Work In Progress Podcast
Work In Progress Podcast
WIPp 018 Dr. Christie Lewis: from Medicine to Health & Life Coach
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Christie switched from a physiotherapist to GP and from GP to coaching. Here's how and why she made the switch.
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Christie Lewis: 0:00
I felt almost ashamed that I've spent so long training Andi trying to become a doctor in there. I was, but I wasn't happy. And society kind of tells us world, you know, working stressful. But, you know Hey, Hey. And I just felt like I really couldn't live this life. I was early thirties and I was miserable in my job. Something
Dana: 0:28
you're listening to the working party's podcast and we're your hosts. Dana and Angela. We believe your work and your career should evolve with you, and it should always be in progress. In this podcast, you will hear stories of people who turned their careers from something that no longer serves them into something that complements who they are and their life goals. The way I like to think about it is that their careers are growing and stretching, just like they are. We hope to inspire you to get out there and make the changes you want for yourself and your future self. Let's get started. Good morning. Good afternoon. Good evening. Whatever you are. Thank you for joining us today. Today we're talking to Dr Kristy Lewis. And from what we understand, she has done many different roles in the past. I'm seeing ballet, dancer, physiotherapists, acupuncturists and doctor, and now she is a health and life coach, and she's also a co founder of a retreat. So we have a lot of questions for her. But before we start with all the questions, Kristie, I was wondering if you could give us a little bit of a background for yourself. So feel free to tackle that however you want. You don't necessarily have to talk about all your careers in the past. You talk about you know, your favorite snack or your favorite drink, or, um and what does go from there?
Christie Lewis: 1:50
Thank you so much for having me on. It's so lovely to share to share our stories. Really? So a little bit about May. So I currently live in London and the UK Andi, as he said that, Yeah, I'm now a healthy life coach. Andi. Yeah, I've had an interesting journey, but staying away from my career. Yeah, I I'm just living my life and just saying where it takes me at the moment, I really find that life is an interesting journey on duh. You might have a really good plan in your in your mind? Well, I could taking me, but actually, I've taken quite a few interesting curves along the way. And thankfully, I've kept quiet night in mind on Do you know, at the moment I'm just on the really amazing journey or self development growth? Andi, I'm just trying to find much joy in my life is possible on die due back through all sorts of ways. Exercising healthy eating, getting out in nature, Meditating. Andi? Yes. I'm just trying to live my life for the first of the moment.
Dana: 2:55
That's amazing. Thank you. And, um So I am looking at your website for the coaching service end. You put a lot of focus on stress and, um, I was wondering why that is so important for you.
Christie Lewis: 3:10
So essentially, I'm sure everyone's experience dressed at some point in their lives on the different degrees as well. But personally, on a personal level, I've experienced stressed myself in lots of different ways. So essentially I started as a physiotherapist. I really wanted to care for people I really wanted to be hands on and on, get involved. Because I've always had a passion for exercise and I just really thought figure was going to be mine. My career. And then I realized that I just need to do more. And at that point I wasn t stressed, actually. But it was when I became a junior doctor that my stress doubled rose enormously on. And, you know, it was it was time pressure. There was a huge amount of, you know, you jump of hours working, you know, with very few resource is on on. That's when I really realized it. Actually. How much stress with impact on my health? Andi, again? No way was it wasn't just pressure from my job. It was pressure from from social media pressure from people around me, pressure from society to to be amazing at your job and could look a certain way to be thin, you know, and always be doing so so well. And I found myself spiraling into ah, really difficult time in my life. And this is in my twenties, where I was exhausted all the time. I was miserable. I was X over exercising to try and keep my energy levels up. But I was probably under eating. I had a really, really bad relationship with Reid, actually, and I I I really was quite disordered with my eating habits. Andi and I realized that that was really making me miserable. My relationship was breaking down. I was hating my job. Andi Stress was just having such a bad impact on my life, and I wasn't able to deal with it on. So it was only until I actually took myself out of the situation when I kind of reached a bit of a breakdown, not a breakdown. It was more of a burnout stage where I was so exhausted all the time on I just wasn't sleeping. I just was miserable that actually going away. And I happened to go to Barley and I booked through yoga retreat. And it was only until then that actually I realized how stressed I'd bean on. It was only until I actually stopped and took a breath that I realized that stress was really impacting negatively on my life and also now is a GP. I see stress and probably 90% of my patients on and, you know, I see stress coming out in lots of different ways. It could be, you know, in in health problems but also psychological or mental health problems on not only physical but also mental health problems. And it it being able to identify that in a patient that I've found really rewarding to say. Actually, physically, you're okay. And actually, we just need to tackle the stress for. That's why I'm hugely hugely passionate about helping people to identify the signs of stress on and help people to avoid burning out.
Dana: 6:18
I definitely agree with you. I think stress is very common thing in everybody's lives. And it's, um, if you don't manage it well, it becomes a real problem. And if affects every area of your life, um, ineffective performance, Yeah, your health and your relationships and just everything. So I think it's I agree with you. It's definitely very important. And so when you are going through all these stress, you were obviously you were working. And, um at what point were you able to was there like a breaking point for you, where you just decided this is I'm feeling too much stress. Or how did you come to that realization?
