Rachel, a 53 year old with a successful, varied, and challenging career used to love her job. She worked for a good company, with a supportive manager and great team of co-workers. But the combination of a demanding role along with navigating Covid and mourning the loss of both her parents had led to chronic stress.
She’d tried managing it with counselling, and by taking an extended holiday. But, only a couple of days after the holiday, she felt as exhausted as ever.
“I have a tendency to keep pushing myself to the limit. Then one day, I broke down at work. I realised I was burnt out - mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted – and made the decision to go off sick.”
By the time Rachel began working with Reconnecting You, she’d been on sick leave for two months. Her energy was low, and she couldn't decide whether to leave her job. This indecision, combined with low energy, had left her in a constant cycle of confusion.
“I had a long list of things I wanted to do, but very little energy to do them. I couldn’t understand why I was still so exhausted and why I wasn’t doing the things I enjoyed. I was also going around in circles about whether to leave my corporate career. One minute, I thought it would be ok going back to work after a little more rest. The next, I wanted the freedom to do something completely different with my life. I just wanted to make a decision and start looking forward.”
The programme was great value, especially with the extra training and weekly videos
Rachel found Reconnecting You through a recommendation. She read through the website and case studies before arranging a call to find out more. Speaking with Suzanne left her feeling confident about working together.
Whilst the cost was initially higher than expected, she broke it down and realised it was a similar amount to the weekly counselling. With the extra training and weekly videos, it became even better value, and she signed up.
Rachel’s primary focus was to increase energy and find clarity about her career. Within the first two weeks, she’d resigned from her job.
“The counselling I’d had was amazing but then Suzanne approached things from an energy point of view. It gave me a completely different perspective. I realised that the monthly check-ins at work and constant dilemma about whether to return were such a drain on my energy. It was a big weight off my shoulders and a huge step forward.”
Once Rachel left work, she found the programme gave structure and focus to her week. She scheduled in time to watch the videos and complete self-reflective exercises. Then the tailored weekly 1-1 coaching pulled everything together and gave her accountability.
Unlike her previous experience of counselling, Rachel says the coaching was more forward-looking. It helped reframe her thoughts and explore new perspectives. And it also gave her a non-judgemental person to speak with about her symptoms.
“One day, I struggled to get around the supermarket and had to sit in my car to rest for a bit before driving home. Suzanne would get me to think about whether there were signs my energy was starting to dip, and to stop rather than continue pushing. It almost felt as if I was being given permission to rest. She’s always looking for patterns too. For example, I was burnt out 20 years ago, and she asked what was happening then that's happening now."
During the programme, Rachel learned about the concept of Highly Sensitive People (HSP). It resonated deeply and helped her understand why certain work environments had been so draining. With this realisation, she began thinking about what she wanted for the future.
Over the weeks, Rachel worked on different aspects of her life, measuring progress along the way. It's given her a sense of achievement and a clear intention for her future. She now has tools to manage her energy and plans to pick the techniques which worked the best for her own toolkit.
Energy levels improved by an incredible 45%
During the programme, Rachel experienced a shift in both mindset and energy. The transformation was gradual, but her energy levels improved by an incredible 45%. She no longer has to think about her energy, it's just a natural process for her to balance things out.
She also has clarity about the future, which is to make a living as an artist. Around ten weeks into the programme, Rachel applied for a new full-time job. It initially sounded exciting, but she soon realised it was the comfort zone of having a job and not her true passion.
“I have a clear idea now about what I want my future to look and feel like. I crave financial freedom, and the freedom of being an artist. That’s what I’m working towards, and I’ve done detailed financial plans to help me get there.”
Rachel's 12 week programme has now ended, but she knows she's not alone in her journey. In her final session with Suzanne, she set 12-week goals. And she has further follow-up sessions scheduled, which will give her accountability. Meanwhile, she's finishing a 12-week painting course. It's the next of her stepping stones towards making a living as an artist.
“Suzanne is very positive – she’s amazing – and it’s refreshing speaking with her. She’s helped me reframe some of my thoughts and think through different scenarios. Having her as a sounding board has been invaluable. So much of the coaching was getting excited about how I want my life to be, and the stepping stones to get there. Working with her has been very helpful. If you’re struggling with energy, or want to make changes, I’d absolutely recommend getting in touch.”
To find out more about how Reconnecting You can help, get in touch for a chat with Suzanne - 15 min Discovery Call.