From Rock Bottom to Limitless

helen walton limitless overcoming roadmap to success rock bottom Mar 04, 2024

Article by Helen Walton

Did you ever feel you were meant for great things and have big dreams and a million ideas about who you wanted to be? I did. I wanted to be a writer, teacher, business owner, mother, and, most of all, help the world. I always knew I would. Despite a rocky start to life, causing people to tell me I was no good and would never amount to anything, I just knew I would be great!

My name is Helen, I am 34 years old and yes, I am doing great! I am a mother to three big-hearted, brilliant kids, an educator passionate about supporting high-needs children, a writer, and a small business owner. Here I am doing not just one of the things I dreamed of doing but ALL of them! Was it luck or privilege? Did I meet someone who got me on a path to success? No. It was hard work, determination, and an unwavering belief that I could make it.

For a long time, I was depressed and suffered anxiety. I had been through a lot of experiences in my younger years that left me with a great deal of trauma. Underneath, I still had that belief I was destined for great things and could do anything I set my mind to, yet, as the years went on, that burning flame was dimming. Life and all its challenges were smothering out my light a little more each year, and the voices of self-doubt, self-criticism and self-hate were getting louder, drowning out the inner voice of that child with big dreams.

I left school at only 15. I was an intelligent child with a big heart, but I didn't fit into the educational box, so I was constantly in trouble. It didn't matter how good my grades were; I wasn't supported with my mental health and emotional needs and found myself drawn towards other kids who struggled with behaviour, leading me down a path that was paved with partying, addictions, self-sabotaging behaviours, and worse. I suffered physical, sexual, and emotional abuse in different forms. I was a victim of several home invasions and break-ins and fell into addictive habits. All before I was legally an adult.

My life started changing when I became a mother at 21; this was the first major turning point. I quit smoking, drinking and partying and distanced myself from everyone and everything that was a part of that insalubrious world I'd been living in. Yet, I still had lots of challenges in store for me. In 2011, while pregnant with my second child, my partner fell ill. He lost an incredible amount of weight in a month and was wasting away, yet no doctors could work out what was wrong with him. We were told to plan for the worst, and in our early 20s, with our second child on the way, we planned his funeral. My partner wasn't ready to go out like this and started researching natural medicines to help with his symptoms. After a year of sickness, things started turning around, and he was improving. Yet he was never the same after that. He has had gastrointestinal problems ever since, and foods he could once eat or enjoy became a source of pain and upset. Sometimes, he'd take a turn and be down for weeks, and we’d think it was happening again.

Over the years, we continued to struggle. Our relationship was never healthy, and money was always tight. In 2013, we had our third child. By this time, I’d done a course in small business management and was running a little hobby business selling crochet items online to supplement our government income. As someone who'd always wanted to work for myself and had an affinity for making and selling things, I did whatever I could to make extra money. As a kid, I'd make bookmarks and decorate soaps and sell them at school. As a teen and young adult, I sold beaded jewellery at markets. Then I crocheted beanies and toys and got more sales as time passed. I had also started self-publishing some of my stories and selling them through Amazon and locally at libraries and author talks.

In 2018, I returned to learning and received my Diploma in Early Childhood Care and Education, but after a short time, the education centre where I worked went under. I transitioned from childcare to primary education as a teacher aide, where I found my passion for supporting high-needs kids. Kids with disabilities. Kids from trauma backgrounds. Kids with behavioural issues. Kids who I looked at and saw myself as a child reflected in their needs and troubles. I knew this was where I was meant to be all along. Helping these kids was my passion and my purpose.

But still, I loved running my little hobby business and writing, and as time went on, life became busier. In 2019, we experienced a horrible car accident and a string of events that led to all the savings I'd been accumulating to finally buy a home gone. Covid hit, and I lost my work at the school in the small town we'd lived in for the past 6 years. We decided to move to a bigger city where there would be more work and started again from scratch. It was scary initially, but I soon found this was where I was meant to be.

I got a job at a fantastic school where I loved working. I started selling bath and skincare products because although I loved crochet and was making lots of money, it wouldn't provide a proper income for my time. I decided to begin a university course in teaching because I wanted to advance my career and knowledge around supporting kids with behavioural needs. Everything seemed incredible, and I was doing so much and doing so well, but then… The universe works in mysterious ways, but I say it all works exactly how it should for all the right reasons.

In 2022, everything went downhill again. I started the year with covid which turned into near constant sickness every few weeks throughout most of the year. Then, we found out our middle son had a hole in his heart, and it was a scary time for sure. We knew this diagnosis wasn't life-threatening, but it was still a lot to take in. He'd been having issues with his lungs and a persistent cough that wouldn't go away for a long time. They'd found the hole in his heart through a scan to investigate this and said it might be what was causing the cough. We were put on a long waiting list to see a specialist and were told he might need surgery.

