Izzie is one of our newest trainers and here she tells us a bit about herself and why working with the Art of Brilliance, really is such a wonderful thing.
“I always thought that my interest in psychology came from big life events, but when I looked back at the notebooks I kept as a child, I can see that I’ve always been fascinated by the way the mind works.
She continues:
“Observing my family, I noticed that they could be irrational in their reactions – in some cases due to Aspergers – and I wanted to be different; to have a positive mindset and where possible learn to control my attitude towards whatever life throws at me.”
Sometimes life does not go how we want and deals you a blow that is hard to deflect. She tells us of such a time:
“When I left university, myself and my partner at the time, got jobs in the same city and secured a flat to live in together, excited to begin a life together in the ‘real world! However, two weeks before the move-in day, I discovered that my partner had been doing some things that, well, partners shouldn’t really do. As sad as the fact is, people, discover these things every day, so I wasn’t special, but I also wasn’t prepared. The relationship ended traumatically and my out-of-control emotions led to me losing my job, which in turn meant I had to give up the flat. I became a not-a-very-nice person, and when I realised that I had lost some close friends and even my own self-respect, it hit home that I had some work to do. ”
This is where Izzie had to work on herself, analysing why she didn’t like herself and her behaviour and ultimately what she was going to do to change it. She explains:
“It was many months after that, that I started to get my confidence back, and gradually began to like myself again; I made a conscious effort to become aware of the language I was using, determined to no longer see myself as a victim, but to focus on the positives in me and my life.”
“I realised that sharing what I had learnt as a result of these experiences was something I thoroughly enjoyed, I started posting videos on Tik Tok. I remember being on holiday and being so excited that I was able to share my message with the 300 people who were following me. But that number quickly grew, and whilst it isn’t about numbers, I am pleased to be able to contribute positive strategies to the phones of almost 60,000 people”.
It was around six years ago; Izzie saw Dr Andy Cope at Loughborough University. She couldn’t remember the company’s name, but remembered the ‘Happy T-shirt’, and after searching online, she found the Art of Brilliance. So about a year and a half ago reached out to him to see if she could be part of the happiness revolution. She sent in a video explaining what she thought she could bring. Andy replied in minutes. Izzie tells us what happened next:
“After Andy responded to me, I began observing other trainers. I did this for a year, absorbing all of the incredible things that I saw. One year later, I am very grateful to be on the Art of Brill team, delivering training to all ages.”
Izzie has run many positive sessions including several workshops at an all-girls school in London, a series of small group coaching sessions for special needs young people, and even going back to her old university to deliver a session on resilience. Izzie coaches people of all ages through difficult situations, from 8-year-olds with low self-esteem to 60-year-olds lacking purpose, and from 16-year-olds feeling depressed all the way up to CEOs looking for new perspectives – “anyone can up-level their lives with a slight shift in their mindset!”
In conclusion, Izzie explains
“Reminding people how to live a happy and fulfilled life by making simple changes to their mindset, is something I will never grow tired of. So far, some stand-out moments have been learning how to engage young adults with special needs, revisiting my old university as a completely different person, and receiving little comments on Tik Tok that simply say “Thank you, I needed to hear this today.”
Thank you, Izzie, for everything you do!