Christie Lewis: 7:00
Yeah, it was an interesting one, actually. And I think it there was a bit of a natural break. So my I I was just about to and starts a like a new job on in my GP work on And I was my relationship had just broken down. And so essentially, I just had that moment where I thought, What am I doing? I'm 30. I'm you know, I'm miserable. Who? I'm about to start a new job, but I really don't want to. Andi, I my relationships broken down at what dough ideo and it was at that point. But I think I was speaking to friends and family. And, you know, a lot of people said, Just just take a break Just had, you know, delay in starting a new job and just just stop and do something. And so I thought to myself, the one thing I just need to do is go away, so I've actually never really travelled on my own before. So I decided to book a trip to the barley because one of my friends was hosting a yoga retreat on I just thought Wow and she invited me and she said, Just come along to it. What's the worst that could happen? And I thought to myself. That is so true on. So I went and actually I really do feel that was quite a pivotal moment for me because it actually forced me to slow down Andi and realize what my priorities were in my life. And it was just an amazing feeling. So, yeah, I think there was a bit of a natural a natural break for me at that point when my break relationship right down on my I was about stuff new job that I could actually say, Wait, I'm gonna put the pause button on my life there and do something about this.
Dana: 8:33
That's amazing. I find that it's, um, so important and in your case, very, very helpful to have people in your life that actually tell you that you need to take a break and, you know, slow down, do something different. Um, I think that's wonderful that you were able to have that in your support in your life and and yeah, I understand. Um, like the first time I traveled by myself, I was pretty nervous, too.
Christie Lewis: 8:58
Hey, it's very it is very scary, but it's so so amazing when you do do it. Oh,
Dana: 9:04
wow, liberating. Yes, I agree. And so, um, tell me a little bit about what you did. So obviously before you're Ah, you're a doctor. And have you always wanted to be a doctor? Did you always know that?
Christie Lewis: 9:19
Interestingly, when I was when I was at school, I was always interested in science. So I knew I was going to the something around the health world on. And it was interesting because all my friends were going to study medicine to become doctors on. I thought to myself, Now I'm going to be different. I'm really into exercise and I want to be a bit more hands on with patients. I just thought I really, really want to do physiotherapy. So my dad has actually is a psychologist, and so I kind of knew could season. This is the health health world as well. But I was going to go down some form of roots and he always wants to me to be a doctor, interestingly, but he would never, ever pressure on me to do that on by think possibly a small level In May, a little rebel in May at that time of my life made me go down the physiotherapy route. And I have absolutely no regrets because I've got some amazing experience from being a video. But it was actually when I was actually practicing is a video that I felt that I really wanted to do more on. And that was when I decided to become a doctor.
Dana: 10:22
I see. And so, going from physio therapists to a doctor, what was there? Um what what others did you have to attend more schooling and training or what was it like?
Christie Lewis: 10:35
Yeah. So it was actually really, really straightforward because obviously being a physiotherapist, you're you do have a lot of anatomy and physiology experience on then. So when I've been trained to become a doctor, I manage it rather than trading in five years. I was able to train train in four years
Angela: 10:53
on, so
Christie Lewis: 10:54
I could have got a year off because I'd already done loss of the biology behind being, you know, that being a doctor on so and so that was quite good. So then I did another four years training to become a doctor on. Then, following that, I decided to specialize, become a GP, and that was an extra three years. On top of that,
Dana: 11:13
I see. Okay. And this was all in London,
Christie Lewis: 11:18
so No, actually, interestingly, I did my figure therapy degree in Manchester up northern northern England on Ben. I actually traced become a doctor in livable another city on then. Then I decided to move to London. Teoh trainers a g p A. General practitioner. So our family Andi? Yeah. So I've traveled around to get the
Dana: 11:41
experience. Was it difficult to going from a physiotherapist, Teoh a doctor?
Christie Lewis: 11:48
No, I really didn't feel it was I actually felt that I had a huge advantage because I had already started communicating, you know, as a physiotherapist, to do a lot of communicating with patients on your spending, a lot of time, 1 to 1 with patients. So actually, I felt like I had a huge advantage turning, becoming a doctor because I'd already started speaking to patient on examining them on some people who would just come from school. That was quite a new thing, a new skill to learn on. So I had already gun that I felt that was a really lovely transition.
Dana: 12:20
Yeah, that transition made a lot of sense. How long were you a physical therapists before you decided you wanted to become a doctor.
Christie Lewis: 12:29
So I after training for three years of the physiotherapist. But I decided Teoh work for two years on, and that's when I started to train is natural interest as well cause I felt it worked really, really nicely on. It was after a couple of years that that's when I really felt like I just wanted to do more. And I on that one decides career change to become adults.
Dana: 12:51
Tell me more about being a acupuncturists. Was it something? Is that, uh, look, a typical combination that people usually dio in your field? Or this is something that had a special like you felt drawn to it?
