Three years ago I was living in Northern California with my then fiancee and working at a startup. My hours were totally insane, I was stressed out of my mind, cried all the time and then on top of it all, was trying to plan my wedding. You know that heart in your throat, shaky, I'm going to freak out feeling you get when you're in total stress mode? I feel like that was my life every day back then. I had also been eating a really strict paleo diet for many years but was all of a sudden putting on weight. I had added about 10 lbs over the course of the year and was freaking out the closer I got to my wedding date.
Then, one night when I was up working really late, I started to do a little bit of research on getting my nutrition degree or how to get some kind of health certification. I wasn't really sure what I was looking for but I knew that I needed to make a change in my life. I'd always been passionate about food and fitness but it had never really occurred to me that I could make it into a career. After a little bit of research, I stumbled upon The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. I was pulled in by them because of their approach. Unlike other nutrition or dietician programs, IIN taught the entire spectrum of health. They taught courses on nutrition theory, sleep, stress management, exercise, meditation, herbs and so many other facets of wellness. As someone that had struggled with some food obsession and restriction in the past, I was so happy to see that the school understood that dietary theory was not the only thing you needed to know to be healthy and happy.
I did a ton of research on the school over the next month, spoke with their staff several times and then stalked as many IIN graduates as I could. There are some insane grads BTW like Daphne Oz, Miranda Kerr, Anne Lawless Founder of Suja Juice and I Quit Sugar Founder Sarah Wilson to name a few. I began to realize that so many people like me had decided to enroll at IIN and then created incredibly successful careers out of it. I'm not talking about small businesses either. I'm talking multimillion dollar a year businesses.
So, after discussing enrollment with my then fiancee, we decided it was something that I had to do. I enrolled and began a year long journey towards getting my Health and Wellness coaching degree. It was BY FAR the best decision I've made. Besides marrying my husband of course :)
Now, you might be asking yourself how I handled all of this with my startup career and wedding planning? What's amazing about IIN is that the entire course is online and easily accessible from any mobile device. I set aside an hour or so per evening or a few hours over the weekend to study and catch up on coursework. I had to say no to a few social events here and there and did spend extra time reading and watching lectures but it wasn't like I didn't have a life either. I was able to balance my 9/5 job, life and studies over the next year and not lose my mind. Plus, I loved what I was doing! IIN also helped me integrate some really smart strategies that helped me manage my stress and anxiety which in turn, made me even more productive!
So, here I am. Less than one year out from graduating and now I'm running my own business. Now, I'm not saying that I have it all figure out. I definitely don't. I'm not even close. But, I'm out here doing it. I'm helping change lives and making a living doing what I love. I reimagined my life and how I was spending 5 out of my 7 days per week and took action. Don't wait until someday to go out there and do what you love. For me, it was getting into the health and wellness field. I knew it was what I wanted and I went for it. Now, I want to support other people that are thinking of doing the same.
If you think that a career in the health and wellness field is for you, then I encourage you to check out The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Everyone over at IIN is so incredibly friendly and helpful. You can test out a free module and get a feel for what it would be like to enroll. Did you know that some of the lecturers at IIN include Arianna Huffington, Deepak Chopra, Dr. Andrew Weil, Alicia Silverstone, Geneen Roth and Jennifer Esposito?!
We need more health coaches in this world as most of us are suffering from major nutrient deficiencies, stress overload and a lack of movement in our lives. We need to build a support system that can reenergize our world and bring health back into people's lives. If you're at all like me and think you might want to test out IIN, please check them out, leave a comment here or email me directly so that we can talk about it darby@darbyjackson.com. I'm here to help you begin living the life YOU want to live! Cheers to your journey, whatever that might be. xo
Start your IIN research and stalking here : http://geti.in/1Uq6W4i