My Personal Journey So Far
Back in 2009, I started my marketing agency, VerriBerri, while pregnant with my first child, Hannah. I was hoping to find a work setup that would fit well with my new life as a mother. Unfortunately, I was back behind the computer only two days after giving birth, so it was not exactly as flexible as I’d imagined!
Less than a year later, I welcomed my second child, Bethany. During this time, I also dealt with the loss of my grandad, an abusive relationship, and subsequent divorce. These challenges meant I was working harder than ever and although VerriBerri was thriving, I was not.
Five years went by and in the interim I met someone new who adopted my two girls. Together, we welcomed our third daughter, Rosalind, into the world. Rosie was born with a rare genetic disorder which means she is completely blind and on daily life-supporting medication. It was at this stage where my life changed exponentially.
Rosie’s father and I separated, as I was struggling with the pressure from every angle. I threw myself into work as we had (and still have) a 50/50 coparenting agreement which allowed me two weeks each month to focus solely on my business.
Everything came to a head for me in the first days of lockdown. I found myself upstairs in my home, surrounded by all the material belongings I had amassed. The world outside was in turmoil, and I was at home surrounded by ‘stuff’.
It was at this point I realised I could do more, and I could be more. I had, and still have, a successful business. I have life experience in more areas of grief than I had expected. Surely, I could use these experiences to support others, both personally and professionally?
Quickly, I realised I needed a balance between caring for my amazing daughters, managing my work, and taking care of myself.
I decided to use my life experiences and passion for helping others to pursue qualifications in psychology. This decision laid the groundwork for launching The Athena Method, allowing me to share my newfound knowledge with those looking to achieve a better work/life balance.
My training and personal experiences has taught me a valuable lesson: I can’t do it all. None of us can. But, I can show you how to do most of it, and more importantly, be happy.
Whether you are looking for business or life coaching, I can help you, whether that’s online, in person, or through my workbooks.