Recovering superwoman finds her wings, with Kelly Swingler

Recovering superwoman finds her wings, with Kelly Swingler

6 months after becoming the youngest HR director in the UK, Kelly ended up in a hospital. Her illness awakened her to heal from the “superwoman syndrome” and uncover a bigger mission of her life. Tune in to learn how she found her wings, and how you can too.

 

Letting go of being overworked

What was your call to adventure? How did you decide to spread your wings and fly?

I spent 18 years working in HR.

I was recruited as the youngest HR director in the UK.

I pushed and pushed and pushed to get my career where I wanted to go.

I went fully into superwoman syndrome.

Trying to do everything that I possibly could do.

About six months after getting the HR director position, I started to get quite ill and ended up in hospital.

Even whilst I was in hospital waiting for my operations I was still working on my laptop.

It was after the operation when I was in recovery that I thought “I’m not going to do anything”.

What I wanted to stop at the time was this “Monday-to-Friday Dying Syndrome”.

I had this realization and started my first business, my consultancy.

 

Regaining independence

Last year I was diagnosed with epilepsy and had to stop driving.

I lost my complete sense of independence.

When I was looking more deeply at myself and finding my own wings, I started to look at energy.

I did courses in hypnotherapy, reiki. I looked at more energy healing and was fascinated with this whole combination.

With the changes that I have been able to make for myself over the past 12 months – personally, professionally, business-focused – and then being able to see the difference that I can make for other people… I am flying.

If I could talk to any women or even go back three years and talk to myself, I would say STOP!

Take time out and rest.

That has been my biggest learn over the past six months.

 

The selfless act of resting

I have learned that rest and relaxation are completely different things.

 

Tweet:  Rest and and relaxation are completely different things. #inchargeshow @drvaleriebaker

 

Doing nothing wasn’t something I had ever done.

I have always been working 150 miles per hour and doing everything I needed to do.

Resting was doing yoga, reading, writing, going out with friends, taking the dog for a walk. It was doing something.

The thought of doing nothing was not something I could comprehend.

It’s not doing nothing. It’s resting.

Magic starts to happen.

I have some rest time everyday now.

Whether it is meditation in the morning or sitting and having my lunch looking out of the window rather than sitting in front of my laptop.

Taking time out for resting felt like a really selfish thing to do.

We have to reprogram that pattern that says doing this for ourselves is selfish.

We have to start putting our own wellbeing first.

In life, we are putting oxygen masks on everyone else and leaving ourselves till last and we are draining our own energy.  

 

Overcoming panic

In my head I had to be the superwoman.

I didn’t want anyone to think I was failing.

Or that I couldn’t cope.

Or that I wasn’t good enough at my job.

Or that I wasn’t a good enough mom or wife.

When I was in my own headspace that is when I would start to go into panic.

What was the antidote for panic for you? How would you pull yourself out?

A technique I picked up was journaling daily. Getting the panic out of my head, writing it down.

Writing down a question and I would get answers.

From the journaling I was able to look and find more solutions on a deeper level.

With the meditation and focusing on my breathing.

Recognizing all the energy.

And being aware of the physical sensations in my body.

 

Our favorite tips from Kelly

Take time out to rest, stop, and slow down.

Rest is productive.

Self-care is a racial act.

Tweet: Self-care is a radical act. #inchargeshow @drvaleriebaker

 

Journaling, meditation, breathing, and listening to energy can provide answers.

“We are all on a journey. I don’t think there is ever a finish point. We just have to keep growing and changing.”

 

Resources and Links:

Chrysalis Consulting: http://www.chrysalis-consulting.co.uk/team/kelly-swingler/ She Found Her Wings book Visit her website: www.shefoundherwings.com and find 60 journal prompts, meditation tools and daily planners Follow her on Facebook (@shefoundherwings), Twitter (@KellySwingler), and Instagram (Kelly Swingler Creative Coach)

 

Did you enjoy the show? Let us know your biggest takeaways in the comments.

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I look forward to connecting with you soon!

Until then,

Stay in your heart.

xx

Valerie

In this episode, we talk about: stress, burnout, calling, illness, awakening, finding yourself, overcoming, relaxation, rest, self-care, healing, transformation