Helping people to feel their very best inside and out

Hi, I’m Kelly Mesut and I’ve been a member of the Women’s Business Club for over two years and launched the Richmond Tribe Night back in November 2019 after running the Wimbledon club for a year. Since joining as a member I’ve always been struck by what I feel is a really unique approach to networking. This isn’t just about a brief exchange of information, but a place where authentic connections with likeminded people can be formed. I’ve always found it to be a kind and passionate community of women offering benefits to members on a personal, as well as a business and professional level.

I know so many women and in my local area all at different stages in their business, career and life in general and I wanted to create a space where they could gather and build relationships, accelerate their business, expand their network and grow in an inclusive, supportive environment.

I’m a trained counsellor and psychotherapist and I run an Arbonne business, offering premium beauty, health & wellness products with vegan, toxin-free formulas, proven to deliver exceptional results. I’ve also completed my reiki courses levels 1 and 2 and plan to train as a yoga instructor later this year.

My great passion is holistic health and helping people to feel their very best inside and out, and as such I am crafting my overall business offering to clients to help meet their needs in myriad ways. My counselling training developed my skills in valuing each client as a true individual and this is why I choose to offer mental, emotional and physical health solutions.

I am active in helping to promote the importance of mental health and contributing to conversations around reducing any stigmas that still exist. Today’s society is so typically ‘busy’. We have a 24/7 lifestyle, we’re constantly at the mercy of our various devices and social media channels; we’re constantly interacting with screens, often to the detriment of our relationships with those physically present around us.

I’ve become a huge fan of Dr Chatterjee’s podcast, ‘Feel Better Live More’ podcast and just recently there was a brilliant episode with writer and journalist Johann Hari on the topic of depression, which also touched on addiction. It’s a fascinating listen and discusses that, regarding depression and anxiety, the cause is often in the way we live rather than in our biology. Hari mentions that we are the loneliest society there has ever been. He talks about the importance of human connection and also how having a sense of autonomy and choice over one’s role in the workplace can reduce the likelihood of depression and anxiety.

This discussion got me thinking about a number of things. Depression and anxiety are areas of great interest for me, having experienced both. What I love about building the Tribe Night, and Women’s Business Club in general, is that it enables us to build face-to-face connections, supported, rather than driven, by an online presence, support and community. It brings people physically together. Building a business as an entrepreneur can sometimes be a lonely journey requiring an inordinate amount of discipline and motivation and long, unusual hours. Working in a role within an established company can be constraining and pressured, with a lack of desired autonomy. The value delivered and the relationships formed at these meetups, may mean more to attendees than you think.

My Top Tips and learnings

1. My first tip, inspired by a lot of the reading and listening I’ve done recently, is to be brave. Marie Forleo’s quote, really struck a chord with me: ‘You’ll never be ready to do the important things you need to do’  Tweet This!
   There is never the perfect time to do the things you dream about. You just have to be brave, take that first step and work it out along the way.
2. Following on from this, take advantage of as many opportunities that come your way as you can, if they align with your goals and values. I really do believe they come to us for a reason.
3. Plan your week ahead but allow for whatever level of flexibility you need. Like many, I always have a lot to juggle through the week, much of which relates to my children, and my schedule is built around them. Making a priority list can be helpful; if time is inadvertently cut short then you should still be able to get to the important things. The book, ‘The 1 Thing’ by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan is a good read, but what you really want to be doing is looking at your action list and identifying those few things that are most crucial for the day, which will have a lasting positive impact.
4. ‘If it’s important enough I’ll make the time, if it’s not, I’ll make an excuse’ – Marie Forleo.
   We choose how we spend our time and often it isn’t a case of not having the time to do something, it’s that we don’t want to do it and we wrap it up in the excuse of being ‘too busy’. Take a look at the demands you have on you with this in mind and ask yourself, what do you really want to make the time for?
5. You cannot be all things to all people at the same time. Don’t try to be. Obviously, there will always be a number of things going on concurrently but try and organise your time accordingly to meet each need. Be present with each role you’re playing at any given time – it takes practice! If it’s family time, ‘be’ with your family. If you have a deadline, make this your temporary priority. There’s also no shame in delegating.
6. Personal development. There are so many books, trainings, audios and podcasts that have really impacted on me. If it’s hard to fit in reading a book, listen to audiobooks (I use the Audible app), when you’re on the move, at home or in the office. It’s astounding how much knowledge you can soak up over time.

