68. Healing Burnout, Adrenal Fatigue, Anxiety, & Exhaustion: Kristy's Remarkable 8 Week Transformation In HTA

Welcome to the That Healing Feeling podcast. I'm your host, Faith Ashenden, founder and CEO of That Healing Feeling, where we show you how to become a self-healer of mind, body, and spirit through nervous system regulation. Join me and thousands of my other students as I dive into the world of neuroscience, subconscious programming, energetics, and radical self-love. In this podcast, you will learn that your body and mind are are meant to heal, and that under the right circumstances, we can experience miraculous healing by leveraging our own internal infrastructure. Let me guide you as we challenge preconceived notions and outdated narratives and dive into the empowering world of self-healing. My intention is that you leave this podcast full of hope and actionable tools. So without further ado, let's dive in. Hello and welcome back. Welcome back to the That Healing Feeling podcast.

I am so happy to have you here with me today, and you already know that today's episode is one of my favorite kinds of episodes because I am bringing you evidence of healing. And we all know that our subconscious mind is obsessed with collecting evidence so that we can form our beliefs in our identity. So think of today's episode as you radically shifting your reality as you start to buy into the notion that anyone can self-heal themselves. Today I'm interviewing one of my beautiful students, Christy Welsh, who was a graduate from my last HTA cohort. If you don't already know what HTA is, HTA is the Health Transformation Accelerator, my signature group coaching program to support women who are struggling with chronic conditions, whether that be physically or emotionally. I've been running this group now for a little over 2 years, and we have seen wild, miraculous, radical healing in every single cohort. I usually bring you 1 to 2 interviews after each cohort so that I can share these stories of healing with you. Kristi's story is So touching, you guys. I had goosebumps throughout the entire conversation. Chrissy is a beautiful soul and a beautiful person. She has such an incredible story because when she came into HTA, as you will hear, she was really, really struggling. She had adrenal fatigue, burnout, exhaustion, anxiety, a lot of these sensations that a lot of us have struggled with, myself included. And she's just completely turned her life around in 8 weeks. Like, you'll hear her transformation, but honestly, it's jaw-dropping how amazing she is doing today. She is the definition of thriving. She is killing it left, right, and center. And she's on here saying, look at me today. I'm happy, I'm joyful, I'm peaceful, I feel good. I live my potential, and it's just music to my ears. So get ready to feel inspired AF, because honestly, Chrissy's story is one of those for the books. And before we dive in, I want to let you know that the doors to HTA opened on January 31st, and they close on February 14th. So if you are looking to take your healing to the next level and have an like Christy or any of my other students who have literally transformed their lives in a matter of months, then I encourage you to click on the link below, snag your seat, or book a call with my team and talk through your situation. See if HTA is a good fit for you, because we are all about empowering women to take their life back and live the most peaceful, abundant and free life possible. And without further ado, let's dive in. Well, welcome Christy to the podcast. I'm so happy to have you here today.

Thanks, Faith. Happy to be here.

Yeah, and these are my favorite types of podcasts because I love to put this evidence into the world that you can achieve healing. And I really think that everyone can do this work. Everyone has this infrastructure. And the more we're having these conversations, the more we're sharing our experiences in a very real and honest way, I think the more it plants that seed of hope in anyone who's listening. So I think these conversations are so important. And it's just the evidence that people need to just start on the journey. So, you know, and You recently finished HTA. It was so fun to have you. And obviously we hope to continue to see you again as we continue to launch these rounds. So anyone listening who might be a student is probably going to be excited to actually meet you because that's what always happens through these cycles. I'd love to hear a little bit, as much as you're willing to share, of why you joined the program and kind of where you came from and a little bit about your story.

