50 and Fabulous!

This week I turned 50.

It’s a bit of a milestone in anyone’s life and I was asked how I ‘really’ feel about turning 50. Well the truth is I’m really happy about it.

The first 3 decades of my adult life weren’t great; 2 abusive marriages, a failed business, personal bankruptcy, a stint working in the sex industry, a ‘Pretty Woman’ moment then led to a third abusive relationship before I hit rock bottom just after my 40th birthday.  I was depressed, suffering panic attacks, on anti-depressants and beta blockers and was too scared to leave my home.  I was terrified people would discover that I’d been a sex worker and I desperately wanted my life to end.  I certainly didn’t want to reach 50.

I wanted my life to be over, the sooner the better.  I didn’t love myself and I believed I knew, and had absolute proof, that I was unlovable – I believed I’d discovered the evidence for why people didn’t love me!

So what changed?

I did.

I lay on my kitchen floor in the foetus position, feeling sorry for myself and  and something inside me snapped. I recognised that the only way my life would change is if I took responsibility for it.  No-one else was going to change my life for me.

Within 2 years I had gained my Equity card and Spotlight membership,  I was fitter and healthier than I had been for a very long time and I had reconnected with the love of my life whom I’d first met 15 years before.

8 years further on from that at the ripe old age of 50 I’ve used my experiences to create a business that is built around my SIM© Methodology, embracing the lessons I learned from the sex industry, and the knowledge I’ve acquired as a result of studying for a psychology degree with the Open University, and latterly training to become a certified Neuro Linguistic Programming Coach, certified Hypnosis practitioner and certified Time LineTM Therapy practitioner.  All of which are tools I employ with my clients where appropriate.

At 50 I’m fitter and healthier than I’ve ever been before, in the past couple of years I’ve run a half marathon and I’m seriously considering running another one next year. I have a healthy relationship with alcohol which used to be my drug of choice and I have a healthy relationship with food.

My relationship and sex life is fulfilling, full of unconditional love, trust, respect and fun and I have an amazing relationship with my 16-year old son.

I have a growing business which is something I’d only previously dreamed of and I’m helping women Internationally to change their relationships for the better.

For the first time in my life I have a healthy bank balance and perhaps more importantly, now I’m 50, I have a healthy pension pot.  In the past year I’ve taken more responsibility for my finances than ever before.  I’ve worked out what I need to do to clear the last vestiges of debt from the 10-year legal battle to become my son’s primary carer.

We have the ability to change our life and our relationships. As soon a we start taking responsibility for ourselves and then taking tiny consistent action, things change.

My Behind the Mask Programme was created as a result of my own experiences and studies, it’s transforming my clients’ relationships and it could transform yours too.  Click here for more information.