Broke, heartbroken, and feeling like my life was sinking in quicksand, I found myself in my childhood room, nestled under my little niece's Frozen duvet. Amidst the turmoil, I realized that sometimes, the bravest act is not leaving everything behind, but rather daring to sit with yourself - in that quicksand - and trusting that you won't drown. It's about finding comfort in discomfort, acknowledging that within that vulnerability lies a sense of connection.
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What I unearthed in the depths of despair was the pen. Through writing, I unraveled the truth that beneath our varied exteriors, we are fundamentally the same. If only we have the courage to see it.
My Simply Start Journey
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I founded an online community for coaches - a membership site that hosts a diverse group of well-trained professionals from around the world. Within 1.5 years, the community grew to 60 paying members, accompanied by a significant social media following and newsletter subscribers.
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In addition to building the community, I provided personal guidance through individual sessions and mastermind groups, fostering the ethos of 'simply starting.'
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Amidst this journey, my personal life was more or less in shambles, leading me to initiate a morning exercise known as automatic writing, which reconnected me with a deep inner wisdom I had long forgotten. Over time, this practice gave rise to a wave of stories and poems from within, resonating with what felt like my true soul calling.
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Ultimately, I made the decision to sell the community but retained the name 'Simply Start,' acknowledging the intrinsic connection to my identity and purpose.
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Over the next two years, I immersed myself in writing, explored spoken word, secured my first paid opportunities, and even published a book. Later, I embarked on the Artist's Way journey, inviting others to join. The response was overwhelming - 24 participants in the first iteration, followed by 40 in the next. And Lena joined as my partner.
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It was then that I realised the time had come to breathe new life into Simply Start, integrating the wisdom gained during my writing odyssey into its revival.
And so, here we are today. We are in this together.
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For me, poetry is the simple art of allowing your heart to speak.
Words and poetry can penetrate to the essence of our feelings and experiences. They can articulate what words alone cannot. Sometimes, they help to heal something.
At times, we must bear difficult things alone and go through them alone, but we are never truly alone.
We navigate this life together, and my words are there to remind myself and anyone who reads them when we momentarily forget.