I’m Casey Cheah, founder of MRW (Melbourne Reiki and Wellness). It’s funny how each week, there seems to be a pattern or theme with my clients. This week, the question seems to be ‘how do I quit my job and do Reiki or energy work, but still survive financially’? This is such a common question, so I thought perhaps I’d share my story as I did exactly that…twice!
Corporate HR
Throughout school I was always a straight-A student. I studied hard and received good grades (with the exception of woodwork, apparently I’m terrible at sawing in a straight line!) On the urging of my dad, I went to University and did a double degree in Human Resources and Psychology. You guessed it, I received honours with distinction in both! I then did the ‘right thing’ and got a job in HR straight out of Uni. It was fun to a point, but not so fun when I was made redundant, struggled to get another job through the GFC, ended up in temp work for awhile, before buying a one-way ticket to London. Just before I was due to go, I received another offer of a better HR job in Melbourne, so I ended up staying.
Teaching yoga
Fast forward a few years, and I hated it. My background has always been dance and yoga, but I never thought that could be a ‘real job’. Then suddenly I found myself doing my yoga teacher training, and started teaching yoga and barre almost immediately. Within 7 months even before I finished my 12 month course, I had quit my HR job and was teaching full time!
Change doesn’t have to be scary!
Many people have since asked me if I was scared or nervous making the change, but honestly, I didn’t even think about it. I was so excited that I just did it! There was definitely a drop in my income, however I’ve always been someone who has worked (and studied) very hard. I made money teaching for studios, but I also had a side hustle teaching private yoga students, teaching couples their wedding dance, as well as private barre clients too. I worked late nights, early mornings, and weekends, but I didn’t care. I LOVED it!
Mindset coaching
I’ve always been super interested in mindset, so I also completed my Diploma in Life Coaching about the same time I started teaching. I started a little coaching business on the side too, and was loving learning so much! However, life never goes to plan…
Overcoming challenges
Over the last 10 years teaching yoga, I’ve been super sick for years with gut issues, mum passed away in 2014, I was sick again, and there have been numerous other battles I’ve overcome. All those things lead me to dive even deeper into my spirituality and energy healing. Western medicine just didn’t help in any way, so I remember searching for hours and hours through the nights for other ways to heal. I eventually stumbled across another form of energy healing, which completely transformed my health, and my life.
7 year itch
After so many years teaching yoga, my income had gone up, my teaching hours had dropped to a more reasonable level, and I had a good steady balance going. However, I had hit a point about 7 years in where I just wasn’t feeling fulfilled anymore. That’s when I started searching for something else.
Real estate or Reiki?
I did courses in real estate and renovating, and at the same time I also did courses in Reiki! I thought real estate was the better financial option, but I also loved Reiki energy healing! I’ve had whispers of a calling to do energy work for years now (ever since I was a kid actually, but that’s another story!). However the logical part of my brain was telling me that real estate was the better way to go for financial reasons, especially now I was in my 30’s. Long story short, I invested a lot of money and time into starting my own real estate business, but after 6 months, I made a very embarrassing phone call to my accountant to close it down.
Making the change to Reiki healing
Reiki took over, and flourished! I was still teaching yoga part time, and practicing Reiki part time. I knew then that Reiki was what I was called to do. It was an inner knowing and I received intuitive downloads time and time again confirming that this was my path. However, again life throws curve balls, and after 8 months, Covid hit! Lockdowns ensued, and it was devastating to small businesses like my own. However, it also gave me an opportunity to set up systems and processes, and get my online offering started. Once lockdown ended, I was flooded with clients! I stopped teaching yoga, and focused solely on Reiki. Without a second thought, all of a sudden I found myself practicing Reiki full time. Within a very short time I had moved into a new clinic space, and brought on 3 more healers!
Reiki is my calling…what is yours?
I’m confident, happy, fulfilled, and financially supported with Reiki (that’s not just an affirmation, it’s my reality!). Even though it’s been very challenging at times, my inner knowing has literally kept me going. The strength of that knowing has got me through the ups and downs. If you’re in energy work, you’ll know that most of those challenges are from the spirit world. It makes for a very unfair advantage, that’s for sure! I’ve also had challenges from other healers and people that have tried to stop me on my path. This journey doing energy work can be lonely and isolating at times, and sometimes you might even think you’re going crazy!
Support team is vital
But don’t let those ups and downs put you off. If you know in your heart this is the work you are being called to do, stick with it. Find people that you trust that have your back, and who you can lean on for support. Book in for regular Reiki treatments yourself. Find a Reiki Master who can help you navigate your journey, because one thing is for sure…you are not alone! And you’re not the first person to go through these challenges. The more we can support each other and raise each other up, the more likely we all are to stay connected and in a positive vibration.
Book in for Reiki + Coaching with Casey Cheah, founder of MRW
If you need support, I offer Reiki Mentoring sessions, as well as Reiki + Coaching sessions. Sometimes all you need is someone to talk through your challenges with, or a Reiki healing to clear any energy blocks! If this is you, book in today, don’t wait. You’ll feel lighter, more confident, and have more energy to go after what you really want.
