Once upon a time there was a little girl...
Updated: Jan 15
Once upon a time, there was a little girl that saw and connected with the world in a very special way.
She loved nature, she was strong, positive, empathetic, she was adventurous and curious about life. She loved to dance, to sing, to listen to music, take photos and paint. She loved biology, psychology, connecting with others, and since an early age she had a very clear view and belief that everything is possible. She believed that our mind is powerful and that we are all connected. She grew up believing in herself and in others, seeing beauty everywhere, even where for most people it was not as easy to see beauty. Trying to understand others was exciting. Others would often come to her for advice since she always had this youthful joy and energy about her, and at the same time a wise sense and maturity in the way she spoke and the perspective she gave.
That little girl grew up and experienced life with a positive outcome of things, she believed that positive thinking is the key to well-being. Even though Ghandi did not phrase it exactly like that, her favorite quote came to be "Be the change you want to see in the world". She believed and strived to live by it and do her best to always take others and the environment into consideration.
Then life happened and she saw that things can be difficult for certain people, she felt their pain... She tended to want to heal and help in someway. She saw family members struggle with relationships, with money and other issues, as she strived to understand how life and the human mind worked, at the same time seeking ways to express herself artistically. She found the arts specially healing and empowering for her because it always brought her so much joy and freedom to express herself.
That little girl was me.
I grew up, have done everything from being a dental nurse, to a singer songwriter, then painter, photographer, gallery owner, salsa dance instructor assistant and for a while the arts were my everyday experience. Then covid-19 hit. It was the end for my arts center and gallery. A sad moment and at the same time a relief because more often than not, the money struggle was real. Believe me, I am proud to have experienced what I did and to have created what I did, but it wasn't easy. I would not have changed a thing though, many lives were changed and affected positively through 10 years of my passion for the arts and serving others, enabling artists to find their passion and follow their dreams, many of them jumpstarting a great art career with all that initial help and support I could possibly give them. I learned so much...
On a personal side I went through great long lasting romantic relationships in my life that ended peacefully and ended up into a not so good relationship that kept and enhanced my fascination for human behavior and mental health alive. I kept asking myself and trying to find reasons why some people can become so mean to their loved ones when they didn't learn the skills or when they have endured childhood neglect and trauma.
I felt the duty to be the understanding one, the carer, the healer, the one that never gives up, believing love conquers all, wanting to become the healing hero that takes someone off the dark pit of their mental state. Until I realized that even though I was strong, loving and positive, enduring emotional neglect from someone that was completely oblivious of the things you were trying to show him, would end up eroding my self worth and my mental and physical health. You cannot help someone that does not want to be helped. That was a hard truth for me to aknowledge. Instead, help yourself by removing yourself from something toxic that doesn't serve you or him. The relationship eventually ended and I felt rejuvenated.
I healed, went back to dancing, found a new loving partner and became a mother. Went back to the healthcare field, moved cities, started working from home in a busy healthcare call center which was very demanding mentally and very sendentary. My body was screaming "Please move!". My relationship started deteriorating and things were just not right on a global level. For a long time I hadn't had the time to be physically active, to have time for myself, and I just felt stuck professionally, personally and in my relationship.
I knew something needed to change. I, myself needed to change. Even though motherhood is my biggest joy and others admire my patience and loving nature, I felt then that I wasn't being able to give my daughter my very best because I was far from feeling my very best. I took a leap of courage and faith and left my job. I just had to. It wasn't right for me.
I knew my relationship might not survive the long separation to take a breather, but I knew I had to take a break. I made the decision to go to my home country in Portugal to heal for 4 months, find myself again, meditate, recenter and some how find out the answers I was looking for.
That little girl found a passion in life
Loving biology and healthcare, I enrolled in a certified clinical medical assistant course and became a CCMA and while I was doing my certification, right at its beginning, something amazing happened. I saw an RTT (Rapid Transformational Therapy) certification ad. Hypnotherapy, changing people's lives through the power of their amazing minds. I knew this was it! I immediately knew this was in alignment with all the beliefs and interests about the human mind since I was a little girl, with all the reserach and readings I had been doing all my life. This was my call. This IS my call. Â I researched for so many years about human behavior, not knowing that one day I would professionally work with the human mind upclose and help so many people overcome their own struggles.
I have been able to help people from all walks of life with many physical, mental and emotional issues. I know that if I am changing someone's life, I am changing families, and if i am changing families, I am changing the world. Remember my favorite quote? Not only I am the change I want to see the world, I change the world everytime I help someone struggling. Ever since I started this RTT journey I have felt such inspiration, motivation, joy and purpose in my life. I can't enforce enough the power of doing what you love, fullfilling your heart's desire, and contributing your own way for a better world. Deep inside my will to significantly become the "hero" in someone's life, the healer and carer, is something my heart has always desired and I am so proud of what I do and of being great at it.
Welcome to my blog! This is the first of many articles in this blog and I hope you follow me in this journey as an RTT (Rapid Transformational Therapy) practicioner, clinical hypnotist and holistic coach. I will be exploring all corners of the human mind, behavior, real stories and experiences, as I get to help people remove their mental blocks that keep them stuck, unproductive, or unfocused, unlocking their full potential to achieve their goals, be free from all kinds of issues for a healthy life of positivity, success and wellbeing.
What has been holding you back?
I will be exploring all kinds of subjects in this blog and want to hear from you. What would you like to see me talk about in here? What has been holding you back, what issues, habits or patterns keep you from achieving the life you desire?
If you would like my help with any of those issues:
If you would like me to cover a specific subject, add a comment and subscribe to my newsletter letting me know your ideas and thoughts. I would love to hear from you.
Joana Esteves is an accomplished certified RTT practicioner (Rapid Transformational Therapy) that has been impacting lives with the award winning method created by renouned hypnotherapist Marisa Peer.
Esteves specializes in helping high-achievers unlock their full potential by removing the mental blocks that keep them stuck, unproductive, or unfocused although she works with many other issues like trauma, relationships, pain management, self confidence, addictions, fobias and many others.
I do believe that you found your calling. I know you have helped me immensely with procrastination and weight loss, and I'm looking forward to more sessions to tackle other issues! Thank you for all that you do!