Did you ever have a dream that you were afraid to pursue? A dream that you still may have and you are afraid to pursue it for different reasons. Because you would have to leave a steady job and take a course to the unknown. Because you believe that you won’t make it. Because you are afraid of your family’s reaction.
Victoria, a client of ours, had been working as a personal assistant for many years. She was already so tired of her job, that she was feeling a strong psychological pressure just by going there every day and she knew that this situation could only get worse. She had the feeling that the years were going by and she wasn’t doing anything with her life. When we started working together she was in this situation of “I cannot stand it anymore but what can I do?”
From the first sessions, it emerged that she wanted to pursue the profession of a ceramic artist. Since she was a child, she had an artistic talent and a love for the art, but she had never imagined, until then, that she could turn her hobby into a profession. I remember that when she realized this during a session, her face really shined. It was an AHA moment for her that made her see life with a different eye, with more enthusiasm again. We focused on how she could accomplish the goal of becoming a ceramic artist. She realized that in order to feel more confidence and dare to take this step she had to acquire more skills on this subject as well as an official certification. So, she enrolled at an art school and started taking ceramic classes. She quickly made progress but she still had some hidden fears and insecurities that she had to deal with. Am I good enough? Do people like the objects I create? Do I have talent? Can I compare myself to those that have university degrees? During our sessions she did a lot of work on her limiting beliefs and after some time she felt ready to start her own ceramic studio. But then new concerns and new fears emerged. How will I set up the business? What actions do I need to take? How will I find clients? Our sessions supported her in setting goals, dealing with challenges and creating action plans. In the middle of economic crisis, things were not so easy in Greece. She had to face a lot of difficulties. Multiple times she reached the brink of giving up, keeping in mind that her family was not supporting this business endeavor. Thanks to our sessions she did not give up as she was finding the support and the cheering that she needed as well as the courage to move on.
She was coming to the coaching sessions with a variety of topics. From what series of new products to create to what marketing methods could be effective for her products. And always she was bringing the fears that she had to deal with in order to move on.
Finally, success came…. Orders from big clients and a steady flow of income… A reason for celebration and excitement! But even at that point she could not feel her success. I remember during a session I took her to a journey in her past to help her remember where she had started and see what she had accomplished so far. “Very helpful” she said at the end of the session, “I can now see what I am capable of”.
Today she is a successful ceramic artist, living 100% from her art.
