I Felt Fine… Until I Didn’t: The Lie High-Achieving Women Believe About Blood Pressure
If you’re a busy woman in leadership and you’ve been told you have high blood pressure, there’s a sentence I hear (and used to say) all the time:
“But I feel fine.”
Let me share something from personal experience: I was a busy leader, trying to prove my worth and earn my keep. I prioritized work over my health more times than I can count. I was productive, dependable, and always on the move. I didn’t feel sick. I didn’t feel weak. I didn’t feel like anything was “wrong.”
But my blood pressure told a different story.
And the results of ignoring it were not positive.
Here’s the truth we don’t talk about enough: feeling fine is not the same as being fine. High blood pressure can be elevated for years without symptoms. That’s why it’s often called the “silent” issue—because it doesn’t always announce itself with drama. It just quietly builds risk in the background while you’re busy being the strong one.
The “Silent” Part Is What Makes It Dangerous
High blood pressure doesn’t always show up as pain or obvious discomfort. Many women are walking around functioning at a high level while their numbers stay high—because life is full, responsibilities are heavy, and the body becomes the last thing on the list.
And for women in leadership roles? We’re especially good at pushing through.
We’ll keep deadlines. Keep commitments. Keep meetings. Keep everyone else together.
But we’ll skip meals, live on caffeine, eat convenience foods that look “healthy,” sleep too little, and treat rest like something we’ll earn later.
Your career may be thriving… but your body can be paying the price.
The Leadership Trap: “I Don’t Have Time”
I know the thought pattern well:
“I’ll deal with it after this project.”
“I’ll get serious once things calm down.”
“I don’t want to be on medication forever, but I’m too busy right now.”
“I’m not having symptoms, so it can’t be that bad.”
And I want to say this with love: your blood pressure doesn’t care how responsible you are. It responds to patterns—stress, sleep, food, movement, hydration, recovery, and consistency.
The good news is this: Like me, you do not need to walk away from your job to take care of your health. You can have a thriving career and protect your heart at the same time.
But it takes something many high-achievers don’t want to admit they need:
A plan. And consistency.
Nothing you don’t already give to your work.
What Changed for Me
I didn’t want to just take medication and keep moving on with life like nothing needed to change. As a certified health and wellness coach, I knew lifestyle changes were important—and I decided to stop playing with my health.
Not with perfection. With structure.
I started treating my health like an actual priority—not an optional hobby. I built routines that fit a real schedule. I focused on what I could repeat, not what looked impressive.
Because the goal isn’t to be the “perfect healthy person.”
The goal is to stop abandoning yourself.
Your First Step: Stop Guessing and Start Tracking
If you’ve been told you have high blood pressure, one of the most empowering things you can do is start tracking your numbers at home. Not obsessively. Not fearfully. Confidently. I went as far as creating My Blood Pressure Tracking Log to do just that.
Because clarity changes behavior.
Here’s your simple starting point for this week:
Take one blood pressure reading at home (or two, if you’re ready)
Write down the number including your pulse rate
Write down what was happening that day (stress level, sleep, food, caffeine, etc.)
That’s it.
No shame. No spiral. Just information.
A Journaling Moment (Because This Is Bigger Than a Number)
High blood pressure isn’t only about sodium or steps. For many women, it’s also about how we live: the pressure we carry, the expectations we internalize, and the ways we put ourselves last while making sure everyone else is okay.
Here’s a journal prompt you can ponder:
Where am I pretending to be “fine” because I’m used to pushing through?
And here’s the follow-up that hits different:
What would it look like to treat my health like a commitment I keep—no matter how busy I get?
If You’re Ready to Stop Starting Over…
If 2026 cannot be another year of “I’ll get it together soon,” I want you to know you’re not alone—and you don’t have to do this without a structure.
I created Be the Boss of Your Blood Pressure using my signature C.O.N.T.R.O.L. curriculum. It’s for busy women (especially leaders) who are done putting their careers over their health. We focus on sustainable lifestyle change, home tracking, and journaling-based consistency—so you can protect your heart without blowing up your life.
Learn more about my “C.O.N.T.R.O.L.” curriculum, and schedule a 30-minute call to get more details on the program.
(Coaching support alongside your provider—this isn’t medical advice.)