Absolutely. So I guess like most people, I've kind of struggled for a period of time where, you know, Western medicine, you go through that channel and unfortunately it kind of leads you down the path of disappointment. In my case, it happened around 20, early 2020, where I just was exhausted all the time. I found it very difficult to get out of bed, not because I didn't want to, but because my body just wouldn't allow me to. I also recall saying to my mom at the time, it just feels like my nervous system is completely shot. And I was, I was just always looking for answers, like what's going on, blood tests, having my heart monitored. So it was a big struggle that had actually happened to me previously before. So in 2015, I had, I guess, the same, except that I was bedridden for about 3 months. But was sick for about 4. So there was a lot of fear associated with that episode. And so when it happened in 2020, I was like, oh my gosh, I'm going to be bedridden. I've just got this new job. It's a really high-level job where I've got a big team and I've got massive responsibilities and a big budget. And, you know, oh my gosh. And it's funny going through this process and listening to you, Faith Ashenden, it has made me realize that I'm that Type A personality where it's always about perfection and I never want to let anyone down. And it's always about bending over backwards for everyone because, you know, I'm not good enough or whatever. It's just everyone has to think that I'm great and I've got to prove myself constantly. So I think that's kind of where it all came from is just this this desire to do the best that I can all the time, to the point where I just obviously burnt myself completely out. Um, so yeah, over the last 4 years, um, just looking for an answer, um, going through Western medicine, going through functional medicine, and, um, working with a naturopath certainly helped in terms of finding some answers. So, you know, seeing that I had chronic stress and inflammation, so changing my diet, getting on supplements, some herbal support. But it was always a case of if I had a particularly stressful week at work or, you know, a few late nights, I'd kind of find myself come undone. And it all kind of culminated, culminated again, maybe September of 2022, where I kind of fell in a heap again. And I just at that point was like, oh my gosh, what is going on? Like, this is ridiculous. And around that time, I think I found you on Instagram and I kind of watched everything all the time. So, you know, downloaded every free thing, put into practice everything that you kind of said to do. And that did absolutely help. But it wasn't until I learned more about HTA and kind of the program of work and then the evidence, as you say, the people who had experienced healing through this is when I was like, yep, this, this is for me. I feel it in my bones.

Well, thank you so much for sharing that. I'm nodding for anyone who's not watching the video because I think that so many people are going to relate to your story and just the feeling of like, I have these responsibilities and there's this inconsistency and I'm desperately trying to get the answer. And I'm trying all these modalities. Where is the answer? What works? And then you feel like you've hit nirvana. It's, you know, you find those more root cause practitioners, which are amazing, and you get some more answers. But then it's like the stress component is so huge that that kind of feels like it can set it all back. Even when you're following the rules, you're eating the right food, you're taking the right supplements. And that's a big message I try to get across because I think most of the women who come to me are doing that already, right? So these are women who are— what is the word? Like, they don't give up, right? We all like, we keep trying to search for answers and we have been taking these amazing supplements and we do the yoga and we're into like nontoxic living and we do all like the wellness things that are supportive. But you can feel in your bones when something's missing, right? Like if you accidentally eat the wrong thing or have an argument, you're scared you're going to be in a flare. That's not really freedom.

It's helpful.

It's getting there. But, you know, we're looking for this other reality where it's like you don't have to walk on eggshells, be fearful of all these things that they're going to set you back. And then there will be no tools at, you know, on the other side. And I think that's really freedom. And most people don't even think that that's a possibility anymore. They're just like, I'm going to just be okay with tiptoeing around life and like kind of being able to get out of bed, but at least I'm able to get out of bed. And I don't really like that mentality. I don't really think that's fair. But that's where a lot of people who meet me have landed. And I think people can relate. I just— did you get a diagnosis at all? Or were you just like constantly just trying to find answers and no one was able to kind of give you something specific?

Yeah, so I guess, uh, the words burnout and adrenal fatigue, um, were thrown around a lot, and also kind of on the cusp of hypothyroidism, which then changed to hyperthyroidism. Um, so, so if you went to the doctor and got your bloods, it's all within normal range, but through kind of the functional health or naturopath, it was, well, it's out of range. Um, but that's the best I kind of got. And then in terms of, you know, what the outcome would be in terms of recovery, it's like, oh well, it could take 6 to 6 months to 7 years. And it's like, well, I don't really want to wait that long. Um, exactly, exactly. So, so then that perpetuates the fear, right? Like, am I ever going to get better? And is this going to be the rest of my life because it was, it was literally a daily just feeling rubbish every day and just, and then, you know, you put all your energy into work because, you know, that's what provides for your family. And at the end of the day, it's just I have to go to bed so I can recover to go back to work the next day. And then weekends it's like I've got to recover so I'm good for Monday. So it was just existing and it was horrible.

I've been there and it is horrible. I've not been there as a mother, And I know you have kids, don't you?

Yes.

Yeah. Yeah. How old are your kids?

Um, 10 and 7.

Oh, I imagine that that's a good age. I wouldn't know, but I am looking forward to that age. But yeah, I mean, I can't imagine that as a mother is my point. You know, like, I'm a mother now, but, you know, I had recovered prior to having children, so I can only start to begin to imagine how intense that would feel when you have that responsibility. Now that I am a mother, I'd love to hear then, obviously, you know, where kind of, I guess, where you are now. You went through the program and obviously now we're extending the program. So the program was 8 weeks, we're extending it to 12 weeks and a lot of thought and feedback went into that. And so that's really exciting. But you were on the 8-week program. It's not a super long time, especially considering what your practitioners were telling you, you know, which is super scary. Like no one wants to hear that's ridiculous. Like you you are a mother, you have a demanding job, and that's not fair or realistic for you or really anyone. So let's talk about kind of what you were able to achieve throughout the program, and then we can kind of dive into some of your advice, and I can pick your brain on your experience and your advice for someone who might kind of see themselves in your situation.

