Revisiting My Old Life With the New Me

I had a very inspiring coaching session as part of my Diploma in Life Coaching. I explained to the coach my plans and how I reinvented the wheel of my life after my diagnosis and let go of some dreams and expectations I had. I wrote before about this loss, the process of bereavement I went through in order to accept my diagnosis and make those changes for a better, happier life with AxSpa. I realize now that it doesn’t necessarily mean saying bye to things I use to love doing and never revisiting them again.

An eye opener

My conversation with this coach was a real eye opener about some things that I am already doing, to invite my old life hobbies and passions into my new life and finding ways to enjoy them. The trick is to adapt those activities so they can fit my needs.

I think I gradually started doing that once I had an effective treatment which allowed me to keep flares at bay and to feel in control. Yet, any new activity now raises questions like: how am I going to cope doing it? How much energy will I have afterwards? How is this activity safe with my condition? It can create stress and anxiety for me to start something new as I need to find those answers.

Our business becomes our lifestyle

More specifically about my vision and work plan for my coaching business, I was questioning myself during that session: can I afford my ambitions towards my work? Towards other life plans? Is my business plan realistic and feasible on my own? Or do I need a partnership with another professional?

The coach shared some wise words which made a lot of sense to me. And he mentioned few names of professionals who have as he described a "lifestyle business," when the lifestyle choices we make become embedded into the business we develop. I then noticed that I was already designing my career in a way that fits my needs whilst living with AxSpa and fibromyalgia. And I am still working on it: I am taking decisions and actions so my business reflects the way I live my life, and reciprocally the way I run my business is adapted to my conditions and how I manage them.

Reconnecting to my former self

Going back to the theme of loss and grief, and reconnecting with my former self, the person I used to be and the things I used to do before my diagnosis, the coach shared more wisdom again. This former self is not gone, as the energy, the essence is still there, it’s part of who I am today.

The idea is to reconnect with that part of my self from the place I am today, with the life experience I have had since. That was a powerful thing to hear. It made me believe in it and realize that again I am already doing it. I have reconnected with my music and performed songs many times! I have started spending time with horses and doing horse riding again! I have reconnected with my young self through old happy memories from when I was a child, through walking in nature, being in contact with animals.

I am witnessing a form of reconciliation between what was my life before AxSpa and the life I have designed for myself today. And I like seeing this big picture taking shape, with more opportunities to feel happy and fulfilled.