Let me tell you a little about me...
Meet Dawn
As a young girl, I had many dreams. One day, I wanted to be a doctor, I wanted a big, beautiful home so I could share fun times with my family and friends, and I wanted to see the world.
These dreams seemed so real to me at that young age. I worked really hard and I got good grades so I could go on to college and then to medical school and make my dreams come true.
But, you see, when I was young, I was not only driven, I was also very shy- very, very shy. Wait, did I mention I was shy?
Yeah, even my high school English teacher asked my parents if I was mute because I never spoke up in class. But, no one ever saw it as a problem- after all, I got good grades and I behaved myself. They said it was just my personality, and so I started to believe that, too.
But, it WAS a problem because the shyness was an indicator of a deeper issue.
YOU SEE, I DIDN'T HAVE ANY SELF-ESTEEM OR CONFIDENCE, NOT EVEN AN OUNCE.
But, like I said, I pushed myself to do well in school and I did. I graduated high school with high honors, I completed a bachelor’s degree in three years, and I graduated summa cum laude with my first master’s degree. Do I tell you this to brag about myself? No, of course not! Definitely not my style!
I tell you this because even with all of these accomplishments, I still didn’t believe in myself enough to even apply to medical school. I was so afraid to take the risk. I didn't believe I was smart enough or good enough and deep down I didn’t want to be rejected. I didn’t want to fail.
So, I stayed hidden and under cover, like any good introvert, and I went back to graduate school again. I figured I could hide out in a lab doing biomedical research for a few more years and get my PhD. Then, for sure, I could find a medical school that would want me.
Boy, was I wrong, for two reasons.
First, getting a PhD in biomedical science is definitely not about hiding out in a lab doing research day after day. Not only did I have to do the research but I also had to present my findings. Yep, I had to get up in front of a room full of scientists and present and defend my research and I had to do it often. Sometimes it was a presentation to the department but sometimes I had to present at larger conferences that were attended by some of the most intelligent scientific minds in the field. Talk about an intimidating experience for someone with no self-esteem!
Needless to say, it all caught up with me- the stress, the intimidation, the inferiority that I was feeling- and so, after my qualifying exam, I was told I did not pass to the next level. I failed. I still remember the moment... it was the weirdest feeling of complete devastation combined with overwhelming relief that I never had to go back there again.
But, the devastation sent me spiraling down a huge, dark hole that didn’t end until I reached the bottom about ten years later.
Yes, ten years of feeling like a failure, feeling unhappy, and wandering through life with no direction. And it didn’t just affect my career, it affected my family life, my finances, and my happiness, too.
I ended up in the dark hole because I didn’t have the self-esteem to keep myself out of the hole in the first place, nor did I have the knowledge or tools to pull myself out once I found myself at the bottom of it.
I am thankful for a series of coincidences (??) that landed me, yes, back in school again. But, this time was different, I found myself studying mind-body medicine and surrounded by incredibly supportive teachers and the best classmates ever, who helped me find the deeper answers about myself.
They threw me a life saving rope and with their support, I started my journey out of the hole. Sometimes they pulled me up and other times I climbed the rope they held for me, but along the way...
I made life-changing discoveries!
You see, I learned that there are seven basic qualities or characteristics needed to feel happy, balanced, and stress-free. Some call them chakras, I call them building blocks and each one needs to be strong and needs to support the others to create a rock, solid foundation on which to build a meaningful life filled with happiness and success.
As I learned about these building blocks, I soon realized the second reason I was wrong to think a PhD would prepare me for medical school. You see, self-esteem and confidence belong to the third building block and as you can imagine, mine was a big pile of rubble. So, it was a big "aha" moment when I discovered that my academic failure had nothing to do with my intelligence like I thought. I WAS smart enough- it was my lack of self-esteem and confidence that was holding me back.
The good news here is that the building blocks CAN be rebuilt and strengthened even if they are cracked and crumbling now.
While I was in school, I not only learned about the building blocks, but I also learned about the power tools for keeping the building blocks strong. The power tools are all of the mindfulness practices I learned about then and continue to learn about everyday. These mindfulness practices include things like deep breathing, grounding, and meditation, just to name a few.
I used these tools not only to rebuild my confidence but to strengthen ALL of the building blocks in my personal foundation. And, with the help of my teachers and classmates, I found my way out of the deep, dark hole. I began to feel like my life had meaning and purpose again, I felt hopeful, and I had a direction for moving forward. I still use these power tools every day as a way to find peace and to get through any challenges that pop up.
Now, I envision happy and successful kids everywhere.
I want to share all of this information, the blueprint for the building blocks and how to use the mindfulness power tools, with parents and teachers everywhere. Together, we can teach these mindfulness practices to kids so they can build their own strong and resilient, personal foundation right from the start. This way, no child will ever end up in the deep, dark hole like me.
They will still have their difficult moments and stressful situations, but they will have the tools to successfully navigate through them.
You can start making a difference right away by clicking the button below. You'll get instant access to my FREE eBook, "14 Simple Ways to Add Mindfulness to Your Preschool Day", where you'll discover simple and easy ways to sprinkle mindfulness activities into the things you're already doing in your day. Go ahead, click below.
Let's gift your kids with the power to create their very own amazing life, right from the start. GRAB ACCESS TO YOUR FREE EBOOK BELOW!
"14 simple ways to add mindfulness to your preschool day"
Mindfulness is simply about being aware of the present moment. It isn’t about getting caught up in the should-haves of the past or the what-ifs of the future. It's about being in the present moment and experiencing it fully. So, really, the possibilities for practicing mindfulness are endless.
The eBook is filled with 14 fun, kid-friendly ways to add mindfulness to your day that are super simple and don't require a lot of supplies or setup time. And, all 14 activities will incorporate perfectly into things you are already doing during the day like circle time, lunch time, nap time, and more.
Now, you get to enjoy all of the benefits of mindfulness without feeling an ounce of frustration or overwhelm trying to figure it all out for yourself. And that's not to mention, the time and money you'll save.
So, if you'd like to sprinkle some mindful moments throughout your day, then click below for instant access to your free copy of the eBook and get started right away.
