5 years ago I was bed ridden
I’d been working 5am-9pm days for 18 months
I'd been working in IT as a self-employed consultant
I’d been doing a Psychology degree
And I’d been flipping properties
I was working in excess of 70 hours a week and kept going and going and going.....
Until one day my body said “enough already!”
So one morning I woke up as normal to find out I couldn’t get out of bed
The weird thing is I didn’t see it coming AT ALL
I felt stressed, yes
I felt burnt out, yes
I’d lost touch with family and friends
And I fell permanently knackered
BUT
I thought this was normal
I thought this was the only way to live
I felt “fine” mentally
I didn't see it coming at all
Do you get this?
I then spent 8 months the same way!
8 whole months I couldn't work
8 months I couldn't do the things I loved. I couldn't travel, I couldn't study, I couldn't socialise
Life was passing me by......
Have you ever felt this way?
I finally realised there MUST be another way
I knew then I had to take control of my life
I had to streamline how I was doing things
I had to become more productive with the time I had and the energy I had (which was low at the time)
So I booked a trip to New York.
Just me, myself and I.
I remember landing at Newark Airport and I had such a sense of "Coming Home" even though it was the first time I'd visited!
I spent my time in New York wandering around like a proper tourist, realising all the times I'd seen certain places in films.
It was so noisy, busy and FULL of people.
I wandered the streets alone feeling like a very small fish in a gigantic pond.
I had such a conflict in my head, I had absolutely no idea what I wanted to do with my life at this point.
I'd come out to New York and thought it was going to save me but I suddenly felt lost. I ended up on a really quiet street and a man walked towards me.....
I thought to myself "This is it, this is where I'll end my days"!
I was proper panicking as the man came up to me and put his hand in his pocket......
"You've dropped this" as he handed me a ticket I'd just brought for a broadway show!
My face must have looked a proper picture!
I fell in love with New York AND my life right there and then
I'd spent years focusing on what I didn't have rather than what I did
I knew that I needed to switch focus
It was time for me to focus on what I DID HAVE rather than what I didn't have
I walked through central park and ended up at the Boathouse Restaurant (which is now my favourite restaurant in the world)
I realised it was time for me to make some changes in my life
5 years later I have my dream job
I “work” 4 days a week, 3 weeks a month
I have 3 months off a year (which I book in at the beginning of the year)
I live by the sea
I can travel where I like
I can take my online business anywhere I want
I have an amazing partner and a 13 year old step kid
What's driven this?
I'm super passionate about helping other people not hit the same wall
Not go through the same health problems
Not be in the rat race hating every single Monday like I was
That 7pm dread on a Sunday night
It doesn’t have to be this way
You know that right?
To do a job or build a business they love
You can start right now.......
You can build a mindset that can support you to do ANYTHING
Think of 3 things that you are grateful for?
Is it your family?
Your friends?
Your job?
Your Children?
Your health?
Your positive attitude?
That amazing cup of coffee this morning?
Write 3 things down that you are grateful for in a notebook or use an app like I do
And do this regularly....
Every day or once a week it doesn't matter, BUT build it into your life
Make it something you spend 5 minutes focusing on on a regular basis.
Switch your mindset from one of what you DON'T have to one of what you DO
You'll start to see the world a different way
You'll start to appreciate that you actually have so much already.
Conclusion
Now that you know how to show gratitude, it will give you the confidence to make the changes that you've been wanting to.
Love
Nikki xx
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