Britny West - Self-Care Series 1
What is a self-care synonym?
We all have different self-care ideas and self-care activities as it serves to be, because, what may work for you may not work for me.
There are successful people that wake early and ones that stay in bed until noon.
This series consists of a number of different wellness professionals discussing their struggles, their successes, and their stories. But, most importantly, this is a series to discuss the many ways that we as a people delegate our stress and take care of our minds, hearts, and bodies.
Each week we will take a sneak peak at one or two wellness professionals on their own journey navigating their business and their own wellness.
As we can only act as an inspiration, it is a beautiful way to look at how our professional life and our personal life create parallels.
“You are capable of so much more than you realize. Fear is normal when you're doing things most people never do, and you'll succeed because of your willingness to leap even when you're scared.“ - Britny West
What is your name?
Britny West
Where can people learn more about you?
How long have you been working in your field?
6 years
Why did you choose this career?
I've always been fascinated by people and what drives us, why we do the things we do, etc.
Since I was young, I knew I wanted to help people live a better life, although originally, I thought I would be a medical doctor.
It wasn't until I was in my junior year of college that I realized I didn't want that lifestyle. That's when I pursued my master’s in public health with an emphasis in health education.
I thought how cool it would be to reach people before they got sick rather than after the fact.
My first job in the field was as a health coach, and I quickly fell in love with helping people make changes in their lives. I found my passions in mindset, personal development, and behavior change.
In 2015 I quit my corporate coaching job and started my own business as a mindset coach for women in business.
It's been an incredible ride these four years supporting authors, copywriters, coaches, and speakers get out of their own way and pursue their biggest dreams. Last year I started feeling a pull to help people in a different way through my writing.
I finally heeded the call by starting my lifestyle blog Life as Britny in March. My goal is to create a space online where women with anxiety, depression, and other chronic illnesses can feel heard, understood, and inspired.
I'll be sharing mental health tips & resources, travel guides, simple living hacks, and my own personal journey.
I'm super excited about it!
Entrepreneurship has taught me so much about myself, the kind of person I want to be, and what I want to contribute to the world around me.
What did you struggle with the most in the beginning of your business?
I was super shy about sharing and being vulnerable in the online world. It took all the courage I had to post videos on social media knowing that people would see me on a deeper level than ever before.
It's funny to think now how afraid I was, because now I openly share about topics most people shy away from like my depression and personal health struggles and fears.
How do you balance your work/life?
I am incredibly protective of my energy and how I spend my time. When I first started my business, I would meet clients any time they wanted!
Of course, that quickly sent me into burnout!
Now I only take calls twice a week so I can focus on writing and other business activities the rest of the days. It's been a game changer for me. At the same time, I don't necessarily believe in total work/life balance.
Another a-ha moment for me was realizing that my work is not me and is merely one expression of my purpose in the world.
It took the pressure off of trying to prove myself to everyone else and allowed me to find my own way.
What does self-care look like for you?
Self-care is anything that helps me feel my best. Sometimes that's taking a hot bath, watching a show, reading an interesting book, or eating foods that nourish me.
Sometimes it's going deeper, like journaling on what's really bothering me rather than avoiding my true feelings or making a decision to let go of something that's no longer working in my life.
How did you overcome your struggles?
I'm super proud of the fact that I've been working for myself and traveling the world for the last 4 years.
I've helped hundreds of people, launched programs, hosted retreats, and a ton of other things outside of my comfort zone.
Entrepreneurship has taught me so much about myself, the kind of person I want to be, and what I want to contribute to the world around me. There have been many times where I felt overwhelmed, alone, and uncertain of my path and yet here I am still doing this.
I know many of my entrepreneurial friends have had similar journeys, and it's super inspiring to know that we are all in this together.
Honestly, I credit the sisterhood of incredible women I've met through this work with helping me stick it out through the hard times.
That emotional support along with constantly working on my mindset has kept me going.
If you met yourself 3-5 years ago in that struggle, what is the one thing you would tell yourself that could help?
You are capable of so much more than you realize. Fear is normal when you're doing things most people never do, and you'll succeed because of your willingness to leap even when you're scared.
Ignore the people who don't believe in what you're doing. They can't believe in you when they don't even believe in themselves. Surround yourself with the people who get it and don't look back because you're not going that way. You got this!
Where do you see yourself in 5 years when all your dreams come true?
My blog has a large audience of 100K+ readers who love the content and community.
I've written and self-published my first book on Amazon, and it's a bestseller.
Women regularly reach out to tell me that my story and journey has inspired them to make changes that help them feel happier and fulfilled in their lives.
I have citizenship in Croatia where I live with my husband and family in a beautiful home we love near the seaside.
I'm in great health and have plenty of energy to do what I love doing.
I feel a part of something much bigger than me, and I'm incredibly fulfilled in every area of my life.
What are you working on that you want to share?
Every week on Monday and Wednesday I publish a new blog post on Life as Britny on how to live well with depression and anxiety.
MINDFUL MODERN NOMAD, EMPOWERMENT COACH, EMOTIONAL BODY MAPPING COACH/TEACHER, LMT.
I can happily say that my dreams came true with both my mindset and holistic business coaching and with my bodywork and emotional body mapping teaching. I feel I am finally fully able to be there every step of the way with my client's needs and be a witness to the process.
ARE YOU A HEALER, A GIVER, WORKING IN A SERVICE-BASED BUSINESS (WHETHER IT’S YOUR OWN BUSINESS OR NOT)?
Are you forgetting to make space for your personal expansion, healing and growth? Do you put YOUR wellness on your calendar? Stay inspired doing the thing you do for other people by joining our EMOTIONAL BODY MAPPING ACADEMY, created for people just like you and I, who serve to be reminded that holistic care starts with holistic self-care.
Enroll in our Self-Care Unicorn Emotional Body Mapping Course:
Buy the book “The body speaks: Conversations on Emotional Body Mapping”
