I have always, when anything has been off balance in my body, looked to my diet first because what we eat is just so intrinsically linked to how we feel and so that became my starting point. What I needed was simple: to focus on the foods which would nourish me from within and support my journey to wellness… I was no stranger to researching food and nutrition having been passionate about both all my life but this time the stakes were higher. It was no longer all about pleasure or the best diet to drop a dress size; this time it was all about health. I was using food as medicine.

With the magic of the middle years comes possibility; the chance to re-invent ourselves, change our stories and either head off in brave new directions or re-connect with the parts of ourselves which got lost along the way. It’s a time of transformation and growth. It’s not what those who haven’t been there yet like to call a mid-life crisis - it’s mid-life courage and I for one am embracing it.

Remember when you were a child and you tried something new and exciting like diving in the deep end of the pool for the first time? Do you remember how brave you felt when you finally did it? It’s no different for us as adults. Having an adventure is one of the quickest ways to build our confidence and boost our self-esteem.

One of the first things to think about as you set out on any coaching journey is your values; the things which are important to you and which influence how you live. The deep-rooted values which drive you, either consciously or unconsciously, are there to guide you at times of change and transformation: they are your very own life coach.

Of all the things I’ve ever done outside my comfort zone running that first 5k was the thing which surprised me about myself the most. Despite having found that there were sports I could do running was always one of those things that I believed was reserved for the elite sportsmen and women out there and the die-hard gym goers. Another unhelpful belief.