Absolutely. So I am a completely different person than I was in October. October, just existing was difficult, to be frank. I felt scared in my own body. I woke up every day just anxious. I didn't sleep. I was dizzy constantly. I just felt exhausted. My heart was always beating rapidly. And it was just fear-based, right? It was just constantly thinking about how horrible I felt and will this ever end? And now, as I say, it's completely, completely different. So back then I was afraid to be with my children alone. I was afraid to leave the house. So yeah, it was difficult. Whereas now, now it's so amazing. So I'm hopeful and I have energy and I have confidence and I have peace. And calm in my body, and I sleep through the night, and I take the kids on adventures. And it makes me really emotional because it's just completely different. And I'm so grateful. I'm so, so grateful, um, because it is so different. And as a mother, as a single mother, it's, you know, you want to give to your children. And I, I can't express my gratitude for being part of this program because it has completely changed my life. Sorry, Faith.

No, do not be sorry. You're making me want to, want to cry because it means so much to me to hear that. And at the same time, I know my, my students will say that I'm a cliché for saying this, but, you know, it's really all you because you will be able to tell anyone listening this that, yes, you can join any program really, you know, and I'm not the only person who teaches this kind of work. But at the end of the day, and I'm sure you'll get into this, it's the work that you put in, right? Because if you're not putting in that work, this is an internal job. I can provide guidance, but it takes a certain amount of dedication and grit and radical responsibility on all of our parts to do this. And a lot of people don't. And I think that's an important point to get across. Like, you did this and your success is because of your determination. And to the cause because it's not easy always. Sometimes it can be easier than we think. But getting up every day and doing this work and facing the fears and facing the beliefs and the identity piece is not something that people are used to doing. And in my opinion, that's what it takes to be you, someone who can come and give this incredible testimony that literally gives me goosebumps, right? You did that. It was all you. And I want people to know, I guess, the kind of work that you had to do. I don't want to say had because there's lots of ways to get to that destination, but the kind of work that you did to get here and share this incredible testimony that just brings me so much joy, I can't explain.

I guess one of the things is I view it as I get to do. I'm so grateful that I get to do it. It was a journey that every day, you know, in writing what I'm grateful for, it's like literally to be able to go on this journey. So I see it as a get-to-do. I'm so fortunate that I get to do that. But I guess the way that it's structured, it's structured in a manner that kind of makes complete sense in that it's backed completely backed by science and, you know, understanding your body and, and kind of the process of, you know, thoughts that then turn into kind of sensations and chemical releases in your body. And just having that foundational knowledge just completely kind of was like, oh my gosh, this makes so much sense. And then, you know, um, really, I guess, diving deep into kind Why, you know, why do I have these beliefs about my situation? And, um, understanding kind of, or uncovering where they stem from, um, and, and creating safety in my body and reassuring myself that, you know, this isn't forever and, you know, I can change this for myself. And to your point, it is uncomfortable at times because you are literally forging new neural pathways and your body has become so accustomed to stress that, you know, it views that as a safe space to be. So, it is about that grit and determination to move past that discomfort because it is uncomfortable and that's a reality. But it's reassuring to know that that discomfort is what was supposed to happen and it just demonstrates that In actual fact, it's— my brain is literally making new neural pathways as we speak, and it's kind of kicking back a little bit, but that made me want to push more because I'm like, this is working, like, this is supposed to happen. Um, so yeah, I think, I think I can't pinpoint any one thing, Faith, because it just— there was so many bits and pieces, and it just became more and more clear as the program went on that You know, we start at this kind of top level and create safety in the body, body, and then it's kind of drilling a little bit more deeper into what is my life's purpose, what did I come here for, what are the kind of the limiting beliefs that I have and where do they stem from, and how can I overcome them, and how can I tell my inner child that it's okay and to, you know, give me the load because they don't have to deal with it. So it just Mm. Without rambling too much, there's just so many amazing things about it that I think that's why it works so well, is because it is this combination of things that just help you really uncover within yourself how you can be your own healer, I guess.

