My name is Michael Homer.
I am a Chartered Surveyor and Designer. This is my story.
It turned out to be a very unusual Valentines Day this year, and one that changed my life for ever.
For my valentine gift, taking in my birthday and Christmas for a few years to come, my wife handed me airplane tickets for a A Life Change Holiday…some kind of counseling retreat (as far as I could work out) in Chiang Mai, Thailand. – “You’re going to sort your head out once and for all, or you might as well not come back!”
She had booked me a holiday with something called The Life Change People.
Over the last few years I have been through some major life changes; the arrival of our first child, my father dying of cancer, losing my job, moving house and becoming a house husband.
Despite being a happy and loving husband and father to the outside world, I privately became a negative, depressed, volatile and anxious man – apparently determined to destroy the love of my family and heading towards a major crisis.
This was, of course, oblivious to me as I wallowed in self pity and searched for the love that I was pushing away; angry with anyone who dared to contradict me. Looking back now, I honestly believe that without my time in Chiang Mai I would be separated from my family.
And so, I set off to change my life.
Arriving in Chiang Mai
Arriving in Chiang Mai in northern Thailand was literally like a different world and the peaceful serenity of the hotel allowed me to really relax and enjoy everything.
The “Life Change People” who, with their considerable experience and expertise in the field of counseling and life coaching decided to up sticks from the UK and set up this unique holiday experience. It really is incredible.
I spent the equivalent of about four months of weekly sessions rolled into an amazing seven days. The journey through my own mind was incredible as the sessions just seemed to fly by. I realised my behaviour had become ridiculous and the effect on both my wife and children a dreadful, dreadful revelation. Chrissy is a pretty tough cookie when she needs to be but she brought me back, and for this I can never thank her enough. She is without a doubt an extremely special person.
I was taught how to recognise feelings of negativity, and what to do with my volatility and anxiety. I learnt how to utilise various mental tools to overcome problems and even turn them into positive actions. I was given a crash course in dealing with myself!
And so, here I am, back home again, several months on. I have created my own website to promote my sculptural works. I am actually sculpting again to add to the collection that I already have. I also started a website for the architectural and design side of my business. I am currently working on three projects and actively seeking to market my new business.
Much, much more importantly, my relationship with my wife and children has improved immeasurably. I can only apologise to them for the man that I had let myself become, and continue to constantly remind myself of the lessons that I learnt in Thailand and continue to use them in every aspect of my life.
Thank you so much.
Michael Lewis Homer.