Julie Thompson’s story

Naked Leader Week – 41 Monday 9th February 2004

Leadership from a different perspective – Yours

 Last week I asked for your stories, your experiences, to truly share what being a Naked Leader means to you. Many of you responded, thank you! To start a story from someone who is most definitely a true leader, from within. Here is Julie Thompson’s story, please send it to everyone whose lives you touch….Davidx

Over to Julie…

From my perspective, being a naked leader has been like waking up from a deep sleep. In the sleep I was Julie, a successful corporate account manager, working for global IT companies. I had all the material possessions I desired. I was in a long-term relationship but it had become a source of emotional comfort and security rather than happiness. Food was my compensation as I became more stressed and less fulfilled with my job and my life but I kept this hidden and put on a front that everything was OK.

That was four years ago. Today, I am still Julie but the one who has been waiting to be born. It all started with a voice inside of me who challenged everything I thought I was about. Listening to that voice within is sometimes the hardest thing to do. It can go against a lifetime of conditioned thoughts and beliefs. I had to battle many fears as I let go of the known to follow the unknown – but at the same time it excited me. The thought of staying where I was held more fear for me because I was given a glimpse that there was much more to life. Yet it still takes courage to follow an unknown path and my darkest moments provided my greatest lessons and deepest growth.

That person within became my saviour and my guide. She got me through so much!

She encouraged me to leave behind the security of a corporate career that no longer fulfilled me and to follow my heart and work for myself. She helped me to take control of my eating and walk into a gym when I was overweight and afraid of being judged. She gave me the courage to leave the comfort zone of a long-term relationship which we both knew had died. More than anything, she helped me to discover why I was here and who I really was. I discovered there was a purpose to my life and that all my experiences had led me to this point. It was a feeling of pure love.

My purpose is to use my own experiences to help other people. Both personally and in business. To inspire people and organisations to grow and discover their real potential and to help them to understand that we are all creating our outer world from our inner thoughts and beliefs. We are choosing everything moment by moment. The realisation of this was my freedom from the inner prison and limitation I had created. It left me free to simply live my truth and be who I really am as I connect with the love which unites us all. Nothing compares to it. It’s like ‘coming home’.

With my love and warm wishes

Julie

Email:        julie@jtic.co.uk

Website:    www.julie-thompson.co.uk