I love that. And don't worry about, as you call rambling, I love it because obviously my favorite thing in the world is talking about self-healing. So If I could, my job would be just to sit and talk to people about self-healing all day long and then close my laptop and go about my life. That's, that's the dream. But I love it. I mean, yeah, there's, there's so many facets to the work involved in self-healing and regulation and all of that good stuff. And I think as well, like, regulation is so much more than perhaps like the people on Instagram doing like the popping their face in like an ice bucket or humming and those things which are actually helpful. But we don't actually talk about any of that within the program. Like we're not even giving any of those like, kind of like specific isolated tips. This is like way, way deeper stuff. I'd love to get some, I guess, just from you, like someone who's listening to this, who's maybe at the beginning of their inner work journey and has done the whole path of all the stuff you mentioned at the beginning, and they're like, okay, so you've touched on kind of some of these topics of like beliefs and inner child and understanding like the neuroscience and neural pathways and all of this. Just to kind of maybe give some examples, if you're open to, in terms of like maybe how your beliefs could have impacted your life or just any of that work. Just to give an example, because I think again, like a lot of our, you know, we've been through this journey. So to us it's kind of like, yeah, you know, this work and that work. But I think again, like for someone who's at the beginning of their journey, it sounds really, really big. Like, what does that even mean? I've never even thought about my beliefs, you know? And that's the truth. Like, we're not taught to do that. And so I'm bringing in brilliant women to my program. It is always the case. And most of the time it's all new in the way that it was new to me. And that is the way subconscious work is. I just wonder if you had any kind of like examples just for someone who might be like, okay, what does that look like for me practically as they're listening? Because I know people who listen to my podcast, they're like, they get excited, they want to action it and they want to know like, what does this mean for me?

You know, I know that you are here because you are interested in learning how to heal chronic illness through nervous system regulation. You are part of a very, very special fraction of the population who wants to do the work. This is something that I learned in my studies, that only 4% of people actually want to take control of their health and healing to move the needle forward. So thank you for being part of that 4% and for being in this community. The most important step in healing is taking the responsibility and committing to the cause. If you stick to the work, your healing and your success is inevitable. And if you're looking for the exact roadmap to help you implement regulation techniques so that you can reverse chronic illness, turn the dial down on pain, heal chronic anxiety or depression, and just feel present grounded, and good in your body, then I know that the Health Transformation Accelerator is for you. I take you through my curriculum that I wrote to help people specifically with chronic conditions reverse their conditions through nervous system regulation techniques and brain training. This highly effective curriculum helps my clients propel into the best, most healed version of themselves. If you are ready to take that leap and you know that you are committed and you are ready to implement the right tools so that you can get your life back once and for all, head to the link in the show notes to reserve your spot or go to www.faithashenden.com/coaching to sign up for the Health Transformation Accelerator. See you there.

Yeah, absolutely. So you spoke about limiting beliefs. Well, obviously having someone tell you that it could take 6 months to 7 years to heal, that was massive. So basically everything hinged on the fact that it's likely to take me 7 years. Like, my luck, it'll probably take 7 years. Um, so that was a massive limiting belief, and that, you know, well, I've got to wait around. Um, another limiting belief was that my body was against me. So, you know, it was punishing me. This is punishment. Um, so that's probably the end. The third is like, you know, this has happened before, it's happened again, it'll probably happen for the rest of my life. So they were probably the three biggest limiting beliefs that I held on to and were barriers to healing, I think. Um, because at the end of the day, it doesn't matter how much meditation I did or you know, cold showers or humming and singing. Um, at the crux of it, I believed that healing wasn't going to be simple, it was going to take a lot of time, that, you know, it's probably going to continue to happen to me. So how can you possibly move forward when at the back of your head that's what you're thinking anyway? Um, so I guess that was probably one of the most profound things, and it's early in the program where take a really realistic look at what it is that is holding you back and then completely reframing it and creating affirmations for yourself that healing is absolutely possible for me, making a recovery is absolutely possible for me, I am safe, my body, you know, is safe, me and my body are on the same team. So that I literally listen to those affirmations every single morning. And that had been instrumental in transitioning from being a nervous, fearful wreck to finding peace and, I guess, happiness within myself and confidence that, you know, I was on the right path and this is working and it's going to work. So that's probably the biggest thing, Faith. And I can't remember your question. Sorry.

