On The 13th March 2020, when President Trump announced Flights to Spain would be cancelled due to Covid-19, my heart sank. In that moment, I knew, that things were about to get really tough. The world was in panic and the only thing we could be certain about, was the uncertainty to come.
I’m a resilient and positive person and I tried to maintain this, but as the weeks rolled on, it was more and more obvious that this would have a profound effect on our business and life. We were about to lose all we’d worked for years to create. I knew, in order to cope with this situation I needed to be more resilient and more brave than i’d ever been in my life.
7 years before, I’d left a 17 year career in London to re-locate to Southern Spain. I’d always dreamed of a different life, a life of freedom and ease. However, Starting a wedding business and establishing a new life was far from easy. I’d work 14 hour days, hours and hours chatting to potential clients, but with no luck, no bookings. It took us 6 months before we’d generated any income at all. Our savings were fast running out, we were having to make many financial sacrifices and became consumed with worry. Then one day, one booking confirmed and my confidence skyrocketed, from then, the bookings began to flow in.
Within 2 years we had a healthy wedding business that was generating 6 figures. Through hard work and determination, we had made it! Our success continued and over time, we were able to find more balance in our lives, by 2019 we felt that our business was finally where we wanted it to be. We agreed to reduce from 20 to 10 Weddings per year, allowing us more freedom and to also live with less stress. We wouldn’t generate as much income, but it was still a healthy income for southern Spain.
We had so many hopes for 2020, we had an intern assisting us with our wedding business, we’d have more time for us. This would be the year I’d grow my Coaching Business, whilst my partner would manage the weddings. 2020 was all about having more time for us and doing what we love.
And Ironically, time is exactly what we would have. When Covid hit, In order to survive I committed to a strict morning routine that would keep me sane and help me cope with the daily challenges I was facing. With the fall of our wedding business and dealing with emotional clients daily, I had my own meltdowns like everyone else, but with Yoga, Meditation, ensuring I was getting dressed and putting on makeup each day, helped to ground and calm me. I started to prioritise me for the first time in my life!
I kept positive, that this would be over soon enough and set about coaching those that had lost their businesses due to the pandemic. I encouraged them to create digital businesses as alternative income. I was passionate to show them that they were still valid, still incredible, they had amazing skills that could be transferred, they needed to keep going, not to give up! To keep their dreams alive. Because let’s face it, giving up was way easier than fighting on!
With the stress and long term affects of the pandemic, cracks in my own positivity and resilience started to show. The crisis uncovered some old wounds that I’d happily covered up for many, many years. I realised that no matter how happy I seemed on the surface, I’d been living out of alignment and something needed to change. Being busy in life had kept me numb to the truth of my feelings. The extra ‘time’ I had during the pandemic, meant more ‘time’ to think and feel, more ‘time’ to be! I could no longer hide from myself!
I realised now was the time to make changes, now was the time to transform my existence. I had been gifted time and I’d never ever have this opportunity again! I knew I could not do this alone, so I hired 2 Coaches to help me make progress, to help me heal from my past and improve my life and businesses. I worked with the incredible Dulcie James with Grief Recovery, healing from the losses in my life and the amazing Natasha Bray in her Ultimate Uplevel Academy.
My initial intention was to know myself better, feel better generally and cope better with the current situation. I wanted to learn how I could thrive during this time. The huge loss of income during the covid crisis and the loss of a beloved pet, had greatly triggered some past traumas for me. I could never have imagined the impact this work would have on my life, my business or the way I felt inside.
So the work began. For those that don’t know, working with a Coach means you need to be doing the work, they don’t do it for you. Let’s be completely honest, you’re not going to get a transformation, unless you are dedicated and committed! Embarking on the task of transforming your life, your beliefs the way you feel is not a small feat, there are years and years and layers and layers of limiting beliefs and wounds to peel back and heal from. At times you resist, you feel like giving up. It is so hard facing your fears, admitting where you need to change, trusting the process and surrendering, so that you can create a new life story.
I decided if I was going to make the most of this I needed to take it seriously, so I blocked off every Sunday evening Monday as my Self Development days. This was my time. My family understood and I embrace it now as a sacred time for me, dedicated to me. It’s a key part of my own self care!
After a short time, and some dark beginnings, I began to feel a sense of wholeness inside that I’d not felt for so long. I was able to remember lost loved ones with a sense of contentment and happiness, rather than a bitter pain. I was left with happy memories instead of memories plagued with sadness.
At the same time, my meditation and spirituality started to increase in intensity, as I healed, my connection to myself was expanding. I could connect to my intuition so easily, find the answers I needed just by quieting my mind and asking..
As the months rolled on, I felt calmer, and more capable in my work. I was bolder more confident, less afraid of judgement and rejection. I was no longer afraid to put myself out there in my business, no longer afraid to be seen or heard. I began to transform my business to an idea that resonated more deeply with my desires. Desires that I was able to connect with through meditation and spirituality.
I re-launched my Coaching business as my own name, no longer hiding behind a brand. I recognised that my passion was to help wild hearted adventurous women to create a life of freedom and success with ease!
With the transformation of my business I felt more aligned. There was an overwhelming feeling of inner peace, a sense that everything was fitting into place and that it will be okay! I’ve seen my business confidence and success grow, tracking double the income this January to last year!
As I near the end of my coaching programmes, my self belief, self love and self worth is blossoming and I realise, I finally know myself. I finally feel that at the age of 46 that I have found my purpose in life!
Through the healing work I embarked upon, I never expected to change so much within my life. I never expected a transformation so big! There have been so many bonus points along the journey. Like connecting with my spirituality and how that has helped me create more success in my business.
But the biggest win has to be a feeling of freedom inside, despite being locked down, despite the fact I’ve lost the income from my wedding business. It makes it clear to me, that if we heal the inside, everything else just falls into place. Freedom truly comes from within!
I’m now training for qualifications in Hypnotherapy and Inner Child Therapy to help broaden my Business Coaching skills so that I can offer my coaching clients more profound transformations.
I’m excited about the future for when my wedding business gets back on it’s feet but also for my potential to help thousands of women through my coaching business. Because that, is my purpose! Thanks to Covid-19- That is my lifes purpose!