Mental Health And reconnecting with my Inner Strength

by Coach Rehana Flacks - My Story

“There is no prerequisites to worthiness.

You are born worthy, and I think that is a

 message a lot of women need to hear.”

~Viola Davis

The lowest point in my life was when I realised that I have no self-respect or self-love. Yes, this is common among women and yes, this story is not very original but it is my story.  For years I had been suffering with depression, self-hatred, self-disgust and all round angry person.  And it took me a few more years to acknowledge my unhealthy mental health state.  I knew I had to change but had no idea how.  I have felt hopeless and wondered if things would ever get better or was this as good as it gets?

The question, “Is this as good as it gets?” resonated over and over in my mind.  The very thought of falling down that dark pit of depression gives me such a feeling of despair that at times I can hardly bare it.  I was tired of treating myself with such disdain, if I couldn’t figure out a way to get better, I simply did not want to go on.

Perhaps coming to such a dire realization was the catalyst for what happened next.  While embarrassed, confused, desperate and afraid, I had a profound awakening that would eventually lead to my healing.  A voice inside my head that got progressively louder, repeated the words… YOU ARE ENOUGH! YOU ARE ENOUGH! YOU ARE ENOUGH!

The louder this voice grew, the more the anger and frustration that I’d been experiencing about not having a “perfect, flawless” body, perfect job, husband, house, car etc began to disappear.  It was replaced with assurance that I no longer needed to worry about what I looked like, or what others thought about me.  That I did not have to doubt my self-worth.  That I really was enough!

Now, while this might not seem like an incredible, earth-shattering revelation to anyone else, for me it was huge.  In this moment of clarity my mind was literally transformed and for the first time that I could remember, I felt at peace with who I was and what I looked like.  Plus, I could see a path whereby I was going to be able to appreciate my body, my life and all of the unique and amazing capabilities that I had been blessed with.  A path where I would not have to constantly compare myself with others, to hate myself, or abuse my body.

Armed with this hope, I began a quest to become truly healthy.  Both on the inside and out.  While it took some time and a lot of trial and error, I am happy to say that the path I discovered has allowed me to completely change my thoughts around food, my expectations about my body, my perspective on exercise, the manner in which I talk to myself, how I interact with others, my relationships as well as virtually everything else in my life.  This has led to an almost unlimited amount of confidence, fulfilment, satisfaction and happiness.  Plus, I no longer suffer from depression. (Confirmed by my many doctors and Psychologist).

Now that I have discovered this path for myself, I have made it my life mission to share what I have learned with others so that they can discover their own path to vibrant health and happiness, too.

Hi, my name is Rehana Flacks and I have been in the mentoring and coaching industry since 2010.  During this time, I have seen it all and taught it too.  The hundreds of different programs, gimics, quick fixes and endless fad diets, products, plans and gym contracts.  There is always some new and shiny product when it comes to “helping” people.  However, even though the programs and products continue to change, one thing that has not changed is the fitness industry’s obsession with a person’s outward appearance and how they correlate this with being healthy.  Sadly, this emphasis on appearance is not allowing people to actually get healthy, and more often than not it leaves them feeling like they are not enough.  It certainly did for me.

The truth is, the notion that being skinny or thin means being healthy is just nonsense.  When I was going through my depression and hating the shape of my body, I may have looked okay on the outside, but I was anything but healthy on the inside.  That is because thin does not mean healthy!

After finally coming to this realization for myself I knew there needed to be a fundamental shift in the way I approached health and wellness.  It was this desire that led me to develop programs that suit the individual.  Something that focused just as much attention on getting healthy mentally as well as on the outside.  Something that would teach you how to truly love yourself and accept your body.  Not at some point in the future, but right now.  Something that would help you cultivate practices and habits that would allow you to experience the true, vibrant health that you deserve.

I am proud to announce that this journey has culminated in the creation of my health and wellness programs and retreats.  However, my retreats and programs are more of a philosophy of how to best treat your body to maximise your health and happiness.

While Tarajia-Al-Afia incorporates all the normal things that you would expect in a wellness type “program” – like exercise, meditation and healthy eating – it is built on the foundational principle that you are a unique individual with unique, individual needs.  So, what works for one person won’t necessarily work for you.  Your body is different and you should move it in a way that is best for you, not some “cookie-cutter” approach to the masses.

This might sound obvious, it is remarkable how the fitness industry ignores this.  For them, it is all about “follow the leader” and do exactly what they do.  But this is rarely what is best for your body.

For me, when I stopped following the “experts” and started trusting my own intuition and doing things my own way, that is when everything changed.  That is when I effortlessly dropped the extra weight that my body had been carrying for decades.  That is when, for the first time in my life, I started to love who I was and love my body.  This is when I experienced the real happiness that I had always hoped for and knew that I deserved.  The is when I was able to appreciate the fact that I was enough.

I want you to experience this too. To avoid having to struggle like I did.  To avoid feeling like a failure because you could not tick a box of someone else view of perfection.  To love and respect yourself for all your unique characteristics and abilities.  To discover your own, personalised path to vibrant health and happiness!

The only thing I ask is that you begin this journey with an open mind, and with the desire to think and do things a little differently.

So, if that is you, and you are looking for a pathway to true, vibrant health… then I would love for you to join me.  I can promise you that it will change your life.  Just like it has for me and for so many others.

Join me!

In Closing

To help heal your underlying patterns (both physical and mentally) and become the best version of yourself, using your relationship with food as a healing opportunity to move toward self-love and improved lifestyle choices. ‘Your body is not your masterpiece, your life is’