I'm no stranger to going through dramatic changes in my life. In 2008, I hurtled out of corporate law and straight into motherhood, transitioning from a bustling life in London to a chaotic existence in Athens.
Despite the challenging changes, my life seemed idyllic. I had three beautiful children and a wonderful husband. But deep down, I struggled to find my true purpose. I felt underutilised and underappreciated and had lost a huge part of my identity when I gave up my corporate career. I desperately missed my London life and was searching for a deeper meaning.
In a quest for happiness, I found myself addicted to running.
© GettyPounding the pavements became my avoidance technique of choice. Instead of doing the inner work I desperately needed to, I chose to wake each morning and go for a run – often joking that I had to start my day by 'running away'. I was entirely blindsided by the unhealthy addiction I was developing to running until I realised that I couldn’t stop or even take a day’s break from it.
My running addiction
To the outside world, I appeared to have a healthy habit of running and because I was on a permanent endorphin high, no one knew the depth of my unhappiness.
With hindsight, I wish someone had seen beyond the mask and staged an intervention. I remember praying and asking the universe for a way to stop running because I knew I couldn’t stop of my own volition.
My prayers were answered in the most freakish and awful way one Sunday morning in June 2017, just a week before my 42nd birthday.
My accident
I set out to run a half marathon, but halfway through, I fainted. The force of the fall dislocated my left tibia and I woke up on the ground unable to move my leg or push the bone back into my knee joint.
The pain was excruciating. The injury required two initial operations to relocate the tibia and reconstruct all four ligaments in my left knee, followed by three more surgeries over the next two years to remove scar tissue.
The muscles in my left leg atrophied, leaving me in chronic pain and walking with a limp. During this period, I also faced an unplanned pregnancy and the arrival of my fourth child.
INSPIRATION: A shock diagnosis changed my entire outlook on life – here's what happened
Coping with chronic pain
Chronic pain infiltrated every aspect of my life, affecting my mood, sleep and ability to manage daily stress.
I was constantly anxious, exhausted and frustrated. Unable to escape reality by indulging in sport or dance, I had to reassess my priorities and find a way to accept being still, rehabilitate my leg and manage pain without relying on painkillers.
READ: How hiking soothes my chronic pain
Inspired by an article on frequency healing, I began researching alternative healing modalities.
Alternative healing
A friend introduced me to a nearby area of bedrock with exposed quartz crystals. Familiar with the benefits of grounding – walking barefoot on the earth – I started visiting the site daily, placing my bare feet (and sometimes my whole body) on the crystal-infused rock. The results were extraordinary. Grounding with crystals eliminated my pain and significantly reduced my inflammation.
Determined to share this discovery, I envisioned creating footwear that combined wellness with practicality, luxury with comfort and beauty with utility.
I drew upon my extensive ballet experience with regard to foot health and strength and set about meticulously designing every aspect of my grounding footwear brand, Rokhz, to create comfortable, sustainable yet beautiful sandals for women incorporating grounding, using copper rivets embedded in the soles and adorned with healing crystals. Thus, Rokhz was born.
Listening to my body
This journey taught me the importance of listening to one's body, moving with grace rather than speed, embracing change and finding magic in the mundane. I no longer run, I walk, and I hope Rokhz will inspire other women to step into balance and a deep connection with nature, as they discover the joy of their path.
As I turn 49, my journey from a corporate lawyer to a wellness entrepreneur has been truly transformative.
Introducing HELLO!'s Second Act
© GettyHELLO! wanted to create a space dedicated to sharing incredible stories from midlife; somewhere you can find inspiring stories of like-minded women, living their best life beyond 45.
Enter, Second Act...
For too long, we were expected to fade into the background when we hit 45, but we're here to reframe your Second Act as a celebratory, exciting new chapter with endless possibilities ahead.
From women who embarked on new careers in their fifties, to those who travelled the world alone after their children left home, to women who finally felt confident when they reached their forties, Second Act is devoted to celebrating the incredible stories of midlife, and we'd love to have you along for the journey - because being part of a community makes everything more enjoyable.
