Reflections on a year of following my soul's calling to create, connect, and conserve
Stunning views from the coastline of Southern South Africa. The mist and the magic remind me greatly of my time in Seattle and the wonder I found in nature in the Pacific Northwest.
I am saturated, but in all the best ways. South Africa has offered me the opportunity to see this country from many different angles and perspectives, and I am beyond grateful for the people who have generously shared their country with me. I will focus another post on more detailed South Africa reflections, as I want to savor this last week here, and take time to synthesize the insights with a little time and space.
I am currently writing this newsletter from a spot on the southern coast of South Africa, aptly named “Wilderness,” which is a charming town located along the infamous Garden Route. Many people I know have had some shake-ups in their lives in the first half of November that threw them for a bit of a loop, and I got sucked into my own version of chaos and resulting anxiety, and knew that getting into nature was the best medicine to reset my nervous system, and get back to a place of equilibrium.
My current spot has provided the perfect location to recommit to the daily rituals that ground me: journaling, meditation, a daily walk (at a beautiful beach no doubt), a bit of dancing (mostly solo around my precious apartment), and even a smidge of yoga. Some of the indecision and uncertainty that is still present in this season of life was still gnawing at my psyche, but the sound of the crashing waves, the hypnotic beats of Africa, and the generosity of my Air B&B hosts helped me reconnect with a sense of acceptance, abundance, and trust.
It also offered a moment to reflect, as I approach my next birthday at the end of the month, where I will be turning the ripe age of 42. A new friend who came into my path through the Transformational Travel Design course I took in the Spring, ended up intersecting with me in Cape Town this month, and we had some time to join in writing ourselves letters to celebrate what we “accomplished” in the previous year.
Taking time to celebrate progress over perfection always helps me relax into the moment, and it is something we rarely take time to do in the Western world, where we are constantly being fed messages that we can always be doing more to create more success, wealth, and connection in our lives.
Some people might not consider these travel essentials, but when I had the unexpected opportunity to have a mini-retreat with my friend from my Transformational Travel Design course, I was so glad I had stickers that said "Great Job" when we wrote ourselves congratulatory letters :)
The theme that has emerged is that this was a year to create from my heart and soul, and to let go of doing it for commercial gain or for a boss, client, or an employer. At times I judged myself for not finding ways to be more “successful” in my various experiments, whether it was an international circle gathering, a mastermind group, or my writing endeavors.
But this idea that success is measured by immediate monetary gain is such a cultural construct that we are attached to in the U.S. that I find it hard to divorce myself from. If I measure success by the quality of my interactions with the humans I crossed paths with, the richness of learnings from continuing to expand my horizons (physically, emotionally, relationally, and spiritually), and being fully self-expressed, then I nailed it.
In the past month I “launched” my Vision Activation Coaching Program, which feels like the culmination of all the experiments I have run in the past year. It has been vulnerable, rewarding, and scary to put this offering out into the world, and practice letting go of expectations or desired outcomes. In preparation for this “launch” I reflected on the people I had “served” over the course of the year. Some of them shared testimonials that were deeply touching and gave me pause.
Many mentors over the course of this journey have encouraged me to get crystal clear on who I want to help and how I can best help them. Some have suggested that you share your message and your unique process, and just see who is drawn to it. Others have said it is about finding the right blend of setting an intention, and then being open to the unexpected, in terms of clients or partners. This journey has also been about finding the right blend of “conventional wisdom,” receiving guidance, and listening to my own intuition, which I am discovering might take me in a totally different direction than the ones others have pursued.
The joy of this last year has been supporting people in a steady and consistent way through transitional seasons, but also embracing chance encounters to share a nugget in a more temporary exchange. My steady efforts have been directed towards friends and existing colleagues, and my chance encounters have been with new contacts I have made in the midst of my travels. All of these people have been high capacity, impact-driven, and a longing to more thoughtfully engage with life and love.
Love paying attention to the signs and synchronicities that pop up along the way as I travel. This appeared on a community 5k run I did with my Air B&B Hosts in George. This country has indeed felt like "home" for the past few months due to the generosity of the people, the diversity of cultures represented, and the calming power of the abundant natural beauty.
The steady efforts have allowed me to bear witness to friends who want to find the right balance between contributing, learning, raising a family, and nurturing a community. Colleagues who want to re-discover a sense of wonder, confidence, and fulfillment in their work lives. Entrepreneurs who want to be part of creating the new paradigm, and build the right support systems to accelerate their inspiring visions. Soul-seekers who want to integrate their love of nature, creativity, and collaboration. Community-builders who feel a mandate to respond to the connectivity crisis in our culture, and are willing to risk it all to be part of the solution.
My chance encounters have connected me to a new Nigerian friend who came to see that a lot of his extensive efforts in work and relationships were related to a deep belief that he was not enough, and a recognition that it might be time to begin seeking therapeutic support. A companion in my New Mexico chapter who sought my counsel about a romantic relationship that was creating confusion and ongoing anxiety, where I got to set a boundary to model self-respect and protecting my peace. A leader in regenerative tourism who I met at a conservation conference who allowed me to challenge him around decisions he was making in his personal life that were demonstrating a lack of integrity, which led to the end of a relationship that had run its course. A South African entrepreneur who was inspired by my perspective that, at times, countries and organizations need strong leaders who show up in assertive ways in order to drive forward necessary improvements.
When I first started my training as a coach, I was told that I would find my clients to be a beautiful mirror for my own “stuff,” and it does feel like these conversations show up at just the right time, when I benefit from these potent reminders too. And that is a non-sexy thing about personal and spiritual growth that people don’t tend to tell you is that it is less about being on the quest for some new amazing piece of insight, but often about taking the time to remember that which we already know, in our own soul and spirit. Each of these people has also left a positive impact on me in some way, and at times, it feels like the "fellow traveler" model that I discovered and came to appreciate in recovery circles is actually what rings most true for the way I want to give and receive support. Then nobody has to be anyone's guru, only each person pointing out the divine in the other that we sometimes fail to see within ourselves.
My other question in the midst of this process has been what feels authentic for me in terms of “marketing” or “promoting” my services. The advice I have received has ranged from: step up your social media presence, rely on referrals, host free webinars, offer free coaching sessions, join a business mastermind. I have tried a little of each of these, and tried to pay attention to what feels authentic, true, and aligned with the playful parts of my spirit.
I had so much resistance to using social media at the beginning of the year, but thanks to a trusted friend who is also trained as a coach, who is honing her own skills in digital marketing, we have had this creative process of testing and learning in the last five months, which has allowed me to feel like this avenue can feel creative, collaborative, and authentic. I now have a virtual place where people can learn about my style, perspective, and sources of inspiration. Check her out if you want digital marketing, social media, or branding support!
When I tried offering free coaching sessions, it did not necessarily end up attracting my ideal client, but it helped me to get more clear on who my ideal client is, which was also a super valuable part of the process. I also got to deepen my experience and understanding of one of the core tools I use in my coaching program, Human Design, regardless.
Moving forward, my intention is to balance my own masculine and feminine energies around my efforts to share my creations in 2024. I want to be creative and collaborative, while also being consistent and confident. As a multi-passionate person, I am balancing my desire to be of service through coaching in addition to my involvement with my Postcard Travel Club, where I get to build a global community of impact-driven entrepreneurs leading the responsible travel movement while connecting them with values-aligned travelers, as well as continuing to explore how I will integrate my passions for youth empowerment, higher education, & conservation.
If you want to get a more detailed overview of the Vision Activation Coaching Program, Click here. My intention is to attract 2-3 clients in the coming months. I welcome your recommendations or referrals!
