How a single webinar launched a new career.
On 29 July 2020, I presented my first webinar to a group of legal secretaries. The topic was “Self-care and Self-compassion”. At the time, I was working in a law firm in London as secretary and studying part-time as a Life Coach. The Manager in charge of the support staff was incredibly supportive and suggested that I give weekly presentations to my fellow secretaries on the things I had learned in the life coaching course. Bearing in mind that I had never done any public speaking, and I was not confident in my abilities as a life coach at all, this was a very scary prospect!
Despite my fear, I intuitively knew that my answer to her suggestion of presenting the series of webinars was a “fork in the road” moment for me. I couldn’t allow the fear hold me back, so I said yes. I clearly remember thinking “This is the start of something big”.
In the days leading up to the first presentation I was extremely nervous and anxious. I remember practicing the presentation over and over out loud in my home office. I practiced it on Zoom and presented the talk to my husband so that he could give me feedback. We tested the sound and video quality repeatedly. On the day, I even had to put a fan on the floor (out of sight of the camera and in a spot where it wouldn’t mess up my hair) because when I get nervous I get hot and sweaty. But, despite my initial nerves, I had successfully delivered my first presentation!
It became easier with each subsequent session, and the feedback I got from the Manager and my colleagues was very good. Eventually, I had presented seven webinars to the support staff and even gave a talk on overcoming Imposter Syndrome to the entire London staff, including all the lawyers – and my bosses. The recording was also shared with the firm’s offices worldwide (70+ locations).
What happened next was a turning point in my journey. Because after about a year of being engrossed in resilience, wellness and mental health, I realised that life coaching wasn’t my true calling (although the subject matter of mental and emotional health definitely still appealed to me). That’s when Reiki found me. I woke up one morning and just started Googling Reiki courses – not Reiki treatments, Reiki courses. I studied Reiki up to the Master Teacher level, and two months later I returned to South Africa after 18 years in London.
In South Africa I was able to start that new career I had been longing for, for so long. Giving Reiki treatments and then eventually teaching Reiki courses followed. I still remember writing the student manuals for Level 1 and Level 2. I had to pinch myself as I was putting together the course materials and the presentations. Is this really happening? Am I really living the dream of teaching people how to heal themselves and others? Yes!
The only task remaining was to write the Reiki Master Practitioner student manual, which is what I’ve been doing the past two weeks. What a wonderful experience writing and researching the manual has been! It’s true that you teach what you need to learn. I have been reminded of how deep the system of Reiki is. How profound the teachings and principles behind it. What a wonderfully empowering tool it is for personal development and mental and emotional health – exactly what I had been looking for when I started on my second-career path.
Today, exactly four years, to the day, after presenting that first webinar, I finished writing my Master Practitioner student manual. My journey is very far from over – a spiritual growth journey is never over – but I am proud of how far I have come. I’m reminded of my own words from four years ago: “This is the start of something big” Little did I know how true those words would turn out to be.
My message to you is simple: say yes when someone offers you an opportunity that aligns with the dream and vision you hold for yourself. Do it, even if it’s new and scary. Do it, even if you have to put a fan on the floor to keep you cool, because the Universe will blow your mind with the astonishing ways in which it will support you in realizing your dream.
