Motherhood, Mortality and Starting Over: Leaving Corporate to Build a Life of Purpose
For any woman standing at a crossroads, wondering if you can step out of the corporate job that’s draining your soul dry and create a life that you actually love to live, this story is for you.
In December 2013, I left my (successful on paper) career working for an international law firm to become a self-employed personal trainer.
Why?
Because just 8 months earlier, I had almost died of sepsis following the traumatic emergency caesarean section birth of my daughter (a story I’ll share another time).
Facing my own mortality after previously being convinced that death was something that only happened to other people, was an eye opener.
There’s something about holding your newborn child in your arms, whilst being hooked up to drips and machines, facing life-saving surgery, thinking if it doesn’t go to plan that she’ll never remember her mummy, that changes you on a cellular level.
All of a sudden, nothing felt certain anymore.
TELLING MYSELF THE TRUTH
Once I was out of hospital and on the road to recovery, I was forced to start telling myself the truth.
The truth about where my time and energy were being spent.
The truth about my relationships.
The truth about how I wanted to raise my child.
The truth about creating a life that actually felt successful on the inside and not just on paper.
My priority went from climbing the corporate ladder, downing bottles of wine to get through and earning as much money as possible, to being with my daughter 24/7.
The most important thing became ensuring her childhood was happier than mine by filling her up with as much love and care as humanly possible, whilst simultaneously making heartbreaking choices (including becoming a single parent), so that I could become the woman and role model I wanted her to grow up with.
CHOOSING A LIFE THAT FELT LIKE MINE
I’d read somewhere that if you can make money doing something you enjoy, then you never work a day in your life. So I began to think about what I was really passionate about, which didn’t really take long because anyone who knew me would have said the same thing; fitness.
I had always been active, had been a gym member since the age of 16, loved lifting weights and was even very proudly awarded as the “Sportiest Girl” at my school leaving prom!
It made sense to build a life that allowed me to balance motherhood and creating an income in a way that lit me up.
So when my daughter was 4 months old, I signed up for a personal training course and in January 2014 my very first fitness business, NLG Fitness Didsbury, was born.
And whilst in recent years, life has had plans for me outside of the fitness industry, I’ve been empowering women and teenage girls with their health, healing and wellbeing ever since.
A Question For You
What is most important to you in your life right now and do your daily choices reflect that?
If not, what is one small thing you can do this week, to commit to creating a life that feels more aligned with what it is you truly value?
Want Some Support?
If you’re standing at your own crossroads, wondering if there’s another way, I promise you…there is always another way.
If you would love some support exploring what is possible for you, I’d love to welcome you to book an online Heart to Heart life coaching session with me HERE.