Hello

I realised my new trajectory, alignment to my life passion and purpose through a series of life-defining moments.

 

I began my career in the Australian Defence Force as a proud serving member of the Royal Australian Navy in August 1996. I graduated in June 1997 and received my first sea posting in March 1998. It was in fact, a ‘crash posting’, which means a short lead time to undergo a ‘seagoing medical examination’ - to determine fitness for sea, to pack up my belonging’s and to board the designated ship.

 

Three months after setting sail, in June 1998, we were relieved and subsequently returned to our home port. I disembarked in that ship a shadow of my former self. Having lost fifteen kilograms by this time, I was weighing a meagre thirty-four kilograms upon disembarkation!

 

I was admitted to hospital shortly thereafter, where I received a prognosis of 24 hours to live - a truly life-defining moment. I was suffering from cachexia - weakness and wasting of the body due to severe chronic illness, however it was expected that I would die of secondary causes. My heart and lungs were failing. Owing to a significant renal impairment, my kidneys were functioning at one-third normal capacity at best.

 

After a series of extensive and invasive examinations, I was diagnosed with a pelvic malignancy and transferred to a specialist hospital for emergency surgery and chemotherapy. The surgeons had to aspirate the pelvic mass, which was the primary cause of my cachexia and miraculously, it had dissipated into fluid and they did not find any malignant cells.

 

And yet my weight continued to plummet, falling to a scanty 29 kilograms within days...

 

By this time, I was under ongoing observation and review by more ‘ologists’ than one could possibly conceive to exist. Everything from cardiologists to endocrinologists, gastroenterologists, haematologists, psychologists, nephrologists, dietitians, general practitioners, nutritionists and psychiatrists too!

Laying on my bed, curled up in a foetal position to manage the intensity of my physical turmoil, I heard them say those terrifying words, “we’ve got everything on her… either she fights and lives or quits and dies!” And fight I did!

 

It was once said, “It is a rocky road to resilience!”

 

In January 1999, seven months of rigorous treatment and rehabilitation later, I was eventually discharged from hospital and continued to recover physically, emotionally and psychologically.

 

I pondered... all the conditions, research and findings suggested I would not survive, so how was I still alive? What was that lifesaving difference? My mindset saved my life!

 

Human behaviour, human potential, and the psychological sciences had always fascinated me. And this was the catalyst, the birth of my personal development journey. My passion for personal growth, development and transformational change was well and truly ignited. I studied everything from positive psychology to emotional intelligence; international credentialed coaching to Neuroscience; neuro linguistic programming to timeline therapy™; gestalt therapy to deep state re-patterning; meta dynamics and clinical hypnotherapy.

 

2013 - 2014 was fraught with challenges as my heroic husband fought for his psychological wellbeing and was eventually diagnosed with clinical depression - another life-defining moment.

 

From the darkest of tunnels comes the greatest of light! Through adversity came opportunity!

 

My husband’s diagnosis introduced me to a newfound alignment to passion and purpose in life practicing coaching and therapy, him being an enormous source of inspiration. I founded my coaching and therapy practice @Kristy-Ann Waugh in July 2018 and after a collective career of 20 years in the Royal Australian Navy and the Corporate workforce, transitioned full-time in February 2019. A profession born out of life-defining moments.

 

I continue to effectively work with clients to breakthrough limitations, fear, phobia, and trauma from the past (inclusive of unresourceful thoughts, patterns, behaviours), enabling them to not only survive but to thrive in career, business, and life. It provides me so much joy, meaning and fulfilment to facilitate transformational change, to make a positive difference... one conversation at a time.

 

**Excerpts from Kristy-Ann’s Amazon #1 Bestsellers

I M Possible - Stories of Grit and Perseverance (Penman Books, 2021)

#myvoice Vol 3. - Stories of Self-Discovery and Resilience (Global Influencers Publishing House, 2021)