Are you still introducing yourself as the person you were 20 years ago? It’s so easy to cling to old definitions of ourselves, even as our environments change. We tweak old behaviours to fit in, like a chameleon changing colours on the outside, but remaining the same on the inside.
For me, this hit home when I was 40, starting a new job, moving from sports teaching into business coaching and consultancy. I was still clinging to the identity of being an athlete. Lacrosse had been everything to me when I was younger – living and breathing the sport, lucky and talented enough to travel the world playing for my country. But as a supposed grown-up, that wasn’t who I was anymore. Yet, the words, “Hi, I’m Rick, I’m a lacrosse player,” were still coming out of my mouth.
That was the turning point. It became obvious I was too frightened to let go of the past, so much so that I hadn’t even considered the possibility of what I might become. It was time to investigate and uncover the human being behind and beyond the athlete. This demanded a different, challenging path – like a caterpillar entering the chrysalis, unlocking its potential to become something entirely new. The search for the butterfly within me had begun.
What a rollercoaster it has been. My personal development journey took many forms: coaching to unlock a new future, therapy to understand the past, and spiritual and contemplative practices to connect with the present. This quest led me across the world, studying with inspirational guides and teachers, spending long retreats in silence to quieten the inner voice, using breathwork to heal old wounds, and meditation to expand my thinking – all in service of finding my way back to me. Back to who I was before I learned to carry the armour of the warrior and high achiever.
Therapy connected me to my heart. Coaching developed the courage to face the demons I’d been running from. Contemplative practices enabled me to find a new sense of self, one with greater depth than I ever imagined. Learning the value of slowing down, the pause that allowed a closer look at that inner voice – the one driving the relentless striving, always hungry, never satisfied. The age-old voice that kept telling me: “You’re not good enough,” “You can’t trust yourself to be who you are,” and “You need to earn the love you seek.”
This work was hard, and I couldn’t have done it alone. This wasn’t the same old fighting and competing to prove my worth; it demanded a new type of courage, stepping through shame to share the cruelty of that inner voice. Realising I wasn’t alone was a profound relief, and putting that weight down was truly liberating.
This deep and profound inner work has been the source of who I am today: the founder of Human First. Human First offers a multi-modal coaching approach that delivers genuine transformation by integrating personal development, therapeutic insights, and contemplative practices. Our methods focus on helping people:
- Understand and integrate past experiences: We use therapeutic techniques to help you make peace with your history.
- Cultivate present moment awareness: Through contemplative practices, we guide you to connect deeply with the “now” and quiet the inner critic.
- Design and step into your desired future: Our coaching methodologies empower you to envision and actively create a future aligned with your authentic self.
Each of our coaches is deeply committed to their own ongoing inner work, this is not just something we ‘do’, it is at the core of who we are. This isn’t work for the faint-hearted; it’s for those ready to meet their demons head-on, wrestle with them, and ultimately make peace. It’s about reclaiming the parts of ourselves we learned to hide.
If this resonates with you then this a chance to take everything you’ve learned from your incredible experiences and challenges. It’s an opportunity to understand where you might still be trapped and to release yourself from that cage. You don’t need to worry about giving up your edge; your strengths were born from the strategies you needed to survive and thrive. They were the foundation of many of your successes. This journey is about gaining choice. A choice in how you respond: do you do what you’ve always done, or do you choose a new direction?
Too many people are sleepwalking, unconsciously repeating the same patterns and getting no closer to what they desperately want. But you are different – you are among the lucky ones who believe in new possibilities.
Imagine what would be possible:
- If you believed you were truly good enough?
- If you could trust yourself to be your true self?
- If you didn’t need to earn love, but could be loved simply for who you are?
Imagine what you could discover. Imagine who you could become.
If you can see the possibility of a new future and are ready to start your journey – Be courageous. Reclaim your potential. Step into a new future.
Ready to explore your Human First journey?
Get in touch rick@h-d-i-a.com to schedule a complimentary discovery call.
I look forward to connecting with you.
Clear view 