Christie Lewis: 13:05
Yeah. I mean, to be honest, I've always been quite the holistic practitioner. I'm really into essential oils, Meditation. Andi, acupuncture is something that I've been always fascinating fascinating about. I think I have it for a back problem. Once on, I just found it really fascinating from a scientific point of view, but also from an eastern medicine point of view. So, you know, I just found Tony's medicine really, really fascinating, and it just takes back Teoh 100 100 years. So I found it fascinating. And it is something that the city of charity he wants indeed to help with musculoskeletal problems. Particular pain. But I was actually really interested in the Chinese medicine side of it as well. So I combined the two on. I was I was absolutely fascinated by it. And it worked really, really nicely with my 50th skills
Dana: 13:57
at this point. Were you experiencing a lot of stress yet or was it after you became a GP?
Christie Lewis: 14:03
No, I wasn't taken everything. Much stress at all at this point in my life was very nice. On Guy was living by, was not with my parents, but close to my parents on. Do you know, I I was really enjoying it, but I just felt like I wanted to do more and stressful familia problem at this point.
Dana: 14:20
What do you mean by mawr?
Christie Lewis: 14:23
Yeah, it's really difficult to put a single on it because I I really felt I did feel fulfilled in video therapist and I did really, really enjoy it, but I just felt like I I wanted to stretch myself a bit more. I wanted
Angela: 14:35
to
Christie Lewis: 14:35
learn more it more science. I want to learn. I really want to get more index with health on. And I guess biology. Andi, I really felt like I I could just test myself a bit more on. And I really felt I would always really interested when I was working in a hospital as a physiotherapist, I was really interested in in being a doctor at that point. That's when I should have realized. Actually, maybe I I should have been a doctor. I never had regrets, but it was I was always questioning that career choice, and Ondo would always in the back of my mind, think. And then it just came to a point where I just felt like I Yeah, I just I wanted to explore a different career and used my figures. I will be skilled, its leverage myself.
Angela: 15:23
So once you became a doctor than you know, like how and when did you realize that? Actually, it wasn't quite what you had imagined. Like, it didn't really bring you the satisfaction. And you know all the things that you looking forward to doing?
Christie Lewis: 15:38
Yeah. I feel like I shouldn't feel guilty, but I do feel guilty for for feeling this way because I felt like I had sort of track work so hard to become video and then I decided to career change has worked hard to become a doctor and then suddenly I wasn't enjoying it. So I do actually feel guilty about that. But it's something I'm certainly working on. But it was I guess it was when I was a junior doctor on I have. I guess it's becoming comes in two phases. I think as a junior doctor, it was just general stress because you're working every hour today. Didn't look night shift locked we can on because I was a bit older than the average doctor because I've done a career. I had a career before I was finding I was missing out on a lot and I was I was actually really getting quite frustrated with a job because I felt like we would just pulled in every direction to do everything possible and we we felt I felt like I was just plugging holes rather than really getting to the records of the problem with a lot of situations as a junior doctor on Then when I get became a GP. We also have time pressures. We only have 10 minutes of each patient, which is absolutely nothing. And for me you won't. I really, definitely want to get the root cause of people's problems. I was getting so frustrated I wasn't able to Teoh really help people enough. And so I think in Vice City situations, I feel like I'm just being really, really frustrated. Matt, when I realized that I just needed to do something different
Angela: 17:07
when you realized, Oh, I just spent, you know, a lot of time learning something and then devoting myself. Bullies is something that I thought was going to like fully satisfied me professionally. But then here I am, realizing it's actually not, but what I want to do. Did you tell anyone?
Christie Lewis: 17:23
No, I didn't What I did, was I I just carried on Andi. I just thought to myself, I have to like fifth career. I have to love it because I've dedicated so much time and energy into it on. Do you know I've made my parents really proud of becoming a doctor and you know, my friends are proud and on Guy, and I was I was proud as well, because that's in my head was with my ultimate job. It was my dream. Correra off. Do you know afterwards would have made that decision that I was going to become a doctor, And I really felt I felt really almost ashamed that I've spent so long training on drying to become a doctor in there. I was. I was there, but I wasn't happy. And I think it was Yeah, it was It was really difficult. It was It was actually really difficult time. I didn't tell anybody. And pill my friends on my family all said, you know, Gosh, you're really not happy, are you? Just a bit miserable. And I said, Yeah, I really am. I'm not enjoying this job. What can I do on? Do you know, a lot of people? Do you just stay in their career? Because that's what they feel. Then they should do on.
Angela: 18:22
Then
Christie Lewis: 18:23
society kind of tells us Well, you know, working stressful. But, you know Hey, hey, Andi. But that didn't sit well with may I Just in my opinion, I just felt like I really couldn't live this life. I was early thirties and I was miserable in my job. I just something had to change.
Angela: 18:40
Yeah, I think it takes a lot of courage to actually, you know, look at what you've done and then realize, Yes, I did dedicate a lot of my time and energy and, you know, like, maybe like probably some of the most important years of my life thus far to get me to where I am. But this isn't really the right thing for me and then walk away from that. I think it just takes a lot of car engine. It's amazing, actually. Hear you say it when you realize that this isn't really quite that it thing for you. Then did you do any kind of exploration on your own soul searching to figure out what it is that you want?
