Good morning! I can honestly say that Mindvalley All Access is what has saved me from ending up a complete trainwreck.
My story is too long winded for anyone to want to read about it but I’d love to at least share with you a few key points about where I’ve come from to where I am today and how I got here.
Ok, so let’s rewind quickly to 2019.
* Raging alcoholic and on occasion drug taker.
* Non commital to everything and everyone.
* No routine.
* No structure.
* No discipline.
* Insomniac.
* In a toxic relationship.
* Working in the sex industry as a touring private escort.
* Spending a lot of time living out of a suitcase, in and out of hotels, on and off planes, road tripping here, there, and everywhere.
* Spending my earnings on anything and everything that gave me instant gratification.
* Eating out all the time and not always healthy options.
My values were pretty much limited to excitement, spontaneity, adventure and freedom which I believe that I manifested through doing the Passion Test by the Attwoods but that life no longer served me and I felt depleted and lost. Frustrated that what I thought would make me happy, has just made me more miserable, unavailable, distant and alone. In the past when I felt like this, I just made drastic changes to my life which usually entailed leaving relationships, jobs, friends, hobbies, houses, you name it. This time it wasn’t so easy to just pack up and leave. I found it extremely difficult to give up a job that was paying $600 an hour and the elaborate lifestyle and freedom that came with it. I was also in turmoil if perhaps my boyfriend at the time was the issue or perhaps it was just that I’ve lost a grip on my life from being drunk all the time. After yet another breakdown, I had to make my move. I couldn’t continue on this miserable path any longer. I didn’t quite know what to give up first so I just told them all to fuck off. The job, the boyfriend, the drinking and the smoking. The next few months were pretty bloody hard having to adjust to a new life and having to go through alcohol withdrawal but thank god for Mindvalley. It seemed to have all the answers. I completely immersed myself in quests, classes and books that were recommended in the MV teachings. I was fortunate enough to have enough money to keep me going for awhile without having to get a job. To be honest, I don’t even want a “Job.” I’m hoping that whatever makes me money next is also going to be my lifelong vocation where I get to be my true authentic self, serve others, live abundantly and get paid for it. Anyway enough about the old me. That was just to give you a perspective on how much I’ve grown thanks to Vishen, Mindvalley and all of it’s inspiring teachers.
So my new life looks a little like this.
* I live peacefully in the country with my animal tribe and feel completely at peace and grounded here. Never have I felt so at home anywhere in all of my life.
* I have much more worthwhile meaningful values. (Thanks to Jon & Missy’s Lifebook)
* 7 months sober and no longer smoke. (I’ve been drinking since I was 14. I’m now 40)
* I have made deep connections with a few people that I met in the Be Extraordinary FB tribe. I’ve never had a group of friends that I feel so connected to and that are on similar journeys as I am.
* I’m single and loving it. For now anyway! :-) * Eating really well and regularly. (Following Mark Hyman’s Diet)
* I’m sleeping soundly (Michael Breaus has helped in that department)
* Meditating daily. (My go-to meditations are from Be Extraordinary, Silva Method and Soulvana App) * I practise candlelight yoga daily.
* I’ve developed a love for learning. (Jim Kwik’s Superbrain helped by breaking down my belief that I had a learning problem)
* I have worked very hard on developing a routine and structure in my life and for the most part, stuck to it. (First Things’ First by Stephen Covey made me understand the importance of routine and how to incorporate all areas of my life into it)
*I can commit to things now. When I say I’m going to do something, I do it. (When I embarked on the Be Extraordinary Quest, I made a commitment to myself to post on the Be Ex Tribe FB page every time I completed an exercise and I honoured that commitment even on days when I really did not want to post)
*My creativity is returning and it’s being expressed mainly through writing and photography, little bit of design work but also in how I approach life and my health challenges.
* I am developing self love, self worth and self respect (Thanks to Transformation by Marisa Peer)
* I’m no longer shy about being recorded and being seen speaking on camera. This was a massive fear even a couple of months ago. Now not only do I record myself speaking and posting it on FB as a daily challenge to myself, I also speak about how I’m REALLY feeling on any given day AND wait for it…… Some of the videos are of me not wearing a wig (I have Alopecia so I'm completely bald under the wigs.) It was Barbara Hubbard's inspirational words that had help liberate me from both of those fears. (I believe that she was reciting those words from her mentor but l can't think who that was now.) "Be Bold. Do What Excites You and Share That Excitement With At Least One Other Person." Well I had to put my own spin on that of course... Be Bold. (well I’ve been BALD for 36 years so that was no biggy) lol Do What Excites You (Videoing myself bald and speaking then going public with it scared the shit out of me but excited me at the same time) Share it With At Least One Other (Why one when I had a tribe of 3000 accepting people that I could share it with!) Lol The very first public video I made was a few months ago on the Be Extraordinary FB tribe thanks to the loving, supportive and accepting people that are on there. I couldn't even string a sentence together at that stage but was hoping that my bald head would detract attention from that fact lol. The funny thing is that my psychologist had suggested that I start recording myself speak to gain confidence in my speaking ability to which I responded with rolled eyes and laughter. “As if!” I told her. “You’ll never catch me doing that, no fucking way.” That was only 6 months ago and now you can't even shut me up on some days. :-) Ok I'll end it there I think. Thanks for reading! Vishen if you end up reading this, I would love to take the opportunity to personally thank you for your contribution to my personal growth and recovery from alcoholism. You, your team and all the teachers that you bring to Mindvalley are truly remarkable human beings. It’s like you’ve sourced the best of the best and made it so accessible for everyone to learn from these masters. I have no doubt that you will reach your goal of touching 1 Billion Lives in no time and will be embarking on your next goal of 7 Billion! :-) All the very best in all of your future endeavours. Ivonna xx
My story is too long winded for anyone to want to read about it but I’d love to at least share with you a few key points about where I’ve come from to where I am today and how I got here.