No, that was— that was, you know, I love that. Thank you for sharing that. And because it's, it's helpful to like hear an example of— and I always share, you know, what my examples were and my beliefs. I think, you know, we all have those beliefs with chronic illness because it's really a trauma every day waking up and feeling unwell, as well as getting a lot of feedback from different practitioners because we're going around trying to get answers. And when we receive that information that we perceive as negative, it is stored more deeply within the subconscious mind, as well as if our subconscious is getting that information from someone in what we consider a position of authority. So we always remember like what our teachers say, if it was something negative, what our doctors say, if it was something negative, we're really going to take that seriously from a subconscious standpoint because our subconscious is highly moral. We talk about this in the program, but it is definitely a different take on healing chronic illness and it's something that I even educate practitioners on, like, hey, let's think about the language that we're using and the implications of that language. Because while our practitioners, you know, we understand that bringing in all these modalities, it's really important. We're not just focused on one. So what these practitioners are doing, it's very important as well. Once we find someone that we align with, the language part is so important because like you said, we all have these beliefs that are almost functioning in opposition with our efforts. So we're like doing all these things. But if we believe that it's going to take 7 years, if we believe that this is just like who we are, it's never going to work because our subconscious will do whatever it can to make sure that whatever we believe becomes our reality. That's just— that's the placebo effect, you know? And I always love to give the placebo effect to people because there's so much literature and people don't really understand why, right? Practitioners are like, it's a thing. We give it a name, but why? I don't know. But it's a thing, right? Our subconscious, if it thinks something and it believes it with 100% certainty, it's going to manifest on a physical level, which is why medication, medication does or doesn't work a lot of the time just based off what we think. So I love giving the placebo effect. I love bringing back whatever I teach to like the science or to like real physical examples to get that buy-in of like, hey, our subconscious is powerful, but I love that you shared that because I think that so many people can relate to, oh gosh, what if I am actually thinking something like this? And I've never even considered this as the possibility. And it's why as well, it's really important if you come in with a diagnosis, to start to remove your identity from that. Because as long as you are identifying with, I have this condition, you will always have that condition because you literally are saying this is my identity. So I'm not a huge fan of giving it a name. I always ask, but as you know, we move through the program. I almost just look at it as like, okay, this is just a compilation of symptoms versus like a specific diagnosis in terms of this subconscious work, you know?

Absolutely. Yeah, exactly. And you touched on the point of, you know, kind of what you say to, to yourself. And so You know, as someone, and I think we can all agree that, you know, when you experience something chronically and it's not super nice, it's— you fixate on that. So, you know, you wake up and, oh my gosh, I'm feeling anxious, and oh my gosh, you know, that's painful. Or instead of fixating on that, which then just creates more of that feeling and sensation in the body, it's, um, you know, the whole word swapping was amazing as well. So you know, just taking the edge off some of that, those words, and trying to shift focus, that was instrumental as well. Because it, it became a situation where that was all I focused on, all I thought about, to where I would find myself— and it was quite early in the program— where I would find myself and it would be the afternoon and I'd be like, I haven't, I haven't thought about my sensations, whatever whatsoever. I haven't thought about my health or, you know, um, nothing. It's been completely peaceful all day. And it was just kind of those small exercises that you wouldn't think would help so much, but they actually do. They have such a profound effect. And it makes sense as you go through the program because, again, you know, you back everything up with, with science and how it works. Um, so which then again, from an evidence perspective, it's just kind of reinforcing what we're learning, um, which is helpful because to your point with subconscious, once you see the facts, it's easier for your subconscious to take it on board and, um, implement.

Yeah, I love that. Yeah, it's like, like we kind of touched on, it seems like this really big massive effort, but it is honestly the seemingly small steps and just understanding the way the brain works, the way the subconscious works, and tweaking tiny little things, tweaking images, tweaking words, tweaking the way we say things and associate things in our mind that actually makes the biggest impact. And it's a lot easier, in my opinion, to do that than to buy all the gadgets and all the things and tiptoe around all the food. Again, I do love wellness products. I do love organic food. I'm not saying that those things aren't fun or useful or helpful, but I do think like at a foundational level, mastering the things we can do within ourselves and the way we think and the way we talk and all of that, which has a much faster, I guess, result rate, or for lack of a better word, is so much easier. And so that's why that, you know, I'm a big proponent of that. I'd love to hear, you know, you obviously were really diligent in, like you said, you woke up and you listened to your affirmations. And I love that example again, because it's something that everyone can do. Can you give an example of like, I don't know if you can remember any of anything else really, but in terms of just like some of the little small tweaks that you made that had an impact in your life. And the reason I ask this again is because the other question I got this question yesterday multiple times, I ran a live webinar and it's like, how much time does like rewiring the subconscious or regulating the nervous system take in a day? Like, I'm busy and I just, you know, even now talking to you, I'm I love the fact that you're a mom and you're working because you are like me and it's like I don't have all the time in the world. I can't just like have the 2-hour morning aesthetic routine. It's just not like feasible for me. But I still do this stuff and it still works. So I would love to hear from you just kind of some of the things that you tweaked as someone who's busy yourself and you have a life and you have responsibilities that had a profound impact on you.

