Transform Yourself, Transform Your Life:
A Story of How a Personal Breakthrough Experience Changed Rachel's Life
When I began focusing on my personal development journey over ten years ago, I never imagined I'd be helping others in similar ways that my coaches did for me. Yet with all my experience and training since then, I find articulating the benefits of how coaching and a Personal Breakthrough Experience can transform your life, difficult. Why is this?
In part it's because each person's need being addressed, and each person's experience and results are unique and personal to them.
In part, how on earth do you articulate in words, or visualize the individual experiences and results, in before and after pictures? I can share in my words, I can show you in my pictures, however you must experience the transformation for yourself. You will have your own before and after picture.
It's like a love story; everyone has their own based on their internal experience, their internal picture.
So, in order to give you a view other than my own, I'd like to share the personal experience of a client, Rachel, in her own words.
It's my job as a coach, to be the best coach I can be for you. It's your job, the client's job, to be a partner in the experience, be willing to do what it takes to achieve the change you want, be willing to step out of your comfort zone, and embrace the process.
Rachel did all the above and her results were astonishing, both immediately after her Personal Breakthrough Experience, and what I call the domino effects in her life in the following months.
Why?
Before we dive into Rachel's story, let's first talk about some of the reasons why you choose to seek a coach.
You feel stuck in: your personal relationship/s | career | finances | the same (unsatisfying) routine
You're holding on to something in your past that holds you back now (e.g. regret, grudge, past relationship, childhood experience, an accident, trauma, health condition, etc.)
You feel like something is weighing you down
You feel like you've lost your passion and don't know how to get it back
You realize that many of your physical health problems are symptoms of issues that haven't yet been addressed such as, past traumas, negative emotions (e.g. anger), etc.
You have a dream or goal that you haven't achieved; have been unsuccessful in attempting it; have been procrastinating getting started, and so on
You're at a point in your life where you're ready to change but don't know how
You hear yourself saying 'I'm not good enough', 'I'm not worthy', 'I don't deserve...'
You tell yourself 'if only' I had this or that (a better job, a better education, I had a title, etc., etc.)
All of these are just symptoms of deeper causes such as, an outdated belief, an outdated decision made in the past, and so on. A Personal Breakthrough Experience works with your subconscious mind, to get to that deep-seated cause.
Rachel version 1.0
When Rachel began working with me, it was clear she was a very capable, driven, successful, intelligent and caring person.
At the same time, she ticked many of the boxes above and her compass, over time, got infected with a virus. She was struggling with various personal and work relations, was holding on to events in her past, was holding on to anger, felt she'd lost her passion in life, and couldn't imagine a positive future. She suffered numerous health-related problems; some so extreme, it controlled many of her work and social activities.
She was very aware that she wanted to change, she knew there was a better version of herself that got buried somewhere along the way, and she inherently knew many of her health issues were connected to her past emotions, her thinking, and how she viewed past events in her life.
She recognized she was at cause (whether consciously or subconsciously) for being at this place in her life and was willing to do whatever it took to own and change it.
Rachel's transition from version 1.0 to 3.0
(Rachel's story in her words...)
I’ve been thinking a lot about sharing my experience. As with many of us, I have been through tragedy, trauma, angst, and stress in my life and carried those very heavy burdens. I share this not out of a need for sympathy but so that anyone reading will understand what is possible and in truth, within each of us.
As a young child I suffered sexual abuse, suffered unreported sexual assault as a teenager, lived with a parent with untreated Borderline Personality Disorder. I have a rare health condition called Mast Cell Activation Syndrome as well as Fibromyalgia and a host of other immune related issues. Despite all these things, I managed to become a functioning adult with a decent job.
Over the years I’ve suffered with depression, anxiety and PTSD, the older I’ve become, the harder it became to cope and to be well.
I allowed anger and frustration to take over my life and felt powerless.
I knew consciously that I could change but I didn’t know how.
I searched diligently in my hometown to find someone trained in NLP and Reiki as I felt these were my best shots at getting better. I found Joanne’s blog one evening and it rang true. I emailed her immediately and asked if there was any way she would work with me since I wasn’t in her area. She was incredibly responsive, understanding and frankly the first glimmer of hope I’d had in months.
What I hope to convey in this writing is that each individual has the power to change providing it is truly what you want, that you’re willing to do some personal work and that you are ready to welcome the change. It is honestly that simple.
Like so many other things in life, you simply need the correct tool for the job and someone to help you learn.
I was at the end of a very frayed rope and in all honesty was ready to give up.
I felt that despite all the good in my life there was nothing to live for and no escape from the dark, bleak world in which I was living.
