A year ago, I was at the end of my tether: completely burnt out and unable to find anything in my life that I could change to make things better. Following Covid, work was busier than ever, my Mum’s birthday was coming up which I knew was going to be difficult, and my son was refusing to go to school. Every day was a struggle and a fight trying to get him into school only to end up trying to entertain him whilst I tried to work. I felt absolutely helpless and useless. I wasn’t able to do anything as well as I wanted to. Watching my baby have such a difficult time took up all of my attention, I wasn’t able to focus on anything else properly.
I was signed off work for a heavenly couple of weeks in which I wholeheartedly threw myself into self care (I have fairly simple needs: a spa day and a haircut and some big walks). I went back to work, but only for a week or two before I realised it wasn’t going to work out. Over the space of about 72 hours, I turned my entire life upside down: I took Oscar out of school for good, quit my job, and signed up to do a coaching course. It was risky and scary and I’m so grateful to have had my husband Steve’s love and support throughout, even though it has put more financial pressure on him. I haven’t looked back for a second: Oscar is back to being a happy lovely boy; our whole household is calmer; we have a little less money but so much more time for each other; and I have loved every single second of my course and starting my business.
My upbringing taught me that money isn’t necessary for happiness. Love and adventure are the keys. But understanding my values and what was important to me was what helped me make my decisions quickly, without any doubt that they were the right decisions.
Are you feeling overwhelmed and burned out? Do you feel constantly tired, that no rest is enough, or find it hard to rest at all because there’s so much to be done, and you can’t properly focus on any of it? Maybe you feel that something in your life isn’t quite right and needs to change and you would like help making a big brave decision. I’d love to help you find more balance and joy through coaching. (Asking for that help doesn’t mean committing to that decision, it could equally be a case of deciding it’s not worth the risk and instead focusing on accepting things they way they are.)