Health tips

1. Recharge your whole system. I believe that a healthy diet and physical health are integral to mental and emotional wellbeing. With my Arbonne business I work with a healthy living plan called ’30 Days to Healthy Living & Beyond’, which is designed to rest and recharge the digestive system by temporarily easing toxic and potentially allergenic foods out of your diet. The plan isn’t about calorie counting, but about fuelling the body with delicious, fresh whole foods and supplementing and supporting the body with high quality nutrition that has a high bioavailability, meaning that it is readily absorbable by the body.As well as offering the products, I also offer a free optional coaching programme with input from experts, plus I offer 1-2-1 coaching. This plan isn’t just about 30 days, it’s about instigating good health habits for life and educating people. By helping the body to cleanse and absorb high quality nutrients, you can enjoy better sleep, more energy, clearer thinking and less brain fog, clearer and brighter skin, less aches and pains and reduce excess weight. It works on your entire body and is a flexible plan that can fit into any lifestyle.I offer free consultations on this. In addition to the 30 day plan I can work with any length of time that suits the client, from 7, 10, 15 to 90 days and more! Some people start and don’t want to stop because they feel so much better.

2. For me, exercise is non-negotiable. As well as helping me manage physical and mental stress it’s also the most effective mood booster for me and massively helps with my focus and concentration.One thing that can work for anyone is incidental exercise. This is about squeezing exercise into pockets of time where you can move your body without having to carve out ‘time’ and actively schedule it. It helps to incorporate more movement into your day. These are just some suggestions of seemingly inconsequential actions that will add up through the day: take the stairs instead of the lift or escalator; incorporate a walk in your day when you’re on your way somewhere, whether that’s walking part of the way to work or walking the kids to school; stand on the tube or train instead of sitting; offer to make the office a cup of tea (it’s also a mood booster to do something for someone else!); put the remote control further away from you so you have to walk to it; do some squats waiting for the kettle to boil or do some stretches while watching TV. Adaptation, rather than drastic change, can help make things more achievable.Also, you’ve heard it before but find an activity that you really enjoy and look forward to, and make it feasible to fit it into your day.

3. Don’t try to change too much at once. Try adding in a good habit, such as drinking eight glasses of water or day, incorporating supplements like CBD oils into your routine, or getting your 8-10 fruit and veg servings a day, instead of focusing on any idea of deprivation.
4. Keep is simple! Don’t make things overly complex. Filling your kitchen with fresh, healthy food will make it much easier to create healthy meals. Seek out some quick and easy recipes for rushed days. Batch cook so you have something ready for those super busy days.
5. I work extensively with premium, toxin free skincare and make up without harsh chemicals. If you’re interested in trying something but are on a budget and can’t stretch to a full regime, invest more in the products that stay on your skin for longer. For example, it would be better to have a ‘clean’, results driven face moisturiser or body lotion than a face wash or a body wash, because these sit on the skin while the latter are rinsed off. Invest more in foundation than eye shadow, as this cover a larger skin area and is more likely to be absorbed. Arbonne’s full range is ‘pure, safe and beneficial’ and formulated without over 2,000 potentially harmful ingredients including parabens, phthalates, sulphates, artificial fragrances, colours and sweeteners.

Please contact me to discuss counselling, psychotherapy and reiki. If you’d like to discuss the 30 Days to Healthy Living Plan, specific Arbonne nutrition products, or if you’d like to look at incorporating healthier, toxin-free skin and body care products, I’m very happy to help and again, offer free consultations.

You can reach me on – 07855 469131 / [email protected]

View my website here – kellyatkinson.arbonne.com

Listen to the podcast mentioned above here – drchatterjee.com/is-everything-you-know-about-depression-wrong-with-johann-hari/