What I've learned on my 10 YEAR self-healing journey
2023 marks an important milestone for me!
It is the 10th year anniversary of starting my healing path. It all started with a major life crisis that I was not even aware of (at first) in 2013.
10 years ago I was in a totally different place.
Back then, I was working successfully in my career in marketing. From the outside, I would appear happy, driven and ambitious. I was able to afford a luxury life with a great salary, I bought a house with mortgage, had a good friendship group, a stable career. It was a proud picture for a 28 year old.
However, deep inside I was unhappy, unsatisfied, and I was questioning: what was wrong with me? But I didn't start therapy or look or help...Instead, I started a demanding am Executive MBA program!
Now, I can see that...
Overworking yourself is a clear sign of denial or depression.
At the time, I wasn't aware of what I was doing to myself. My company sponsored my Executive MBA and I just signed for it. The program took all my weekends and also my Friday evenings.
The result? It gave me motivation to move away from my current problems and start a fake life. It was the most toxic year of my life so far. It was not the program or the people that was toxic, it was what I had created and wanted to believe in.
I started drinking more, I was even smoking in the breaks to be the "cool girl".
But (thank God) I didn’t start smoking. I was never a smoker, but every weekend I was faking smoking. Unfortunately, we are at times the worst enemy of ourselves.
At some point I hit the rock bottom and started to have nervous breakdowns. My fake identity was hurting my soul and I was looking for a way out. Towards the end of 2013, I realized I needed serious help and that's when I started my healing journey.
And here we are, 10 years later…It is unbelievable where I am now.
It doesn’t mean I have a perfect life or I am "awakened".
Self-development is a life time journey.
I still have my issues, health problems or struggles. What changed is “how I deal with them”. I am no longer looking for toxic relationships, overworking, masks or alcohol. I know one fact: it is all about the inner work. When you do the internal shifts, the external always shifts. Simply meaning: your reality shifts when you shift.
And as internal beliefs and blocks of unworthiness shifted, all the aspects of my life changed. Now, I am even sharing it with people from all around the world.
Last week, a few unexpected conversations took me back to 2 books that I read 10 years ago (special thanks to Justina and Melisa for reminding me of the books).
I decided to re-read them both this year. When I take the books in my hands, I saw my old notes, highlights. As you can guess, the nostalgia I felt opening them again has shaped this newsletter.
And I wanted to share my story and the books for those who are in their own healing journeys right now...as a reminder that you don't walk this path alone.
The Power of Now — Eckhart Tolle
This book guides you on how to live in the Now by becoming aware of your chattering mind and moving from painful emotions of the past. As the author says: “The only thing that is ultimately real about your journey is the step that you are taking at this moment.”
If you want to take a step to healing, January is the time to set the energy of the year
Stefano E. D’Anna — The School for Gods
There is so much to talk about with this book, it is the story of the dreamer makes you realize your limitations and dreams. I want to share some highlights from the book to inspire your reading (it is almost 500 pages, so don’t give up when you see the book
“self-observation is self-correction”
“a man can not change the events of his life but only his way to take them”
“like attracts like”
“things do not change and cannot change…only you can change”