Working in the healthcare field for 10+ years, I have seen, done and experienced a lot of different things. I was always a ‘people pleaser’ and never said “No” to anything or anyone. Doing this consistently for years, led me to become worn down and simply burnt out. I had nothing left to give, and was faced with the question of if I wanted to keep working in the healthcare field or not. This was a hard reality to face. I have always loved working in healthcare, but being so run down and burnt out, I did not love it anymore. I did not feel the joy and accomplishment that I used to feel, working the same job. I thought long and hard about this potential to change careers, but something inside me kept telling me that I needed to keep working in healthcare, but needed to make some big changes. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but whatever it was I knew that I wanted to keep helping people, it had to involve yoga and guided meditation and it had to involve the outdoors and nature. 

Now, why did I know that it had to involve these things? Well, when I hit the bottom of being burnt out, I started experiencing anxiety and panic attacks. I had never experienced anything like that before and it was truly terrifying. I scheduled appointments to see and talk to an amazing therapist, and, with her help, learned coping strategies that were all added to my “toolbox”. Some of the coping strategies involved being outside, getting sunlight, walking, hiking, yoga, guided meditation, yelling, crying and just being mindfully present of what I felt, saw, heard and smelled while being in nature. I found that I felt so peaceful, grounded and grateful whenever I embraced my time in the outdoors. 

I have been working with a therapist ever since that incredibly rough patch and my appreciation for therapy increases with every single appointment. I have learned so much about myself, expectations I have unknowingly set for myself, setting healthy boundaries, recognizing destructive/repetitive thought patterns and behaviors, and have been working hard to re-process and heal past traumas. I still have a long way to go and that is okay. I’m exactly where I need to be in this moment. It is okay to not be okay, and it is more than okay to ask for help. You are not alone in what you are feeling or going through.

It has been a very long and rough road, but I wouldn’t change anything that I have experienced or gone through. Why? Because my journey, so far, has helped me become and shape who I am today. My challenges and what I have learned about myself, things that I have discovered, especially my passion for the outdoors and being in nature are what ‘Light My Fire’. I am excited to share it with others, help them discover what lights their fire and help them become empowered to take their own health and wellness into their own hands. Let’s get to work and make the necessary and lasting changes to become who you want to be. Thank you for being here and for reading about my journey. I am excited to get to know you and help & support you on your wellness journey through life.