Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve had more time on our hands. We moved from a 24/7 fast-paced society to one where we have found ourselves home more than ever. Not being distracted by constant noise and busy schedules has forced us to take a look at ourselves and especially our feelings and thoughts. Spending so much time with my own thoughts, my insecurities were often heightened.
The pandemic has given me the time to reflect on matters I didn’t know were so important for my personal development. Questions like “Am I the person I want to be?” and “Is the way I’m living my life making me happy?” popped up in my head more often. Not being able to answer these questions, I decided to seek help from a mental health professional and was referred to lifecoach India Egard. Even though I considered myself unable to deal with these deeper questions, India gave me the tools to look for answers myself.
“As a life coach, I help people find the tools to improve their connection with themselves. That is to say, that my work focuses on breaking patterns and belief systems that stop us from executing choices and accessing freedom in our lives. Furthermore, I help people find responsibility in their choices without judgment, only pure love. I work together with Peter, a fantastic chiropractor whose mission resonates with my own. Alongside my coaching, we work with a bio-resonance system built on Tesla’s standards. Using our in-light system, we have seen people’s immunity curves on blood results auto-correct. This system finds equilibrium, from burn-outs, sickness… Our aim is not to correct symptoms but rather to support the body, mind, and spirit.”
.
Lack of Boundaries and Limiting Beliefs
As a life coach India engages with many people with different issues. Still she recognizes that certain issues seem to be recurrent and form a basis for many different struggles. “The most common underlying issue I have encountered in young men and women, including myself, is the lack of established boundaries. We often overlook the importance of instilling boundaries in our lives because we have forgotten how to establish them with ourselves first. In other words, we have become so accustomed to pleasing others and fulfilling so many obligations that we are no longer respecting our own boundaries.”
Another common issue she encounters is the one of limiting beliefs. “It’s an indisputable fact that our thoughts shape our lives. Therefore, it is of great importance to break patterns and limiting beliefs in order to achieve personal growth.”
.
The Myth of Perfection
“We live in a world where society makes it almost impossible to achieve a level of perfection where we can feel pleased with ourselves. We are always in search of something more. If we cannot meet these expectations, we don’t allow ourselves to obtain any level of satisfaction. This is where we find ourselves again in this vicious circle of “never being enough”. We essentially self-sabotage ourselves in every way possible because we don’t believe we are entitled to success.”
One way our society contributes to these unattainable levels of perection is through social media. “It has played a toxic role in promoting women’s health, especially body image, as well as our obsession with proving ourselves. In other words, we are regularly seeking approval through likes, views, stories, location tags, polls etc. It can give a false impression of what we truly represent. We put so much value onto these virtual images that we tend to assume the quality of other people’s lives based on those projections. This side of social media has led to an irrefutable amount of stress among young women.”
.
6 Mental Health Tips
While being a young women in our modern society is certainly a challenge, India’s 6 tips will guide you towards a journey of happiness and personal growth:
- Embrace your feelings and insecurities, don’t be ashamed of them. You are entitled to them.
- Ask yourself the right questions when making choices. Is this driving me towards the life I desire?
- Seeking guidance does not mean something is wrong with you. It is a sign of strength and self-awareness. There are no criteria for seeking help.
- Spend more time alone with yourself. Learn how to enjoy this time.
- Establish more boundaries. Learn to say no without having to justify yourself.
- Don’t make assumptions. Not everything is as it seems.
.
Book Recommendations
I was guided by several books, recommended by India, in this journey of self-discovery and growth:
- The Four Agreements – Don Miguil Ruiz
- The Mastery of Love – Don Miguil Ruiz
- The Voice of Knowledge – Don Miguil Ruiz
- The Right Questions – Debbie Ford
- The Dark Side of the Light Chasers – Debbie Ford
- I Thought It Was Just Me – Brené Brown