Finding the light in her voice
Kathleen Norris has been on a quest to find her voice and true purpose.
So much, that she is having singing lessons to help her overcome her self consciousness and find her bravery.
But the thing is Kathleen is already brave.
While there is no way she would ever bungee jump, she knows it is not always the big things that make you brave. It is the small things like getting out of bed when you don't want to.
For Kathleen bravery is doing something even though it's unpleasant, hard or scary.
"Bravery is sometimes putting one foot in front of the other. Bravery is knowing when you need help and asking for it."
Two years ago, Kathleen had a physical and mental breakdown. After working for 20 years as a teacher Kathleen chose to resign from teaching after feeling unhappy and burnt out.
"The job was quite literally killing me and I was diagnosed with a couple of autoimmune conditions and also had a liver failure scare caused by medications.
“ I became too physically ill to work and my already fragile mental health took a huge beating too. I had always attached my self-worth to what I could 'DO'. Then when I couldn't 'DO' anything, I fell into a very dark hole of feeling useless and worthless."
Kathleen said she was often too sick to even get out of bed and eventually had to let go of her fierce independence and seek some help.
From specialists to a nutritional therapist for her physical health she also began counselling and life coaching for her mental health and to facilitate finding a new career.
During this time, for a brief moment Kathleen returned to teaching but found that she could no longer do the job.
"Where I was mentally just wasn't compatible with the current demands of the job. I have a soft heart and it was being beaten into a pulp every day."
Part of Kathleen's healing has been tapping back into her creativity
"I am currently finding my true purpose as an artist, having just started a little art business.
"The goal for me is to learn to love who I am and accept that I am lovable and worthy of happiness.
"I am a work in progress and have been working hard at finding my voice, loving who I am and realising I have a light to shine.
It has taken Kathleen many years to realise she was intelligent and creative and had something to offer the world.
"It wasn't always easy. I had to do the Uni thing with little family support.
"To be honest, I think my soul's purpose is yet to fully reveal itself.
"I know my painting is one part of it, and having others encourage me in that endeavour has been huge at giving me the confidence to realise I'm pretty good at it."
Most importantly, Kathleen has made it her life's purpose to end her family's generational trauma after she survived years of childhood sexual and physical abuse.
"The damage from a traumatic childhood doesn't end when the abuse does. It takes an awful lot of reflection and behavioural change to undo the negative messages you've believed for so long"
"I want to ensure my boys are unconditionally loved and become happy, well adjusted adults."
Kathleen has been with her wife Jodie for 19 years and together they have three boys.
" Ultimately it has been my wife and three boys that have kept me on this planet and in the physical realm. I love them more than words can express.
"Plus, I'm also a person who doesn't like to give up (even though sometimes I wanted to). I have a lot of sheer guts that has kept me going. "
When asked what Kathleen loved about being a modern woman, she replied that it is our capacity to do anything and be anyone.
" We might not always have the opportunity or the means, but if given the right conditions, women CAN do anything.
"My hope for women is that, first and foremost, you embrace the concept that you are your own person and that you give light and breath to your own soul's purpose, needs, desires.
"Once you find your own inner peace, you can share your light with others."
If anyone you know needs support call Lifeline 131114 or Beyond Blue 1300 224 636.