What finally changed?
My Cross-fit crazy husband encouraged me to try the Paleo diet, but I had no desire to make changes. Then I read a book that changed my life – It Starts With Food by Melissa & Dallas Hartwig – and I suddenly understood the huge impact food had on the body. After a month of doing the ‘Whole30’ (an elimination diet), I had changed forever! I felt super-human – like Bradley Cooper in Limitless. I had more energy and clarity, I was bouncing out of bed in the mornings and the swollen ankle I’d suffered for 6 months disappeared almost overnight – never to return. No more random aches and pains, better immunity, so I thought I’d solved it, right? Changing my diet was all I needed to do. Locally sourced, healthy, grain free organic food was my saviour…
Until everything came crashing down. I hadn’t looked at any other part of my life. I was still drinking and partying and refusing to look within, and it was causing problems. After I suffered a miscarriage, which I also refused to look at (because I thought I didn’t want kids), my body and the Universe took matters into their own hands to force me to stop and listen (not my strongpoint). I got vertigo which was a beautifully gentle way to stop me, but nevertheless, it became frustrating after months off work and in desperation, I turned to a spiritual psycho-therapist to help with the vertigo-related anxiety and a spiritual physical therapist to help with any physical reason for the vertigo. Between them, I underwent an entire physical and spiritual transformation, delving deeply into my emotional traumas and subsequent physical and behavioural manifestations. As a result, I realised that I actually longed to become a mother, and was pregnant a few weeks later…
New Beginnings…
Having Fletcher changed my life. I had already changed my diet and so my pregnancy was easy, practising Crossfit and yoga throughout. We moved to France and had the luxury of time. I started to connect more deeply with the Universe, trusting in life and progressing my daily meditation practice. For over a year, we were just ‘being’ and thriving, reading personal development and health related books in a continuing journey to further my learning. Upon returning to Northern Ireland, my friend/soul-sister asked if I would return to work, but it no longer felt aligned with who I was. I knew I still wanted to help others, coaching them in all of the areas of health that I knew of. I then discovered that the profession of ‘Health Coach’ actually existed, and a series of synchronicities led me to the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in New York where I could study online, learning from all of the renowned teachers whose books I had already read.
I began coaching clients in 2017, quickly realising what a profound transformation could occur when they had just a little support from another person who could inspire and guide them on how to live a healthier life. Ultimately, everyone knows that we need to drink more water and eat more vegetables, but being excited and encouraged to do this is another thing entirely. I was attracting mostly women who had lost their connection with themselves, as I had once done, and who didn’t have the energy or inclination to make changes on their own. The type of person who is always available to help another, but then makes no time for themselves and can never manage to make themselves a priority.
Quite often, introducing simple and natural food with inspiring recipes was enough to see quick yet long lasting results. This allows space for exploration into other areas: Movement, Self Love, Career/Life passion, Relationships and Connection – to ourselves, others, our Higher Self and the Universe around us.
What I have discovered over the years is that by providing a safe space for my clients, they can feel fully supported in trying new things, from kale, to meditation, and that in slowly but incrementally introducing new daily habits, they can form an entirely new routine that supports and nourishes them from within, leading to happier and more fulfilled and purposeful lives.
Further Development…
For my 40th birthday, I realised that I was no longer the party girl I had once been and longed to do something more fulfilling for my soul instead. And so, I headed to Carcassonne in France for a few weeks where I completed my Yoga Alliance Teacher Training with the beautiful Quaternity Yoga school. I am trained in Hatha Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Yoga Nidra, Mantra, Pranayama, Meditation, Yogic Philosophy and Yogic and Western Anatomy, derived from the teachings of Swami Satyananda Saraswati and the Bihar School of Yoga. I am currently training in Yin Yoga methodology.
I also began to study Energy Medicine and am now a Level 3 Reiki Master. I continue my studies in this field with my Spiritual Guru who provides me with further guidance and accountability.
As I move forward, I continue to enhance my knowledge in each of these areas, choosing to learn and grow, which will benefit my students and clients as a result. One thing in this life is certain, there will always be change. And in the words of one of my greatest teachers: “When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change” (Dr Wayne Dyer). All you need is someone to hold your hand and lead the way…