Shine the Spotlight: The Psychology of Health & Business

Episode 1: Welcome to The Sustainable Success Series

• Nichi Morrin • Season 1 • Episode 1

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In this inaugural episode of The Sustainable Success Series, Nichi Morrin introduces the mission behind the podcast, which is part of The Million Seen Movement. Nichi shares her deeply personal journey of overcoming invisible conditions, trauma, and adversity to achieve sustainable success in life and business. She discusses the challenges of living with invisible conditions, the importance of becoming one's biggest advocate, and the need for sustainable solutions to regain energy, purpose, and fulfillment in life.

Key Takeaways:

  1. The Million Seen Movement:
    • A global initiative aimed at advocating for and empowering individuals living with invisible conditions to be seen, heard, and supported. Healing begins when people feel seen and heard, allowing them to re-engage with life.
  2. Nichi’s Journey:
    • From a burnt-out, chronically unwell woman to stepping into her unique zebra stripes, Nichi's transformation involved healing on a mind, body, heart, nervous system, and soul level.
  3. The Zebra Metaphor:
    • Zebras symbolises those living with unique, invisible conditions, who don’t fit the mold of “common horses.” The podcast encourages embracing individuality (your unique stripes) and overcoming perceived limitations.
  4. Transformation Tips:
    • Mind: Surround yourself with supportive people, engage in intentional mornings, and practice self-reflection.
    • Body: Incorporate restorative yoga, meditation, and a healthy diet.
    • Soul: Connect with your authentic self, align with your values, and embrace joy and receptivity.
    • Nervous System: Focus on regulation to handle growth and change.
  5. Redefining Success:
    • Success is about a life rich with health, happiness, purpose, and stability—not just wealth. It involves doing things that ignite you without sacrificing your wellbeing.
  6. Final Advice:
    • Don’t wait to make changes. Fear will always be present, but courage involves moving forward despite it. Start living fully now.

Links Mentioned:

Thank you for listening to Shine the Spotlight: The Psychology of Health & Business.  If you enjoy this episode please SUBSCRIBE to our show to stay informed. You are also keenly invited to give us a rating as well. 

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/nichimorrin/
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/nichimorrin/
To purchase Nichi's book Girl, Get out of the Freaking Car!  - Please contact us via social media                                                                                                        
Psychology services - www.rewiredpsychology.com.au

Previous Intro and Outro music: Inspirational Acoustic - Organic Harmony by Sonican; and Andrii Poradovskyi from Pixabay.  Current music: levgen Poltavskyi from Pixabay.  
Disclaimer: This content is general in nature and intended for educational purposes only.  It is not deemed as psychological treatment and does not replace the advice from your health professional or need for psychological treatment.  

