Leanne (Lanny Franny) in a nutshell...
I was born in Mount Gambier, South Australia and lived there for 30 years. I have two very loving parents Heather and Peter and two younger awesome sisters. They are both married; Bronwyn to Todd, and they have two boys Jake and Damon; and Karen to Robert, and they have a son Jedd.
In the picture shown you see my family; my husband Don, gorgeous daughter Krysten, fabulous spunky son Daniel and the cutest angel sent to us in Oliver. These guys are my world.
Here's a quick snap shot of what has got me to today...
I completed 2 years of a nursing course, have been married 3 times, have 3 children, built a business with my husband, lost lots of money, began a deep, depressing, downward mental health spiral, sought professional help, regaining health every day, ready to share my journey to help others...
How my life has unfolded...
3 marriages … I wondered why the men were always wrong for me!
Then I met Don; he'd had a similar problem! He also had 2 failed marriages!
I had Krysten; my daughter from 1st marriage
Don had Daniel; from his 2nd marriage
Don a businessman – strong willed
Me strong woman too
He asked me 3 times to get married and I said NO, then I asked him in a leap year; we married in 1998
We decided on 4 rules
1. When one of us is down, the other's NOT
2. All personal development we would do together
3. When one argues, the other doesn’t participate (Don's better at this than me J)
4. Totally honest no matter what
Don’s father Clive got cancer and needed care, yet not full time, so for that and other reasons like time and money, and travelling 500+km twice a week we decided to move to South Australia's capital city Adelaide. Krysten moved with us, Daniel was already living with his mum in Adelaide.
At my grandmothers 90th birthday held my new 2nd cousin JorJa and got clucky
Krysten missed Mount Gambier and her extended family and friends and decided to move back to Mount Gambier to her dads, yet within a short time a few dramas led me to setting her up into a flat as she refused to come back to Adelaide.
At 37 I decided to have a tubal ligation reversal, got pregnant – YAY told everyone, then tragically miscarried! Within 6 months I was pregnant again - had Oliver at 39
Krysten 17 got into drug trouble; the flat had turned into a drug haven. She was kicked out of the place and I dragged her home basically kicking and screaming. Went through detox with the help of an excellent GP called Peter and a great Drug Rehab Team. This time was very disturbing, and a helpless time.
So picture this, one end of house I have a newborn 4/5 mths old and the other end of the house a 17 yo withdrawing from drugs, hallucinating, burning herself, thinking someone was watching her, hearing voices and showering in her clothes.
Don was a Certified E-Myth Business Coach. We had a great business, 5 coaches, lots of clients and in fact we worked 3 day weeks, and were enjoying 4 day weekends.
Oliver was born with a strangulated testicle and had to undergo surgery at 4 days old. The week after Oliver born E-Myth pulled the pin on all licencee contracts worldwide – our Business would be GONE in 3 years; in days we went from a huge HIGH to a deep LOW.
Basically we had to build the company again from scratch.
We got ourselves into debt yet Don’s BURNING desire to make it happen drove us – all the while I started to see and feel cracks appearing in my health.
Finally November 2008 my body decided that it had had enough, and I lost the plot!
I was blessed to be referred to Dr David, who was open to and recommended natural products. With his wealth of knowledge he knew when I needed prescribed medications, and he would say shut up and take it!
One step away from being Diabetic my Hormone levels had almost depleted. My Melatonin (sleep hormone) almost zero...therefore I had NO sleep!
I was Vitamin B deficient, my Thyroid had stopped working and I had even created "bi-polar" symptoms.
I lived in a world full of angst, pain, frustration, sadness and helplessness, and it had actually penetrated to the cellular level.
From the outside it seemed nothing was wrong; that's the thing about mental illness, there's no gaping or oozing wound, yet inside the pain is gut wrenching.
I Started a recovery plan of action, and today I'm down to a small amount of diabetic drugs and have hormone levels of a 30 year old! I've shed 30kg and have amazing amounts of energy compared to what I had.
Was this road easy? NO WAY!
Did I want my life to end? YES!
I remember opening one eye in the morning and being disappointed that I had woken up, and I even cried because I had woken up...
