Seven years ago, my life spectacularly imploded.
I lost my husband, my health, and my career in quick succession. Everything I knew, gone in an instant. Indeed, my then, 4-year-old-nephew said that Christmas, “Auntie Lollipops (aka Me) now that Uncle Chris is dead, you have nothing”. And they say…out of the mouths of babes… He did kindly say, “Don’t worry, I will look after you for 100 days”. 100 days, well that is a long time if you are 4, but if you are 42 then it was not going to get me much past March!
The thing was, as 2015 ended, I DID feel like I had nothing.
Lost in a world I hadn’t asked for, didn’t recognize, and had no clue how to step forward in, I drifted for some months trying to resume ‘normal’ before I realized that what HAD been ‘normal’ was no longer ‘normal’. The suggestions of others, whilst well-meaning really weren’t helpful. How was returning to ballet, going to ‘save my world’??
Desperate not to return to the ‘unhelpful’ coping strategies of the past, the eating disorders and working harder, I had to do something.
5000 miles away on the island of Aruba (ironically called the ‘Happy Island’ by its’ locals) as my nephew’s words ‘You have nothing’ echoed in my mind, I realized I did have something, Myself, that, and my ability to ‘business plan’, well 25 years managing business change and transformation had taught me one or two things, after all! I set about business planning my life and my first 100 days.
‘Project Me’ was born on that beach, May 2016.
Roll forward to today, I now live the reality of ‘Project Me’.
Having moved 90 miles around the M25, to a town I didn’t know, bought a house, and renovated it into a home, made new friendships and created a business in which I am passionate about, enabling others to navigate their tough life transitions, and to flourish once again in life.
My approach is different…
It blends therapy and coaching…and probably a touch of consultancy and mentoring too
Why do I do it this way? Because it was the space that wasn’t available when I went looking for support following my multiple, successive losses. I didn’t need to be told
that my ‘inner child was hurting’ as I had been by 3 different grief counsellors I tried… That may have been the case. BUT it wasn’t helpful…
The stark reality was….
My husband was 6 feet under, he wasn’t coming back, and I needed a way to get on in this world I hadn’t asked for, didn’t recognize, and hadn’t a clue how to navigate… AND I needed the space to breathe and to talk about what happened, to understand, to pick up the pieces of my shattered life while the world could continue being busy around me.
Typically, counselling focuses on the past and coaching on the future.
When thrown into an emotional maelstrom you can’t see a future your confidence is blown, you’re overwhelmed with all the unanswered questions. It’s exhausting and relentless you question whether you will lose it completely.
So, as a result, I meet you ‘where you are at’
NO ’50-minute hours’ where, just as you have begun to talk, you’re told time is up.
NO impractical solutions, your busy mind will not allow you to sit with.
NO ‘blueprint’ processes, for you to ‘fit into’ that suggest we’re all the same, and everything will happen in a specific, sequential order
NO judgement, criticism, or fear of rejection, just a space for your voice to be heard
Focusing on the 3A’s: Acknowledge, Act, Attain, the essence of ‘Project Me’, I enable you to begin connecting with yourself once again, and rebuild from the ground up, to create clarity and find focus amidst the chaos and the overwhelm, to bridge the gap your grief creates, for you to flourish once again.
Want to know more about ‘Project Me’? Listen to my TED talk here:
Laura Toop: What the board room taught me about living life again after loss | TED Talk
Want to know more about what happens when grief hits? Listen to the 1st episode of my radio show here:
Love, Loss, Life, Learning to Live again. by Yowah Radio | Mixcloud
Future episodes air every 3rd Sunday of the month @ 6pm GMT. Listen in here:
The Home Of Yowah – Yowah Radio Radio
Want a copy of my free eBook ‘How to Flourish Through Tough Transitions – Creating Hope Amidst Grief, Loss and Transition’.
FREE DOWNLOAD – How to FLOURISH Through Tough Transitions (laura-toop.co.uk)
For more information, and to book a free, no-obligation clarity call with me, head over to:
www.laura-toop.com
For all other contact details, including social media channels, you can find them here:
m. 07989 321091