Welcome to the sustainable success series. The podcast where my mission is to transform the worlds of those living with invisible conditions. Supporting them to become their biggest advocates, begin to heal and make sustainable changes to get back. Being too busy, living. We explore sustainable success in health relationships in business, we raise awareness and we share humble and relatable stories from people just like you. Driven visionary people who dream of more for their life without sacrificing their health or happiness. Or being stuck behind those invisible chains. Plus the insights knowledge, and know-how from those in the field. I'm your host, Nikki Morin. I've been through the trenches myself through trauma, adversity and invisible conditions. I've combined. My lived experience, my learnings and my diverse knowledge as a clinical psychologist. Sustainable success, coach, author, rural business woman, and entrepreneur to transform my life. My vision is to inspire a global movement for a world where invisible conditions are understood, accepted and met with sustainable solutions, impairing people to live with energy, purpose, and fulfillment. And I do this through the million seen movement. Join me and be inspired. Be curious in become excited. This is the sustainable success. Welcome to the sustainable success series. I'm your host, Nikki Maren. I'm so excited to have you here listening to the very first episode. As y'all get to know this forms. Part of my mission. Which is to transform the worlds of those living with invisible conditions. Supporting them to become their biggest advocates, begin to heal and make sustainable changes to get back. Being too busy, living. Because people living with invisible conditions is still something where people are not seen or heard, and life can be impacted on every single angle in to me. Every person is their own unique little world. My vision as a neuro invisibility advocate is to inspire a global movement for a world where invisible conditions are understood, accepted. And met with sustainable solutions, empowering those people to live with energy, purpose, and fulfillment. To do this, I've started the million seen movement, which is a movement to encourage inspire. Advocate and help a million people living with invisible conditions to be seen. When you're seen and you're heard is when healing can start and you can get back. Engaged in life and all aspects of living. So with this first episode, I'm going to be sharing some of my own story. And. Talking about how YouTube can choose to change the way you live for the sake of your life. I went from a burnt-out unwell, scared to be seen woman dreaming of more for myself and my family. To stepping out of the freaking car, into my unique zebra stripes in my life. I've learned to heal from the inside out to find energy alignment and successful living. This required a transformation at a mind, body, heart nervous system in soul level. To be able to take inspired action towards a creative entrepreneurial career. And to be able to do my most meaningful work. So the successful zebra in this series was born out of my own experiences and the lack of awareness, knowledge, and support that there is for people living with invisible conditions. Those things. They, these are the things that are often had to be. Uh, measured or cannot be seen. Things that are maybe harder to diagnose or take a long time for people to get help. They can be often ignored, dismissed, or put in the too hard baskets. For those in the world who seemed to not really fit as the square pig that they're trying to fit into the round hole. So these are referred to a zebra beans. They live with a condition. That's not just a common horse, but a zebra. Some examples, complex physical health conditions. such as elastin loss syndrome. Uh, pots. Pain conditions, endometriosis disabilities. That's just naming a very few. There's so many others, um, mental health conditions, or neurodivergence such as autism or ADHD. So to get started, I work as a busy clinical psychologist in a private practice practice that I've founded in rural Queensland. I also have my coaching business, the successful zebra. Which is a nonclinical coaching and consulting business. It was through my own journey from being burnt out and chronically unwell, struggling physically, mentally, and emotionally and living week to week. I was a busy woman. I felt as though I was being, being consumed by life by stresses, by tasks. My health was getting worse and I felt like those, the ceiling over the top of me that did not allow for any growth. I had a ton of trauma and grief and chronic stresses from my past that seemed to have some consciously weighed me down. And it contributed to my illness. So each of these stresses and traumas had imprinted on my nervous system. More recently I've become an author. With my first book, girl, get out of the freaking car. Just released. This is a transformative guide to help other women who live with invisible conditions. Who feel like they're pulled up at the red carpet to their life, but too scared to step out of the car and enter their life. Or their dreams. It resonates with my own story of wanting to step into the arena. Achieved my goals, but feeling too scared to unwell. Or like, I couldn't manage it. So we have the journey though. Things have not been easy. And I'll briefly go over some of these things in this episode. And some of these things. around the taboo sort of topics. They're often stigmatized or women may feel ashamed to speak about. For years, my husband and I went through fertility treatment, several pregnancy losses, lots of heartache, lots of grief. And then when we had our two beautiful daughters. That was the biggest blessing and most amazing win of our life. As a woman it's devastating when infertility impacts your life. It's the one thing that you expect to be able to do or to work for you. And it just happened naturally. And when it doesn't. It completely guts. You. Anyone who's been through fertility treatment or going through it, we'll get it. When I say it's traumatic. Well, it's, it's, it's texting on every level of your