoid falling into deep depression.

I read a psychologist’s advice: “If you feel stuck in your life, it’s time to change your lifestyle and start a new chapter.” I started practicing meditation, yoga, and listening to music before bed. On weekends, I spent time with my family and made meditation part of my daily routine. My boss, also my mentor, gave me positive advice and encouraged me to see life differently. Slowly, I improved with exercise, meditation, and a healthy diet.

At our company, we ensure everyone is okay and maintain a positive atmosphere. It’s important to recognize signs of emotional distress to improve work performance and productivity. Our CEO checks on our mental health regularly.

We have monthly team-building events to relieve stress and overcome fears. We also offer workshops on mental health and resilience. To promote well-being, we build flexibility into employees’ schedules and encourage them to use their vacation time. We create opportunities for employees to build connections through social events and affinity groups.

I read in an article that employees are more vulnerable to the negative impact of stress if they haven’t built strong, positive relationships at work. “Help make work interesting, social, and fun, so stressed-out employees aren’t working in isolation,” says Schultz. Positive workplace relationships provide support that’s hard to replace.