Christie Lewis: 19:13
Yeah, I did a huge amount of soul searching actually on when I went away to barley, I just slow down on everything and I just really wanted to priority. But I really wanted to kind of think about what my priorities were in life. Andi. I realized that happiness enjoy and bank fel filled in life were my priorities on DSO When I realized that I then started thinking, OK, what can I dio? I always wanted to still be a doctor. I'm still proud of being a doctor and I still work one day a week of the GP and I still do you love it, But I just felt like I wanted to be able to get to the root cause of the problem with a lot of my patients on. I wanted more time with them, and so I actually went on a few courses. I went to a couple of events locally in London. Andi. I joined the amazing business coaching kind of community on. But was it a real turning point form for me? Because I saw all these amazing women who were previously an incredible job, corporate job, health care, job on, and they were all going through a similar thing to me. They were I thought they'd really reached the pinnacle of their career, but they were miserable, but they knew they wanted to do something else on. So I met all these women, and a lot of people were going into coaching changing careers completely like going into a personal training on. But I just thought to myself. Wow, this is so inspiring. And when I saw that people were doing life coaching and health coaching, I was really intrigued by it. So I went off and did a bit of research on Ben. I actually find out and did a course and actually got my coaching, um, qualification on. I absolutely loved it, and I really felt like I was. It really resonated with me on, so I actually ended up getting my own coach.
Dana: 21:07
Although
Christie Lewis: 21:07
I went on to one with a business coach because I thought to myself, If I'm going toe, I want Kate and I need to get my own case, their
Angela: 21:13
experience of
Christie Lewis: 21:14
it. So we actually got a business coach Andi. I was working with her for about six months
Angela: 21:20
on.
Christie Lewis: 21:21
She really, really helped me to figure out how I could use my doctor skills,
Angela: 21:26
do
Christie Lewis: 21:27
branch out on give more time to patients. And that's when health and life coaching really kind of came about
Angela: 21:35
Interesting. So you wanted to be a coach first and then you got a coach or was a kind of vice versa. You wanted to be a coach and then were you wartime being in Cochin and realize that it's actually super helpful for yourself. You also have a coach.
Christie Lewis: 21:47
Yeah, that's a really interesting question because actually, I joined the business coaching community first because I wanted to figure out what, What? I want to do it in a career on. Then I looked into coaching for so other people going into coaching on, but in a different part of creating more life coaching. Then I was saying I was going therapy at the time, actually, for my disordered eating Andi on. So I was overseeing from coaching and and therapy in my own life then and I think that's when I realized I thought all coaching is interesting and I don't think I said to myself, I want to be a coach, but I really, really like a really resonated with it on. Then I got a business. So Jenny was any until I actually got my business case. But I realized, Wow, actually, I want to be coaching myself,
Dana: 22:33
and this business coach is to help you, Really? To help you figure out what you could do with your, um, with your career, Is that right?
Christie Lewis: 22:41
Yeah. Yeah, I guess So I guess she's not a career coach because in a way, well, maybe it is. But she she really helped me focus on where my priorities were and what my perfect was in life on, drily helped me, too, realized what I wanted to do, but also since I realized that I wanted to become a coach, she's actually really helped me to just push my boundaries a bit
Dana: 23:05
on duh
Christie Lewis: 23:06
realized that just knocked down my limiting belief on. Do you really just step out of my comfort zone and put myself out there? So coaches is amazing at facilitating and motivating.
Dana: 23:20
That's wonderful of. We've talked to a couple of coaches here as well, and I think starting to really think that, like, I don't know, we're starting to really ah, look at coaching as from a different light cause I think I think coaching has evolved in these days. They are kind of different from what we used to think about coaches. Um, could you share with us more about what you're coaching? Sessions were like,
Christie Lewis: 23:45
absolutely so essentially I would I would have a coaching call every couple of weeks of her. It would be online videos on did. She would just really get me clear on what my purpose is. What my mission is in life, Andi. And really just help me get clear on what I really want to dio and it It's just really I don't know it. The coaching is interesting because it essentially as the clients on myself or well, yeah, cut our clients and the coach is really trying to motivate you to come up with all of the answers yourself that you've got all the answers there. They just helped facilitate Teoh answer. You need to bring out their dances on DSO. Yeah, it it was just an amazing variant because I knew that I knew what I wanted to do on day. They just, you know, the coach just facilitates it. So it was a really good sessions, and it was it was very inspiring. Um, on the community itself was amazing as well. She she spoke up this amazing community and a managed to meet look not inspiring people who were doing similar career changes, which is lovely.
Dana: 25:01
Oh, how did she, um how did you get to me? The community. I imagine it to be more like one I want. Or was it like online community? And you can get to talk to other people that she coaches.
Christie Lewis: 25:13
Yeah, absolutely. So there's like a lovely online community, and that's you just pay description. And then essentially, you just meet like minded people. And then if you want to do 1 to 1 coaching, then you even do that as well. It's just a really nice just a really nice ways off introducing yourself. Indication, I guess.
Dana: 25:34
I see. And did you find this online, or was it somebody they found through your network?
Christie Lewis: 25:41
Interestingly, it was a friend to who would be to a workshop on. But she said, You know, I think this community would be amazing for you because I was. I was doubting my career choices at that time, and Andi and so it was just a friend recommended it, which was, which was amazing.