being. Financially. Physically mentally, emotionally, relationally on every level. Back then there was no reason given for infertility, but fast forward, almost two decades later. I discovered that I had PCO S, so polycystic, ovarian syndrome, endometriosis and endo sister at a no meiosis. After the birth of my second child, I became deathly unwell. I had preeclampsia overactive thyroid and high blood pressure. It resulted in an emergency C-section five weeks early. However, all of my organs started shutting down. I was put in intensive care and very, very unwell. About eight months later, I became unwell again. Doctors fan hundreds of nodules in my lungs. And these were a mystery, elusive nodules. I tested positive for a pulmonary embolism, which thankfully disappeared. But I was sent for all the tests under the sun to work at what these nodules were. They thought it could be lung cancer, but the largest nodule was too close to a main artery to biopsy. So after all the months of stress thinking I was going to lose one life, not seeing my family grow up. Eventually they disappeared and then it was a re. Uh, road to recovery for getting my health back. I feed that I would die. I feed. That I wouldn't have a future. There were so many things I wanted to do yet. That I hadn't been able to do. I declared that if I. Well, once I did survive. I was going to start uni and start studying, which is exactly what led me to psychology. I had all of those. I'm not good enough. I'm not smart enough. I'm too old thoughts going through my mind, but you know what? I did it anyway. And I proved all of those negative beliefs wrong. I worked two jobs. I was a mom, a business owner and a wife. It was super hectic, but I was never one to sit back and wait for a door to open. I would build a door to that opportunity. After all of that, we seem to have one cancer diagnosis after another, in the family. First with my little nephew diagnosed with a rare brain tumor at 18 months old. Then my sister-in-law with bowel cancer. Then my mum was breast cancer. And then my mother-in-law has lung cancer. It was as if all their hearts were being ripped out every single time. And if that wasn't enough, well, there's still more so chronic invisible illnesses decided to then impact my life, my husband's life. And my daughter's. With diagnoses such as fibromyalgia, Ehlers Danlos syndrome. Pots and chronic fatigue taking up residence in our family. And boy did this lead to experiencing firsthand. The lack of knowledge awareness in support at there is out there for people with these invisible conditions. And it can be so traumatizing for people in their families, living with these illnesses, when you get no validation or help the wrong sort of help, it gets misrecognized misidentified or trying to find someone who knows anything. Going through it is frustrating. Disheartening, traumatizing. And it highlights the massive gap that there is for people with these conditions. There needs to be so much more research and advocacy and awareness and it can break my heart. To know that there's such ignorance and stigma, lack of understanding and education still. So common. Is what has made me start this mission. Somehow I may at three, three degrees and founded my own clinic. But after all of the health traumas and trauma associated with this. I still seem to be living the same patterns in my life that kept wearing me down, kept me stuck and my health suffering. I was a very well, I am a very high functioning, busy ADHD. He tends to constantly juggle multiple balls in the air at once. I'm a zebra bean. Who's this big dreaming, creative visionary. I have all these impactful ideas, but then my health wouldn't go down. The stress would creep up and someone could get in the way of ever. Of me ever been able to bring these ideas to life. I was constantly over-committing overcompensating putting everyone else's needs before my own and putting myself last, I felt guilty for, I looked after me and I was too scared to get out of my comfort zone. And from the many women that I've interviewed, this seems to be a common pattern. My life has been threatened a few times, but the last one was the last straw. I got extremely unwell following a surgery that was done very poorly to say the least. I was left with significant issues to my uterus. In damage. Which then lead to excessive and prolonged bleeding and anemia. It flared endometriosis and Edna meiosis. And it led to chronic infections and chronic fatigue since started. It was as if all the reproductive organs were under fire. Which then resulted with my entire nervous system becoming sensitized. So with the central sensitization in, when everything from my bell, bladder, stomach lands, brain eyesight, everything, my attention, everything was affected. This led to then the development of fibromyalgia, I felt like I was being killed. I ended up losing my uterus after some time. With a force hysterectomy. But even that wasn't straightforward. My bladder had attached itself to the uterus. The uterus had twisted. And it was at the side. So bladder surgery had to be performed at the same time as the hysterectomy. I was warned. It would be a long recovery. And that inside my pelvis was the worst the surgeon had ever seen in their career. And this road to recovery could not just be a physical one. It had to be a mind, body, soul, and nervous system approach. Uh, a whole system, holistic life approach. I couldn't show up for my family, my work, my relationships, all myself. In a way that I wanted to, or that was sustainable. That was the turning point. I had so many major stressors and traumas on top of the health issues. And the entire system went shebang and it could no longer take it. I could barely function. That's when I decided to make changes for my life, for the sake of my life. I had to break free of those invisible chains that were keeping me on. Well, keeping me stuck. In that chronic burnout. That's cycle of burnout. I had to learn to live a new way and work in new way. It's like Einstein famously had said they're doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is insane. And with this in mind and my new diagnoses on board. I