Updated March 2026 — I first wrote this post in 2025 when I was still finding my feet with all of this. Since then the journey has accelerated considerably. I’m now a certified Reiki Level 1 practitioner, nearly finished with Level 2, and preparing to offer treatments. I’ve left the original post largely intact because the uncertainty I felt then will resonate with people just starting out — but I’ve added to it throughout to reflect where things stand now.
Have you found yourself suddenly drawn to practices you’d have scoffed at a few years ago? Feeling strangely compelled to spend time in nature rather than scrolling social media? Wondering if you’re going a bit mad, or perhaps… awakening? I never expected to be writing about spiritual awakening. With a background in manufacturing and business consulting, I’ve always been the practical sort. The no-nonsense, show-me-the-evidence type who’d raise an eyebrow at talk of energy fields or oracle cards. And yet, here I am, oracle deck on my desk, tracking moon phases in my calendar, and realising that something profound has shifted in my life.
The Sceptic’s Spiritual Awakening
Let me be perfectly clear — I haven’t spent thousands on retreats or signed up to any guru’s masterclass. When I first wrote this post, I used to wonder if I was a bit of a fraud for even using the term “spiritual awakening” without having paid my dues through someone’s expensive certification programme. I know now that was just the old conditioning talking. Spiritual awakening isn’t something that can be bought or sold. It happens when it happens, often quietly and without fanfare — and the credentials catch up later, or they don’t, and it doesn’t matter either way.
I’ve come to think of spiritual awakening as something of a coming of age — one that can arrive gradually or suddenly, at the perfect moment or at what feels like entirely the wrong one. Some women find their lives gently reorient. Others have theirs thrown into chaos first. Either way, I’m not sure you can outrun it forever. (I’ll be writing more about this separately — it deserves its own post.)
My journey began not on a meditation cushion in Bali (although I really look forward to heading there when the kids are older), but in the everyday chaos of running a business whilst raising a family. It crept up on me gradually, through small changes that only made sense when I looked back at the pattern they’d created. I follow and consider myself friends with many spiritual teachers, and I’m sure the content they put out has played its part too.
The Pace of It — Slow Creep and Sudden Leaps
One thing nobody told me is how uneven the pace of this is. For long stretches, the shifts are so slow and subtle you’d barely notice — like trying to watch your hair grow. Then something shifts and suddenly you’re moving fast, making connections, noticing signs everywhere, feeling like the universe has turned up the volume.
In my experience, the acceleration happens most when you follow your intuition rather than override it, and when you start noticing synchronicities instead of dismissing them as coincidence. The two feed each other — the more you trust your intuition, the more synchronicities you notice, and the more those confirm you’re on the right path.
I’ve also noticed a real correlation between reducing what I’d call toxins — alcohol, heavily processed foods, and I’ve no doubt other substances fall into this category too — and the clarity that follows. When you stop numbing or dulling yourself, however mildly, things become clearer. It’s not about being perfect. It’s about reducing the interference.
Signs You Might Be Experiencing a Spiritual Awakening (Even If You’re Not Sure)
If you’re wondering whether what you’re experiencing might be a spiritual awakening, here are some changes I’ve noticed in my own life that might resonate with you:
1. Your media consumption has dramatically changed
When I realised I was choosing podcasts about mindfulness over my usual business strategy content or the latest dance music, I knew something was shifting. These days, I’m more drawn to books about personal growth than the watching the latest rom com. The content that once entertained me now often feels hollow or unnecessarily negative. I’ve actually switched off a video before when they said the words ‘think about someone you hate’, I don’t really have those thoughts now. I also deleted all the news apps from my phone a year of so ago because of the negativity.
2. You’re reassessing what success really means
I used to define success primarily through business metrics and achievements. Now I find myself questioning whether these measures actually contribute to a life well-lived. What’s the point of a successful business if I’m not present enough to enjoy life with those I love?
3. You’re drawn to practices you’d have dismissed before
A few years ago, if you’d told me I’d be consulting oracle cards or tracking how I feel during different moon phases, I’d have laughed. Yet here I am, finding genuine value and insight in these practices that I once would have dismissed as “woo-woo nonsense.” I wonder if it was all after I did my Reiki training.
That started with a curiosity around how Reiki worked — rather than booking a treatment, I thought I’d just do the training to find out. I’m so glad I did. It astounds me, and I love that it works even though the practical person inside me still wonders exactly how.
Since writing this, I’ve completed my Reiki Level 1 certification and I’m nearly finished with Level 2. I’ll be offering treatments from home in the coming months. What started as a curious experiment has become a genuine practice and, it turns out, a calling. I actually once used Reiki on my phone because my tutor told me she’d heard you could restart a flat battery. You can give anything Reiki — people, plants, and electronic devices included. It only blooming worked! The shock when my phone kicked into life one cold day in Whitby — I can tell you I very nearly fell off my stool!
4. Your relationship with nature has deepened
I’ve always enjoyed a nice walk, but now I find myself craving time outdoors in a different way. It’s not just about exercise or fresh air – there’s a sense of connection and restoration that happens when I’m amongst trees or near water that feels essential rather than optional. I am officially a tree hugger now! I do with trees a hug from time to time, sometimes in the pretence of seeing how many of us are needed to get our arms around one of the bigger ones. And, I feel a buzz of energy when I enter a wooded area, particularly of very old trees, such as at Bradgate Park. It’s not a buzz of my energy, it’s a buzz of energy, almost a hum all around me.
5. You’re becoming more selective about your relationships
I’ve noticed a natural drifting away from connections that feel draining or inauthentic. This hasn’t been a conscious “cutting people off” so much as a gentle recognition of which relationships nourish me and which don’t. Quality over quantity has become my unspoken rule. I’ve found myself coming away from anyone that is talking about being ‘bold’ for example, it just doesn’t fit anymore. I’ve also told a few of the coaches I know that I don’t identify with ‘ambitious’ anymore. I’m just content and happy with a slower build.
