THE ADVICE THAT SAVED ME: Rediscover Your Passion and Ignite Growth: The Must-Guide and Workbook to Living a Fulfilling Life

By Angelika Mech

The Advice that Saved me, is a book designed to provide guidance and support to young adults who may be struggling with feelings of hopelessness and anyone in need of personal transformation. Authored by Angelika Mech, this inspiring book draws from her personal experiences and the wisdom that led her from a place of despair to the creation of a thriving business and inner peace.

The book delves into various aspects of life and offers diverse strategies to help individuals find their own unique life paths. Angelika offers candid and vulnerable advice based on her own journey, saving her from a life of fear and suffering.

Each chapter of the book explores different dimensions of life, providing valuable lessons in self-improvement, personal growth, and cultivating a positive mindset. This book serves as a foundation of inspiration and motivation for anyone aspiring to make meaningful life changes and find happiness and success.

The journey begins with Angelika's personal healing story, starting with fundamental techniques to connect with one's inner self: overcoming fear, reshaping negative thoughts, embracing solitude, and adapting to change. The book later delves into deeper subjects such as anxiety, stress, navigating feelings of being lost, the path to healing, inner dialogue, and Angelika's perspective on the role of social media in mental health. The book finishes with a guide to success and abundance.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Balboa Press AU
• Release date: Dec 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9781982298579

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Copyright © 2023 Angelika Mech.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Balboa Press

A Division of Hay House

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Bloomington, IN 47403

www.balboapress.com.au

AU TFN: 1 800 844 925 (Toll Free inside Australia)

AU Local: [phone] ([phone] from outside Australia)

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-9822-9856-2 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9822-9857-9 (e)

Balboa Press rev. date: 12/05/2023

CONTENTS

• DEDICATION

• AUTHOR’S NOTE

PART 1 – THE GIRL I ONCE LIVED THROUGH

• MY EXPERIENCE WITH STRESS

• HOW I DEALT WITH ANXIETY

• THE POWER OF BEING ALONE

• MY PAST PERCEPTIONS OF MONEY

• THE BEGINNING

• THE HEALING JOURNEY

• NEURO LINGUISTIC PROGRAMMING (NLP)

PART 2 – YOUR PATH TO GROWTH AND HAPPINESS

• INTRODUCTION

• CHAPTER 1

• CHAPTER 2

• CHAPTER 3

• CHAPTER 4

• CHAPTER 5

• CHAPTER 6

• ABOUT THE AUTHOR

• OTHER HELPFUL RESOURCES

Dedicated to my younger self,

she was never weak, but always strong.

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to the following people:

My family, who have always been there for me and I know will continue to support me,

My two beautiful sisters, Isabella and Francesca, who I care about deeply,

Ned Carey for his love and support,

My friends who have always supported and grown with me.

Sue Renner, for her guidance and assistance with editing,

Finally, all those who have supported me throughout my journey. Your acts of kindness and care have never been overlooked.

A special dedication to my younger self, who was not weak, but strong. As a girl who once felt lost and in need of advice, I hope that the wisdom I now offer can be of benefit to anyone else who may be seeking it. I had heard the phrase be the person you once needed, but I never gave it much thought until I grasped how lost and helpless I felt. Despite my efforts, I didn’t know where to turn or what to do. after years of dedicated personal growth and development, I now understand the power of being the positive change I once needed. This advice has not only freed me from mental imprisonment but has also transformed me into a strong, independent, and creative woman. I wouldn’t change a thing, and if I can share this valuable advice that has profoundly impacted my life, I hope it can also help you achieve your dreams too.

AUTHOR’S NOTE

Writing this book has been a passion of mine for the past 3 years and I must say, it’s bittersweet to have finally finished it. But I couldn’t have done it without the unwavering support of my family and close friends. I am deeply grateful to the Tad James Company, who have been instrumental in shaping my growth and perspective over the years.

My exposure to NLP at a young age was a pivotal moment in my life, and I owe it all to my mother, Graziella De Franchesci, who first introduced me to this concept. She tirelessly worked with me for hours on end, nurturing my personal development. I cannot thank her enough for instilling in me a passion for NLP.

Most importantly, I want to express my gratitude to you, the reader. You have taken the first step in your personal journey and are on the path to discovering the truth about harmony and breaking free from the limitations of your own mind. It is an absolute honour for me to be a part of your journey.

Angelika Mech 2023

I want to clarify that I am not a psychologist or doctor. The information I share is based solely on my personal knowledge and beliefs as a certified NLP trainer and master practitioner, TLT® master practitioner and Hypnotherapist about how individuals can improve their lives. Unless stated otherwise, this information is mostly written through my personal experiences. I respect everyone’s right to hold their own opinions and worldview. However, I would like to share that this information has personally helped me and could potentially benefit you as well.

Note: None of this information is wrong or right, true or false or good or bad. The information simply just is. It simply exists in nature. Take what resonates, leave what doesn’t. Learn with an open mind.

As I wish someone told me when I needed to hear it,

It is all going to be okay,

It is always going to be okay,

Just breathe.

Reminder, always be kind to yourself. You’re doing the best you can. Be proud of yourself and never stop loving those who love you.

Most importantly,

Never stop loving yourself

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PART 1

MY STORY

THE GIRL I ONCE LIVED THROUGH

For a long time, I was a victim of my own thoughts. I used to believe that everything that happened to me was because I deserved it and that there was nothing I could do to change it.

