To the outside world all looks fine and dandy.
The owner of a business I adore, I work daily with other entrepreneurs around the globe.
I teach small business owners how to work in smarter, creative ways and inspire them to get their message out to the world.
I get results.
I am passionate about what I do and the impact I have on the businesses and lives of others; work doesn't feel like work.
In short, I love what I do.
My online programmes sell out, I get to earn great money working from wherever the heck I like, and there really is no limit to what is possible.
I am mum to fabulous five year old twin little ladies, I see my family and friends a lot, and my cup runneth over in every respect.
The flip side to that picture is that I live with a handful of chronic illnesses.
Endometriosis has been at my side for 20 years, chronic fatigue for a decade, and fibromyalgia has joined the party more recently.
Rather than be held hostage by symptoms which can sometimes be crippling, I am aware that my business successes have my circumstances to thank, in part, for my ability to succeed.
1. Doing More In Less Time
As my ability to work is often dictated by the amount of energy I have available to me, I have had to get proficient in doing more in much less time.
The workflows and tips, tricks and hacks I implemented to do this became cornerstones of my teaching, and part of my unique offering - hey, being bedbound has to have some benefits, right?
2. I Re-Designed Life My Way
Not being able to play by the "normal"rules means I have adapted what I do and how I do it to work for me, my health and my family.
Neglecting self care is not an option - but then, that's true for all of us.
3. Mindset over Matter
I discovered, the hard way, that mindset is at the heart of being able to deal with unpredictable health; how others may or may not view me, what may or may not be possible for my life and career all needed to be re-framed with a successful mindset to make it work.
That's not to say I don't have dark times when it all feels too much, it's part of the journey. Unblocking a negative pattern of thinking has been essential to my journey as an entrepreneur and also my personal development.
4. Recognising The Need For A Team
Living with invisible illnesses means, understandably, it can be very difficult for others to accept that I am unwell.
It can be hard to believe/accept/understand that whilst I look after myself with great care, I can't control when my body just mat not work as it should or, indeed as I would like it to.
Having a great team around me of friends, medical professionals, complimentary health practitioners and patient loved ones to help me with the ups and inevitable downs made me realise that I needed a team for success, and I began to build my team from an early stage in my business.
Of course, I would love to be 100% pain free and full of energy.
It's a work in progress and I take each day as it comes.
In the conventional, cubicle world I would be unemployable, risky, too unpredictable.
It's a good job I am now the CEO of me.