6. Your priorities around health have shifted
Health isn’t just about avoiding illness anymore – it’s about creating true wellbeing. I’m more aware of how foods affect not just my physical health but my energy and mental clarity. Rest has become non-negotiable rather than something to fit in around “more important” tasks.
I actually stopped drinking alcohol entirely about two years ago, just four months after my Reiki attunement. I wasn’t a big drinker by any means, but I’d developed quite an enjoyment of Stilton cheese, which pairs awfully well with red wine. It didn’t seem the healthiest habit to nurture, as the cheese isn’t quite the same without a decent helping of red! I’ve since wondered if giving up alcohol was connected to my spiritual journey – many practitioners mention that Reiki can raise your energetic frequency, making you more sensitive to substances like alcohol. Whether that’s true or just coincidence, I’ve certainly noticed clearer thinking and more consistent energy levels since.
I give up sugar every year for Lent and it really gives me an understanding of the post-sugar slump. We sometimes had pizza as a takeaway for a team lunch to celebrate getting through a busy time or to celebrate someone’s birthday and OMG! How much could I have just gone to bed after that! The carb coma is real, I could barely drive home sometimes, let alone be productive.
Looking back, giving up alcohol removed a layer of interference I hadn’t fully noticed was there. The same is true of heavily processed foods — the post-pizza carb coma is real, as I’ve written about, but beyond the obvious sluggishness there’s a subtler dulling that happens when you consistently put things into your body that it has to fight. I don’t think this is about being strict or virtuous. I think it’s simply that when you reduce the noise, you can actually hear yourself.
7. You feel a stronger pull toward purpose and meaning
There’s a growing sense that life must be about more than just getting through the day or accumulating things. This pull toward purpose is what ultimately led me to create the Love Life More project, as I felt compelled to share what I was learning with others. Although I also think there is a real sense of ‘you are where you’re supposed to be’. We are always looking for our meaning and perhaps we are doing what we are supposed to be doing, bringing our kids up to adulthood and being able to thrive in the big wide world in my case.
8. You’re noticing connections and patterns everywhere
Life feels less random and more interconnected. Coincidences seem meaningful, and you start noticing patterns that you might have dismissed before as meaningless. I’d go as far as saying I don’t believe in coincidence anymore, everything happens for a reason.
9. You’re seeing repeating numbers everywhere
You’ve started noticing 11:11 on clocks, 333 on receipts, or 444 on licence plates with surprising frequency. What once seemed like random coincidences now feel like meaningful messages. Whether it’s angel numbers or simply your subconscious becoming more attuned to patterns, these synchronicities often increase during spiritual awakening as your awareness expands.
We know I like to question the woo wide of things, so I’ve wondered at times if your body just gets used to looking at a clock at a certain time, such as 11:11 everyday…Well let me tell you that recently I’ve seen that time on our thermostat, which isn’t remotely accurate so it was around 5pm really. Also on the oven I saw 22:22 which also isn’t set right so wasn’t anywhere close. Fleeting glances as I walk past…I’m an cynic no longer. Have you had the same experience? If you want to find out more about the numbers you keep seeing, check them out here.
10. You’re questioning everything you once accepted without thought
Beliefs, systems, and ways of living that you never questioned before are suddenly up for examination. This isn’t about becoming cynical, but rather developing a deeper curiosity about why things are the way they are. You might find yourself asking “But why?” about everything from societal expectations to your own habits and assumptions.
I know I have on soooooooo many levels.
The Practical Side of Spiritual Awakening/Growth
What I find most interesting about this journey is how practical it actually is. Far from making me less effective in the “real world,” these shifts have actually made me more discerning about where I put my energy, more intentional with my time, and oddly enough, more effective in many areas of life.
There’s no requirement to abandon critical thinking or common sense. In fact, I believe a healthy scepticism is an asset on this journey. It helps us avoid the pitfalls of spiritual bypassing or getting caught up in practices that don’t actually serve our growth. Or spending a load of money on something we don’t actually need. We’ll probably figure it out in our own sweet time anyway. And maybe even have as much fun on the journey.
Am I Doing This “Right”?
When I first wrote this, I used to wonder if I was a spiritual impostor. Without a lineage, a teacher, or formal training in most of these areas, who was I to claim a spiritual awakening? I do have my Reiki lineage now — and I know enough to find the occasional snobbery about lineages quietly amusing. But even before the certifications, the awakening was real.
The truth is, there’s no single right way to experience any of this. Your journey will look different from mine. The changes you notice might be subtle or dramatic, gradual or sudden. The practices that resonate with you might be completely different from what works for me. We all move through it in our own order and at our own pace. And that is entirely as it should be.
From Cynical to Curious
I haven’t abandoned my practical nature or my business background. I still value evidence and results. But I’ve moved from cynical to curious, creating space for experiences and insights that don’t fit neatly into my previous worldview.
If you’re experiencing similar shifts, know that you don’t need anyone’s permission or certification to acknowledge what’s happening. You don’t need to fit your experience into someone else’s definition of spiritual awakening. Your journey is valid exactly as it is.
I’d love to hear about your experiences. Have you noticed unexpected changes in your life that might signal a spiritual awakening? Do you also struggle with feeling like a fraud when exploring these topics? Let me know in the comments below.
Remember, loving life more isn’t about perfection or having all the answers. It’s about remaining open to growth and finding joy in the journey, wherever it leads you.
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“The spiritual journey is individual, highly personal. It can’t be organized or regulated. It isn’t true that everyone should follow one path. Listen to your own truth.”
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