019. LIVING AUTHENTICALLY

This episode was sparked by a conversation I had with my husband a few evenings ago; sitting eating supper, he shared an article he’d read about a book by Bronnie Ware, an Australian nurse who took the time to write down the most common regrets of the dying. It was partly a sombre conversation but at the same time, a really enlightening one.  As we talked about the profound realisations people come to at the end of their lives, he said to me, “This is what people need to hear about on the podcast.” And he was right. Because the top regret? It’s a powerful one: “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” It was a really heart-felt conversation, both unbelievably sad, that was how so many people felt in their final days, but also, wouldn’t it be truly incredible, knowing that, that it could help so many people now to find the courage to live a life they truly want and deserve. I would love to take you back to the very beginning of my business. Picture this: a small, cluttered kitchen table, papers sprawled everywhere, and me, with a new-born in my arms and filled with determination to create a business from home, that would allow me to put his needs first, and not those of my corporate role. Having often felt a little out of place and somewhat claustrophobic previously in school and now within corporate life, as a new mother, I was adamant that the 9-5 grind would not be my return ticket post-maternity. As my business idea took shape and began to grow, this table became more than just kitchen furniture; it was my head office. It was where I transformed every 'no' into a 'not yet,' every rejection into a redirection. That table was the start of a global brand, one that stands today as a testament to living a life that’s true to oneself.  So, as you are listening, I would love you to think about this question: Are you at that kitchen table of your life, where every decision is a step towards your true self? Or are you still trying to fit into someone else's blueprint for how we should be living life?   https://www.philippacraddock.com/podcast-019