Rebecca: The Bold Entrepreneur

Kicking off the series of documenting inspirational entrepreneurs and their stories, I could not think of a better suited person than Rebecca. Our conversation was energetic, uplifting and full of really great reminders that we are the product of ourselves. Our mindset and perspective is everything that we need to build ourselves a recipe for success.

Rebecca Hansen is a leadership coach who helps people achieve success while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. Rebecca challenges traditional views of success (e.g., working 80 hours a week, imposing self-limiting beliefs, neglecting health and family). She emphasises the importance of having a clear vision and goals. Her coaching helps people break free from self-limiting beliefs to become the true, best and ever evolving versions of themselves.?

Interested to understand Rebecca in a little more detail we discussed where her desire for building her dream originated. Rebecca's journey began with a vivid imagination and a sense of not belonging. As a child she believed she was adopted from an extraterrestrial royal family. This belief stemmed from her sense that she did not belong in her upper middle-class family and that her life was meant to be grander. As a child, she insisted on wearing princess dresses and told her parents she was adopted, even imagining herself as part of Japan's royal family. This early conviction of being different and destined for more was a significant part of her identity.

This sense of being different persisted into her school years, where she struggled to fit in, oscillating between wanting to belong and wanting to embrace her uniqueness. Her early years were marked by a deep-seated feeling that she was destined for something more than the conventional path of getting a degree, a job, and settling down. This internal conflict and the anxiety it produced is where her journey for self-exploration and self-development began.?

The Journey: Challenges and Triumphs

Rebecca's path wasn't easy. Anxiety, weight struggles, and social discomfort were constant hurdles. Yet, as we delved deeper into her story, it became clear: these very challenges she triumphed are the tools she uses to build stronger connections with others. Rebecca possesses a profound empathy, forged from a deep understanding of feeling lost and yearning for a better life. This allows her to relate to people on a deeper level.

To really understand someone's triumphs, you must first understand their challenges. Then to fully comprehend someone's challenges, you must delve a little deeper into the origins of their resilience.

Growing up in Denmark, where the long, dark winters seemed endless, Rebecca craved the warmth of familiar surroundings. Stepping outside her comfort zone felt daunting, a feeling amplified by the social anxiety that shrouded her interactions.?

In her early 20s, whilst studying at business school Rebecca had the opportunity to visit China. I believe this is where one of the most defining and true tests of resilience occurred. Rebecca set off for her 5 week trip to China, only to return 10 days later with little explanation to those around her. Rebecca's trip to China was supposed to be an adventure, a chance to explore a new world and immerse herself in a culture she had studied and admired from afar.?

Yet, as the departure date loomed, her initial excitement was overshadowed by a growing sense of dread. She had always dreamed of adventure, of stepping out of her comfort zone and experiencing the grandeur of life beyond her familiar surroundings. But her social anxiety, even towards her school friends, meant she really didn't have words for what she was going through. She kept feeling like something was wrong and didn't know how to talk about it. In the end, she decided to tell people she was not feeling well and some things had come up back home.?

Forced from her comfort zone. Continue reading...