Dana: 25:58
I love how you have, uh, such good social support from your friends in your family who refer things to you. And I kind of like remind you that, for example, like you were so stressed out, you did take a break and then you can talk to these coaches and, you know, these will be, you know, helpful for you. And I think that's really wonderful. Um, I'm
Christie Lewis: 26:18
really, really lucky. I've got a wonderful family, a wonderful break of friends, and yet it I'm very, very lucky
Dana: 26:25
And tell me about your coaching.
Christie Lewis: 26:27
So recently, I now coach, want one client. Andi, I think I'm very I'm very open because I really want to help people to help people manage stress. Essentially. So my focus is on helping people Teoh manage stress, avoid burning out and finding more joy in their life on. So I've got a few clients at the moment on. Many of them are going to be different stresses in alive, some having relationship problems. Some people having a career choice. Problems on by some people are just I'm sure about their health. So I it's quite nice health and life creating work really nicely together. So I've got someone who's got no major nation to exercise and you have no motivation to exercise, really struggling with the health in terms of their diet. Andi. So I've been able to help him with that which is being really, really nice and now I'm going to help him with him. Self esteem issues and confidence issues with around his family and his work on and yes, oh, it's so lovely clubs, such a variety of clients at the moment to have different struggles in their life. It's just lovely to be able to to try and help them to essentially find more joy and happiness in their life.
Dana: 27:46
Yeah, it seems like there's a huge focus on, like, these really important things that a lot of people just are not talking about.
Christie Lewis: 27:56
Yeah, absolutely. And and dreaming that by stress or
Angela: 28:01
oh, the
Christie Lewis: 28:02
joy and happiness,
Dana: 28:04
Um, the joy and happiness, really. I mean, stress first. And But then there's also the joy happiness that I really I think it's important, and I really don't hear enough about people talking about Mark.
Christie Lewis: 28:15
I didn't agree, because I think as a human, I think we naturally don't share when we're feeling happy and joyful together on do you know, because we think that maybe were bragging or showing off?
Angela: 28:29
You know,
Christie Lewis: 28:30
e, I guess if you're celebrating your gains on your on your winds, then I think you know some people. Do you see that is showing off. Actually, we should be celebrating it on. I think a so human to be 10 to Mona lost on booking the negative things in life on it sometimes brings people together at the same time. Andi. But actually I really feel like we need to be sharing happiness, enjoying more because the more we share happiness and positivity, enjoy the more you know people will experience joy and happiness s So I think it's I think it's really important took that
Angela: 29:05
wonderful them for other people that are also And she said in, you know, maybe potentially becoming a coach. Can you shared how exactly you were able to do that? I think obviously, because you were already a GP. So you were already in back capacity of helping and guiding a lot of people full. But, um, toe actually go from, you know, not having a cushion business toe. Be able to say that, you know, on our you have your own website and say that you are a like coach and health and life coach, Like what? What was the process like, where their classes that you thought was very helpful for somebody that you know are looking maybe professional, looking into becoming coach himself.
Christie Lewis: 29:40
Yeah, definitely. So eventually there's lots. Not the difference, Of course, is I guess you can go one now.
Angela: 29:47
You can
Christie Lewis: 29:48
really go down the route off, you know, like years and years off courses. Or you conduce more online, self, self, kind of learning courses as well. On guess it depends on what you want to dio on. I think with with coaching, I think it's you always. You're always learning as well, so you might do a course to get you qualification. But then actually continue Teoh. Do more courses and learn as you go along. So that's that's really what I'm doing. I've been kind of a foundation in my in my life coaching. I'd already done a qualification health. Coaching a doctor on do Now in life Coaching was the new qualification for May on. Do you know why I did that? Drew online means a ding modules and coursework on anatomy worked well, close still working in GP, but some people do actually go and dio more intense courses where you go face to face and do coaching courses is locked out there on again. That just depends what works for you.
Angela: 30:54
I'm also, you know, like, just like they never really curious and interested about maybe potentially finding a coach. But you know what would be your advice to people that don't have a coach yet but are looking for one like, let's say, for a life coach, you know, what are some cart eras When you were looking for your own life coach, like, What did you look for specifically? And then also for like, a business coach? Did you want the person zahau, certain type experience or some type of, I guess product or service offerings that, you know appeal to you? Maura's
Christie Lewis: 31:22
though. Yeah, I guess. For May I
Angela: 31:27
I
Christie Lewis: 31:27
needed Teoh experience. Why that I'm not I'm not too worried. Actually, it's more. It's more how you resonate with that person. You need to get on with them. They unique click. You need to you need to Really? Yeah, I have a have a good sort of report with that person on. I think if you if you follow people on social media or you go to events, whether talking, then you'll you'll get to know whether you like that personal, not on. But I guess if you resonate with that person, then you will work a lot better with them. As a coach. I think it's for me personally. I think that relationship will. That report is really, really important because you need to trust that person and you really, you know, coaching is hard. It really gets you to delve deep into maybe some of the darkest areas him in you and bring up maybe unpleasant things. And so you really need to feel quite comfortable with that person on. So I think on a personal level, I really do feel getting that report with that person is really important. So exploring maybe on social media or going to events where there might be coaches around. I think it's a really good way that you know somebody on. Then, if you click with somebody, give it a go
Angela: 32:34
great point in Tell us how you found your first client.
