Nicola Walker Coaching

Mindset Coach, intuitive clarity, purpose, joy

Nicola Walker

You Are the Source of Your Joy

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Waterfall

Most of us have days, hours, or for some, extended periods of time when we feel burdened by life. Peering out from the weight of problems or just feeling plain pissy, we lose our bright, joyful self that is miraculously burden-free, watching our inner sparkle become a mere misty memory at best.

I’ve chosen to dedicate myself to my inner sparkle, to keeping my joy alive. I think it needs dedication because life never ceases to shower us with its gifts, then rock our boat. Part of the challenge of life, is that it is very easy to lose our joy.

How well do you know your joy?

Has your joy drowned in a sea of responsibilities, a swamp of seriousness, or is it tangled up in a thicket of gnarly obstacles?

Think of your joy like a mountain spring that continually sources fresh, sparkling clear water. You simply have to locate the spring again, each time you move away from it.

One simple way to get closer to your joy again that works for me is to be willing to drop everything, all my concerns, desires, worries and frustrations to simply be in the present moment. You become an empty vessel. It’s like clicking the “refresh” button on your computer.

How do you do this? [Read more…] about You Are the Source of Your Joy

Are You Falling into the Comparing Yourself to Others Trap?

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SpiralSometimes I don’t even know I’m doing it. I think I’m just exhibiting a healthy curiosity. Yet, there’s a fine line between being aware of and learning from what others are doing professionally, and falling into the trap of comparing yourself to them.

When you compare yourself to others, wishing you had what they have, then you find yourself hurtling into a downward spiral of false and inaccurate thinking. You fall into the trap of belittling what you’re all about and what makes you unique.

Recognizing and embracing what’s unique about you requires quality time and attention! It took me a long while, and I’m still learning. But I experienced a huge shift when I started spending as much time being fascinated in experiencing what I was all about deep down, as being fascinated by others.

Do you want to live your passion and find your unique self expression? It takes the patience to listen deeply to what you’re all about. Comparing yourself to others, or feeling inadequate is actually a habitual thinking pattern, caused by low self worth.

A key requirement for finding and living your passion is to be vigilant about where your mind is wandering, so you can find your truth, rather than respond to life from limited thinking. You can recognize your truth, because it feels good, whereas inaccurate thinking pulls you down and makes you feel small. You want to feel as strong and vibrant as possible, so you have more access to your inner guidance.

Catch yourself each time you say, I’m not….. The next time you say, “I’m not……………………(like xxx)”, move on to say next, “I am…………….(whatever you are).” And take a few moments to let what you are sink in and feel grateful for the way you are.

 
 

Nicola Walker, apricot top, head and shoulders

Nicola Walker is an Anything is Possible mindset coach, with over 25 years of combined life coaching and hypnotherapy experience. She guides people at a turning point in life, to navigate and fulfill their dreams and deepest desires.

Nicola is the author of the forthcoming book, Joy in the Middle of the Mess: An Evolutionary Adventure on the Quest for Success. One of her greatest joys is to walk and hike in the hills and along the beautiful California beaches, near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Subscribe to Mindset & Miracles bi-monthly musings & blog nuggets via email

Where Does Fear Hold You Back?

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cobwebDo you have days when your mind becomes dull with brain fog and a mysterious paralysis strangles your ability to take action? Fear has crept up, weaving its insidious tentacles around you like sticky cobwebs. Once you become fear’s prisoner, then fear will feed you stories, none of them true, about why you can’t have what you want.

How do I know this? Because I’ve been there. Fear can still lie in wait for me when I get out of bed in the morning. I have to be alert so it doesn’t trip me up and make me captive. Even when I’m really on a roll, in the flow, without a care in the world, I can still, all of a sudden, without any warning, get caught in fear’s trap.

