I’m not coping.
A phrase so short and yet incredibly powerful. It was what led Israel Smith to take the step to make a change in his life. After years of struggling to keep it together and figure things out, this phrase liberated him by setting him on a path he did not ever imagine being on. It changed his health, his business and most importantly, his relationship with his family.
It was something Israel struggled to even admit to himself and for him to say it to someone else was one of the most vulnerable and difficult things he had ever done.
Israel had spent precious years of his life adopting the approach of doing more, working harder, working longer, pushing himself to the breaking point as a solution for the unmanageability of his life. More coffee, less sleep and the punishment of stress brought no solutions to his life except wearing him out even further.
Looking around, Israel saw other people who had it all figured out and who got their act together. It was frustrating and it made him depressed that he was not able to have a peaceful, loving relationship with his family. Arguments at home with his wife, yelling at the children, frustration in his business and team … these were part of Israel’s daily grind. His wife showed anger towards him, his children were scared of him and kept their distance and his team was not able to respect him as a leader.
“I’m not coping” really means “I need help. I can't do this alone”.
If you asked Israel to describe himself before his change, he would say he was angry, stressed, tired, overwhelmed, exhausted. He was a mere shadow of his true self. He felt completely disconnected from the people closest to him in his own house. He walked through life like a zombie, seething in anger and discontent, and not being able to snap out of his stagnant, dark state.
I needed help. And I got it.
With that genuine, heartfelt admission, Israel very quickly got the help of his GP and an amazing psychologist. They gave him the support he needed to face, understand and treat his mental illness.
What stood out most for Israel during this early phase was understanding the many seemingly innocuous factors that came together to create the perfect storm that pushed him into the abyss. Israel had been a happy-go-lucky man and finding himself in this state of desperation was not at all what he had ever expected.
This was to become the seed that led Israel to embark on an amazing and fulfilling career as a Well-Being and Emotional Resilience Coach for Men in Business. He knew that what he had experienced is more common than people think. And having survived that, Israel knew that it was not enough for him to have recovered. He wanted more people to have access to the help that he had received. “I’m not coping” is a more widespread and hidden scream that needs addressing.
Today, Israel enjoys being a wonderful husband and father, and is relishing his role as a strong leader in a successful business. He is healthy and well, and everyday feels like an amazing opportunity. Israel finally feels alive and excited with his life.
I made changes.
Israel had been diagnosed with anxiety and depression and he has since learnt to manage both. It meant making changes in his life. He could not recover from doing the exact same things he had been forcing on himself for so long. Israel was determined to recover. He left his photography career and fully dedicated his time to travelling around Australia with his family.
It is amazing how one single step towards change can bring one a whole domino effect of many other happy changes.
Israel went on to start a hugely successful national health and wellness company with his wife (The Root Cause). Now he has moved into a career as a Well-Being and Emotional Resilience Coach, specialising in supporting men who find themselves struggling with work, parenthood, marriage or life in general, and who need some new tools and strategies to be the best version of themselves.
I’m making a difference.
Feeling a zest for life and being able to stand on strong feet on solid ground, Israel has dedicated his time to bringing solutions to men who are experiencing what he had been through.
Israel has delivered workshops and seminars about mental health to hundreds of participants over the years. He has also coached dozens of men in a one-to-one setting, giving them the safe and supportive space they needed to help them make positive changes in their lives. This is where changes can happen in their work, in their relationships, and even in their own self care and mental health.
Israel has been interviewed on National TV by Channel 10’s “The Project'' and Channel 9’s “Today”, along with countless radio and newspaper interviews. He wants to reach out and talk about depression in men, in particular, Post Natal Depression (Israel’s technical diagnosis).
By sharing his own story, he is supporting men everywhere. He is opening up awareness about an otherwise hidden condition, and more importantly, telling people that it is possible to get help, change and recover. He is living proof that it is possible to enjoy life again, to be a wonderful human being and feel fulfillment and joy in contributing to one's business, community and family. Mental illness is not a sentence condemning someone to a lifetime of frozen darkness.
Others too can change.
Feeling overwhelmed, anxious, stressed, depressed, angry, wiped out or burnt out are common symptoms among many in business. It is brushed away as a “norm” and some have the false belief that by doing more, they can eliminate these unhealthy feelings.
As a Well-Being and Emotional Resilience Coach, Israel Smith uses his SRC (“Source”) Method to help his clients find peace and calm in their day to day life. He guides clients to put strategies in place to help them better handle their emotions and temper, and manage their energies in healthier and more balanced ways. Israel helps men discover their limiting beliefs, broken patterns or faulty assumptions that are getting in the way of them living a full life.
With Israel’s help, men are learning to become their best selves - be it a supportive partner, a loving father or a reliable leader in both their personal and professional spheres. It is possible to leave behind all the tactics that did not work and were detrimental to their mental and physical health, and pick up new tools and strategies to fully enjoy life, and to flourish at home and to thrive in their business.
Israel believes that all men have an inner desire to be truly seen and heard. They also want to be able to feel peace and calm in their daily lives. When men reconnect with the important things that really matter in their lives, they are able to manage and strengthen their resilience, feel fully aligned, and enjoy the life, work and relationships they have always wanted.
We can normalise men admitting they cannot cope. And change is possible and available.
"When I first started working with Israel I was lost in a dark place. I was physically, emotionally and psychologically beaten down to the point where I couldn’t see a way forward or even really imagine life being better. In only a few short weeks I was switched on and moving forward on a path of my choosing.
Israel’s style somehow incorporates the empathetic ear that you require when doing it tough with the no nonsense ability to call you on your own bullshit. This combination pulls you forward to action by showing you how to get out of your own way and helping you to see the approaches available to you." - Lance R
For the duration of men’s health month, Israel is offering complimentary 30-min discovery calls to any men – fathers or not – who may be interested in learning more about his work and how he can support them to be their best selves.
Learn more at israelsmith.com/brilliant
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