Love you more today !
WINNER: Women's Business Club Overcomer Awards Sponsored by Let's Reset
Karen Ramsay-Smith - Bigger Picture Coaching
@letsreset are delighted to have sponsored the https://www.womensbusiness.club/success-story/awards/ 2020 Overcomer Award. @KarenRamsaySmith, Bigger Picture Coaching. Huge congrats also to the two runner ups. Jennifer Bòidheach- Saorsa Cosmetics, Naomi Brown- Harmony Business and Life Solutions.
We thought you would like to read the winner, Karen's own story.
'have never done this before but I am gaining a little more confidence in myself after a few years of adversity. In the winter of 2016 I had an emotional breakdown after attending a leadership course at my workplace. After climbing the corporate ladder and gaining a position in my marketing career, I had really difficult personal and professional difficulties that had crept up on me including imposter syndrome. I took some time out and found myself again through practising mindfulness meditation in nature and coaching, I created an online community and shared my journey with other women and realised I have found my purpose in life.
After recovering for 6 months, I decided to take the leap and leave my 25-year career behind to retrain as an accredited transformational coach and mindfulness teacher. I started my business three years ago and didn't look back. But last year my world was turned upside down. My mum was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumour out of the blue and was taken into hospital and didn't come back out. She contracted a flu-like illness before she could get proper treatment and passed away only 6 weeks later. Losing my mum in this way and so quickly was devastating and my business took a hit as I needed to take some time away to grieve and honour my mum we were extremely close and I felt like part of me was missing. I also had to deal with probate as my dad sadly also passed away from a malignant brain tumour 10 years previous - all in all going through losing both parents this way took its toll on me and my family.
But I had no idea what else was to come. In September last year, my partner went missing out of the blue and return to work after a night away driving his lorry, we were all fraught with worry and a police search ensued. After a few days searching, we received the news that his body was found in Somerset, he had taken his own life. Nothing could have prepared me for the shock and avalanche of grief yet again. My business hit yet another standstill but I managed to keep myself afloat by starting a mental health charity focus group called #loveYOUmore so named because that is the phrase my partner used to say to me.
Losing mum and my partner Darran last year has changed me from the inside out. I have learned so much about myself, about life, death and grief and most of all about learning to love myself through it all. But mainly that my mindfulness practice and positive coaching approach to life, has made me seriously resilient through it all. Having a practice of creating space in my life to listen and being quiet with myself has literally got me through and has not only helped me to continue to run my life, my business and to still be able to help others, but to actively create time to focus on me and my purpose in life to help others to discover their purpose in life and love themselves too.
I am now back to coaching and mentoring working with groups in the corporate space to support well being and values and I have just written and launched an Amazon No1 Bestseller book alongside 21 other amazing women who have overcome adversity. The book - Inspirational Women of the World was released 19th November and is already a bestseller. I am so grateful for all the support and love that everyone has given me and I am so happy to have been able to share and support the way I have in the last few years. https://www.facebook.com/groups/LOVEYOUMORETODAY https://linktr.ee/bigpicturecoach
This made us cry, Karen. You are a huge inspiration and we would love you to attend our POWER UP festival on 26th January as our guest. https://powerup.advertisingweek.com/ . Many congratulations on your award. www.letsreset.com