For a long time, I believed that my chronic headaches and fatigue were punishment for being a bad person.

For a long time, I believed that I couldn’t fall in love because I wasn’t worthy of it.

For a long time, I believed that my gut issues, bloating, constant pain, and IBS problems were simply something I had to accept and live with. Similarly, I thought my skin issues were beyond my control and just happened to me.

For a very long time, I believed I wasn’t worthy of anything above average, so I didn’t achieve much.

Despite having low self-worth, I had very high expectations of others. I believed that I didn’t deserve to be loved, but at the same time, I expected someone to give up their life for me before I would consider dating them. I blamed everything and everyone else for my problems and I didn’t want to believe that I might be at fault. I truly believed I had to work hard my whole life never being worthy of money, success, or love. I looked at others and wondered why they didn’t seem to be going through the same struggles as me, but I eventually realised that suffering is a choice.

No one else or any event or circumstance can make you suffer. Yes, pain can be influenced from external conditions, although suffering from that pain is your choice. You are the only one who can give permission to suffering, and I did because I believed I deserved to suffer. The reason I would always put others before me with unconditional kindness and respect is because I believed they deserved happiness, but that I didn’t.

At age 17, I went through a period where I started to destroy my body and health and got caught up in the world around me. I was pushing away my true self and started doing things only to please others, and I was emotionally and physically destroying myself by filling my life with unhealthy habits.

Despite these feelings I always felt a strong connection to creating things even during the darkest times. This was a strange feeling that I didn’t know how to handle so I pushed it down and tried to fit in with the social norms of the world around me. I didn’t want to be different because I was afraid of being judged, and I didn’t know how to deal with judgement. I reacted strongly to perceived slights or rudeness from others, taking it as a personal attack. I would often think that people were specifically targeting me and that everyone was against me. Through this time, I have learned that it’s important not to take things personally and that others’ actions are usually not about me.

In my early teenage years, I subconsciously experienced a lot of FOMO, fear of missing out. If I couldn’t attend a certain event, I would feel like I was missing out and would worry that I would be forgotten. I wanted to be a part of the fun, be a part of the memories, and experience life as everyone else did. Being in this environment, I never really knew anything else. I tried to have nights where I would relax at home and miss an event, but it would only lead to anxious thoughts, overwhelming sadness, and regret. Because I didn’t know any different, it was hard to understand how to break free from this negative cycle.

I never consciously tried to change this, but as I grew as a person, I started to think less about being somewhere other than where I was in the present moment. For a while, I asked myself, do I actually want to go out or am I just afraid of missing this experience or am I afraid to be alone? Once I started questioning myself, I realised that most of the time I would go out just to be a part of something or be around others to forget about the problems I had in my own life.

Despite my overwhelming emotions, I ironically tried to live life as a robot. Rest was looked upon as laziness or I would feel guilty for having down time. Rest was a negative time that I would fill my schedule to avoid. When anything steered me off the ideal direction I planned in my head, I would be unsatisfied, stressed, and disappointed in myself. My happiness depended on whether I believed I was on the right track, for example, if I completed enough training, was intelligent enough or completed enough in general.

This way of living was unhealthy. I was comparing myself to the version I believed I could be but wasn’t. I was constantly disappointed in myself until I surrendered to the process of being lost. I struggled with overthinking, causing many sleepless nights where I couldn’t fall asleep until 5 or 6 AM. My mind was trapped in a cycle of relentless thoughts, and it took a toll on my ability to maintain a normal sleep pattern. In that moment of confusion and uncertainty, I had no clear direction or purpose in my life. I was hesitant to take rest, instead overloading my schedule to avoid it, convinced that it would harm my life since it wasn’t contributing to my growth. I lived in survival mode, constantly in a state of fight or flight, and was neglecting myself, not taking breaks and being present. Although I didn’t realise this at the time, my behaviour was damaging my health, relationships, and overall happiness. I felt guilty for resting, even when I needed it, and this led to a vicious cycle of repeated illnesses.

Eventually, I understood that I had to create a change for the betterment of my well-being. This change was difficult, as it involved prioritising myself and potentially disappointing others, such as my workplace, friends, and family. However, in my mind, it seemed like a bigger sacrifice than it actually was.

My body was not in perfect health. Despite doing everything in my power to adapt to these changes, my body couldn’t keep up with my mind. I recall a particular time when I had booked a workout class for the day. That morning, I woke up with unbearable pain, fatigue, stomach cramps, and was just generally feeling unwell. In my mind, I was determined to attend my class, even though my body just couldn’t handle it. I had convinced myself that I was lazy or unmotivated if I didn’t go to my class, and that was the story I continued to tell myself that day. For over four years, I never cancelled anything in order to rest. I went to work in pain, discomfort, exhaustion, hungover, and more. I convinced myself that I would be a failure if I called in sick or didn’t attend my workout. This story I told myself eventually led me to completely burnout. This is often found in overachievers. If you continue to believe that you are not worthy of rest, you will live your whole life in complete exhaustion until you inevitably collapse.

One pivotal moment in my life was when I kept going to doctors’ appointments over and over again in an attempt to find a solution to all of my symptoms. The one thing that stood out was the doctor telling me how high my stress levels were. In my mind, I felt that I was years ahead of