While I was determined to finish my PhD in Psychology, I was also teaching full time at a university, running a photography business, and training for a triathlon when I was diagnosed with Fatigue and Adrenal Exhaustion. My doctor advised me to stop doing so much. He said if I continued on like I was, in one month, I would be bed-ridden and full fledged in Adrenal Fatigue.
I hit a wall and came to a realization. Finishing my doctorate was priority to me, so I had to stop and carefully navigate to make the right decisions in order to achieve this goal. I took a six-month sabbatical from everything else in my life and focused on finishing my doctoral dissertation (the final step of the degree!). I literally stayed in my apartment, sat at my computer, and only got out to walk my dog and for short casual bike rides in six months! My physical energy was so low, I had to lay down after I took my dog for short walks. I had to stop training for triathlons. My cortisol levels were completely off the charts and I was only able to do light physical activities mid-day. My mental and emotional energy were tapped out. I couldn’t do all the different jobs I wanted, photography took a back burner and I stopped teaching for six months under the “FML Act” (family medical leave act). Relationships just felt too much, I lacked emotional and mental energy to manage healthy relationships. In my exhaustion and darkness, I lacked healthy coping skills and poor boundaries won over. It was a slow struggle to learn how to replenish my energy and guard my heart once again.
I managed to overcome it all, finished my PhD, and achieved other dreams with a beliefs framework that evolved into a system I developed called the Energy Renewal System.®
It took me 7yrs to finish my PhD! This 7-year experience of carefully managing energy to achieve my goals gave me a life long lesson to guard my body (physical), mind (mental), spirit (spiritual) and heart (emotional). It is a delicate balance act and I want to show you how!
With over 20yrs of experience as a trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapist, 14yrs as an entrepreneur and photographer, 7yrs teaching Behavioral Science, Psychology, Psychology of Play and Professional Skills in universities, and two years as a Director of a training institute for therapists and teachers --I want to bring you what I believe are the most important key components of life in Managing your Energy to help you THRIVE in your personal and professional life to Achieve all your DREAMS!
Are you in? Can you face what's holding you back? The time is now.