In this episode I chat Lisa Cox; she is an Author, Speaker and Nutritional Health Coach. Lisa is on a mission to motivate more women to take responsibility for their own health and wellbeing. She has a long history in sports and fitness but also a very unique personal story that brought her healthy lifestyle to an unexpected halt.
For more information head to http://lisacox.co
About Lisa Cox
I’m Lisa Cox and I want to help you Find Fearless Freedom.
Find Fearless Freedom is so much more than my fancy-pants tagline. I believe that you, yes you, are capable of so much more than you give yourself permission or credit for. Life can have serious challenges but life can also be seriously amazing!
How do I know that? I’m not just writing or speaking about it, I’m actually living it and I can’t wait to share my insights and experiences with you!
Trust me, my life is anything but stereotypically ‘perfect’ (you can read more about that below). We all have challenges but we also have choices. I never planned to have my world turned upside down, I never planned to be disabled and I never planned to lose a lot (including some body parts!). But I did choose to always make the very best of what I do have. Doing this in your life can make the difference between merely existing and truly living with passion, purpose and pride.
I want you to fall absolutely head-over-heels in love with your life. I want you to appreciate all of the wonderful things about your body, your brain and the incredible connection they share. I want you to regain control of your life and start living on your terms with NO excuses. I’ve a sneaking suspicion you seriously want the same things. Best of all, I know you can do it! By fusing evidence-based science and energetic spirit, I want to help you realise your potential.
Renew your relationships, restore your confidence and recharge your career aspirations. Whether your motivation needs a complete overhaul or just some fine tuning, it’s time to reclaim your self-worth, and reaffirm what really matters to you.
So anyway, a little bit more about me… I’ve spent many years climbing. At first it was rock climbing in Thailand and then it was climbing my way out of a massive health crisis. I’m still climbing today, failing then trying again – but that’s life! This doesn’t define me but my stories, scars and disabilities are such a huge part of who I am today that I wanted to share it with you in a bit more detail here. Plus, it will give you context to some of my work.
At age 24 I had a brain haemorrhage, like a stroke. It was caused by a nasty virus (Streptococcus-A) and to this day, nobody knows how I contracted it.
Before that, life was pretty good. I’d been to university, played lots of representative sport, travelled overseas, moved into my own place and after years working in the corporate sector, I had just been promoted in my dream job.
After my brain haemorrhaged at the airport one morning, I spent the next three weeks in a coma and two month on life support. Pneumonia, heart attacks and uncontrollable seizures took hold of my body as all of my organs shut down. Technically, I died twice in hospital but was resuscitated (obviously!) to keep living out a life I loved. My family was told they might have to turn off my life support but then my brain started to recharge and every single cell in my body regenerated.
So that was bad but then it got really crazy. I spent over a year in hospital, the first time and underwent over a dozen operations and procedures. This included, heart surgery, the amputation of one leg, all my remaining toes and nine fingertips. I’ve since returned to hospital for a total hip replacement and open heart surgery.
The permanent damage to my brain has affected my speech and memory, left me over 25% blind, epileptic and frequently fatigued. Osteoarthritis has set up home in nearly every joint throughout my body as well.
I had to hit the restart button on so many areas of my life.
At first, it was things like moving, speaking and eating that I had to relearn – even brushing my teeth was a challenge! Then it was bigger things like my career and relationships which all had to be completely re-established.
I’m not a victim and I’m not sharing what happened as part of a “poor me” story of woe. But I understand what it’s like to start over, to start with really small goals and go from there. I understand what it’s like to feel different or know that the future seems overwhelming and exciting at the same time. Confidence? Dreaming big and starting small? Motivation? Physical and mental health?Adapting to change? Dealing with challenges? I’ve honestly been there. Is there a little (or big) change you want to make in your life?
I’ve worked hard to continue living a life that I absolutely adore. My days are very different now but I still love each one and I want the same for you!
This podcast episode has been edited by Steph Dower from www.dowerproductions.com