A Chronic Entrepreneur: Kerrie Mercel
Kerrie Mercel has taken many leaps in her life – she’s a qualified chef, a scuba diving centre owner, award winning property developer, and now the founder of Clarity – a range of products to help people tap into their desires, release feelings that are holding them back, and embrace abundance. She has always been an entrepreneur and was diagnosed with diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis at different stages in her life. Here she shares her story living with these chronic illnesses and the journey she’s taken.
What’s your Chronic?
Diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis.
Where/when were you diagnosed?
1991 and 2016.
What does being an entrepreneur mean to you?
Freedom to choose what I do and when. No traffic jams. Be responsible for my own finances. Give back to community.
What came first, the chronic or the entrepreneurism?
Entrepreneurism.
How did this path come to you?
Between split shifts as a chef, and being pregnant to my first child (she died at birth), we decided to set up a dive shop as my husband wanted to become an instructor.
Did you go through any sort of 12-stages of grief with the diagnosis or take it in its stride? How did the process manifest itself? Did you immediately reassess your life?
No, I immediately looked for natural solutions. I did have to choose life or death. I chose life and to not take the drugs the doctors offered as that would have meant an early death.
Did you seek out or join organisations representing your chronic for support or did you find comfort and answers elsewhere? What would you recommend in hindsight?The Sedona Method gave me everything I required apart from a diet adjustment. I gave up wheat, meat, alcohol and sugar.
How have you changed, if at all, in your relationships, decisions and values?
I have let go of abuse and much of the anger I used to harbour and feel lighter, brighter and ready to take on the world.
What is your life philosophy and has this changed?
I have all the answers within. Instead of pushing for wants I let go of the energy that is stopping me from moving forward and the universe then presents a creative way for me to move forward. I’m not “doing” I’m being.
What do you wish you’d known before?
How to release energy, which is everyone’s natural ability, we just aren’t shown how to do this.
Are you on any treatments? Why/why not?
Acupuncture works brilliantly for me, as well as minerals that my body is screaming out for, and diatamatious earth to remove the lead in my system.
What advice do you have for others starting out on this journey?
Don’t say yes to the doctors, they are one of the world’s major killers. Once you get on the ‘doctor/specialist merry-go-round’, it’s hard to get off. Doctors are great to test you and tell you what’s wrong (for example, blood tests) but are not so great when they start handing out the drugs, or when fixing a broken bone or open wound.
Research what you have yourself (yes, on the internet). Be open to everything and choose what feels right.
What is a ‘bad day’ for you?
If I’ve had a sleepless night, because every time I move in bed I’m woken by the pain. Exhausted, I get up and go to the toilet, the pain of moving just makes me cry. These days I find it very hard to do anything, my hands won’t close so I can’t pick things up. I tend to eat a lot of apples because I can’t hold a knife to prepare food. If I have to drive anywhere I put my seat belt on with my teeth.
What do you do on a ‘bad day’?
I use Google Docs because I can talk and have it record my voice and transfer it to text. This way I can do emails and write. I’ll watch positive programs, documentaries that may help me and rest. I find it hard to rest as I’m loving creating.
How do you deal with stress?
Let it go using the Sedona Method. I don’t have stress unless I choose it and of course I don’t choose it.
What do you struggle with the most?
This is really silly… keeping something in my hand. My body doesn’t remember that my hand doesn’t close and I drop things all day.
What are you most proud of?
I’m drug free, out of bed and feeling amazing.
Who are your back up dancers?
I hate to say this but drugs are. If I get to a point where I can’t get out of bed I will have to play the doctor game again. Where I left off was the specialist wanted me to inject myself in the leg once a week, feel awful for a day, have six days of ‘ok’ then do it all again, for the rest of my life.
Best bits of being a Chronic Entrepreneur?
Satisfaction. Don’t tell me I can’t do this, watch this space.
Worst bits of being a Chronic Entrepreneur?
When I’m out of energy, use tomorrow’s energy today, and then have to face tomorrow.
Are you a 5-year planner or are you winging it?
I’m open to where the universe wants to take me within reason.
Dream weekend plans and have these changed?
Yes, I used to be a professional scuba diver. Now, unless I’m dressed, I can’t get in the water, or out for that matter. I can cope with a five hour fishing trip then rest for the last part of the day. I can’t go for as long, stand up for long, do much like I used to do.
Ultimate dinner party guests?
Who doesn’t say Oprah? Dalai Lama, Magda Szubanski, Rebel Wilson, Maggie Beer, Pink, Russel Branson.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Stop partying and start looking after your body.
What’s next?
Get Clarity out to the world, speak on world stages, help as many people feel better about themselves as I can. Promote my program to support Thai prostitutes running from 6th March 2019.
How can people find you?
Facebook:
http://facebook.com/kezmercel
https://www.facebook.com/ClaritySession/
https://www.facebook.com/groups/clarityresources/
Twitter:
@realestateozzie
Google +:
google.com/+KerrieMercel
YouTube
youtube.com/c/KerrieMercel
Website
https://claritycards.com.au/clarity
Let us know what you think below and share your story with us on Instagram tagging @achronicentrepreneur and using the hashtag #achronicentrepreneur.
