“Now me”

 When Naama came for coaching, she was already at a difficult stage with herself, "I was in a terrible state, utterly hopeless, I felt very down, usually I am a very happy and optimistic person, it was a time when I felt that everything was closing in on me and I went into state apathy that is very unlike me. I felt no more power to cope with anything.”  

Naama is a 59 years old single mother to Eden, a 23 year old young adult dealing with a rare genetic syndrome. Naama underwent coaching process in which she found herself experiencing a powerful change she never believed she would ever. Most encounters went via skype because of her distant location.

Tell us a little about Eden, about dealing with such a rare syndrome
"I gave birth to Eden twenty-three years ago, in the first moments after birth, everything seemed to be normal, but right after that he went into coma, was rushed to the intensive care unit and stayed there for four months, there was a battle for his life in which it was discovers that he had a rare syndrome, characterized by sub The activity of the pituitary gland, which is expressed in a hormonal deficiency affecting all body systems.”

“This is when our journey to the unknown started. I was happy that he is alive and that I am going back home with a baby which was not clear at the time, I love him more than anything Ever since he was born, I am not letting myself feel because I am afraid to crush and I cannot allow it.”

“I came to the coaching process with a “wound”, for the past 23 years I am holding everything in – my dreams in the attic. My desires are not expressed at all and I dedicate my entire life to my son. I do not regret it for a moment, if I had not gone out to battle for his life, he would not have gotten anywhere to this day.”

“I kept waiting for Eden to be big enough for me to start doing something for me, to start living, and the opposite happened. Precisely as he became more and more independent and left home for national service, quietly created, rather than enjoying my time, it was precisely then that I felt great difficulty.”

So, what actually brought you to seek coaching? What was most difficult for you before starting the coaching process?
“I understood that I am getting older and weaker but mostly I don’t know how I continue form here. I realized that would not be able to be in control for the rest of my life, that there would be a situation where I will have to take care of myself more than of my child, and what then?”

“These are very difficult question, which seems that many parents of special children are coping with. Up till now it was somewhat set aside, when reality suddenly confronted me with it, I do not know what to do.” 

What insight did you reach during the coaching process?
In two words: “Now Me!”
“I realized that if I will not do it for me this will not happen, there is never the right time, and I need to learn to take time for myself. This was a powerful defining moment for me to realize that I don’t want to give up on myself and I have to grab it with both my hands and create for myself a reality that will allow me to enjoy life just as I should, wish and aspire without fearing the words: “I deserve it!”

What in the coaching process brought you to this insight?
“In a close and productive process, while working in depth, receiving assignments, exercising and meeting with my coach things resurfaced and I rediscovered and understood”.

Is this something you did not do before? 
I had a great desire, but I set myself last since there was always someone more important. Until I realized that if I will not take no one will give me, no one. Life goes on. I am almost 60, when will I do this?”

“After the fifth encounter in the coaching process I felt that I was acting differently, speaking differently, daring and realizing that the change begins.”

Thanks to the very powerful exercise we had, I rediscovered my animals and vitality, my vitality and liveliness, boldness and creativity, the same powerful qualities that have always existed in me. Only instead of channeling them for me, I channeled them for the care and needs of my beloved and very dear son (and I am not sorry for a moment), however, I am glad to discover that there is still something left to take me to another place entirely. I thought I had already lost most of my strength, because everything seemed so hard that I reached the coaching process in a state of exhaustion. I'm so glad I went for it, that I identified the opportunity at the right moment."

What do you do today? What has changed? 
"A year ago I started a business that came about as a result of a big change in Eden's diet. Eden is Gluten intolerance, and when it stopped with gluten at the doctor's advice, we decided we will manage two kitchens at home and today I prepare vegan gluten-free food and sell it to a very large crowd of people. It became a life mission, that the food will be tasty and not at the expense of health.”
“I started a whole new way! I set goals for myself, also in personal matters, deciding what I want and what not, what my dreams are and how I intend to fulfill them. Today, the sky is the limit for me”

And what was Limor the coach for you?
“ I could not even define her…..
She had an amazing emotional intelligence, she is very empathic, warm, and she was so sensitive and knew how to lead me to the right places, with sensitivity and love. A huge win, I utterly grateful for everything she has been to me. "

And something that is important to you to tell a mother like you, who sits at home reading your moving words now?
“Come to the process with an open mind, do not be afraid to feel and hurt, from here you can go only to a better place. Give yourself this gift.”
“And I will also say, to the special mother who like me deals with very complex life, I love my son very much, can’t even describe how much, I think I reached place I would never had if he was not! I think I knew how to turn the lemon to lemonade. We went through horrible time in our lives, but I could always see beyond. “
These children of ours are such a developing gift. It's an accelerated process I would never had if I didn't have such a child. "