My nursing experience took me to a number of clinical settings but it was the time I spent in paediatric oncology and the intensive care nursery that I loved the most. I was inspired as I watched families face such huge adversity. It was a privilege to watch them find internal strength and resilience that they didn’t know they had. I was always struck by how important it was for both the patient and the family to feel supported and heard. I experienced, first hand, the power of touch, a kind word, a thoughtful cup of tea and a few minutes of undivided attentive listening. It was such an honour to witness their stories alongside them. It was this opportunity to listen deeply to their individual stories that I loved the most.
When I chose to leave my “paid” nursing career and stay home with our 4 children, I did it in honour and celebration of the things in life that meant the most to me. I was aware, even then, how important it was to make conscious choices and decisions that were in line with my values. I have never regretted my decision.
Along the pathway of 56 years of living, I have also faced personal challenge and adversity. I have had to adjust to the difficulties of a chronic illness that often gets in the way of what I want to do and I have faced the death of a number of family members. Our children were bothered by food sensitivities from a very young age which frequently offered challenges with no clear solutions. We all persevered and gradually discovered that diet changes made a huge difference and their health and behaviour was transformed. They are now healthy and thriving adults. (You can read my entire Journey of Hope by clicking on this link)
I have had the privilege of sharing this information with hundreds of other families over the last 25 years and helping them experience, as well, the power of addressing food sensitivities. Our 2 year old grandson and are children are living proof that it works!
As our kids left home and I had more time and space to imagine what the next page of my life might hold, I again returned to my love of supporting families. I re-certified my nursing credentials and am now able to call myself a Registered Nurse again. I am a member in good standing with the College of Registered Nurses of British Columbia. I found the wonderful career of life coaching and completed all my training and international certification through the Coaches Training Institute. I am now a fully Certified Professional Coach. I am also a member of the International Coaches Federation.
It is now my privilege to support parents and families as they try to maximize the health and potential of their children. I get the opportunity to listen to their stories and help them to find the internal wisdom and strength that they often forget that they have. I enjoy the experience of helping mothers find meaning and balance in their day to day grind, children to find relief from some very debilitating symptoms, people with chronic illness to find new dreams and new hope and the opportunity to coach many young coaches as they, too, work to fulfill a dream and create a life they had only imagined was possible.
My life is amazing! I still struggle some days to find that elusive balance that allows me enough time to do all the things I love at a pace that is peaceful. I still have days where my joints hurt and my head aches and I have to adjust what I do. I am, however, committed to finding peace and joy as often as I can and encouraging others to do the same. I do my best to live fully in the moment and let go of the worry about tomorrow. I trust that tomorrow will unfold as it should and encourage myself to wait until then to see what it holds.