I even planned how I could suicide on 2 occasions. Each night on his way home from work and after picking Oliver up from his carer, Don would ring me - just to make sure I was still alive – so he was prepared before he walked in the door for Oliver’s sake!
I also saw a fantastic chiropractor and another healer along the way.
They both told me rest, rest, rest, rest until I am bored with resting and then rest some MORE!
One day – the words come to me... “It’s not till you surrender, will the peace come”… I SURRENDED!
Another day – I acknowledged my highest value is honesty, and I realized I wasn’t being honest.
So, to some very close friends and to my family, I came clean.
Not long after Krysten’s 20th birthday I had the most dreadful experience with her. She was living at home and had gotten back into the drug scene, and we had a huge argument where I went to take the house keys from her. And in a huge struggle she became engulfed in fury and rage and ended up punching me in the nose, I screamed for Don and he come running, and whilst he tried to restrain her she bit him 5 times… drawing blood.
I had told her she had 10 mins to pack her stuff and get out.
It was 6pm on a Saturday night, in the middle of winter; it was icy cold and dark - and I have still see that image of her walking up the street pulling her suitcase along behind her with very little money, no phone and no where to go!
Yes, that night I cut off her phone and all ties; my last words to her were...
"I've rescued you from the gutter before, and this time you'll have to crawl out yourself".
I didn’t see her or hear from her in 5 months.
Did I miss her? Yes of course!
Did I worry about her? Yes, to the point of anxiety attacks.
Did I want to rescue her again? Yes, although I knew I couldn't!
Did I panic every Fri & Sat nights when I would hear a car pull up outside? Yes…
I would listen to hear 1 door shut or 2?
Why?… because Police send 2 policemen to tell people about a death!
I prepared myself for the worst and prayed SOO hard for the best.
So after that 5 months, and just 4 weeks before her 21st birthday we made contact, and then met face to face… when honesty time came – I was honest with Krysten and I allowed her to see my vulnerability and truthfulness.
We cried together and hugged and she held my hand and was sorry that she hadn’t been there for me like I was for her. She promised me she had got herself together…
So trusting once again inch by inch she has proven that over and over again.
We are the best of friends, there’s nothing we are not able to talk about. She is single (1st time in 6 years). I'm so proud of her; she is a fantastic sister to Daniel and Oliver. She has rebuilt a relationship with Don and he loves and trusts her more than ever. She is the daughter I dreamed of having!
We see and speak to each other each week and we sms/facebook of course, all the time.
She has been in her 1st full time job ever for over a year and loving it. She's even working towards creating her own dream - her own label of clothing.
How did I get through all this…
The most amazing unconditional loving husband – I truly understand unconditional now, because I REALLY, REALLY tested him; fantastic family support, the best special soul mate friend(s) backup and Great professional help.
What was one of my major turning points?
I had signed up for Christopher Howards Fast Track which is a program of Neuro Linguistic Programming a couple of years prior to all this and had attended several of the trainings; however, when the chips are down - all tools go out the window!
I found out he was coming to Adelaide and hosting a free Breakthrough To Success seminar, which I had attended before, but thought Mmmm... back to basics. This is where I need to go… so day by day I prepared myself to be able to attend this 3 day seminar.
Prior to this I hadn’t worked in the business for 6 months and had purely rested. I just did the basics and slept for many hours each day.
I did this 3 day course, then the following weekend they had another 2 day course that truly pushed me through so many breakthroughs and gave me a huge amount of clarity.
Then, all inspired I became ill again, and I sat still... again!
Butterfly Connections has been registered for almost 15 years!
The next major turning point... By chance (ha! ha!) I was invited to a 1 day seminar with one of my closest friends, and we met a lady who teaches Pyschosynthesis... and yes, I've began that learning journey. I've smashed down resistance and learnt new ways; I've dug deep, and let go of a lot.
I have broken the cocoon and connected to who I am!
I've almost finished writing my first book, and I've got other projects on the go too.
Where am I now?
Mentally - GREAT… Body - almost Caught Up...
There is no need for you to go visit the place I've been, lets short cut it... Trust me it aint pretty!
Put into practice what I share here, and I promise you'll see changes evolve before your eyes, and happiness will radiate from your core.
My life is now dedicated to Making an impact; one life at a time…
Creating a ripple; one family at a time…
Like a pebble in a pond…
Children are our future!
I've found my purpose; and want to share what I've learnt, and create a ripple in someone else's life.
In the picture shown you see my family; my husband Don, gorgeous daughter Krysten, fabulous spunky son Daniel and the cutest angel sent to us in Oliver. These guys are my world.
Here's a quick snap shot of what has got me to today...
I completed 2 years of a nursing course, have been married 3 times, have 3 children, built a business with my husband, lost lots of money, began a deep, depressing, downward mental health spiral, sought professional help, regaining health every day, ready to share my journey to help others...
How my life has unfolded...
3 marriages … I wondered why the men were always wrong for me!
Then I met Don; he'd had a similar problem! He also had 2 failed marriages!
I had Krysten; my daughter from 1st marriage
Don had Daniel; from his 2nd marriage
Don a businessman – strong willed
Me strong woman too
He asked me 3 times to get married and I said NO, then I asked him in a leap year; we married in 1998
We decided on 4 rules
1. When one of us is down, the other's NOT
2. All personal development we would do together
3. When one argues, the other doesn’t participate (Don's better at this than me J)
4. Totally honest no matter what
Don’s father Clive got cancer and needed care, yet not full time, so for that and other reasons like time and money, and travelling 500+km twice a week we decided to move to South Australia's capital city Adelaide. Krysten moved with us, Daniel was already living with his mum in Adelaide.
At my grandmothers 90th birthday held my new 2nd cousin JorJa and got clucky
Krysten missed Mount Gambier and her extended family and friends and decided to move back to Mount Gambier to her dads, yet within a short time a few dramas led me to setting her up into a flat as she refused to come back to Adelaide.
At 37 I decided to have a tubal ligation reversal, got pregnant – YAY told everyone, then tragically miscarried! Within 6 months I was pregnant again - had Oliver at 39
Krysten 17 got into drug trouble; the flat had turned into a drug haven. She was kicked out of the place and I dragged her home basically kicking and screaming. Went through detox with the help of an excellent GP called Peter and a great Drug Rehab Team. This time was very disturbing, and a helpless time.
So picture this, one end of house I have a newborn 4/5 mths old and the other end of the house a 17 yo withdrawing from drugs, hallucinating, burning herself, thinking someone was watching her, hearing voices and showering in her clothes.
Don was a Certified E-Myth Business Coach. We had a great business, 5 coaches, lots of clients and in fact we worked 3 day weeks, and were enjoying 4 day weekends.
Oliver was born with a strangulated testicle and had to undergo surgery at 4 days old. The week after Oliver born E-Myth pulled the pin on all licencee contracts worldwide – our Business would be GONE in 3 years; in days we went from a huge HIGH to a deep LOW.
Basically we had to build the company again from scratch.
We got ourselves into debt yet Don’s BURNING desire to make it happen drove us – all the while I started to see and feel cracks appearing in my health.
Finally November 2008 my body decided that it had had enough, and I lost the plot!
I was blessed to be referred to Dr David, who was open to and recommended natural products. With his wealth of knowledge he knew when I needed prescribed medications, and he would say shut up and take it!
One step away from being Diabetic my Hormone levels had almost depleted. My Melatonin (sleep hormone) almost zero...therefore I had NO sleep!
I was Vitamin B deficient, my Thyroid had stopped working and I had even created "bi-polar" symptoms.
I lived in a world full of angst, pain, frustration, sadness and helplessness, and it had actually penetrated to the cellular level.
From the outside it seemed nothing was wrong; that's the thing about mental illness, there's no gaping or oozing wound, yet inside the pain is gut wrenching.
I Started a recovery plan of action, and today I'm down to a small amount of diabetic drugs and have hormone levels of a 30 year old! I've shed 30kg and have amazing amounts of energy compared to what I had.
Was this road easy? NO WAY!
Did I want my life to end? YES!
I remember opening one eye in the morning and being disappointed that I had woken up, and I even cried because I had woken up...
I even planned how I could suicide on 2 occasions. Each night on his way home from work and after picking Oliver up from his carer, Don would ring me - just to make sure I was still alive – so he was prepared before he walked in the door for Oliver’s sake!
I also saw a fantastic chiropractor and another healer along the way.
They both told me rest, rest, rest, rest until I am bored with resting and then rest some MORE!
One day – the words come to me... “It’s not till you surrender, will the peace come”… I SURRENDED!
Another day – I acknowledged my highest value is honesty, and I realized I wasn’t being honest.
So, to some very close friends and to my family, I came clean.
Not long after Krysten’s 20th birthday I had the most dreadful experience with her. She was living at home and had gotten back into the drug scene, and we had a huge argument where I went to take the house keys from her. And in a huge struggle she became engulfed in fury and rage and ended up punching me in the nose, I screamed for Don and he come running, and whilst he tried to restrain her she bit him 5 times… drawing blood.
I had told her she had 10 mins to pack her stuff and get out.
It was 6pm on a Saturday night, in the middle of winter; it was icy cold and dark - and I have still see that image of her walking up the street pulling her suitcase along behind her with very little money, no phone and no where to go!
Yes, that night I cut off her phone and all ties; my last words to her were...
"I've rescued you from the gutter before, and this time you'll have to crawl out yourself".
I didn’t see her or hear from her in 5 months.
Did I miss her? Yes of course!
Did I worry about her? Yes, to the point of anxiety attacks.
Did I want to rescue her again? Yes, although I knew I couldn't!
Did I panic every Fri & Sat nights when I would hear a car pull up outside? Yes…
I would listen to hear 1 door shut or 2?
Why?… because Police send 2 policemen to tell people about a death!
I prepared myself for the worst and prayed SOO hard for the best.
So after that 5 months, and just 4 weeks before her 21st birthday we made contact, and then met face to face… when honesty time came – I was honest with Krysten and I allowed her to see my vulnerability and truthfulness.
We cried together and hugged and she held my hand and was sorry that she hadn’t been there for me like I was for her. She promised me she had got herself together…
So trusting once again inch by inch she has proven that over and over again.
We are the best of friends, there’s nothing we are not able to talk about. She is single (1st time in 6 years). I'm so proud of her; she is a fantastic sister to Daniel and Oliver. She has rebuilt a relationship with Don and he loves and trusts her more than ever. She is the daughter I dreamed of having!
We see and speak to each other each week and we sms/facebook of course, all the time.
She has been in her 1st full time job ever for over a year and loving it. She's even working towards creating her own dream - her own label of clothing.
How did I get through all this…
The most amazing unconditional loving husband – I truly understand unconditional now, because I REALLY, REALLY tested him; fantastic family support, the best special soul mate friend(s) backup and Great professional help.
What was one of my major turning points?
I had signed up for Christopher Howards Fast Track which is a program of Neuro Linguistic Programming a couple of years prior to all this and had attended several of the trainings; however, when the chips are down - all tools go out the window!
I found out he was coming to Adelaide and hosting a free Breakthrough To Success seminar, which I had attended before, but thought Mmmm... back to basics. This is where I need to go… so day by day I prepared myself to be able to attend this 3 day seminar.
Prior to this I hadn’t worked in the business for 6 months and had purely rested. I just did the basics and slept for many hours each day.
I did this 3 day course, then the following weekend they had another 2 day course that truly pushed me through so many breakthroughs and gave me a huge amount of clarity.
Then, all inspired I became ill again, and I sat still... again!
Butterfly Connections has been registered for almost 15 years!
The next major turning point... By chance (ha! ha!) I was invited to a 1 day seminar with one of my closest friends, and we met a lady who teaches Pyschosynthesis... and yes, I've began that learning journey. I've smashed down resistance and learnt new ways; I've dug deep, and let go of a lot.
I have broken the cocoon and connected to who I am!
I've almost finished writing my first book, and I've got other projects on the go too.
Where am I now?
Mentally - GREAT… Body - almost Caught Up...
There is no need for you to go visit the place I've been, lets short cut it... Trust me it aint pretty!
Put into practice what I share here, and I promise you'll see changes evolve before your eyes, and happiness will radiate from your core.
My life is now dedicated to Making an impact; one life at a time…
Creating a ripple; one family at a time…
Like a pebble in a pond…
Children are our future!
I've found my purpose; and want to share what I've learnt, and create a ripple in someone else's life.