Christie Lewis: 32:38
So yeah, So it was on social media, actually, which was really grateful for because I had launched my Web site and I I, you know, just started starting out on it was hey approached me. Actually, which was really lovely and those of a hugely grateful for that them and then consent it just being three word of mouth through my website. Andi, I'm started to do more events and things where people are getting to know me. And I think that's the thing. If you show up on you, turn up on your own. Your people get to know you. Then that report was built on bail. Hopefully choose you as a coach.
Angela: 33:17
Well, so someone just contacted you on social media? I'm obviously looking at all of your offerings asses a fault in life, coach. Then, um, tell us. As so I guess I'm sure it's been a few months now that you've been doing this full time. Tell us what are some of the issues like or, you know, not necessarily issues. That's probably not the best way to say it, but what are some of the biggest concerns people come to you with?
Christie Lewis: 33:40
So essentially, I guess, being a GP, I think people have resonated with me a phase. They've had a previous anxiety or depression
Angela: 33:49
on
Christie Lewis: 33:50
Day one medication. And although I have a coach, I'm not giving medical advice because that the boundaries need to be there. But I think people have come to me because I have this the medical background on they've had mental health issues in the park. And so then I guess, Yeah, I think I think also people have come to me because, well, mainly people have had major issues with anxiety and stress on do so. I think you're being a GP has helped with that because I've got a huge understanding of how to how to manage it. Andi people with health anxieties as well, so unsure what to do in the health. So they need Teoh improve their diet or exercise, but also having relationship issues. And I'm just not really sure whether going in life. So actually you know what? It's such a huge variety and that I've been
Angela: 34:44
named e. I
Christie Lewis: 34:45
mean, I could deal with quite a few things.
Dana: 34:50
That's amazing. And I assume that the courses you did they were helpful in helping you answer or support these people finding their answers.
Christie Lewis: 35:00
Absolutely. And I think to be honest, I think life experience is a huge thing. My experiences A GP has been a huge thing on by my own my own life experiences, but also the coaching. I guess with the coaching courses, it just gives you the tools to be able to facilitate people, to come up with the on and say, But what's nice is it with coaching, you can you could be quite fluid and some people have very strict coaches on where they don't really speak and the client comes up with all of the answers. But for May I'm a little bit different because at the G I I come up with a lot of relations. Ondo coaching is quite different to being a GP on, so I've kind of merged the two and I'm kind of halfway in the middle. So it's actually really lovely because I'm I. I help people. I don't necessary office solutions. But I just helped to give a little bit of advice as well as getting there the client Teoh, to take at where I facilitate that them to come up with the answers. So it's actually quite nice. I've merged together, Andi unused my pills.
Dana: 36:05
I'm curious to learn more about how you grew on. I guess social media and word of mouth, Um, what do you think is the most, I guess a valuable thing that you did that help drive, um, clients to you.
Christie Lewis: 36:20
I think for me, I was quite new to social media Before I did all of this. I had a little bit of a block situation going on on instagram, but it wasn't huge on dso getting professional photographed really help because it really gave a Yeah, it just looked really good on my all my instagram page on getting a lovely website on having all my information out there with Kia's well put people to be directed to. I've got some business cards which I I now handout when I'm into then on that I think I think being present in in events and I'm getting myself out there and and speaking, you know, going get me well, have got so much more to dio I I'm still in the infancy of everything, and I I know I need to show up more, So I'm going to be doing more like Instagram TV stories, and I'm going to be doing a series on base. The more event myself say so. Yeah, it's some, I think for me was getting professional photographs getting my website, I'm just starting to show up on Get out there. Really?
Dana: 37:22
Um, yeah, I think sometimes when people look at someone else's, say their social media, sometimes I get a sense that they don't really know this person behind the brand. And I think it's very helpful to to talk to, to talk to people.
Christie Lewis: 37:38
Definitely. And that's what I've realized is because, you know, if you look on my social media at the moment, it's a photograph pictures, which is great. But also I need to I need to do a lot more talking. So I want to do more talking around what I do on. I think that's when people can really relate to you on get to understand you a bit more on. So it's work in progress.
Dana: 38:00
Yeah, and I know that you have a retreat that you co found with a friend M. I'm interested to find out more about it.
Christie Lewis: 38:08
Yes, so it's again. This is all on the theme of stress and burnout. My friends used to be in the corporate world in branding and marketing on she experience burning herself, and then she has become a personal trainer and a politic instructor. And so she had a huge reason in her career. Change. Onda, We live each other in London on, we have got talking and we both said, Look, we really, really want to reach out to more people. We really, really desperately want to help people just manage stress and avoid burning out. So we decided that we desperately desperately wanted to offer people the opportunity to escape the city on to get into a beautiful, beautiful like, relaxing environment in the countryside. Andi just spend the weekend just learning techniques to be able to manage the slack on a century de stress on. So I talk to to everybody about the signs to look out for when you're stressed on day sort of things you can do to help manage your stress on Avoid Burning Out on then has been my friends. She's amazing. She she does a really beautiful restorative exercise on the weekend on Do we Go through Pallotti's and Amazing Stretches and we talk about how we can manage sleek meditation, deep breath, work on Do we have amazing food and it's just a in a beautiful nothing. They walk. It's wonderful that accident you want poeple
Angela: 39:36
sultry sounds like arias about the retreat. Just because it's such a different format, I feel like I'm or I imagine. Let's say I have you as my life coach and we probably have some kind of a medium or format more. We are more or less like communicating on a regular basis. But the retreat to me kind of just like, really takes you away from your you know, the familiar surrounding in your day to day for like, a few days. So what do you think this is, Rachel, about that kind of experience versus having like the coach or somebody that you talked to on a regular basis.
