If you have read my past blogs, you have noticed a strong theme of transition and change. This is very important to me as we are always in a state of growth or evolution whether we choose to be or not, and if we are ready or not. This has been the story of my life.
My story includes short trips, long journeys and leaps of faith as noted in today’s title. As I am currently embarking on one of those leaps of faith, I thought it might be helpful to share more of my story as recommended by someone I just met, who possesses an unbiased and fresh perspective on my new path and what led me here.
Last Friday, after 7+ years, I left my corporate position with a clinical research company to dedicate my time fully to the company I started that supports the empowerment of parents, caregivers, and other individuals seeking to put their dreams, passions, families, and health first. This, my friends, is one of the greatest leaps of faith I have ever taken. With no guarantee of success and no set plan to follow, I am allowing my heart and intuition to lead the way.
Not so long ago, I was the last person anyone would have expected to tempt fate. I’ve worked hard all my life, followed the rules, and didn’t shake things up. Safety was of the upmost importance to me and locking down a comfortable and predictable future was priority one. I never looked for “fun” in life as that distracted from the mission. But it was living this way, a very long journey indeed, that set the stage for future struggles. It set me up for a life of mediocrity that I knew deep down inside was not meant for me, but who was I to change it.
Living a structured, safe life will afford you some benefits though. Working hard, being organized, meeting deadlines, being productive, and trustworthy allowed me to navigate through a career in interesting fields, save money, and plan for the future. These were the short trips. You gain a bit from all of these experiences but don’t really push the envelope of your true potential, checking the boxes, doting the “i’s and crossing the “t’s as you go. I remember those days. Feeling like you were going through the motions.
There were periods in my life though where I pushed back occasionally. Little leaps of faith when I would do something a bit out of character and didn’t sweat the consequences. It amazed me that when I “got a little wild,” the world didn’t end. That place felt real, energetic, and authentic (before authenticity was even a “thing”). However, I got back with the program quickly. Always with the feeling that if I had only kept going, it could have been “something great,” who knows. But back to safety I went.
I was lucky in that one of those out of character moments in time brought me my husband. I had decided that never marrying and not having kids was okay; and it was. I ventured into online dating to support a friend that didn't want to go it alone. My husband found me and shook everything up in my life. We met in August of 2007, got engaged in July 2008 and married in November 2008! Talk about a short trip and a leap of faith but we have been on a wonderful, long journey together ever since.
Our journey has not been without its travails and the most significant one knocked me for a loop that lasted a while and brought everything in my life to a boiling point.
We were blessed to welcome a son who would join our life journey. Little did we know that his journey would include ADHD. As the years went by, his needs, behavior, and therapy intensified while the demands of everyday life remained and grew. This new addition to our daily routine brought a lot of guilt, stress, worry, anxiety, exhaustion and to be honest, outright confusion. Some parents of children with complex medical issues or challenging diagnoses take on the role of “fixer,” and that’s just what I did. I threw myself into the management of his condition and looked into every option for bringing him, and us solutions and relief.
I became distracted and overwhelmed, neglected my own nutrition and selfcare in pursuit of the answers. There had to be a solution. For someone that was living a life within the lines, I felt out of control and angry all the time. My husband and I were constantly at odds about what would work and what to do. Why did this happen to us and how long would this part of the journey last?
For years I struggled to hold it all together and little parts of me, little parts of us, were slowly falling apart. I feared this would be the short trip that brought us to dissolution.
I was extremely lucky to have a coach that stuck with me before, during and after this time. Her assignment was huge, to pull me out of the depths of which we had not been before. But she could not do it alone. I had to take the leap of faith that despite the fact that everything seemed to be going wrong, my weight was out of control, my stress level was off the charts, and my home life was in turmoil, it could be turned around, and I had to start with me. I had to address my mindset, behaviors, responses, and expectations. Once I took responsibility for starting with me first, we could start on a new short trip to wellness for us all.
First, I decided to make a change and commit to it. I realized it wasn’t just about weight or a difficult relationship with my child. It was about my lack of self-regulation, lack of joy, feeling immobilized by stress, and wrestling with acute fear, and self-doubt in all areas of my life. No one can afford to live another day that way.
I started walking, meditating, and reading everything I could that was motivational and supportive. I just needed to know that others had overcome their struggles and that it was possible. This inspired me to examine my life and finally come to terms with not living authentically, without reservation, or fear. The food I was consuming was not serving me and I went back to school to learn about nutrition and whole-health approaches. The culmination of this personal exploration led me to a new awakening that no matter what is going on in your life, you are responsible for how you show up, and how you respond. And, if you don’t know how, there are resources and information out there to help you. All you have to do is get started.
Over time, by making a commitment to myself and recognizing what I needed to be balanced and healthy to meet our challenges head on, I lost weight, reduced my stress, and reclaimed my curiosity and enthusiasm about what could be for myself and my family. That’s when Committed Change Health and Wellness was born.
We are all working through challenges, dealing with setbacks, and craving quick fixes. Quick fixes never work. You must do the work. I did the work and by replacing negative thoughts and behaviors with positive changes and nutritional interventions, I am better for myself and better for those around me, especially my husband and my son.
Is my life perfect, of course not. As humans we struggle, but those struggles are not as daunting and overwhelming as they used to be. My approach to difficulties now is informed by my holistic practices and knowledge. My husband and I don’t always see eye to eye, but we are always a united front no matter which decision is made and the bond we have has been strengthened by our understanding that no matter what happens, we are on this road together.
As for my son, well, he’s twelve so how do you think that’s working out! The pre-teen years are tough under the best of circumstances, but we have taken steps to address his condition through exercise, nutrition, supplementation, therapeutic interventions and medication when needed. There’s no harm or shame in doing everything you can and utilizing every tool available to you. The primary component has been communication, love, and patience. Lots, and lots of patience. I can do patience so much better now.
As an Integrative Nutrition Parent Health Coach, I understand the weight and frustration of dealing with parenting stressors, feeling like you could be living a fuller life, or that your body deserves better, but not knowing where to turn. Additionally, as a parent with experience raising a challenging child while navigating the other complexities of life, my mission is simple: give parents and caregivers wellness education, tools, and support they need to reduce and improve stress responses, feel fulfilled, and capable of managing life’s challenges, while living a healthy, balanced life, and nurturing a productive relationship with your child.
This mission is so important to me that taking this leap of faith from the comfort of the corporate world to entrepreneurship (scary as it might be), was so necessary and a testament to what can happen if you just trust your intuition, let go of fear, and move forward. The door to safety closed but the window of self-realization and purpose opened for me. I’m taking the leap to a long journey of helping others that is long overdue. What journey are you on?
My hope is that this leap of faith and the journey to follow will continue to bring me the sense of wonder, fulfilment, and satisfaction I feel now everyday while bringing hope, healing, and growth to others. I’ll need your help along the way when the days get tough. Cheer me on and I’ll cheer for you too!
What door did you close? What windows opened for you and how did you welcome the blessings?
Leave a comment below and share your experiences to help others!
Take care and be well!
Courtney
Comments