Ok, so let’s rewind quickly to 2019.
* Raging alcoholic and on occasion drug taker.
* Non commital to everything and everyone.
* No routine.
* No structure.
* No discipline.
* Insomniac.
* In a toxic relationship.
* Working in the sex industry as a touring private escort.
* Spending a lot of time living out of a suitcase, in and out of hotels, on and off planes, road tripping here, there, and everywhere.
* Spending my earnings on anything and everything that gave me instant gratification.
* Eating out all the time and not always healthy options.
My values were pretty much limited to excitement, spontaneity, adventure and freedom which I believe that I manifested through doing the Passion Test by the Attwoods but that life no longer served me and I felt depleted and lost. Frustrated that what I thought would make me happy, has just made me more miserable, unavailable, distant and alone. In the past when I felt like this, I just made drastic changes to my life which usually entailed leaving relationships, jobs, friends, hobbies, houses, you name it. This time it wasn’t so easy to just pack up and leave. I found it extremely difficult to give up a job that was paying $600 an hour and the elaborate lifestyle and freedom that came with it. I was also in turmoil if perhaps my boyfriend at the time was the issue or perhaps it was just that I’ve lost a grip on my life from being drunk all the time. After yet another breakdown, I had to make my move. I couldn’t continue on this miserable path any longer. I didn’t quite know what to give up first so I just told them all to fuck off. The job, the boyfriend, the drinking and the smoking. The next few months were pretty bloody hard having to adjust to a new life and having to go through alcohol withdrawal but thank god for Mindvalley. It seemed to have all the answers. I completely immersed myself in quests, classes and books that were recommended in the MV teachings. I was fortunate enough to have enough money to keep me going for awhile without having to get a job. To be honest, I don’t even want a “Job.” I’m hoping that whatever makes me money next is also going to be my lifelong vocation where I get to be my true authentic self, serve others, live abundantly and get paid for it. Anyway enough about the old me. That was just to give you a perspective on how much I’ve grown thanks to Vishen, Mindvalley and all of it’s inspiring teachers.
So my new life looks a little like this.
* I live peacefully in the country with my animal tribe and feel completely at peace and grounded here. Never have I felt so at home anywhere in all of my life.
* I have much more worthwhile meaningful values. (Thanks to Jon & Missy’s Lifebook)
* 7 months sober and no longer smoke. (I’ve been drinking since I was 14. I’m now 40)
* I have made deep connections with a few people that I met in the Be Extraordinary FB tribe. I’ve never had a group of friends that I feel so connected to and that are on similar journeys as I am.
* I’m single and loving it. For now anyway! :-) * Eating really well and regularly. (Following Mark Hyman’s Diet)
* I’m sleeping soundly (Michael Breaus has helped in that department)
* Meditating daily. (My go-to meditations are from Be Extraordinary, Silva Method and Soulvana App) * I practise candlelight yoga daily.
* I’ve developed a love for learning. (Jim Kwik’s Superbrain helped by breaking down my belief that I had a learning problem)
* I have worked very hard on developing a routine and structure in my life and for the most part, stuck to it. (First Things’ First by Stephen Covey made me understand the importance of routine and how to incorporate all areas of my life into it)
*I can commit to things now. When I say I’m going to do something, I do it. (When I embarked on the Be Extraordinary Quest, I made a commitment to myself to post on the Be Ex Tribe FB page every time I completed an exercise and I honoured that commitment even on days when I really did not want to post)
*My creativity is returning and it’s being expressed mainly through writing and photography, little bit of design work but also in how I approach life and my health challenges.
* I am developing self love, self worth and self respect (Thanks to Transformation by Marisa Peer)
* I’m no longer shy about being recorded and being seen speaking on camera. This was a massive fear even a couple of months ago. Now not only do I record myself speaking and posting it on FB as a daily challenge to myself, I also speak about how I’m REALLY feeling on any given day AND wait for it…… Some of the videos are of me not wearing a wig (I have Alopecia so I'm completely bald under the wigs.) It was Barbara Hubbard's inspirational words that had help liberate me from both of those fears. (I believe that she was reciting those words from her mentor but l can't think who that was now.) "Be Bold. Do What Excites You and Share That Excitement With At Least One Other Person." Well I had to put my own spin on that of course... Be Bold. (well I’ve been BALD for 36 years so that was no biggy) lol Do What Excites You (Videoing myself bald and speaking then going public with it scared the shit out of me but excited me at the same time) Share it With At Least One Other (Why one when I had a tribe of 3000 accepting people that I could share it with!) Lol The very first public video I made was a few months ago on the Be Extraordinary FB tribe thanks to the loving, supportive and accepting people that are on there. I couldn't even string a sentence together at that stage but was hoping that my bald head would detract attention from that fact lol. The funny thing is that my psychologist had suggested that I start recording myself speak to gain confidence in my speaking ability to which I responded with rolled eyes and laughter. “As if!” I told her. “You’ll never catch me doing that, no fucking way.” That was only 6 months ago and now you can't even shut me up on some days. :-) Ok I'll end it there I think. Thanks for reading! Vishen if you end up reading this, I would love to take the opportunity to personally thank you for your contribution to my personal growth and recovery from alcoholism. You, your team and all the teachers that you bring to Mindvalley are truly remarkable human beings. It’s like you’ve sourced the best of the best and made it so accessible for everyone to learn from these masters. I have no doubt that you will reach your goal of touching 1 Billion Lives in no time and will be embarking on your next goal of 7 Billion! :-) All the very best in all of your future endeavours. Ivonna xx