Christie Lewis: 40:06
I love the fact that you can. Well, for May, it was really being held accountable, to be honest. And I think you know, at the end of the day when you're being coached, it's the ball is in your court. So as the client, you have to come up with all the answers. You're the one that has to make the magic happen. You know, the coaches just helping you come up with these things, didn't say and so essentially you've got to do the hard work. And so having a coach on a regular basis means that you're held accountable. You have gold. So, you know, after every call, I give my clients homework, and that's the goal that they wanna reach on. So by the next cool, maybe in a couple of weeks time, you know, we're hoping that they've achieved those goals on. Then we can think of more goals to work toward on if they haven't achieved those goals, that may explore why that might be the case, that why have they not achieved the gold? Is it because off something holding them back? Or is it that the goal wasn't achievable on? So it's really nice to to work on a on A 1 to 1 basis on a regular basis to just really figure out what's holding them back did not achieve certain goals on gun Really put. Yeah, hold them accountable
Angela: 41:19
and tell us what it's like working, you know, for yourself. Obviously you have your own business as a health and life coach. But then you know you co founded this retreat where you are working with another co founder. You know, tell is the difference between like, you know, working for yourself versus working with somebody else as a co founder was the easier, less scary.
Christie Lewis: 41:40
It is really interesting. Actually. I guess I'm working with somebody else's is amazing because it's lovely to have someone there to about five days off on to have some company on bits, quite sociable. And, you know, the pressure's off. Just you, you know, you can share the pressure and the hair, the dress, which is is lovely a same time, you know, we work really, really well together. We get on super people well, but at the same time, if you have a real fixed opinion about something and they disagree than that, there's always a bit of tension there. But But that's rare. That's anywhere. But I get working to yourself is lovely because you make your decisions. Andi, you Congar Verne, you and weak and your your day. And so you're in control of off of everything, which is lovely. But at the same time, it can be quite lonely. Thankfully, I've got a lovely, supported network around me. But if you don't, then it can be quite lonely on,
Angela: 42:33
you know?
Christie Lewis: 42:35
Yeah, and I think I think also, you know, you can't bounce ideas off people on.
Dana: 42:41
And
Christie Lewis: 42:42
if you don't have a support network network around you, and so it can be hard work of yourself. But at the same time, it could be hugely rewarding as well.
Dana: 42:51
Now that you transitioned into this coaching business and you do retreads, how does your lifestyle How is it different now from before?
Christie Lewis: 43:02
Oh gosh, it's amazing. So
Angela: 43:04
oh my goodness,
Christie Lewis: 43:05
my life is just I
Angela: 43:06
mean,
Christie Lewis: 43:06
don't get me wrong. I have my stressful moments still,
Angela: 43:08
but
Christie Lewis: 43:09
I love it because I I have I worked at the GP one day a week on Ben. I've got my coaching clients on one or two days a week, depending on how many kinds of got the time on. Then I do one day a week with my co founder of Restorative Retreats, and we do on DWI. We work together and have business meetings eventually might. My days. My weeks are very, very different each week, a different on so you know, I'll get up and do some exercise. We have my breakfast and then plan, so I will always have to have an organized plan because otherwise I can procrastinate on. And I will sit down and think that I'm doing something and forget about what I'm doing. So I need to have a good plan of action on set my goals on, get my task, Onda achieve them and then, you know, and then I have some time to also go out and do events and access events on network myself and have time off to see friends. So, you know, my life at the moment is really lovely. I feel like a part of lovely balance of things.
Dana: 44:11
That's wonderful. And do you have any tips to be productive and stay on on your time timeline? Cause now that you are essentially, you don't need to, you know, yet work at a certain time and then go home and a certain time, How do you make sure that your days are productive?
Christie Lewis: 44:27
Yeah, that's a really good question. So I do wake up very early. I
Dana: 44:32
wake
Christie Lewis: 44:32
up at seven and I just make sure that I I'd be my exercise in the morning and oh, if I don't, it doesn't matter. But I you know, I do something like a meditation or exercise in the morning to set myself a good intention for the day on, then following that, I just write down my goals for the day. So what do I need to achieve today? I'm amazed. Unrealistic, but I don't see much pressure on myself and so I think it's really key to just have a really good plan and so that you can pick things off and get things achieved. Andi, essentially, what I tend to do is I finished my day when I finished what I need to do. But I often do try and finish in a reasonable time around 67 o'clock on in the evening so that I do have a good evening because if I don't have a good evening that I don't sleep well on. So I am quite strict with myself. But the problem is with being self employed is that if you get emails through the weekend or you have things you haven't done during the week like lesser, then I do tend to work at the weekend too. So sometimes if I if I don't have anything to do over the weekend and I'm fine with that But if I'm very busy than I do, sometimes have a bit of an issue, because I feel that stressed on Sunday evening to get something done. But I am quite strict with myself that I detest. Have my weekend, though, and my evening said that I do. You have, you know, some some time to you just process things on such off.
