What is Identities?
How it all started ...
It was back in 2006 when I completed a social leadership course for women and finally built up enough courage to pursue my dream of providing a quality and affordable resource for women that would enable them to reclaim their lost identity.
I have always been committed to my own personal development and supporting others in any way I can. I believe strongly that everyone should have the support to develop their full potential no matter what their life circumstances might be and no matter how much support is required, because everyone has different challenges in their lives.
I have worked with many people in deprived areas who have amazing natural talents and abilities, yet lack the confidence to really believe in themselves. This and my passion to support others really fired me up to bring something into being that would provide support for all women facing barriers or challenges to progression.
As soon as I started talking about my idea of a resource the positive words of encouragement came one after the other. Women from all walks of life resonated with it and told me how much it was needed. This was the catalyst I needed to pursue my dream.
Finally in 2008 Identities was born.
I am passionate about Identities because I too have been through the loss of identity that many women go through and I spent a good number of years trying to find out who I was. When I look back during that time I can never remember a moment when I wasn’t feeling either depressed or in a massive rut.
There came a time after suffering for 4 years of chronic panic attacks that I decided I had to do something to help myself before I started to sink even lower. Almost instinctively I started learning about recovery and self discovery and read all the self help and creativity books I could find. I started to attend college on a regular basis, learning about anything and everything that interested me and took a voluntary job at the local hospital to build my confidence levels and boost my self esteem.
It has taken me over 20 years to start feeling a happiness and contentment in my life that I thought I would never experience again. And now I am still growing, learning and striving to achieve my life vision and enjoying every second of it.
It’s taken me a long time to feel that I am worth something and that what I have to say and give is just as valuable and important as any other human being in this world.
It’s taken me a long time to realise that I am special and unique and that I am the one that has to make every effort to be the person I am meant to be because no-one else will make it happen for me.
I am my own responsibility and the choices I have made have created the circumstances in which I now found myself and the life I am now living.
So Identities is for you all, who are finding yourselves lost, alone and with no identity to call your own.
Remember that YOU matter and your aspirations DO matter. Don’t keep putting yourself to the back of your list!
You will be a part of a network of women from all walks of life who have at least one thing in common – you are all searching for this thing we call identity, so let us walk with you for a while and together we can explore the coaching tools that will support and encourage you to be the person you were always meant to be.
Michelle Swann - Founder
