Hello, I’m Richard (or Rich to some people). I live in a small town on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales, with my wife Rachel, my children Archie and Elsa, and Charlie the Cocker Spaniel. I’m a huge Leeds United fan, I love to sing along to my favourite indie classics, and I could happily eat pizza every day of the week.

In the Spring of 2020 I had an epiphany moment.  As I watched the chaos of the external world at the time, I realised I had the power and capability within me to live life on my terms. As we waited in our homes to recommence ‘normal’ everyday activities, I realised that any frustration at the limitations placed on us, came from my own reaction to an external situation. I took accountability of how I felt and I reframed things to see the situation differently. It suddently became an opportunity to take a ‘blank canvas’ approach and paint a picture of life, that was the vision I wanted to create.

I started to visualise a new way of life which would mean only keeping the elements, the people, activities and commitments, that I really wanted to keep. It was time for a complete overhaul and it felt exciting.

Without being consciously aware of it, I had been ‘stuck’ in the stresses of the daily grind, being a self-employed recruiter, living something of a ‘treadmill’ existence with no real purpose or major fulfillment.

I was bearing the responsibilities of being the main income earner, of giving everything I could as a father, as a husband and navigating the perceived social expectations of life in ‘middle-class’ suburban Leeds.

At surface level there was no issue but I was bored of the mundane social habits, the ‘keeping up with the Jones’ type situations, surface level chats about house renovations, holidays and new cars. I wasn’t interested in any of that!

I hadn’t noticed how far away from my true self I had allowed myself to drift. I had lost my zest for life and at times I wasn’t feeling much at all. A numbness and apathy had crept in at learning to tolerate mediocrity.  I knew at this point it was a unique opportunity, the chance to create a life which gave a sense of genuine purpose and to be the most authentic version of myself I could ever wish to be. To be happy again.

This led to a period of profound change for me on a personal level, and for my family. We relocated from Leeds to the North Yorkshire countryside, for a change in lifestyle and I began tapping into aspects of my self which had lay dormant for years. I got creative again. I started painting abstract art. I got involved in the village pantomime, my first time on stage since primary school. I gave up drinking alcohol. We got chickens, a cocker spaniel and a veggie garden.

I had awakened to my true self and remembered who I really am. I then followed a path guided by my own intuition. An inner-knowing that meant I took action when it felt like the right thing to do. To lead myself into a new way of being that feels lighter and brings a greater sense of freedom. I want to share how I did this and help other people feel the same sense of empowerment, and to live a happier life.

With over 18 years’ experience of helping improve the lives of individuals through their career decisions, I studied for a Certificate in Holistic Life Coaching and now I am able to provide a service which works on a deeper, more profound level.