I was obviously not fine [1 of 3]

I had my first panic attack when I was 22. 
I was training a client, it was 10:30am in the morning everything was going well and then BAM.
It felt like I was punched in the gut.
I dropped to my knees in agony and instantly began vomiting.
I couldn't speak.
I couldn't breathe.
I had no idea what had happened.

Luckily, I was living close to the gym at the time and literally crawled home and put myself to bed. 
I woke up just fine.
Shrugged it off as the "24 hour flu."

It happened again 3 weeks later.
And then again 2 months after the first one. 

This time, my mom was there to see it in action and understand that something was absolutely not right.
This was severe mental + emotional anxiety manifesting itself in my physical body. 
If you'd asked me if I was feeling stressed, I would have told you truthfully I was fine! and I did feel fine! 
But I was obviously not fine.

Luckily for me, I had a good network of people that I turned to for help and came up with a number of strategies to overcome this (I haven't experienced anything like this since the last attack). 

But I always think back to what I experienced and think to myself--

"What good is my physical health if my mental + emotional health is not in check?"

It's this very thought that I carry with me through my own life, through my work with my patients and with my nutrition clients. The holistic approach to health where the focus is on the blend of thriving in your physical, mental + emotional self.

In Fall 2016, I began to experience a heightened awareness of myself that I was losing a bit of control. I felt stressed over a number of things - all good stress, actually, but stressors nonetheless.

• a growing chiropractic practice causing me to be extra critical of everything I did and said to support their best health.
• a major career move that would affect me, my family + friends.
• planning a wedding.
• becoming a wife.
• wanting to take care of my parents as they reach retirement age.

As I said, all good things but stressors none-the-less.

Similar to the way you might turn to a personal trainer for some extra support with your fitness, I turned to a colleague for some extra support with my mental + emotional health. Nothing was wrong, but I value self growth and knew that expert guidance was worth the investment.

Dr. K is a wonderful doctor who uses brain-based coaching to allow you to dig through the layers of BS in your brain, understand your obstacles, fears and struggles and come up with practical lifestyle solutions that contribute to functioning as a better human - in business, relationships & life in general.

My biggest take away from him is "who do you want to show up as everyday?"

Who DO I want to show up as everyday?

to be continued....

- dr. alli