Be the change you desire to see happen!
By Jennie-Marie Glover
For years I used to be so scared of change. My husband on the other hand, loves to change and move things around a lot. This would cause me great anxiety as i felt out of control and fearful. But over time I learned to trust him and began to embrace change. Whether that be moving furniture, decorating, buying a new car or changing career.
So talking about change, I recall 5 years ago when my husband and I owned a nursery. We ran it from our home and had 32 Children on the books and staff to help with ratios etc. Often people would say to me how do you do this job from your home. To which I would respond “The day I walk down the stairs and it doesn’t feel right, I will give it up”.
I loved been around my children and seeing them grow and interact with other children. I also loved that I could offer safe and fun childcare for parents who had to work. It allowed me to have 3 children whilst earning a good living. The downside was that I never got a break. We worked 60 hours a week and weekends involved, cleaning, planning and playing with our kids. Over time I lost my identity. I was a wife, mum, business owner and??? Lost!
One day I walked down the stairs and it happened. Oh no the feeling hit my stomach like a lead balloon. I just knew that I would not be doing Childcare for long and that a new profession was around the corner. This led me to ask big questions like What do I love to do? How can I turn it into a profession? Is there a need for my passion in this demographic?
With these questions came answers. I love people, especially working mums. I desired strongly to support them with having a healthy body, mind and soul. I also love keeping fit and eating healthy so with these revelations I began to retrain as a Personal Trainer and Life Coach. My husband retained and became a web designer and developer.
When we qualified, we closed the nursery down and relocated to Scarborough. This is where trust and faith had to come in. We had three new businesses and no customers. Kids all had to change schools and I felt like I was the new kid as I had no friends and had to start all over again.
Scarborough was so kind to us and I cannot thank them enough for embracing us and giving us a chance to support and work with them.
But if I hadn’t been the change I wanted to see happen, I may still be stuck doing a profession that didn’t serve my purpose but served the bills. That in my opinion is no way to live. I had to take courage and ask big questions and believe the answers would come. So often we do not take time to Be Still with our thoughts and dare to ask BIG questions that impact our lives. I desire to be curious all the days of my life so that I keep learning and growing. I want to be the best version of myself and help other women to do the same.
Fast forward 4 years and I have a busy Life Coaching Practice that serves customers as far as the Cayman Isles. I have Virtual Personal Training clients spread all over Yorkshire and I am an Area Manager for Temple Spa with an amazing team of 65 Female Consultants. The best part about this change is I only work 30 hours a week and I get lots of quality time with my children. My husband works 20 hours a week and takes care of home schooling and housekeeping. To top it off I now live in my dream house in Whitby over looking the Raithwaite Estate. The change made my dreams come true. Playing safe and small would never have done that for me.
Again the kids have changed schools and I have seen a new resilience in them. They have friends in Leeds, Scarborough and Whitby. They have also learned that change is to be embraced not feared. After all what is the worst thing that can happen?
So to conclude I took the courage to change I now have a brilliant work life balance. I am fulfilling my purpose of helping women feel confident and comfortable in their own skin and I am happy in mine.
Jennie-Marie Fitness & Lifestyle Coach | www.jennie-marie.com
wellness@jennie-marie.com | 07859932617
