"I have come to realise that this has not been a hardship, this has been an awakening. For me ME/CFS has been a gift and I want to put all that I have learned to use in a positive way by helping those who continue to suffer."
This is a quote from the first blog I ever published and the first time I ever discussed my experience of living with a chronic illness and subsequent recovery. I likened the blog to the opening paragraph of my manifesto and it is this mission that drives me every day to share the lessons I learned on my way back to a more balanced, conscious existence and to provide the support that was so sadly lacking for me through conventional means.
The lessons I learned should be mainstream. Everyone should be aware of them. Experience is a wonderful teacher but in this modern era where time is such a finite resource why waste it by blindly following the crowd and doing what has always been done, when current medical statistics prove this isn’t working? Anxiety, depression, autoimmunity and chronic illness are all on the rise. This should be a great time to be alive, we’ve never had it easier, yet we are more isolated, stressed, sick and adrift than ever before. We have lost our way. The demands of modern living are relentless. Here in the bubble, we try to be all things to all people and wonder why happiness and fulfilment seem such a fanciful notion.
I was the typical Type A personality, judging my worth on my paycheque, my job, my possessions, my achievements, my position in society. Yet what I thought was an innate drive to improve myself, to hustle, to succeed, was actually a way of distracting myself from examining who I really was, what I was really here for and who I really wanted to be.
I kept pushing myself, until I couldn’t push anymore, until my body decided to save me from myself by stepping in and taking control of the wheel, forcing me to slow down, forcing me to accept my limitations, and then forcing me to accept some more just to be sure I would get the message, which of course I didn’t, at least not right away! The details of living with ME/CFS can be found on other blogs on this site, suffice to say it doesn’t just take away your health, it takes away your dignity, your ego and your self-respect, stripping you down until you are left with no option but to accept that the person you thought you were is gone and all that remains is a broken, hollow shell, an abstract, existing within your own personal “Shawshank”, daring you to “get busy living or get busy dying.” I chose life and it is my passion to ensure you do too. I was lucky. ME/CFS found me early. I will have no excuse now for death bed regrets. I have been afforded an opportunity to create my own story, free from societal expectations, fear and doubt. I have faced the devil and I have chosen not to succumb.
In order to learn from the challenges and opportunities life decided to send my way I had to leave my ego at the door and walk a path that I would previously have ridiculed. I had to step away from conventional wisdom, from ideas and concepts that have been ingrained in us all and truly explore what it means to be a healthy, happy human. How to find joy, fulfilment, peace and balance in all life’s seasons, from the blazing sun of summer bliss to the dark, bitter cold of winter, to celebrate and cheer life’s highs and find inspiration and opportunity in its lows. The key realisation was that although it is most definitely a path that can only be walked by you, it does not have to be done so alone. I had lots of help from some wonderful people, kind, benevolent souls who shared their time, knowledge and experience. I sought out experts in many different fields, covering diverse topics in psychology, biology and environment. I have studied with and been coached by some of the best in the world and will continue to do so as my path continues to provide growth, challenge and change, not only for me, but for all those willing to walk the road less travelled, for rewards rarely seen.
The aim is to enhance the awareness, balance and coherence of a collective willing to embrace the idea that we as human beings are only scratching the surface of our capabilities, to be the pioneers of potential and unearth the possibilities that are available to us all when we do the work and take that first step into the unknown.
That is where coaching comes in. As I have referenced elsewhere, a coach is someone who holds the mirror to our being, to what motivates us, what holds us back, to what we believe, what we fear, what we value, what gives us meaning. I personally am not a fan of the term "life coach". A coach does not have the answers as to what will give meaning and depth to your life…YOU do. A coach is a facilitator, an accountability partner who walks the path with you and helps you identify your own unique route towards attaining the life you want. “Getting on with it” and “doing whatever it takes” are two different mindsets and if you identify with the latter then I believe Skywards HPC may have something to offer.
I truly believe I went through the relentless trial, error and experimentation required to come out the other side so you don’t have to. There is no one size fits all solution which is why we utilise scientifically proven techniques from the worlds of Personal Development, Functional Medicine, Biohacking, Neuroscience, Emotional & Embodied Intelligence, Positive Psychology, Nutrition Science, NLP, EFT, Hypnosis and Philosophy to help you chart your own course to a complete Functional Transformation™ you may never have thought possible.
My own transformation was forged in the fires of chronic illness, but this approach and these techniques can be applied to any goal or target. All it requires is a willingness to do more, be more, live more and an absolute refusal to settle for anything less.
Remember, in order to rise from its own ashes, a phoenix first must burn.
Take Aim, Transform, Transcend…
Skywards...
Go to the contact page now, reach out, and let’s get to work on creating a life less ordinary.