The Drive: What challenges have you overcome?
When I left Australia 13 years ago, there was no Facebook, no apps to work out calories and nutrients, no “Google doctor”, no accessible menu plans and not so many so-called nutrition professionals (who may have studied nutrition for only a few weeks or did not have a regulatory body to accredit them as nutrition professionals, unlike Accredited Practicing Dietitians). So, when I came back and tried to find work, I found it a real challenge to stand out, to be different from what was out there, AND to make a living out of it as so many people could access things for free on the internet compared to 13 years ago. It also highlighted to me how little society values nutrition and health over other things that people would be willing to spend a lot of money on.
What is also missing as a society is community, particularly when my target group are mums. Community is such a vital part of reducing stress, cutting the overwhelm and knowing others are going through similar issues, making you feel like you’re still on the right track with your body or your baby.
I also feel that there is so much information out there, and not always from credible, evidence-based science. I feel that is my role, to cut the overwhelm, to simplify all the information out there, to be known as an evidence-based health professional and to give my clients a personal, warm and empowering experience in overcoming their problems. Through my Healthy Mum Healthy Bub membership, I want to bring mums together more, so the community aspect will be a big part of that.
For better or worse: What are the pros and cons of running your own business?
Cons:
- No regular income.
- Your mind is always running… so no real holidays or weekends.
- Isolating – no one to bounce ideas off unless you have other staff or a business coach which I am now using.
Pros
- Flexible and being able to work around family life.
- You’re your own boss and can focus on certain goals when you want to.
- You’re forced to jump in the deep end to learn about everything…marketing, bookkeeping, advertising, IT, etc.
Hopes and dreams: What next?
I’m excited about 2019 as it is going to bring about the start of my Healthy Mum Healthy Bub online membership for step-by-step support through the postnatal milestones.
Recently, I sent out a survey to my followers to see where the gaps were and where I should head into 2019. The top four responses were:
- I wish I knew how IMPORTANT postnatal doulas, lactation consultants, women’s health physiotherapists, sleep consultants, etc, were during the postnatal period.
- I want to be involved in a COMMUNITY of LIKE-MINDED WOMEN.
- I need QUICK IDEAS for healthy eating.
- I’ve gained excess weight during pregnancy and I want to LOSE WEIGHT.
And when I started looking through the written responses, it really struck me on how isolated and overwhelmed mums are in the postnatal period:
“Mums need more postpartum support – it’s easy for it to become all about the baby and have the mother’s needs fall to the wayside.”
“Motherhood is still very new and raw to me even though my LO is 6mo. I feel as though I have lost myself and my previous life. There is no one size fits all for babies and I find it difficult to know whether what I am doing is right. There is so much conflicting information and the more I read, the more confused I seem to get. I keep wondering when it gets easier and when this new life starts to feel like it’s mine. I feel as though it’s not real like a dream and I am waiting to wake up.”
I really felt and heard the call for nurturing support and help in these words! I KNOW how overwhelming the postnatal period is and my goal is to help support as many new mums as I can in a nurturing, supportive community.
We’ve lost our tribe in our modern world – our sisters, aunts, grandmothers, our wise women leaders that provided guidance and were PRESENT physically in our lives to model how to transition into motherhood and to show us the ropes practically. Add to this gap, is the information overload out there on “Dr Google” and the Facebook Mums groups, creating A LOT of confusing and not always credible information. I WANT TO CHANGE THAT!
So, if you’re pregnant and wanting to get postpartum ready, check out my Healthy Mum Healthy Bub online membership video, and join the waitlist HERE.
To learn more or to get in touch, visit the Growth Spectrum website, and follow Growth Spectrum on Facebook and Instagram.
