The theme for International Women’s Day this year was #balanceforbetter, which refers to creating a more gender balanced society. It’s about what change we can make in the world and how ‘balance drives a better working world’. We can take this concept of balance into our own lives and create a change in ourselves for the better.

This is a story of a woman on the verge of divorce, with two young children. She was highly anxious, depressed and broke down crying at our first few sessions together. In her eyes, life was bleak.

She hated her job. She felt out of control. She was disconnected.

Like so many of the women I meet she was incredibly intelligent, capable and a successful corporate woman who was a team leader for a high profile company. To the outside world she had it all! The ‘but’ is that she didn’t enjoy her work which then flowed onto other aspects of her life. She felt like she couldn’t continue this way.

Her stress built up in her body and manifested in aches and pains. Creating a space to clear your overwhelm is important for your mind and body. This may be talking to someone about how you are feeling in a comfortable and safe space or giving yourself time in the day to clear your mind. This can help you to connect to your inner needs, desires and dreams.

Creating space is also about realising those dreams that have been put on the back burner. I find with women I see, the initial few sessions often focus on lost or forgotten dreams – what could have been but hasn’t. We need to give ourselves space for this. We also need to forgive ourselves for what we haven’t done.

As we were creating this spaciousness in her life, she was also getting very clear on her next steps in marriage and work. It no longer caused her so much anxiety, despair and hopelessness. She now knew what she needed to do and she did it with a plan and support of others. The act of creating space invokes clarity and with clarity comes the ability to take action.

Interestingly, as we were working on this plan on moving forward in her marriage, she was also offered a promotion at work which touched on the very desires and dreams she uncovered in the first few sessions. These were being recognised for her skills, getting paid more, and actually enjoying her work.

Today this client feels empowered about the choices the she’s has made and the life that she continues to create for herself and her family. She is loving her job, and she is still working for the same company.

We are never finished with our inner work. Be sure to create a safe space to explore your inner desires, needs and dreams. Honour this space by being proactive with it. Make time. Spend time.

To your empowered journey,

Suzi Petrozzi.