My Story
How I got here
- Ever since waking up after major emergency surgery in 2011 to remove a gangrenous gall bladder, I knew that I was destined to be a life coach.
- I know how it feels to be down and almost out, and how hard it is to get back up and at 'em.
- I studied with The Coaching Institute and The Life Coaching College and gained my Coach Mastery and NLP Practitioner certificates while teaching at TAFE.
- All the while I was running gut-first into scalpels and dealing with sinister gastric symptoms until my diagnosis of Crohn's Disease was revealed in 2023.
- Funny how giving my tormentor a name empowered me to accept my situation and set about managing the chronic condition.
- My constant chronic companions, Crohn's Disease and Atrial Fibrillation mostly work on a roster system but occasionally they both want in on the action. That's when life gets interesting...
- With management came a determination to not just survive but to thrive with my chronic conditions.
I was in a dark place for a few years while we sorted out my diagnosis.
Frustrated
- I struggled to be healthy when and where I should be of best value to my clients, colleagues, family and friends.
- I didn't know what, if any treatment would result in remission or something close to a normal, lifestyle. What if nothing worked or the disease got worse?
- Just when I thought I'd made a breakthrough I'd relapse and be back to square one, or worse.
- I was angry, what did I do to deserve this?
Confused
- I was losing my identity, and just didn't know who I was any more.
- I was overwhelmed with Information Overload.
- I couldn't distinguish between my physical symptoms and mental/emotional feelings.
Stressed
- I worried about day to day “surprises”.
- I worried about my work, family, retirement prospects. I lost confidence to plan and make decisions.
- I wondered if there were any support groups/services available.
- I wondered if potential business associates/clients/financiers would write me off? Would family consider me a drain on their time and patience?
Then, I took notice of my coaching and NLP training and came up with a
3-point plan.
Acceptance
To reach this level of enlightenment I had to embrace a gambit of emotions including Denial, Guilt, Confusion, Desperation, Anger, Anxiety and Disorientation.
Once I came to grips with the reality of my situation I faced a choice, to fight or not to fight. I chose to fight.
Management
I knew that drugs, surgery, diet, exercise and self-belief are all critical components that must be synergetic to successfully manage my conditions.
Fear of falling back into the pre-acceptance abyss is a constant threat and exhaustion is a constant companion. If courage is doing something no matter how scared, then this skirmish needs all the courage that I could muster.
Evolution
From this point the distinction between living and thriving with chronic conditions becomes clear. I now have the courage, indeed responsibility to open the long-lost treasure chest brimming with dreams and aspirations that is my life.
Until now I had inexhaustibly questioned healthcare to achieve a satisfactory management program. To reach my new and revisited goals I have to challenge myself.
I developed the Chronic to Iconic (C2I) program to
improve quality of life
and empower participants to
achieve their full potential.
Practical and Accessible
- Delivered online via Zoom
- Six 1-hour sessions
- Individual or Group packages
Supportive
- Empathetic coaching in a non-judgemental environment.
- Automatic lifetime membership to C2I Coaching Program and C2I Facebook group
- Links to and articles from independent support groups are regularly posted on our website.
Empowering
- Take action to achieve GOALs with a positive mindset, confidence, and self-belief.
- Confidence in the conviction to manage challenges and set meaningful GOALs
- Focus on the sounds, visions, tastes, smells, and feels of success.
