ODYSSEY: Navigate to the Heart of Your Purpose
When we want to make a change, feel more fulfilled and more purposeful in our days, we don’t know exactly what it will look like.
When I changed from working in retail to working full-time as an artist exhibiting and selling my paintings, it was motivated by my desire to have more freedom and, paradoxically, more control over my life.
I wanted the freedom to not wake up with an alarm clock. Space to check in with myself to see what my body and emotions needed each day and respond accordingly. If I was feeling energised and inspired, I could spend my day painting, if I was weary, I could rest. And if I felt restless, I could go for an adventure into nature. I also wanted more control over my schedule, where I was putting my energy, what I was creating in the world and who I was spending time with.
Combined, those different elements formed my somewhat hazy dream.
I was clear on what I wanted to feel and experience, and at the same time not at all clear on how I would get there.
This is a natural part of the process.
And it’s vital.
Without dreaming of our destination, we don’t know what it is we want to change, how we want to feel or what is important to us. We don’t know what is motivating us.
The tricky part to navigate, is the self-trust aspect.
We tend to want to jump from this delicate dreaming stage, because as soon as we begin to form an idea in our mind’s eye of where we are going, a voice inside says, “Well, HOW are you going to get there?”
If we are not careful, we take heed and give far too much attention to this voice. And fair enough, too. Our society is dominated by linear, cause and effect thinking. It’s what we were often taught in school. How many times were you asked “What do you want to do when you grow up?” In contrast, how many times were you asked, “How do you want to live your life, what is important to you, what makes you feel alive and energised?”
The creative path is one that involves an element of…well, I’m not fond of the word magic, but it is the best word I can think to describe it. An element of magic. Where our logical mind is baffled by the serendipity, and the surprises that emerge out of the mist.
Looking back, the truth is I couldn’t have mapped out a path from my job in retail to being a full-time artist. There were so many moments, opportunities, people, activities, prizes, exhibitions, courses and choices I couldn’t see yet, that formed stepping stones which all eventually connected to form my path.
You likely can’t map out a direct path to your dreamed destination, either.
If you are wanting to make a change, feel more purposeful, inspired and fulfilled in your life, then it will most likely begin with a hazy dream of your destination, not an instruction manual with all the exact, specific actions to get there.
Coaching other Creative Hearts for years now, I am consistently surprised and delighted by how the opportunities for their continued creative development and fullest self-expression conspire to come together for them. Opportunities and connections I never dreamed of, even as their coach, find ways into their inboxes, their diaries, and their lives.
It only reaffirms my own experience that when we dream of our destination and then use our inner compass (more on that soon) to help us find our way there, mind-boggling things happen. And we shape a life that is more unique, more suitable, fits us more like a glove than any other process I’ve seen.
This creative living approach is:
Not pure goal setting, where the ego often gets in the way.
Not following a guru, where their path and needs aren’t the same as your own.
Not black and white thinking, where our culture says you can eliminate uncertainty.
The approach I love to share for carving out a purposeful life is based in a deep knowing of yourself, and a relationship with yourself where you have the tools to care for your needs, check in with what is bothering you, soothe and support your own journey, and trust your inner guidance.
When we dream of our destination, we are opening up our world of possibilities. We are dancing with dissatisfaction and asking it to lead the way, out of the experiences that may be thwarting our enthusiasm. We are saying to ourselves, “I wonder what it would be like to…”
In your journal, you may like to explore these prompts: What destination do you dream of? How will it feel when you get there? What don't you want to experience? What would you love to cultivate and enjoy more of?
Having the courage to try something new is at the heart of my creative life, business, and the work I love to do with clients.
If you would like additional support as you dream of your destination, plus the tools and practices to bring your heart-led dream to life, I'm beyond thrilled to announce I’ve lovingly crafted a new intimate group coaching program called Odyssey: Navigate to the Heart of Your Purpose. It’s designed specifically for Creative Hearts who are ready to find or recover deep fulfillment and meaning in their lives.
Through the twists and turns of life, when we are feeling called to expand into something more and cultivate a new way of being in the world, there is so much value in surrounding ourselves with support for the voyage ahead.
Sometimes finding encouragement to follow our path and be brave enough to be true to ourselves isn’t something that comes easily at different times in our lives. So I wanted to create Odyssey to be that space where you can come with your dreams and your fears, your strengths and your frailties, and be supported as you navigate this next iteration and expression of, to paraphrase Mary Oliver, your one wild and precious life.
Applications are open for a limited time and you can find out all the details here.
I’m so excited to hold this space, offering mentorship and guidance for Creative Hearts who are ready to find or recover even more fulfillment and a deep sense of purpose in their lives.
You are welcome to browse the full page and see if you would like to join our creative cohort. I’d love to support you, cheer you on and accompany you on this path of authentic creative living, together.
Here’s to following our hearts - the surest compass I know to lead us home to our own uniquely rewarding and fulfilling lives.
With my warmest 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.