The prospect of working with Joanne was my lifeline! We had some initial conversation, she provided me with some homework, which I willingly did. No matter how daunting you may find the task, give it a try and don’t be afraid to ask questions, she is super with responding, plus they aren’t anything outrageous. Be honest, not just with her but with yourself. Don’t skimp on the exercises! We met in person on two occasions.
Our first meeting confirmed what I already knew, Joanne was the healer I needed! Both sessions went extremely well. I am not exaggerating when I say
I was a changed person after the second session. Not only did I accomplish my goal of letting go of all the baggage and negativity, but I also had renewed energy and purpose.
My life was truly revitalized.
When I returned home, everyone in my life was amazed. They could literally see the change in me, even if they couldn’t understand the process.
I am nearly pain free for the first time in 5 years.
I no longer have to wear a mask when I am outside my home because my MCAS has become completely controlled.
I eliminated numerous maintenance medications. I saw my physician a few weeks after my last session, the same physician that had seen me a month earlier and was devastated at how poor my health was and that conventional medicine wasn’t helping.
She was amazed; her mouth was literally hanging open. She knew of my plan to work with Joanne and immediately wanted her contact information to share with other patients and asked me if I would allow them to contact me to share my story.
Even people that knew me only casually have seen the difference.
More important than my health, is that I learned to love and accept myself, completely!
I have returned to a very stressful job and hectic life but now I am in charge, of what I do, what I say and most importantly what I feel. To me this is the key, learning to work with myself and use the tools each of us possesses.
I may never be able to thank Joanne enough, but I hope that she can appreciate how amazing my life has become. I hope that she can find joy in knowing that she helped me and that I am now dedicating myself to bringing the same help to others! I’m keeping my day job for now, but I enrolled in NLP training and intend to do Reiki training as well, for starters. I want everyone to feel as empowered as I now feel.
I wish it was as simple as displaying a before and after picture, but it isn’t. I hope that reading this encourages each person on their journey and that they will reach out and work with Joanne as I have. I cannot say enough positive things about Joanne and the work she does! I wish everyone joy and success on their journey. Let’s hit the road….
Rachel version 3.0
If you're familiar with software, you know enhancements are typically released in version upgrades. As Rachel's professional field is technical, I suggested she come prepared to walk away from her Personal Breakthrough Experience as version 2.0.
True to Rachel's' form, she came in supercharged to bypass v2.0 altogether and go straight to v3.0!
The dramatic transformation in Rachel was astonishing and instantaneous! She had a new lease on life; she walked out of her breakthrough session a new person (an upgraded v3.0)! You've seen the many changes Rachel's experienced above; here are some examples just immediately following the breakthrough session:
Her feeling of inappropriate anger was completely gone.
Situations in her past that previously caused her angst, no longer existed. When questioned about specific events, her response was in some cases was...
'what issue?'
...and 'that's laughable, I can't imagine what I was thinking before' or 'why that even bothered me'.
Her energy was transformed and revitalized
Physically, she looked as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders
One significant and tangible change was reflected in an exercise Rachel was tasked with before and after her breakthrough session. The task involved writing a letter now, as if she were writing it 'x' number of months in the future after her breakthrough. She was to explain all the positive things that happened since.
Prior to the breakthrough, her letter was focused on accepting her health conditions and finding ways to control it or the environment. It was very task-oriented, limiting and restrictive. I knew Rachel could do better, so I tasked her with re-writing the letter to make it 'bigger'. Rachel was diligent in all her tasks, but she really struggled with this. So, I tasked her to do the same after her breakthrough.
The difference in her response was night and day and nearly brought me to tears. Her letter, post breakthrough, was creative, flowing, colorful, playful, full of life, full of joy, full of purpose and giving back. She was fulfilling her dreams and enjoying life. Life had become a pleasure and not painful. She was in control of her life and not being controlled by circumstances surrounding her.
As you've seen by Rachel's story,
a breakthrough session is like 'wiping the slate clean' and a 'mental' and 'emotional' detox,
and it's impossible to know immediately after the breakthrough all the profound changes you'll experience, however,
you will know you're walking away a different person than when you came in.
I'm grateful to Rachel for sharing her experience, glad to have had the privilege of working with her, and I hope her story gives you a better sense of the profound impacts investing in yourself and a Personal Breakthrough Experience can have on our life!
If you're ready to Transform Yourself and Transform Your Life now, I offer free 30-minute consultation; arrange yours by completing the 'contact' form at Live Your Yellow Brick Road.
Happy Journeys!
Joanne