Absolutely. And you can't be more right when you say that it's not this really big commitment that you need to make where you're spending 3 hours of your day and, you know, you need to be diligent. It's not like that at all. It literally is just tweaks, as you say, and integrating learnings every week. So for me, it absolutely was. So I guess I keep talking about this, but, you know, identifying my limiting beliefs and then completely flipping them on the head, on their head, and then having that visually along with my goals. So every day I would look at those. It's a tiny little thing. I just stick it up on the wall or I'd have it on my desk and I'd look at it. I'd wake up with affirmations and I still do. I do try and visualize every morning again. I don't have a lot of time. I've got to get up, I've got to get kids ready for school, and I've got to get myself ready for work. So it's not like a 2-hour morning routine. It's literally affirmations for like 5 minutes, visualization for another 5, and, and I'm up. But I guess the difference now is that when I do my morning routine, I just take pleasure in such small things. So, you know, washing my face— I have a window where the sun comes in of the morning, and I'll wash my face with a face in the sun and just taking absolute pleasure and joy in that tiny little thing that I do anyway every day. And just being really grateful in that moment that, you know, I'm in a house and I get to wash my face with a really lovely cleansing oil and the sun's shining on my face and taking that moment to be very present and grateful. And it takes nothing. Likewise with making a cup of tea, just really enjoying the fact that it's a hot cup of tea, and watering my plants and just looking at them and thinking, well, you know, I'm nourishing my plants. It's just the tiniest little things, but just being present and completely just viewing life in a different manner. They were probably some of the things that I implemented that, you know, didn't take any time out of my day because they were things I would do— I was doing anyway. Um, So yeah, that's kind of an example. And then of course, you know, there were days where I wouldn't be able to do anything except for, you know, bits and pieces. But as you say, throughout the whole program, it's, you know, it doesn't matter if you can't allocate 30 minutes, even if you do 1 minute, it is still a minute of healing and it's still contributing to the healing journey. So for anyone that is kind of like, oh, I don't, I can't commit to this, too much for me, I don't have time. You couldn't be more wrong because you, you implement the learnings into what you're already doing throughout your day anyway.

I love that. I loved especially, um, your gratitude and just like mindfulness because I think we underestimate the power of just taking that time to be grateful in what we're doing already. And like you said, it's not about doing something different, like you're doing it anyways. Or I mean, maybe most people are probably, you know, watering their plants, washing their face, making whether it's their coffee or their special water concoction or their tea, making breakfast for the kids, whatever you're doing, just bringing in that presence and bringing in that gratitude has a profound effect on the body. So it's, you know, for people listening, like, yeah, okay, everyone talks about gratitude. Well, there's a reason. Because when you're grateful, you're releasing all these neurotransmitters that inform every cell in the body that you're abundant. And by definition, abundance from an evolutionary standpoint would be like, there are no threats. There's loads of trees with fruit, you know, there's loads of high calorically dense food. I'm in a community and I'm really safe. I'm abundant, meaning I can focus on things like healing, reproduction, and creativity and all these things that, you know, we desire in our life and we really equate evolutionarily as abundant. And so even just being present and saying, oh, I'm so grateful that the sun streams through and I can wash my face with this lovely oil that feels abundant to me, making my tea and watering plants and like nourishing life feels really abundant to me. Every single time we have that thought, we are sending those signals to the body. And so it's It's so, so simple. It's so simple. But not only is it simple, but it's like you said, like it's joyful. It's wonderful to feel abundant. Like, who doesn't want to wake up and be like, life is magical. Like, what I'm already doing is great that I get— like you said, I get to do this. Like, I get to wake up and do these things. It's not anything else that's shifted but the mindset. And it's not any more work per se. It's not doing anything differently. And even when you're not doing the same routine, like you said, you can still bring that mentality into whatever you're doing. And so I love that tip and I'm so grateful that you shared. And I mean, this is something that people can start to implement right away. Like, who doesn't want something that's going to make an effect, going to have an effect on their life? I personally think this specific tip can have an effect like right now. It's not something you wait on. If you were to do this tomorrow, you would feel different in your day. You wouldn't have to even wait 24 hours before you would feel the physical effects of feeling grateful.

