My Awakening

It has taken me 43 years to develop into the person I am today and I must say I am feeling very at peace and loving the gift of life. Everyone has his or her adversity, a difficult situation that puts you in a place you never thought you would possibly be. I call it my awakening. It was the turning point in my life that changed my journey.

I grew up in South Eastern Melbourne, one of 5 kids in a very stable loving family. My parents gave us every freedom to develop and be independent at a very young age. They really did give us “roots to grow and wings to fly” for which I am extremely grateful. My dad was a churchgoer, and still is, following his own spiritual journey. Much to our dislike, we were forced to go weekly to Sunday school and to church on Christmas morning. Of course we all rebelled and didn’t really understand the whole religious thing. It is only now that it all makes sense, I believe in a greater energy and power of the universe and that we all have our own unique journeys. Meditation, gratitude, being in nature, and exercise are my church and expressions of my faith and belief in the spiritual world. Exercise has always been a massive part of my life and always will be.

Our childhood was amazing. I feel blessed to have grown up as a teenager in the 80’s. Life was simple. We played on the streets, rode our bikes, climbed trees and made up games. The landline was our way of communicating, no mobile phones, no Internet, no texting. Real communication. Nothing compared to the fast pace of life for kids today. I wouldn’t change it for anything.

I was always going to be an athlete; it was just a matter of finding my sport. I entered the great Victorian bike ride in 1998 and it all went from there. After watching a triathlon on television I entered the University games in 1996. That was the beginning of a very successful career. I went on to compete in numerous world championships, world cups, Ironman Triathlon, national championships, Commonwealth Games and, the ultimate, the Sydney Olympic Games.

Back to my awakening. I met my ex-husband at a mountain bike race in Zurich, Switzerland in 2000. I was in Europe chasing my ultimate dream of representing Australia at the Olympics. We both had the same dream, shared the same passions and enjoyed a life of training, and travelling the world to race. As athletes we were a very successful team, winning the hardest mixed races in the world, as business owners we ran International Mountain Bike and Triathlon races, owned a bike shop and managed an International mountain bike and triathlon team. The athlete/business owner combination worked well and we lived this life for 10 years. I have very fond memories of this chapter of my life.

I had to make the hardest yet best decision of my life. After 10 years of marriage, and a baby on the way I was the recipient of an unfaithful relationship by my then best friend, my husband and father to be of the life we had created. Words cannot describe the emotions that went through me in such a vulnerable time in my life. I was 16.000 km away from my family in Australia, totally shattered and 4 months pregnant. I ended up walking away from everything, from my life in Germany that I had established over 12 years. With my 8-month-old son and a suitcase I returned to my roots to learn to fly again. I remember lying in the cot with my baby boy praying to God to give us strength to get through.

Returning home I had to start life again, a new beginning, a new chapter, another turn in my life journey. I had left the previous life that I had grown into, closed that chapter, I moved to Germany as an athlete and left as a mum. Reflecting back, I really allowed myself to be someone I wasn’t. Speaking another language, shaped by the german culture, not really being me. I lost myself and I was determined to find myself again.

My stable upbringing, my strong will and athletic mindset along with visualising my new life made it possible for me to make the courageous move, to leave my boys father and start again. I followed my inner guide that had served me well as an athlete and knew I had to leave. Visualisations of how I wanted life to be soon fell into place and I pursued my passion of helping guide others to optimum health and fitness. As a personal trainer I have been blessed to pass on my experience of movement as a form of fun and meditation along with the importance of a healthy gut and ultimately a healthy mind. Through a dear client of mine I fell into a life coaching role. She opened my eyes and heart to helping others that have lived through trauma and challenging life experiences. I am a true believer that, in life, everything happens for a reason and that people come into your life to give you opportunities to grow and change. She was definitely my Angel and she redirected my life journey to that of my true life purpose. For years I have been researching and undertaking workshops and self-help methods to heal my own wounds and to manifest my dreams and life purpose. The chakra energy healing has been transforming for me as to the power of energy and how our inner life force energy wants to guide us to wholeness. Our life force energy has its own healing capacity, it is our own therapist. We need to understand that we are who we are and act like we do due energy that directs us on our life journey. If our energy is flowing through our 7 chakras they work together in unison to create the optimal life for you. This energy can become blocked or unbalanced due to our life experiences, studies, upbringing, past trauma and beliefs. Understanding how the chakras influence our life journey, and working to heal, open and balance them is the first step to living your authentic self, finding happiness and harmony within you and with those around you and utlimately love and peace.