Dissatisfaction: It’s not a bad thing
Surprisingly, there is a predictable path any new expansion and growth takes in our lives.
And the first stage is dissatisfaction.
Dissatisfaction can feel like a painful piercing, or it can be a dull ache. It happens when an area of our life that is deeply important to us isn't giving us what we need.
We might dread our day-to-day as soon as we open our eyes, or simply feel like something is missing as we go through the motions.
Something essential.
Something vital.
We realise we are tired of what we have been putting up with.
This first stage of dissatisfaction is often associated with a sense that life is passing us by, the years are adding up, and we’re not doing what really brings us alive, whether that has been ever, or anymore.
And the other pain of dissatisfaction is it is often invisible to others. They can’t feel what you are feeling. It is your experience and your experience alone. While they may love and care about you, they can’t lead you out of the mire, simply because the navigation instruments you need to find your way out, are built into you, not anyone else.
The information you need to plot your course will come from your inner world; your thoughts, emotions, sensations, sense of energy and vitality. And learning how to navigate with those instruments is a skill set that will lead you home, to your most authentic, meaningful and inspired life.
Here's a map of growth I made. You can plot your course on any part of the growth process. As you'll see, dissatisfaction is essential, because it is the first part of the journey.
Despite the discomfort of dissatisfaction, there is beauty in it too.
As difficult and uncomfortable as it can feel, dissatisfaction is what provides the fuel, the prompt and the momentum to explore beyond our comfort zones and see what else is out there in the world.
Like a baby bird who has outgrown the nest, feeling the discomfort of dissatisfaction helps us broaden our horizons and explore our world with more heart, curiosity, inspiration, meaning and fulfilment.
If you are feeling dissatisfied in your work or personal life, it isn’t a bad thing. See if you can befriend it, welcome it into your experience, instead of pushing it away, and get curious about where it might be inviting you to expand into more. More heart, more inspiration, more generosity with others, more bravery. More courage.
So stay connected with your heart.
Listen to and pay attention to your inner world.
You may like to pull out your journal and explore these prompts:
"If I'm honest with myself, the area(s) of my life where I'm feeling dissatisfied are..."
"I'm tired of putting up with..."
"I've been feeling... for (this much) time now...."
"I'd really love to experience more..."
If you’d like support as you navigate your personal voyage of shaping the next iteration of your creative life, I’ve lovingly crafted an intimate group coaching program called Odyssey: Navigate to the Heart of Your Purpose.
Odyssey is designed specifically for Creative Hearts who are ready to find or recover deep fulfilment and meaning in their lives.
Applications are open for a limited time and you can find out all the details here.
I’m honoured to hold this space, offering mentorship and guidance for Creative Hearts who are committed to shaping this next chapter of their lives with intention, self-compassion, curiosity and delight.
You are welcome to browse the full page and see if you would like to join our creative cohort. You can then apply and we’ll hop on a call to discuss if it is the right fit for you and I’ll answer any questions you may have.
I’d love to support you, cheer you on and accompany you on this path of authentic, heart-led, and deeply personal voyage of shaping a life that lights you up from the inside.
Here’s to following our hearts - the surest compass I know that leads us home to our own uniquely rewarding and fulfilling lives.
Be kind to yourself and nurture your creativity.
With my warm wishes,
Nicola xx
About Nicola Newman
I'm a Creative Business Coach, Award-Winning Artist & Mentor for Creative Hearts who want to flourish, flow & prosper.
My passion is inspiring and supporting Creative Hearts to trust their inner wisdom and carve out a life that’s personally meaningful and fulfilling to them.
I share practical, evidence-based tools for Creative Hearts seeking to improve their lives or businesses. My work draws from acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based techniques, body-based practices, and neuroscience -- and my own creative living adventures -- among other approaches.
My mission is to support Creative Hearts to:
Dissolve creative blocks, develop a loving relationship with themselves, nurture their creativity and reframe the beliefs and patterns that keep them from following their heart and making the creative contribution they would love to make in the world.
My approach is to embrace gentleness, playfulness and self-care to navigate self-doubt and instead cultivate deep self-trust so you can truly enjoy the creative process, bring together your body of work, make money doing what you love and leave a creative legacy you’re proud of.
Let’s pour a cuppa and get to know one another, shall we? :) Read more about my story here.