Absolutely. And, and I guess for anyone who is at the start of their healing journey, because I do recall, you know, what it was like for me, and, and everything that I was listening to kind of felt a little bit like, oh, you know, that, that seems difficult to me in terms of I don't know that I'd be able to do that because mentally I'm just not there. Um, but I guess what I would say to I mean, I went through it, so I obviously persevered. But if I were to go back to her, I would reassure that version of myself that, you know, this is absolutely possible and it gets so much easier. And the more that you practice this, the easier it becomes. So, and because you take kind of little steps, it's not, you know, it's not like you're expecting one moment everyone to be like, drop all their kind of fears and their worries and their angst about their health. And their sensations and, you know, be grateful. Because sometimes I'm realistic, it is difficult to be grateful sometimes when you feel crappy. But it is literally about just having even just the smallest moment of gratitude or just kind of flipping your thinking and it becomes easier. It's like that 1% improvement every day. And I just would remind myself every day, like, it just has to be 1%, it just has to be 1% improvement today. Um, and it was more than that, but like, that is kind of what I used to kind of hinge myself to, to kind of not get me through, but certainly help, um, on days that maybe I found a little bit difficult to, to be grateful and and positive, because you are going to have those days where— and everyone in the program did literally have a day like that where it's like, I'm struggling today. And I guess that's also the benefit of the group is that literally anytime anyone said, look, I'm struggling today, this has happened, Faith would be on it straight away, like encouraging, basically saying, this is normal, this is completely normal, this is fine, this is what to expect. But you're doing— she would always— well, you would always find kind of the silver lining. Like, you did this though. You need to, you need to focus in on the fact that, yeah, you had a bad day, but this is your opportunity to rest. This is your opportunity to maybe revisit some stuff in week 1, um, but have faith that you're going to keep going. And I guess the fact that the group was so supportive and so loving and lovely and that made the world of difference as well. Because as you said earlier, it's— we all know how it feels. We've all been there. We are all there. So being able to lift each other up is certainly super helpful when you're having those hard days. And then on the flip side, when you're expressing a win, everyone's like congratulating you and just pumping you up. And, and that's also really awesome because then you're so joyful about sharing your win. And then again, that's like some more external evidence, um, which then only helps your own journey.

So yeah, and it also helps other people's journey because I think it's, you know, when people start to share that evidence, it's like, oh my gosh, well, this person has experienced a win, so it's possible for her. And this person has experienced a win. Or like you said, also this person had a bad day today and I don't feel alone in that. I mean, you know, like you said, everyone's different in life is not going to be the same every single day, right? We're human. We're not immune to having overwhelm in our life sometimes or waking up and not feeling our best. I mean, even if we're not chronically ill, you know, I've experienced this sending my 3-year-old to school. Oh my God, I hadn't been sick for like 5 years and all of a sudden every other month I was getting like the flu, a cold, the stomach bug. I'm like, what is this? It's like, you know, it's life. It happens. It's part of life, the ups and downs. But Healing as well is not expecting a life without, you know, I will call it unwanted sensations. It's having the ability to hold space for that. And to say, this is not a need to panic. This is not a situation where I need to assign the meaning that I'm regressing, that I'm having a flare again. It doesn't mean any of that. Meaning is just what we attach to a situation. It's not really the situation. So being able to hold space for that. And like you said, that's why we have the community and that daily support. It's like, let's practice holding space together. This is normal. This is life. But like we say, and you just mentioned, in every moment, there's wanted and unwanted aspects. And so no matter how seemingly bad it gets, we can focus on the wanted aspects. Even if, you know, I'm— I had this, and you know, I'm, I'm not chronically ill anymore. But I did, 2 weeks ago, I got a really bad stomach bug and it lasted for days. And I remember thinking, this is my opportunity to practice this sort of like in every moment, focus on the wanted and unwanted or focus on the wanted aspects instead of the unwanted aspects, even when it doesn't feel good. And that in itself is the exercise of what we're doing in healing, right? It's like that kind of attention to what you do want gains momentum. And that rewires the subconscious. And that's how we start to see that change in our reality. But it starts on the inside first. And I think so many people are looking for that external evidence. And then they're going to believe it. And I think the point of what we do is no, no, no, it starts on the inside first, where we start to look for what we want first. And then when those thoughts gain momentum, we see it on the outside. But we can't necessarily wait for that to just manifest on the outside independently. And it really won't if we're focusing on what we don't want all the time. And so it brings it back to I'm in control, I have the power. By the power of thought alone, I can create a different reality. And all it is, is not changing my current circumstances. It's looking at my current circumstances differently and saying, hmm, I'm going to focus on the wanted aspect in this moment and the wanted aspect in this moment, right? Because there's a trillion things happening in every single moment. So what do you choose to focus on? And I think that's so, so empowering. I think like everyone needs to be in the position where they feel like they can take their power back because that's step one. So I just love that you're bringing up like so many good points. And yeah, I think it's really helpful. So thank you for, for bringing that up. And it brings me to a question I wanted to ask you. When you came into the program, did you believe that you had the power to do the healing yourself? Like what you've done?

