Many years ago I woke up, I don’t mean from a deep sleep or a siesta after a leisurely lunch, I mean my soul kicked me so hard in the ass, that I had no choice but to awaken from the self-denial of who I was and my purpose in life. And has hard as it has been at times and believe me it’s been tough, I haven’t one single regret.

In the film “The Wizard of Oz, Dorothy is transported with her cute little terrier Toto, into a world where she meets different un-worldly characters that are struggling to come to terms with their truth, she travels with these characters through dangererous circumstances in which they learn to accept themselves and acknowledge each other as individuals, with faults and strengths. They learn to love each other regardless of how they deal with things individually and realise that not all of them will behave in ways that are acceptable to the other. They take turns in becoming the hero and sometimes the hindrance as challenges arise. They also learn detachment, as one by one they end their journey with Dorothy and Toto.

Throughout the whole story each one of the characters is focused on one specific thing, in reaching the place they call “Home”.

“Home” is not a specific place in the world, it is a place within, where you feel comfortable and peaceful, wherever you maybe. And my awakening propelled me into the search for my “Home”.

I had lived in many places by the time of my awakening, due to my belief that happiness could be found in a place outside of myself, but as each place refused to deliver the joy I longed for,I finally turned within.

I began to question how I treated myself and how I behaved towards others and the consequences of this. Learning through self-help and spirituality books, films and Life coaching and counselling training I finally undertook, that all the answers needed were to be found inside myself. I wanted to know my own truth and began to realise that you could not live within the discoveries and truths of others and that I had to experience things for myself in order to discover who I really was.

And as my journey unfolded I realised that returning “Home” was the most important job you have to undertake, I say “returning” because my belief is that we are all born with an innate sense of our own identity and through outside influences we get lost on our paths and this is when the peace disappears and the unease begins to take residence in our soul’s.I became aware that without knowing me, I would never know what “Home” meant. Self-discovery means lots of things, like knowing what lights you up. And if you don’t know you,you have to do as many things as possible until your feelings light your whole being up like Las Vegas and then you have to keep doing it.

It’s not about appreciating “The little things” as is often said, because nothing is little, but about appreciating everything. Nature, because it is so,so amazing!! Do you see the colours of those stunning red roses as they radiate the colour of love? Do you stop long enough to touch the bark of a tree the breathes beneath your finger tips, providing you with the oxygen that is essential to your life-force? Do you look long enough into the eyes of a stranger that holds a door for you in kindness, knowing he is the same as you, completely and that your connection is based on much more than a gesture.

Be grateful for it all because its not a “man’s world” it’s everyone and everything’s world.

Learning to love yourself for who you are at the present time, without judgement means peace can reside within you. You have plenty of time you know, as long as you keep searching!

“Home” I soon realised is not a place to be found over night,it’s a place that awaits for you, it’s always there. And I felt relief in knowing this.

I stopped being scared of the unknown, I became aware that there is a reason for everything, pain serves to teach us our lessons no matter how hard they are, pleasure reminds us of joy and that it can be accessed at anytime to light the way when we are struggling with our path.

I want to encourage you to start your journey,that everything you desire awaits you, that all you have to do to start, is be brave enough to listen to your intuition and your feelings, for they are your personal guide. Know always, the work you will have to do along the way will be worth it because as we know instinctively there really is “No place like home”.