Winter 2014 I nervously decided to take the plunge and train as a Hypnobirthing teacher. So around this time every year I can’t help but reflect on my years of being self-employed.

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Now, just like many others who decide to follow their passions, there was tonnes of fear and doubt. I had no blumming clue how I’d make a business out of Hypnobirthing.

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"All I knew was I LOVED talking about it and women needed it"

Plus, I needed a more flexible way of working with 2 under 2 and dreams of having more kids.

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In almost 9 years there’s been some obvious benefits of being a self-employed Hypnobirthing teacher, like the ripples of the impact on other families and being able to work flexibly around my own family. My goodness though, there’s been some perks that I never imagined when I first took the plunge.

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So here are my 3 incredible unexpected perks of teaching Hypnobirthing…

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Friendships

If I’m honest I’ve always had this narrative that I don’t fit in. It’s something that I felt very much at school and then in jobs that I had. Through Hypnobirthing I have met the most wonderful friends. From clients to other business owners. It’s introduced me to a whole group of women that I’m not sure I’d have every met any other way.

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"These women are real soul buddies. You know, the ones that really get you and you can be yourself around totally. I’m so grateful that I have this bubble of incredible women around me."

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The ability to work to the seasons of my life

Now, it's probably obvious that self-employment comes with flexibility but this is more than just picking your hours. In my 9 years in business, life has certainly had ups and downs (as it does for us all). There’s been having babies myself, struggling with postnatal depression, house moves, illnesses and of course a hefty dose of sleep deprivation.

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Being self-employed has allowed me to really engage or not engage with my business depending what life was throwing at me. Yes, there’ve been times where I’ve taken on a bare minimum of work and there’s been others where I’ve said yes to every opportunity that has come my way.

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With four children (and being pretty much the default parent) this has been absolutely essential. We are not designed to be 70 miles an hour all the time. It’s totally unsustainable.

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Being your own boss means you don’t have to.

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‌The confidence

Never in a million years did I think being self-employed would increase my confidence, but it really has. It’s totally expanded my comfort zones and showed me how different it is to do something that you love and are 100% passionate about.

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Over the years I’ve done little things that have taken me out of my comfort zone e.g. speaking on camera, connecting with other business owners. These things have added up and now feel within my comfort zone bring more confidence and sense of accomplishment too.

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I think I underestimated how much I needed that. Becoming a mother was the most incredible transition in my life, but like many other mothers I did feel so different to the old me that there were times I wondered who I even was.

"The privilege of doing something new and exciting was needed more than I ever knew."

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If you are reading this as an already trained Hypnobirthing teacher, remember as we approach the end of 2023 to reflect on the things you are grateful for just like I have here. We get more of what we celebrate.

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Alternatively, if you are reading this as someone wondering if you could become a Hypnobirthing teacher, take my free quiz to find out.