So it’s been a while. You may have noticed I have been a little quiet of late. Why? Well, to be honest, I had a health wake-up call.
For the last 3 years or so I have been like a possessed runaway train. Striving, achieving, doing, doing, doing! At the height of my career as I won the CHEK Business Professional of the Year in August 2014, I suddenly realised that something was wrong. I didn’t feel the elation I knew I should feel, I didn’t feel like I had ‘arrived’ or that I could finally stop striving because I had reached the pinnacle. I felt so sad and ashamed knowing that. I felt like a big fat fraud.
It took a significant knock to my mental/emotional wellbeing, the risk of a re-run of adrenal fatigue and a loud, firm word of warning from one of my Gurus, Paul Chek, to realize that I had lost my way. My passion had turned into some kind of prize. I was saying all the right things and gaining acclaim and success, but my heart felt empty. My passion burnt out. Paul reminded me that unless I truly nurtured Dr. Happiness, I would always be searching for the next goal, the next prize, the next pat on the back.
Now, as a healthcare practitioner, admitting those things to you is tough, because we like to think we have our S**T handled! So I kind of went into hiding, retreated, licked my wounds and reassessed what really mattered in my life.
Paul Chek’s PPS Mastery Program Lesson 1 offered a fantastic approach to getting me back on track. So I dug into his wonderful goal-setting and values identification techniques. I read in earnest the works of Esther and Jerry Hicks and calmed myself with the sultry tones of Dr. Wayne Dyer’s guided meditations.
I have this firm belief that each one of us has a unique life lesson. It’s the kind of lesson that works a bit like the film Groundhog Day. So that the lesson keeps coming, as painful as it might be until we are ready to learn from it and truly move on. My life lesson is definitely one of over-working, over- striving. Have you noticed what yours is? Maybe you always go for the ‘Bad’ Boyfriend, perhaps you binge eat or self-harm, maybe you constantly change jobs or move home, perhaps you never ever finish anything…
I come from a Family of doers you see. A family that I felt gave out love in direct response to academic success. To feel love, I always felt I had to be someone, do something, achieve. It has taken me a lifetime on that path to finally realise that success is NOT measured by certifications, qualifications, awards, possessions or money in the bank. Success is a measure of the love I feel in my heart, most importantly for me and then for the people around me. Success is measured by the purpose and joy with which I embrace the world around me and the positive change that I can facilitate to those who are open and ready to listen and act.
I have been doing my best to be mindful of nourishing my Dr. Happiness with walks in nature with my family, lots and lots of yoga, and reading inspirational books. But most of all allowing myself the gift of not Having To Do Anything. How could you best nourish your Dr. Happiness?
My lovely coach Rachel told me this story that has really helped me to navigate away from my cyclical pattern of negative over-work. I am definitely a work in progress, aren’t we all! Here’s the story:
There was a lady who was walking down the road, she was enjoying her day, looking at the scenery; when all of a sudden she fell down into a big hole. It took her by surprise, she injured her leg and shook herself up! A few weeks later she was walking down the same road, suddenly she remembered that she needed to be aware of something. She paused but before she knew it she had tripped and fallen into the hole again. This time because she was aware ahead of time, she only bruised her arm. A few days later the lady was walking down the very same road. She stopped and said to herself, there is a hole in the road up ahead. She walked around the hole and enjoyed the rest of her day.
Authenticity is crucial for me and I finally feel I am back on track and ready to share my knowledge, wisdom, passion and sparkle with the world again. So I hope you are with me?
Do let me know what type of recipes, blogs and Vlogs you would like me to share with you. I look forward to getting creative with you soon.