It’s interesting to note that the more I devote time to doing what I love, the more prone I am to fear because I am taking risks, putting myself out there, unsure of how people will respond to me, facing the unknown financially. Yet, I am also feeling strong and vibrant because I love what I do, which helps to keep fear at bay. The worst kind of fear is the paralyzing kind, that makes you avoid doing what you long to do. The kind of fear that makes you see closed doors, no options, vicious circles and danger signs everywhere you look.

There are a couple of situations that I have known intimately, that force you to face your fears. Going through life transitions is one of them. Going through divorce, death of a loved one, leaving a job, starting a business or new job, beginning a new relationship, ending a relationship, children leaving home, health issues or moving. Suddenly, you are not floating along or treading water. You are facing a brand new situation. Change is always an opportunity for growth. You either feel energized and creative. Or, you feel flattened with fear, prone to self doubt. Or maybe you flit between the two.

The other situation is finding your unique self expression. You know when you have a vocation or a form of creative expression inside you that you are trying to ignore or suppress. Again, the risks are great. What if you mess it up, make mistakes? How will people respond to you? Will you make money, lose money or forget about the money? Is it easier to just forget about it? The answer is always no. You’ll never be able to effectively forget about it anyway. Also, a part of you starts to wither and die, just like a plant that has been placed too much in the shade.

The longer you ignore any situation that makes you uncomfortable, the worse it gets. This goes for a business that is stagnating from a lack of unique self expression, or a relationship that’s undernourished, deprived of love, passion and creativity. Fear acts like a snowstorm falling on a rose. It freezes beauty, inspiration and growth.

So you have to face the fears that hold you back, shine a light on them, expose them for what they are. Fear doesn’t like the light. It thrives in the dark. So find the light of truth inside you. Your inner wisdom is stronger than your fear, and will lead you where you need to go for your greatest happiness and fulfillment.

 

Nicola Walker, apricot top, head and shoulders

Nicola Walker is an Anything is Possible mindset coach, with over 25 years of combined life coaching and hypnotherapy experience. She guides people at a turning point in life, to navigate and fulfill their dreams and deepest desires.

Nicola is the author of the forthcoming book, Joy in the Middle of the Mess: An Evolutionary Adventure on the Quest for Success. One of her greatest joys is to walk and hike in the hills and along the beautiful California beaches, near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Subscribe to Mindset & Miracles bi-monthly musings & blog nuggets via email

Rediscovering Magic in Life: Part 3 – Speak to Your Challenge

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Center of pink flowerMagic is always present, all around you and in you, yet your attention needs to be alert to the magic so you can perceive it. When your mind is focused on your life challenges and worries, mundane concerns or emotions that you’re feeling, then the magic is, for the moment, lost. Of course, it’s just part of being human. We have lots to think about! But you also don’t want to get stuck in the swamp of whatever you’re grappling with so much that the magic is lost and each day is like a startlingly similar replay.

A most effective way to get momentum on moving through and addressing challenges in life is to speak to your challenge. Both the struggle with the challenge and the answer that frees you live inside of you. It takes focus and commitment to your desire for whatever lies beyond the challenge in your life.

Here are five steps you can take to move through your challenge:

  1. State what it is you want. For example, I want to have a successful business, or I want to know that I’m making the right choice about xxx, or I want to be in a romantic relationship with someone who’s a perfect match for me, or I want to know the right step to take in this situation. Feel the want inside you and make sure it’s strong. That it’s coming from a place of decision rather than a  state of endless wanting.
  2. Feel the struggle inside of you. Maybe you feel frustrated or sad, hopeless or overwhelmed. Notice where you feel this in your body. Often you feel emotions somewhere in your torso, such as your stomach, your heart, your solar plexus or your throat. Or maybe you feel a lot of energy in your head.
  3. Speak to the part of your body where you feel the emotion. Ask it to tell you more about what it’s feeling. What is it frustrated about or sad about? You might know already, but it’s good to hear its language.
  4. As you listen, you may well hear some limiting beliefs. You can recognize limiting beliefs because they just don’t sound right. They’re not really true. They sound weak, like an old tape that keeps playing, but isn’t serving you anymore.
  5. Write down the limiting beliefs. Then question each one by asking, “Is this really true?” Listen in your heart for the answer. You’ll know. Then write down what is really true. Listen and deep down you’ll sense if what you have written is true. Maybe you’ll get a rush of warmth, a sense of knowing, an image or an inner voice that tells you that you’re on the right track.

