I took my top off in hot yoga

It's happened. After years of exercising in full gear in a room at 40 degrees, a couple of months ago I took my top off during my hot yoga class and practiced in leggings and sports bra.

This is a big deal for me, as a 'never skinny' person, coming from a family of overly-critical women, and being overly self-conscious of every single one of my defects, I never felt I was 'fit enough' to show people my body in a public space.

I thought about it for a couple of sessions before actually doing it, and I only did it in a protected environment, somewhere I knew no one would judge me, and everyone was there to practice alone: Planet Yoga, my safe place, my home away from home.

And you know what happened when I finally did it? Nothing, on the outside. No one except me took notice of what had just happened, and the lesson went on as usual. But inside, I felt free. I felt weightless. I felt successful. I even liked what I was seeing in the mirror, because I looked strong, powerful, someone who knew what she was doing.

Something I REALLY dreaded for ages had just turned into a much bigger success than I had ever imagined.

Now this didn't come easy, or fast. Before I took this decision a series of things had to happen over the last year, as since January 2019 I:

• Trained properly in the gym for the first time in my life
• Changed my eating habits
• Admittedly lost quite a lot of fat/ put on quite a lot of muscle

Unknowingly, I was creating the conditions for this success, whilst working towards something else.

The same thing happened to my business in the last two years. When I started, I placed myself as a marketing and events consultant , targeting small businesses who didn't have a budget for an in-house marketing department, as this is what I had done for the previous 12 years of my life.

Slowly, I realised that I was attracting two specific types of client, and that what people were coming to me from went beyond just getting help for marketing and events. My clients are all just starting up, or expanding into new, unknown territory, and need help with an array of things which INCLUDE marketing and events, but also involve writing business plans, organising their diaries, maximising their time, finding the right suppliers for the right jobs. All things I have always done in my career, but somehow I never focussed on.

I also realised that helping these businesses sort of 'made me whole', as I wasn't just solving one problem at a time as I had done for my clients in the past, but catching them at a moment of chaos in their business lives, and helping them to get where they wanted to go safely and successfully. Which is something I find extremely rewarding, and I am pretty darn good at.

Somehow, this triggered a process in my head (and my heart!), and I am now going through a complete re-branding (STAY TUNED!) which will show the world how my business can really help, and how I can make a difference in the business-lives of those who need my services. Again, a bunch of actions performed for a completely different reason led me to a surprisingly successful outcome for me: I had found what I want to be when I grow up (that is, if I ever do).

Whilst going through this, yesterday I came across this piece , and all the puzzle pieces came together. This is what happened to me! I finally realised what my purpose is, and now have a career in helping others through my geeky need for order and organisation. And this, like taking my top off in the hot yoga class, and looking in fear with just one eye to discover that a strong, capable woman was reflected in the mirror in front of me, feels as good as accidental success will ever feel.

What about you? What actions performed towards different goals led you to a big personal or professional success?

I would love to read all about your 'topless moment' in the comments.

Fran :)