How often do you ask yourself:

What do I like? What do I want? What do I need? How am I feeling right now? Possibly never, unless you have worked with a coach before.

The first time I consciously started asking myself these fundamental questions was about 5 years ago. Imagine my surprise when I couldn’t answer them – I simply didn’t know. I couldn’t believe it! As my friends and family would say, I was successful, driven and had a good life.

I was self-made, had lived in a foreign country on my own for a decade, finished a tough degree from a prestigious university, built a very successful career in finance and had a job in a top global bank. I had a number of industry accreditations and am fluent in 3 languages. I was comfortable to present in a room full of people from any seniority. I was financially independent from the age of 18 and bought my own home before turning 30. I was in a committed relationship and thinking about having my own family. I had friends all around the world and travelled extensively.

That’s exactly what happened to me. Five years ago, my partner decided to leave me, my dad was diagnosed with late-stage lung cancer and once these relationships started crumbling, so did my health. Years of chasing success in a high-pressured environment manifested in unexplained health issues surfacing one after another.

What I didn’t see behind my façade of visual success is that I wasn’t happy, and I had no idea what I actually wanted. I wasn’t happy at work, I was stressed, sleep deprived, and never satisfied with what I had achieved. I was constantly chasing the next success.

Growing up as a child in a traditional, strict education system, it made me adaptable, resilient and hungry to prove that I could be successful. I was still seeking validation and thought that my achievements would prove I was enough, but they never were. I wanted to fit in so learnt to hide my emotions whilst expressing confidence and positivity to the outside world. Behind closed doors that constant need for validation often left me feeling overwhelmed, stressed, exhausted, and burnt-out.

Like in the Matrix movie, in 2018 the new reality of my life hit me hard and I had to understand who I was and what I needed to change. My journey started by going to Kerela, India. I spent valuable time on my own, sorted out my health and asked myself deep questions about how I got here and who I really am. Upon my return, I got myself a therapist. This process helped me to examine my past, understand some of it and find peace. Once I was ready to face the present, I wanted to shape a different future for myself and a friend suggested life coaching. I have worked with coaches for the past 5 years, have a mentor, I have participated in numerous life coaching programs, read books, and practiced many self-development tools and techniques on myself. My goal was to discover who Victoria is and what she really wants.

It fundamentally changed the quality of my life! I’m now healthy and know how to find balance. I accept myself for who I am and have the courage to be authentic. I no longer need validation. I am surrounded by inspiring people and meaningful relationships. I am closer to my family than I have ever been. I am successful and respected in my industry. I am compassionate to myself and others and I embrace my true skills. Coaching allowed me to understand my needs, values, set priorities and boundaries, dream bigger and allow those dreams to come true. I feel the fear and do it anyway. I don’t seek perfection, but I have equipped myself with a toolkit to manage challenges when they arise. I learned how to be present and I meditate every day. I am grateful for every moment that I have. I choose the life I have every single day.

I see a lot of people in the financial industry suffering with the same struggles. When my dad passed away, I realised that I no longer wanted to witness smart, successful, talented people living unhappy, unfulfilled, stressful lives – that often led to burn-out. My true purpose is to support others on their personal development journey. This is why I stand before you with a passionate commitment to support you every step of the way while we co-create the fulfilling life that you have always wanted for yourself.