Angela: 46:02
What's your advice for people that you know also want to kind of leave their comfort zone and start their own business? Do you think they necessarily need to? Maybe, I don't know, go read more about how to start a company. Or do you think that's more important? Teoh. Maybe do some soul searching to make sure that that's the right decision. What's your advice on that?
Christie Lewis: 46:20
Yes, I mean, I don't know if it's the right advice, but essentially, I would say Just go for it. If you've
Angela: 46:25
got too loud in your mind,
Christie Lewis: 46:27
I would just you and you really want to leave your job. I would just say, Look, you know, go for it. I understand that for some people, it's very difficult financially, because if you do suddenly quit your job and you got nothing else as a backup, and that could be really daunting and potentially worrying. So I was very lucky as a GP. I could I could cut down my hours and still work, GP, but I was getting money in on
Angela: 46:49
then
Christie Lewis: 46:49
I did my exploring of what I wanted to do at the same time. So it I guess it does depend on people circumstances. But if people are wanting to change careers, really, we're just explored as much as possible. So soul searching? Absolutely. Why do you want to change careers? What is it that you don't like at the moment? And then on the flip side is what do you want to do that? What is your perfect what? What it is going to make you happy and what your gut feel about what you really, really want to do in life and just explore as much as you can do some research. But at the same time, you can research for years and years and years, And actually, if you don't take the plunge and actually make that that change,
Angela: 47:27
then you're never
Christie Lewis: 47:27
going to do that. You never get is never gonna be the right time, is it? You know, on day I'm still learning on the job. I'm still trying to figure out how to do things on. Do you know he makes mistakes along the way. Nothing claimed to be perfect. But if you don't make that leap, then you're never going to know.
Dana: 47:45
So now that you have this coaching, this is going on and you also do the retreats. And you were in the GP. You were GP in the past. What do you think if you were to ever do a pivot or do something else? What do you think that could look like for you next?
Christie Lewis: 48:01
Oh, my goodness. Yeah. I mean, I have to admit, looking back at my career choices, it's an interesting one. And and to know that I could easily do another tour here. Change, I
Angela: 48:11
guess
Christie Lewis: 48:12
what happens in your life. Doesn't you know, I'm hoping to have Children at some point in my life. And, you know, at that point, I don't know what will happen. I don't know. I've always actually you had this imagination. I would love to run like a lovely, um, kind of being be or another actually, Maybe just do retreat. I really like that idea of doing that, but I think I'll always I always want to be a cage, because I can do that remotely. My can. I couldn't deal with Children. Andi is bringing me a lot of happiness. Enjoy at the moment. So so, yeah. I don't know what anything, anything could happen. I think you have.
Dana: 48:48
Uh huh. I see. And, um, let's see, I believe that's probably all the questions. Um, Angela, do you have any more?
Angela: 48:58
Yeah, I think I We know anyone that's listening to this who are potentially interested in becoming a hunter or starting their own businesses. Going to want to, you know, like ask you probably for some of your recommendations on resource is, you know, to read. Or it's, like, watch or listen to about starting your own business than you know, keeping yourself motivated and also productive.
Christie Lewis: 49:19
Yeah, that's a really, really good question, because resource wise, I think that's quite a personal thing. You know, I what I did was I, um I started following people on Instagram that were potential life coaches on Ben. I live catches on business cages on I also listen to a lot of Ted talks and Pocar Andi I'm just went to events. So I guess it's difficult for me to kind of name particular ones, because if you're living in different parts of the world, is going to be completely irrelevant. But I think essentially what I would say is starts following people on social media that you find interesting. Uh, look at the local event around you that maybe, you know, displaying kind of career coaches or or just inspiring events and tall Andi. Also, listen, start looking at some podcasts out there that might be talking about career changes or coaching, for example on Just absorb yourself in that on Ben sees you start listening more and reading Maurin attending events. You'll just read yoga. Something will click, and you'll just know that that's what you want to do.
Dana: 50:33
And for people out there who want Teoh who are interested in your services, how can they contact you?
Christie Lewis: 50:40
Yeah, absolutely. So I'm on Instagram and Facebook at Dr Kristy Lewis, though it's Theo GTO, while Christie Lewis on and and also I've got a website, dr Kristy lewis dot com Andi Yes, so Essentially, I'm on social media on Got a website and I'm always here. So I love to hear people, you know, you hear from people Anyone want any advice or coaching tips or wants to do want to one things or wants to come to one of our retreat that restorative retreat on
Angela: 51:14
then? Yeah. I love to hit
Dana: 51:15
people. Well, thank you for your time and we'll be in touch. Thank you very much. Have a lovely lovely from the day to thank you. Thank you. That's it for this episode. And thank you for listening. Be sure to subscribe for more interviews and check out our other social media for more content. We're on medium lengthen Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. You can find all the links in our profile. Leave us a message. Tell us what you think and what you want to hear more. Once again. Thank you for listening. And I hope this inspires you to be the change you wish to be and paved the way for more fulfilling careers. Good luck