Originally trained as an Aeronautical Engineer and Programme Manager by background, these days she combines many of the skills in which she was trained, with her own personal experiences of struggles with her health, new understanding of holistic health, therapy and NLP.
A lover of all things adventure, Kirsty has been lucky enough to have travelled fairly extensively, mostly across the USA and Africa, volunteering in schools in Ghana and Thailand, qualified as a PADI Divemaster in Mozambique, a Day Skipper and climbed Mt Meru, Tanzania.
She moved to beautiful Norfolk with the RAF, and continues to enjoy the gorgeous landscapes on regular trips to the North Norfolk coast and Thetford Forest with her Labrador x Flat Coat Retriever, Loki.
Whilst she thrives on a challenge, and loved the opportunities the RAF brought her, she became a severely depleted version of herself after a decade of “burning the candle at both ends”, and was signed off work with burnout. And so, at the age of 30, she knew something needed to change…so she decided to put her skills to good use, unleash her imagination and turn the idea into a reality!
“My idea of a ‘holiday’ has always been a little unusual; building Long-drop toilets for every house in a village in Ghana when I was 17, qualifying as an assistant Dive Instructor in Honduras and Mozambique at 21, project managing an initiative, for an education sponsorship programme, at a Hospital in Uganda or rebuilding a school for a hilltribe village in Thailand!
These expeditions helped me grow as a person, meet likeminded and inspiring individuals and take time to really ‘switch off’ from technology and the westernised drumbeat. I was conducting cognitive and physical activities, but without even realising it, taking time to reflect and make changes to my goals/methods and challenge my beliefs, dreams and perceived limitations.
As I progressed through my 20s, I wanted to continue travelling, hated laying by a pool, but no longer had the capacity to plan the amazing expeditions I had conducted at university. I wanted the security of an established company to worry about the logistics and safety aspects of my travel, but struggled to find anything that was aimed at professionals, rather than gap-year students, or that really homed in on the skills, learnt outside the classroom, to take back to my employer and knew that something was missing….
Whilst on a work trip, with the RAF, we were lucky enough to have a few days downtime, which we spent at Lake Tahoe. I noticed that my team were re-energised, had built on their skills and working together in a way that would foster stronger functionality on return to work. I saw the benefits of a holistic approach, active relaxation in an explorative setting.
I was INSPIRED…. and so InTah (‘Inspiration Lake Tahoe’) was born….. built on the foundations of Exploration, Development, Wellbeing and Social Responsibility, to inspire others to discover their purpose!”
Do you ever feel like you slog all week, just to get to the weekend, then feel too tired to really enjoy your time ‘off’, only to prepare yourself for another 50+ hour work week?
Feeling overworked and undervalued, and when they do recognise your work, you get a measly certificate from someone you don’t event know?
Do you sometimes just want to pack it all in, throw away your iPhone and go to a desert island where you can just ignore the rest of the world?
Or have you been knowing something needs to change for far too long, convincing yourself that “it’ll be better when” you move job/get promoted/richer/happier/married* (delete as applicable)?
Ever questioned why society asks us to work for 60% of our life, only to not have the energy to really enjoy our retirement?
Many of us struggle with stress and overwhelm due to trying to follow someone else’s recommendations, instead of our own path. By uncovering your purpose, being inspired and taking time to prioritise yourself, you can live a more fulfilling lifestyle and prevent some of these, now commonplace, issues.
At InTah, we believe recuperation, wellbeing and exploration should be built into our lifestyle and employment, not just into our time off. We provide you with the opportunity to develop yourself, network and learn with other inspiring individuals, all whilst enjoying yourself and incorporating some relaxation!
Providing exploration, development and wellbeing activities, the only limit is your imagination! InTah’s experiences range from Conferences to Expeditions, Retreats to Mentoring and Award Ceremonies to Loyalty Schemes, to help you discover your purpose and BE INSPIRED!
And if you still aren’t convinced. . .
Mental illness is the second-largest source of burden of disease in the UK with 1 in 4 in the UK experience mental health issues and a whopping 792 Million affected worldwide.
Burnout has now been classified as a disease by the World Health Organisation with 74% of people saying they have felt so stressed they have been overwhelmed or unable to cope.
of adults who felt stressed reported feeling depressed and 61% felt anxious.
Burnout is a global problem, with 602,000 workers suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety.
Research shows that 40% of people with a mental health condition do not feel comfortable talking to their boss about it, yet prevention and early detection of issues could enable employers to save 30+% of these costs – at least £8 billion per year.
MUCH MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE!
The experiences will provide opportunities to adventure in new countries and locations, network with like-minded and driven professionals, undertake self-development and recuperation activities, going home feeling inspired and energised.
From recycled products, eco-tourism, volunteer-work, socially responsible practices and sustainability built into every experience, you can adventure safe in the knowledge that you are also supporting a fantastic cause!
With more than six different themes to the trips and experiences, there will be something for anyone who is committed to investing in themselves and their future; whether it be a life reboot, understanding how you can implement sustainability into your home-life or workplace, or just to explore somewhere new and off the beaten track.
Once you’ve completed your adventure, the fun won’t stop there; with membership to the InTah Tribe, you will become part of our loyalty scheme, giving you access to regular updates, motivational videos, innovative opportunities, mentoring and support.
You also have the option of becoming a member of our Rewards Scheme, with some of your favourite brands who align with our core values, featured alongside some AMAZING new startup companies to ensure we are supporting local businesses.
Our vision is to also get CPD/ELCAS registered, so that your employer can subsidise your adventure too!! What is there not to love!
If you’re ready to make a real commitment to yourself and your future, then apply to join us at ReNew. A three-day immersive experience designed specifically with you in mind, to help you take time for yourself, to focus on your future, talk through techniques, mindset and lifestyle changes, and provide the support opportunities you need to embed and sustain them.
Once you’ve completed ReNew, and become a member of the InTah Tribe, a whole raft of additional opportunities will become open to you. Maybe you want an adventure, but just don’t have time to plan it yourself? Or some self-development, but can’t face a whole week of PowerPoint slides?
Whether you fancy building a school in Ecuador, scuba diving off the coast of Mozambique, providing business coaching in Mongolia or trekking in Bhutan, InTah has something for everyone.
Or if you’re not quite ready for that, why not check out one of our workshops, or online courses that you can study from home, in your own time.
Then InTah is for YOU!
Whether it’s through motivation and encouragement on my journey, volunteering your skills or time, donating or joining the InTah Network, your support is greatly received.
There are several ways to support InTah’s journey:
I hope the activities take your fancy, but any support (big or small) will help to make the dream a reality, not just for me, but for everyone!
I hope the activities take your fancy, but any support (big or small) will help to make the dream a reality, not just for me, but for everyone!
“What have you done today, to make you feel proud?” – HEATHER SMALL