These five steps give you an example of what is possible within a very short amount of time. There are many ways to speak to your challenges. The key is to shift from life challenge to illumination. Your inner wisdom is always there to support you and guide you in your life. Once you feel reconnected to the peace and wisdom in your heart, the magic is yours to perceive.

I hope you enjoyed this three-part blog post on how to rediscover magic in life, when it seems to be elusive or just not there at all.

 

Nicola Walker, apricot top, head and shoulders

Nicola Walker is an Anything is Possible mindset coach, with over 25 years of combined life coaching and hypnotherapy experience. She guides people at a turning point in life, to navigate and fulfill their dreams and deepest desires.

Nicola is the author of the forthcoming book, Joy in the Middle of the Mess: An Evolutionary Adventure on the Quest for Success. One of her greatest joys is to walk and hike in the hills and along the beautiful California beaches, near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Subscribe to Mindset & Miracles bi-monthly musings & blog nuggets via email

How to Rediscover the Magic in Life: Part Two – Feed Your Heart and Soul

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Do you sometimes feel lost inside your own life? Almost like being swept away by a river’s current, beyond your control? Maybe you’re feeling the challenges of change and transition, where life doesn’t seem the same anymore. You wonder what happened to the magic in life.

It’s important to find your feet in simple ways that restore a sense of balance: a connection with who you feel you really are. Then you can begin to take back the driver’s seat.

Appreciation is a wonderful way to open yourself up to seeing and experiencing a sense of magic in life. Think of simple pleasures, and do something that feeds your heart and soul each day. So often people focus on the big things that they think will help them to find happiness, when really the best way to find happiness is in the little things. The simpler your focus, the greater your sense of gratitude.

When you can find happiness in simple ways, the big things will come much more easily. And if they don’t, you’ll still be happy. You don’t have to look far for happiness because it is inside you — it is your innate being.

For example, one way I can always restore that sense of balance and connection within myself is to go on an appreciation walk. Genuine appreciation helps you to feel your heart and soul.

An appreciation walk can take 5-10 minutes or longer if you prefer. Either take your walk in your neighborhood or near your office if you only have time to just step out the door. Or stop off when you’re driving in a pleasant area and take a stroll. Look out for things to appreciate: flowers, trees, buildings, architecture, birds, the blue sky, clouds, sunshine or rain.

Just recently, I was walking down a favorite path through some redwoods by a creek. I saw one of those big floppy butterflies fluttering down the path ahead of me. I stopped to enjoy the sight. The butterfly then turned around and flew towards me, circled around me and then glided off back in the direction it had been going. I love butterflies. They are also very meaningful to me. I stood in joy and gratitude for this moment.

I wonder about the precious moments I have missed through being caught up in my thoughts and not really seeing what’s around me.

Give yourself time every day to get really present and find something to appreciate and enjoy. And take the time to do some of those things that really nourish your soul. When you take time out and truly let go of your troubles, it is easier for you to see the life choices that are available to you.

 

Nicola Walker, apricot top, head and shoulders

Nicola Walker is an Anything is Possible mindset coach, with over 25 years of combined life coaching and hypnotherapy experience. She guides people at a turning point in life, to navigate and fulfill their dreams and deepest desires.

Nicola is the author of the forthcoming book, Joy in the Middle of the Mess: An Evolutionary Adventure on the Quest for Success. One of her greatest joys is to walk and hike in the hills and along the beautiful California beaches, near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Subscribe to Mindset & Miracles bi-monthly musings & blog nuggets via email