So, we waited through countless sleepless nights while my son coughed and coughed all through the night. No one was getting sleep with all the coughing, and when he was quiet, I couldn't sleep anyway, constantly getting up to check on him to ensure he was still breathing. His cough got worse, so I took him back to the doctor. The following scan came back with a result showing possible pulmonary hypertension. This condition is untreatable and would mean my 10-year-old boy might have as little as 7 years to live. My world was falling apart. We got bumped up the list for the specialist to be seen in just under one week. I didn't sleep a wink that week. I was devastated.

Luckily, upon seeing the specialist, it was confirmed he did NOT have pulmonary hypertension and the hole in his heart would not need an operation any time too soon and only possibly in the future should certain factors come into play. It was like the weight of a thousand worlds lifted from my chest, and all was well. But within weeks, the next string of events took off. My husband was diagnosed with a Chiari malformation in his brain, my car was ransacked, and my wallet stolen, my son's beloved pet budgie escaped, a $2000 order to a wholesale customer for my bath and skincare business had been destroyed by a dodgy courier (turning into an insurance nightmare) and a bunch of other little things. All within a matter of weeks. It was like the writers of my life had gone completely bonkers and got stuck into the wine or something. How could this be my life? How could these things keep happening? I remember breaking down in my business manager's office at school, saying I felt like my life was all made up. Like a poorly-written drama/horror/comedy series.

By now, I was convinced the universe was against me, and no matter how hard I tried to do better and create a good life for me and my family, the bad things were always waiting to pounce. Plus, my marriage was a big lie. We weren't happy and never were. I was paying for everything, supporting our family financially, domestically and being the primary parent. I had been taking on more and more; biting off more than I could chew. It was all building up, and I was draining, running out of energy, hope, and care while getting up each day to put on a mask and pretend everything was FINE. The voice inside me kept telling me, "See, you're cursed. All your bad choices, mistakes, and failures have brought all this bad luck. You're just not good enough. You never will be. You'll always be broken and miserable. You're kidding yourself if you think things will be different. You'll just always be stuck."

By the end of 2022, I was really sick and coming into 2023, things got worse. I was experiencing a period twice a month, which came with incredible pain constantly, not just during but in between. I was also having gastro problems, nausea, headaches, and migraines every other day. I started seeing a doctor and going through various tests, but there were no answers. In the end, all they found were some enlarged veins, which could be treated with medication or surgery, but it was unlikely that was causing all my symptoms. I knew what it was, though. I'd known from the beginning. I said, "It's stress. I've done this to myself and finally worked myself into the ground." My husband would say, "You choose to do all this." I would get mad and say but I must because I am supporting us and have to make as much money as possible, work hard to get all the things you are not helping with or working towards and then also give the kids an involved parent providing all the things and experiences, also keeping on top of the housework. Me. It's all on me.

It was. But it was also true that I was choosing it all and making myself do more than needed. I realised this at the beginning of 2023 when my life completely changed again, but in the most profound and impactful way. In my darkest moments, stuck in depression, calling in sick to work day after day for weeks, I started delving into all kinds of self-help books, videos and podcasts. I immersed myself in learning about mindset, psychology, brain health, biology, and everything and anything that could help me finally feel and do better like never before. At this time, I eventually woke up to the reality I was in. The reality I had created myself. My husband was right when he said I was choosing all these things that were sucking away my time, energy, and my very life. Yes, I was choosing them for what I thought were the right reasons, but I was making choices. Although I believed I was doing the right thing for my family, I was destroying myself, setting a bad example and giving my kids a mum who was getting more stressed, depressed and emotionally reactive.

So, I stared making intentional choices to serve me, my life, my greater purpose, and my mental health. In doing all that, I served my family in a way that made me show up as a better person and mum. I made the most difficult decision to leave my work at the school I loved, quit the P&C treasurer role I was in, took leave from my university degree and made a choice to focus only on my physical and mental health, my family, and the business I was trying to grow. I became better, stronger, and healthier. I completely changed my mindset and diet to serve my mental and physical health in impactful ways. I was finally truly happy and content with my life; everything was amazing.

I was so in control of my mindset and mental health that when my husband's health took a turn for the worse, this time with a mystery nervous system issue, I was able to handle it in such a way that I had faith everything would be ok. I didn't let it bring me down. I watched him go from a fit, healthy man to someone who resembled my dad with Parkinson's. Shakes, head wobbles, loss of weight, cognitive distortions and even a heart attack in front of me in the hospital. He spent weeks in hospital and months unwell. We nearly lost him, and it was the most challenging time of our lives, yet I was able to hold it together and support my family through it all, knowing beyond any doubt, it would all be ok.

