Time For Gratitude
When I get passionate, there’s no stopping me and recently I took some time to pause and reflect on the wild ride that has been Heliotropia. I’m super proud of this beautiful and dynamic wellbeing and coaching business I created in 2018 from nothing but courage. I completely love what I do and every day I learn something important and new.
For the first time in five years, I completely stepped away and took a whole month off. No social media, no emails, no workshops, no webinars or coaching sessions. It was so rejuvenating. The no-screen time was simply exquisite I have to say. I am not sure I realised that there is always an intangible, low level stress bubbling away when I am online…a little, anxious voice that is questioning whether I am doing good enough work; whether I am making enough of an impact online or getting enough ‘likes’. That voice so full of ‘enough’ questions was blissfully silent.
As I reflected, I decided to ‘sketch-note’ a graphic (see above) of my Heliotropia webinars over the past few years. In that moment, I could see so clearly that I am so much more than enough. I am grateful to Covid for really kick starting the online sharing of my work. With nothing else to do and no income, I leaned in, back in April 2020, and began offering free evidence-based wellbeing workshops via zoom. It was scary and intense and SO rewarding.
Online webinars are one small slice of the life-giving work I do. They are interconnected with all of the other elements - the coaching, the organisational work, the work in schools, the not for profit work, my associate work with Prima Careers and CLA Solutions/Future Leadership, the casual teaching and mentoring work I do at Melbourne University, my Qi Gong teaching and practice - all of the pieces are deeply interconnected and all talk and listen to one another and make each individual piece better. I am a classic generalist and owe this to my teaching career. We teachers never ever get to focus on just one thing!
I’m so incredibly grateful to all who’ve engaged and partnered with me along the way. My divine mother was my first great backer by generously providing funds for me to embark upon a masters degree in positive psychology. Without this backing, I am not sure I would have done what I have done. I have never been great at prioritising my own growth and development as I have been so focused on the growth and development of others.
My family and close friends have been unfailingly supportive. Please know that your encouragement and interest has unlocked a precious part of me that is highly creative and purposeful. It is a part that, if I am really honest, was utterly ground down and whittled away within the education system and I just never really considered I might be able to rekindle it. I can never thank you enough for showing me, through your support that it is never too late to recreate ourselves. When you have expressed your delight in my growth and success, it has meant the absolute world to me.
For those of you who haven’t yet personally engaged with Heliotropia, I can’t wait for us to co-create something together whenever you’re ready. I’m here to partner with you.
I am now refreshed, restored and ready to recommit to serving you in the most heliotropic way possible. I am absolutely open to any suggestions you have about what I can do to serve you in terms of wellbeing, organisational culture, coaching, leadership and the embodied practices of qi gong and mindfulness.
Thank you
Lisa Barker
Heliotropia - Turn Towards The Sun