Setting myself free 🕊️

All the things I haven't told you and how they were holding me back... (plus: how to set yourself free)

Jul 25, 2023

Hello friend,

It has been a while since I wrote to you and of course, it has all been for a reason.
I’ll do my best to get to the essence of this email as soon as I can but before I do that, here are two things I want you to keep in mind while reading this:

I believe in sharing vulnerably. So whatever I will share today, I trust that you will be compassionate and understanding.
The theme of this story is “Setting oneself free”. So while reading think about how you can apply these life experiences to your own life so that you too can free yourself from your limitations. But I will share a short step-by-step process that can help you become freer at the end of this email.

So without further ado let’s get started…

Why I quit and what happened next…

You might know me as Nata the coach, the illustrator and the podcaster, right? So about a year ago, I quit. I stopped coaching and took a 6+ month social media break - I’ve let it all go.

But why? Why quit and leave such a huge community behind? Why stop doing what I love doing?

Quick refresher: I used to mainly coach women who desired to create a life in alignment with their values. I supported many women in big life transitions and some women started their own businesses while working with me and were creating multiple 4-5 figures incomes from their new ventures. I also hosted a podcast and created content that reached millions online.

Ok, so why did I quit?

The coaching industry was really bothering me. So many coaches were unethical. So many businesses felt like an MLM or a pyramid scheme and it felt like this whole market was going in a direction that I did not want to be a part of any longer. I felt like by being a coach the way I was doing it would not be authentic for me much longer. (Want me to elaborate on the coaching industry feel free to DM me on IG at “itsnata” or reply to this email.)
I needed time to figure out who I am outside of all the labels that I mentioned above. I needed the space to connect to my inner child and rediscover who I am. What I truly want and what is still limiting me from getting it.
I felt like I was lost or “not getting something”, trying to be this grown-up person that I am not. Don’t get me wrong, I am always trying to be authentic but there are parts of me that I did not necessarily show freely from the fear of being “too vulnerable” or being rejected for who I really am.

And here is what happened…

(This is the part where I get uncomfortably vulnerable, bare with me.)

I found a marketing job in high-tech that I thought I will love. And in the beginning, it was actually a lot of fun. Until multiple things started happening all at once.

I felt like I was removing myself further and further from my purpose and what I am meant to be doing in this lifetime. It was a deep visceral feeling that would slowly eat at me from the inside.
After about 6 months it felt like the company I was working for was quietly trying to kick me out. At the start of my working there, I felt so valued and cherished (They were sending gifts of appreciation whenever I completed a great project). Until at some point suddenly all I heard was criticism. I started losing confidence in my skills, my abilities, I felt like I was trapped in some bad dream. It wasn’t nice, to say the least.
Then something wonderful happened: I got laid off. Well… not quiet. It was indeed wonderful to get fired, but also something else wonderful happened: I got pregnant. But this whole getting laid off situation was a mess (considering I was already pregnant for a couple of months), but I am legally not able to discuss any details due to contracts etc. but believe me when I say, I am shocked at how things played out. This whole process was very uncomfortable, emotionally draining and frustrating on many levels. But I also learned a lot about not playing small, not giving in and about standing up for what I believe in. Which is not always easy as a woman in a male-dominated (business) world.

The magic of being laid off…

All the time while working at this company I was asking myself: What next?

What do I really want from life?
Who am I really? And how can I express this version of myself more?
Where am I limiting my expression and WHY?
What am I supposed to be doing in life?
How can I be an example for my future children and the people who witness me?

(Psst: Take these questions and answer them for yourself. It will be eye-opening.)

Well… after letting my spirit dwell on these questions the answer was very clear.

I am meant to be an artist, a creator. I am meant to share my personal (self-development) journey as it progresses. I am meant to share tools that help me with others. I am meant to mentor people who resonate and want to consciously create a beautiful life. I am meant to be my truest, most authentic and unapologetic self who does not shrink down in front of others.

Surprise! Surprise! In other words: I have to bring back the playfulness, curiosity and authenticity of my inner child. Enjoy this life and help others do the same by sharing my journey, my art and the tools I use to help me get there.

So what now?

Here’s my plan for the near future…

I will be creating more self-development content about: living authentically, not playing small, creating your dream life, going against the grain in a world that wants you to be like everyone else etc.
I’ll be sharing this on my IG account and going more in-depth in my podcast that I will be relaunching in a few days.
I will also share my personal journey alongside this helpful content.
I am opened an Etsy shop (https://www.etsy.com/shop/UpliftingMindsStudio) where I sell my art on prints, t-shirts, sweaters and stickers (anything else you’d like?).
And I will slowly open my mentoring practice again for women who want to dive deeper into the topics above and play around with manifestation.

Side note: I am committed to making this work. Even if it will mean finding another part-time job to supplement my income. I do have a nice financial cushion (thank god!), but I do not want to rely on it and make smarter financial decisions moving forward. Especially knowing that I have a baby on the way.

Are you here for the ride?

So this is me. Turning my entire life around for the umpteenth time. Always striving for a more aligned life, even if it means letting go of things, jobs or titles that no longer support my highest good!

Are you joining me on this crazy journey of living in alignment?

Okay, now that I’ve told you 90% of the crazy things that happened in my life (keeping the other 10% for later) I would love to hear from you if you can resonate with this story and what you would love to hear from me in this “newsletter” moving forward?

Thank you for reading.
Sending you love!

- Nata