chose to put a plan in place to get well overcome those fears that kept getting in the way and get back living with purpose. I wanted to achieve the goals. I'd always dreamed of. But in a way that sustains my health and wellbeing. Transformations not easy. I like to refer to myself as a zebra woman on a journey to health, wellbeing, growth, and finding my greatness. I refer to myself as a zebra, that doesn't need a concrete definition. Zebras are not defined by labels. I think of the term as a metaphor that resonates with the idea of embracing your own individuality, which is represented by their stripes. No two zebras have the same stripes. Like no two people do. And us Deborah's were capable to overcome those limitations in achieve personal growth wellbeing in success. Being a zebra. I refer to being in one of three zones, the planes of safety. The fenced in Savannah or the horizons of transformation. The Plains of safety is the comfort zone is where zebras stay in familiar territory. They graze on nine pastures, they feel secure within their herd. They're reluctant to venture be on the safety of their surroundings. Life is predictable, but there's little room for growth or new experiences. This is where I'd spent a lot of time. Then when I got unwell with chronic health issues, I was forced into the fenced in Savannah. This area symbolizes the limitations that can find zebras. Tsipras in this space can see the vastness of the Savannah beyond the fence. But they feel trapped by the limitations they perceive in their life. Where I wanted to move to live. Was the horizon of transformation. This is where zebra breaks free from the herd and the fences to explore new territories. It represents the journey towards personal growth, success, and wellbeing. Zebras in this space are willing to face the unknown to take risks. And adapt to new challenges. They embraced a unique stripes, which symbolizes their individuality in their strengths. And they can use these to navigate through life's challenges and opportunities. And your nervous system has to be in a place where it can tolerate this. So to get there, I really had to start practicing what I preach. Working on that nervous system. Increasing its tolerance and working at a mind, body and soul perspective. For the mind I chose to surround myself with the people that rise me up. They support me and they make me accountable. They also encouraged me to use my voice. I started about four or five mornings a week with intentional mornings. I'd make the start of the day, a meeting with myself. I'd integrate gentle restorative, yoga, physical movement, and meditation into my life. And oh, how I love this connecting with my inner being slowing down in learning soulful practices. I also reduce sugar intake, change my diet to more protein and insulin resistant, eating. And I started engaging in things that I enjoyed and gave myself space for finding joy. I put a magnifying glass on my energy and where it was going. And I also focused on. Where, where can I put my energy? That's going to ignite it. I had to get in touch with my values and my true, authentic self. Throughout this journey, it really made me realize a few things. Firstly, how short life is. But also her pressured precious life is in to make the most of every single day. Every day is a blessing. This is something that I just want to shout to the rooftops and help others do too. Secondly, I want to create a life that aligns with my values, because have you ever found anyone who's not happy if they're aligned with their values? Third, stepping into an owning my own unique zebra stripes, being proud of those stripes. And being bold in my authentic self. That's happiness. Letting go of the fee that gets in the way. When you decide to make changes to your life in order to start living, it's a hard journey. But surrounding yourself with those that lift you up and ignite you is one of those important case. So if we think about what success is and what does it mean for me? Success to me is not about having rolls of money. It's about having a rich. A life that's rich with health happiness. Purpose connections, stability, and being able to maintain that. To do the things that ignite me or I've always wanted to do without having to sacrifice my soul, my health. And have the energy to be able to show up to those that matter to me. It's about being able to function throughout the day or take time for myself. Success means something different for everyone and the littlest things. Often the biggest victories to be celebrated. For me. A big focus is executing my mission. Raising awareness, giving hope, being a voice and an advocate for those that have experienced in visibility. And often feel overlooked so they can step out of their freaking car and get back living life. And do this in a way that supports their health and their wellbeing. So some advice I'd like to give others is don't wait until tomorrow. Start making changes. Now you are worth it. Fear is always going to be present. Yeah, illnesses are always going to be there. We can't have courage without fear. But those who have those fears or those anxieties with them. Let's remove them from the driver's seat and let's put them in the backseat or even the boot. Or better yet in the trailer. Fear and anxiety is there to keep you safe. But sometimes as I know, I've learnt myself, it can do too good. A job at keeping you safe. And then it stops you actually living. Uh, one of the big things that I've said to myself, Is I notice when that fear or anxiety creeps in. I acknowledge it, but then I say to myself, I'm going to do it anyway. So that comes to the end of the first episode. I am so excited. That you're joining me on this important mission. In the show notes below, I have links to where you can find me on Facebook on Instagram. Or where you can purchase my book. So stay tuned for the next episode. Stride strong and stay bold. Thank you for listening to the sustainable success series. Our content is general in nature and does not replace the advice from your health professional. Please subscribe to our show and follow us on social media. To stay up to date and connected.