The year 2023 was the hardest year of my life but also the most amazing year because it was the year that started a new life and a new path for me. I quit a job I loved, left the university degree I'd worked so hard on, had a big health scare of my own, watched my husband almost die (again), supported him as he got back on his feet, and became financially ruined (again). The end of the year finished with the separation of our marriage and the realisation of another woman in my husband's life. Yet during the year, I finally found a way to change my mindset to serve me in the most profound way. I found a way to be happy in the everyday existence of life. I discovered ways to help my physical and mental health so profoundly that through all these things, I was able to cope and thrive. I remained excited for a better future and grateful for all I'd been through and all I had, knowing everything was happening just as it should to push me further onto the right path. A path where I would start to share how I did it with others who needed help and support.

I loved my work with children and knew it was my passion, but through my recent life changes and delving into the psychology and neurology of the effects of mental health and trauma to help myself, I discovered a new path in life. A path that would take everything I ever wanted and was passionate about and roll it into one amazing purpose. I realised that as much as I wanted to help kids, it was their parents and careers who also needed support in order to set a better example for them at home. I always knew one day I would write about my life story and share it to show people who were struggling through lack of support, addictions, abuse, trauma, mental health and whatever else that you can still follow your dreams, be happy and prosperous and make it to where you want to go despite life's challenges.

All this time, I'd been waiting for the success to happen before I dared to share my journey. Then I realised. I'd already made it. I'd been waiting for the 6-7 figure income, the best-seller book and all these "traditional" markers of success. I was blind to the fact that I was already so successful without those things. I'd already overcome so much and gotten further than most people in my shoes did. Nearly everyone I knew from my past life was still locked in addictions or struggling in some other way. They were still stuck in that world. So many people have a dream to be an entrepreneur or a writer or something they never take the steps to do, yet here I was, already doing everything I wanted. Fighting through all life's challenges to keep going and create the life of my dreams.

Over the years, I have written and self-published books and never thought they were good enough because none were traditionally published or became best sellers. But I wrote, edited, formatted, and even did the covers myself. I never had the money to do it all professionally, but I worked hard on them and got them out there anyway. They weren't best sellers, but I sold several hundred copies, and they all had an average of over 4 stars on Amazon and Goodreads with 50+ reviews. How incredible is that!! Plus, in 2021, out of over 40,000 stories submitted to the Watty's Awards, one of my books made the shortlist. Incredible. That's success.

I am also a kind, loving mother and a passionate educator, and I have always had some kind of side hustle. While never bringing in the big bucks, I've always made extra money to get us by. When I started my latest venture as an official business in the middle of a pandemic that led to further financial crisis and as my whole life was falling apart, it was and still is growing steadily. In my first year of business, I made half my regular working wage just in profits! That is a success! I did it all while working in education, studying to become a teacher and volunteering my time for the school’s P&C to support the kids fundraising.

Now, I am putting aside my prior limiting beliefs of what success should look like and sharing my journey and all the knowledge I've gained to change my mindset and, in doing so, change my life completely. I started an online community, The Mindset Reset Warriors, building a Facebook and Instagram page, a TikTok account, and a YouTube channel. I also created a website with a blog. I am using these platforms to develop an online safe space for anyone who needs advice and judgement-free support to come and see that someone who has been through so much has changed their life so incredibly through the power of their own mindset and hard work. Not with money or privilege, connections or an extensive supportive network of friends and family but predominantly alone while most of the world doubted, I could ever do it. A story to let others know it is possible for them.

This path of mine encompasses everything I ever wanted to do and be. A writer, an entrepreneur, a teacher and someone devoted to helping the world, all while creating a better life for my family. I am still passionate about educating and supporting kids, and that is the driving force behind all of this because my final goal, something I haven't really shared with anyone until now as it seemed too big and out of reach, is to earn enough money to not only support my family but to start a foundation to support at-risk kids. A foundation to establish drop-in centres in the community that provide guidance to alternative education for youth and young adults, a safe, judgment-free place for those who don't have somewhere like that to go. A place that provides free mental health support, cooking and other life skills classes, and social activities. A safe place for the future generation to come to know they are supported, worthy, and capable of following all their dreams no matter their challenges. Just like I did.

Thank you for taking some of your valuable time to read my story. If you are struggling with life’s challenges, I hope my words can uplift and inspire you to know you are not alone and are capable of amazing things. If you'd like to follow along on my journey, or have something you would like to contribute to my website in the form of professional advice or support, you can find me online here: