Home   News   Article

Subscribe Now

Rosalyn Palmer , Rapid transformational therapist & coach’s column




A few weeks ago, I spent three thoroughly enjoyable, but rather tiring, days walking in Derbyshire with a much younger, taller friend whose long-legged stride made the mountainous routes even more challenging for me.

At times, I had to stop and catch my breath. Yet, every pause offered a gift as I enjoyed the view around and the incredible autumn colours brightening the landscape in shades of gold and crimson.

As I walked, I was transported back to my teenage years, when I spent countless hours in Derbyshire working toward my Duke of Edinburgh Award through the Girl Guides, Rangers, and Young Leader programs.

Rosalyn Palmer , Rapid transformational therapist & coach
Rosalyn Palmer , Rapid transformational therapist & coach

I shared with my friend how pivotal those years were in shaping the person I am today. Looking back, I realise that much of my drive, resilience, and self-belief—the qualities that fuelled my success in running a PR company, navigating a marketing career, and now working as a therapist, coach, and writer—stemmed from those formative experiences.

For a girl from a modest background, growing up in a grocer’s shop and living above it in my early years, the Guides gave me something invaluable: confidence. The adventures, the badges, the self-sufficiency, and the friendships taught me that no goal was too big, no challenge too daunting. I knew I was going to leave Nottingham and live in London at age 15 and that nothing would stop me.

And yet, in my career in London, even with a degree in hand, I felt the weight of imposter syndrome. I worried about fitting in among colleagues who had attended prestigious schools and universities, who seemed so at ease in the fast-paced corporate world. For a time, I convinced myself I needed an MBA to level the playing field, to prove I was credible.

But life has a way of teaching us the lessons we most need.

Working alongside some of the world’s leading motivational thinkers, including Tony Robbins and Edward de Bono, I noticed something important: the most impactful people, the ones I truly admired, weren’t defined by their degrees or their elite schooling. Their influence stemmed from something deeper: Emotional Intelligence (EI).

While IQ is vital, EI is what allows us to navigate life’s interpersonal dynamics. It’s what helps us resolve conflicts, inspire others, and adapt to changing circumstances with grace.

On that Derbyshire walk, I realised that as a teenager it was my EI—not my IQ—that allowed me to laugh off wrong turns, read an ordnance survey map in the rain, and keep going, knowing a warm Youth Hostel and a hot meal awaited me.

As I reflect on those days, both as a teenager and now as an adult, one truth shines through: Resilience isn’t built in comfort; it’s forged in challenge. It’s about finding the courage to keep going, to embrace the journey even when it’s hard.

So, as we move through Autum, a season of change, remember that very challenge you face is an opportunity to grow and to trust that you have the resilience, the emotional intelligence, and the grit to see it through.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More