That's a hard one, Faith, because I want to say that yes, I did, um, but I guess there was kind of the reservation there because like many people, I had tried so many things. I had done everything to the, to the T, um, so I guess there was kind of that reservation in the back of my head, but whether you believe this kind of stuff or not, I do. I felt it in my bones that this is— I seriously felt it in my soul that this is what I was supposed to do. This is the path I was supposed to take. This was what was going to help me. So that kind of overrode any reservations that I did have. But I would be lying to say if I were to say that there wasn't that glimmer in me that was like, is this actually going to really work for me? Is this actually what's going to help? Is this actually something that's going to change things for me? Um, but I very, very quickly came to be quite confident in the fact that absolutely I have the ability to heal myself. Um, and when I say quickly, it was within the first few days of the program. So, um, yeah, it— and then ever since then, I, I haven't kind of looked back. And, and even Throughout the program, you know, there were days where I'd feel kind of crummy, and, and it was kind of difficult to not view it as, oh my gosh, I've, you know, I've relapsed, or I'm having a flare, and this isn't actually helping. Um, but just having the ability to reframe it, like, in actual fact, my body hasn't been able to rest for that long. It's been in a state of fight or flight for 4 years. Um, I'm just tired because I've actually been letting my body feel safe and at peace, and it's actually using this as an opportunity to heal and just tell me to rest. So rather than try and push through it and, you know, push back on those feelings, I'm just going to have a nap, and I'm going to feel okay about that nap, and I'm not going to, um, overanalyze my feelings. I'm just going to see it as an opportunity that my body is telling me I need to rest. And it doesn't mean that I'm, um, going backwards. I can't undo my healing. Uh, it's just literally listening to myself. And I haven't done that before, and that's probably why it's led me to where I got to, in that I just always kind of pushed, pushed through it, when in actual fact, just listen to your body, because It's the symptoms or sensations that are actually your body trying to communicate with you. And if you listen to it, it's probably— not probably, it's for your own benefit. So yeah, that's such good advice.

Thank you so much for touching on that. I love that. And I think because we are so much in a society of like avoiding the discomfort, and to me, again, I come back to this because I think that that is really detrimental because when we're like always, oh, I need to go to the doctor because something hurts or because I'm tired or something's wrong and I'm going to take a pill or I'm going to do whatever, even if it's a wellness practice or take a certain supplement so that I can avoid this sensation. We're kind of like cutting off that line of communication with our body because those symptoms are our body's way of saying, hey, I'm talking to you. I mean, it can't speak English, right? So how is it supposed to talk to us? So instead of avoiding, we're embracing. We're like, hey, now that we have the capacity to hold space. What are you trying to tell me now that I'm not attaching meaning? Like you said, I'm not overanalyzing this, which is every person's human instinct, but we're not in those prehistoric days anymore. So we don't have to do that. And that is a really beautiful thing. Because when you have that communication, you just listen and you're like, okay, yeah, I need a nap. And like, maybe it is more simple than I thought. And we're rewriting that narrative. So I'm just— I'm loving all of your advice. I— it's bringing me so much joy to hear you talk the way you're talking. It's such an important conversation, and it's really important for people to hear this coming from you because, you know, you were so recently in this position, and I can't think of anything more empowering than hear you talk the way you're talking. Are there any last bits of advice? I mean, you've given just like so much incredible, valuable advice. Are there any other bits of advice you give to someone listening who is just like jaw-dropped right now hearing your incredible testimony of healing?

I guess. Well, I mean, we've touched on it. Healing is absolutely possible and you are absolutely in control. And unfortunately, our inner critic gets in the way and it kind of takes over and You are not your thoughts. You can control your thoughts. You can create the reality that you want. And yes, it does take commitment. There is discomfort. But perseverance, I mean, for many of us who have dealt with illness for quite some time, I mean, you've already been through the gamut of various modalities. This is kind of a tried and tested um, program where there's so many people that have come out of it, uh, healed. And, and one thing that I will say, and this is a view that I had when I started it, was that healing was a destination, right? And, you know, I kind of had that in a box that I'm going to, to strive to heal myself, um, and I'll know that I've healed myself when I feel great every day. In actual fact, it's a journey, and Being able to understand that has really helped as well because it's not just going to be this day where I wake up and nothing is ever going to faze me. I'm never going to feel any discomfort ever again. It's about having that knowledge and approach where, you know, you listen to yourself and I guess reassure yourself that, you know, this is a journey. You're just peeling back some more layers. You're giving yourself space. Space to take that additional step of healing. Um, so yeah, for anyone that is at a point where they're struggling and they've tried everything and they, they feel stuck and they feel like they don't have freedom and they're a shadow, shadow of their former self, um, I just encourage you to do HDA or at least follow Faith and you know, enroll in the free programs because there's so much there that, you know, will help you transform yourself and heal yourself. Um, and it is such a beautiful place to be compared to where you are now. And I guess I'm testament to that.

Well, thank you so much for, for sharing so openly for the benefit of people coming here to just learn about self-healing. And obviously, you know, for your kind words about what I put out into the world, because that means a lot to me. This is exactly what I want to do. I want to help people feel this way. So it's very, very heartwarming to hear this as well. And I just appreciate you being in my community so much, being in this space and having this conversation with me. So thank you so much.

Thank you, Faith.