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MY STORY
A few years ago I reached a point where I knew something had to drastically change.
I think we all have those moments in life where we just know, deep within, that we can't keep going like this and be happy. To say I felt unfulfilled would be an understatement. To say I was stuck, depressed, frustrated, sick and had given up on life would be more accurate. I was optimistic about what I could do, but I was standing still while others moved ahead. I was living the same days, weeks, months and years on repeat with no progress!
Back then, I was a singer/screamer in a pop/punk/hardcore band. I had been in bands for years, and I had dreams of touring and performing for thousands of people. But aside from a few weekend tours, it never progressed. It was fun, but I was drinking and smoking a lot and my health suffered from the lifestyle I was living.
I was sick with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome which I'd had for 17 years. I needed prescription pain killers to sleep. I was on antidepressants, I was smoking, and I couldn’t work more than 24 hours each week without collapsing from sheer exhaustion. I was constantly sick and constantly dreading Monday morning and going to a job I struggled with physically. Needless to say, I never had enough money for the fun things in life, either. No Saturday morning brunches for this guy without a lot of stress about payments going through.
Worse still, I had no direction. My confidence was low, my mood was all over the place and my self-loathing was increasing by the week. But the funny thing was, no one really knew. All anyone else saw was a smiling guy with a positive attitude. But on the inside, I was drowning, screaming and losing my mind.
Then I had my wake-up call. During a painful breakup, my then-partner said to me, “I can't be with someone who has already given up on life.” That hit me in the face like a ton of bricks! I knew I couldn't keep going this way. Out of desperation, I googled “self-help seminars.” Soon, my life was to change forever!
I remember sitting in my first seminar, listening to people explain how the mind works and learning for the first time how we are the products of the way we think—how we’re all conditioned to think the way we do, and how our thoughts cause our behaviour and results.
Lightbulbs started going off in my mind. I started getting excited! This was it! This was why I had been the way I was—why I was getting the results I was getting! The experience was like shining a light into a dark cave. I could finally see the way forward!
I immediately signed up to work with a mindset coach. Over the next few months, things started changing quickly. The relief was overwhelming, and the joy was invigorating!
One Friday evening after a full 40-hour workweek, I went for a 5k run to end my day. As I finished, I remember smiling so much that my face hurt. Then suddenly I just broke down and cried tears of gratitude. From where I had been months earlier to where I now was, is something words fail to describe.
I also remember how happy and relieved my parents were when I stopped getting sick every second week. My confidence started to grow, I made new friends who shared similar values to mine, I had more meaningful experiences and I started to see positive changes in every aspect of my life.
Since I began my personal development journey through coaching, I have eliminated my Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. I’m paying off the mortgage of an investment property all by myself. I’ve been working full time, getting promotions and pay raises, and I’ve gotten off all my medications. I’ve given up smoking and drinking, travelled to Spain by myself for a mindset retreat and holiday, put on healthy weight, received my life coaching accreditation, grown exponentially in confidence, found a deep love for myself and achieved inner peace. Best of all, I’ve started a new career helping people in an industry I just can't get enough of!
The changes in my social life have been especially exciting. I’ve deepened my relationships with those I love, I’ve had negative people leave my life and I’ve had many uplifting new friends come into my life whom I'm beyond grateful for! The conversations I have now are positive and life-affirming, and they bring me levels of happiness I could only imagine before!
The biggest difference though is that I no longer experience the world the same. I see opportunities everywhere, the good in others, challenges as something to strengthen me and I'm more excited by life than I am scared.
I wake up each morning full of energy and excited for the day ahead. Not only that, but I have the privilege of helping others attain the same satisfaction and success that I enjoy.
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Please feel free to reach out and chat about anything you thought while reading this on any social media or via the contact form.
I'm not sharing this story as a "look at me" piece, it's to connect with others who also want to push themselves forward and to create inspiring connections.
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