True Calling Project | Finding Purpose And Meaning In Life And Career

​Nicole Christina is a psychotherapist with more than 25 years of clinical experience. She specializes in Positive Aging, eating and food related issues, burnout, and stress reduction.    In this episode John and Nicole discuss how feeling grateful can lead to peace and happiness in daily life.   Nicole explains how simple, grounded techniques can help you relax so that you are able to see the bigger picture and feel more grateful. From breathing exercises and leaving quirky notes to yourself, to finding a community of people where you belong, Nicole has some smart and simple tips you can work on to reduce anxiety and see the world through a different lens.   You can find out more about Nicole's web courses on mindful eating and being grateful at www.nicolechristina.com   "It's an attitude, not a practise. We have more control over our happiness than sometimes we think we do. It's not about what happens to you. It's about how you deal with it."

Mia Quaglia is a therapist who runs Divorce and Thrive, a coaching academy that heals and empowers women to discover life after divorce.   She helps her clients move through the thoughts and feelings of divorce and discusses how you can grow, take responsibility and find new life in such a major event.   Mia also shares how she found herself and the ability to help others after ending a 25-year marriage.    She and John talk about perceptions of divorce: Mia thinks men and women experience this differently, and her work helps women discover the affirmation of shared experience. They discuss how you know when to make a decision, how to leave behind blame and regret, and how to make this change a positive experience and stepping stone to the future.     "we can embrace divorce and you can come out of it being a better person; being able to experience life, breathe differently and have a different quality of life”   online:divorceandthrive.com email: mia@divorceandthrive.com tel: 2798199939

Shit happens.  Sometimes it's a little harder to take than others.  I had what I thought was a sure thing and a great opportunity for my career.  It didn't work out.  But it was a reminder of a very important lesson.  Sometimes the thing that doesn't work out, the problem you are resenting, is the very thing you need.  If you listen to what you are experiencing.  Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes and find it here:  www.lifemadeconscious.com/category/truecallingproject 

It's not easy to put ourselves out there for others. Even for people that "seem" to have it all together. Most people can be decent at self confidence, but struggle with self esteem. Because when we take away all of the success measures and accolades, what do we have left? Our innate self. And that can be scary to show others. But we're all attracted to honesty. We love to see other people's truth. Not only is it good for the people seeing it, but it's great for the person sharing it. And when we show up fully, we can cut the bullshit and the middle man out. We are going to get more aligned with the right people and those people who don't resonate with your truth will fall by the wayside. Win-win. Be true, be honest. Cut the fat and we'll serve us and others. It makes too much sense not to. Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes or find it here:www.lifemadeconscious.com/category/truecallingproject/

Justin Spicer is a video producer at globevillestudios.com. He has a unique take on 'marketing' for counsellors and therapists.  Justin makes YouTube videos for private practises, and uses SEO to help more people hear these authentic testimonials. He takes time to have a conversation with people about what they love and lets their passion do the talking. It's not about creating a polished presentation - instead he helps people connect with others through sharing a snapshot of who they really are. He's helping clients be their most authentic and comfortable selves in front of the camera and is challenging the old ad tradition of marketing to fear and 'lack'. "We can promote what we love by just doing what we love"

One of our greatest habits is to look and expect to find all of the answers BEFORE we act. As if we need to have the most information in front of us, be without fear, or have ultimate certainty before we take a chance. We'll never know until we start. We can't. Maybe we're not supposed to. I'm coming close to accepting an offer for my business that 4 years ago I never would have imagined. And the thing is that without taking those first steps to get where I am, this opportunity wouldn't be there for me. Life isn't about finding certainty. It's about living life and that includes the doubts, failures, and uncertainties. And to get the things we're after, we first need to take that step that's right in front of us. Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes and find it here:www.lifemadeconscious.com/category/truecallingproject/

Michelle Meiche is a coach and psychic intuitive. She hosts the weekly Awakenings podcast and runs the website SoulPlayground.life where she shares support tools and insights. Today she talks to John about her perspective on intuition at a time where people are collectively shifting to a new paradigm of thought. As analysis and logic leave us struggling to make sense of or control current events, Michelle shares her advice on how you can begin to listen to your intuition through behaviours and 'gut' feelings. She also discusses how this intuition will inform the psyche to make life-enhancing decisions from your soul. "We're all gonna make mistakes, that's part of the way we learn. But if you have that ill at ease feeling, wait: you'll see your intuition will be backed by reality in the real world if you give yourself the time to let it play out." Interested in learning more about the True Calling Project and what I do?  Find out more at www.lifemadeconscious.com Read more at http://truecallingproject.libsyn.c

Is it true that what we resist persists? What would happen if we moved our energy and focus from what we're resisting, or fearing, to a place of creativity? So many times we aren't able to see our own potential, or potential alternatives to our problems, because we are in a place of fear and resistance. And before we can move into a place of creativity, we need to accept what is happening and what is going on. Not excuse it. Not give in to it. Accept it for what it is. Whether it's a career situation, a relationship, social issues, or a literal creative stagnation. Stop resisting and focus on creation. Chances are we'll find out that we'll get what we're ultimately seeking. Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes or find it here:www.lifemadeconscious.com/category/truecallingproject/

Motivation is a great tool for getting us started on a desired change. It can come in the form of the excitement of seeking a goal, fear of a negative consequence, or even anger and frustration due to our current situation.  But what happens when motivation dies off like is always does?  What keeps us focused for the long haul?  Prepare for the inevitable loss of motivation and seek a deeper meaning in why you are doing what you're doing and why you are seeking the change you want.  Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes and find the episodes here:  www.lifemadeconscious.com/category/truecallingproject/

Keri Nola is an Awakening Healer, Energetic Visionary and Founder of the Sacred Soul Circle. She's also the co-founder of the Galactic Vibrations podcast and an author.   Today, Keri returns to the show to chat with John about the 'shift', a global awakening that's causing us to reassess our place in the world and how we identify ourselves within it.   From the anxieties and fears springing from recent political events, to the social questions we face on daily basis, this in-depth conversation explores why so many people are feeling collectively 'off' right now.   John and Keri discuss self-identification in a gendered society, our attitudes to blame, fear, doubt, relationships and love and how a different viewpoint can overcome some of the problems associated with a rigid self-perception.   Keri also opens up about the car crash that changed her life and helped her make the decision to leave behind her career in clinical psychotherapy and pursue her true calling.   "There is a massive awakening. We really ha

True Take: Being Everything for Everyone. When you're feeling drained or burned out have you noticed that it's times when you feel over obligated or over committed? Often we try and wear too many "hats" and be too much for others. And often it's without being asked to be those things. What would happen if we didn't always try and have to come through for everyone or please everybody or even be perfect. We might actually have more energy to be the best version of ourselves. Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes and find it here: www.lifemadeconscious.com/category/truecallingproject/

We've seen an emergence of speakers and authors talk about the shedding of blame and shame from self. While this is healthy, many times we don't actually shed that blame or shame. We just redirect it towards others or other circumstances. Ultimately, one bag we can never shed is the bag of responsibility. When we understand that responsibility and blame are not the same things we are able to focus on what we can control and what serves us. Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes and find it here:www.lifemadeconscious.com/category/truecallingproject/

We've all heard about the importance of patience.  But how easy is it really?  And why do we struggle with it?  Can we make patience a valuable resource in and of itself? Getting out the cycle of addictive thinking and overdoing.  Much of time in the case of our lives and present circumstances, less is more.  Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes and find it here:  www.lifemadeconscious.com/category/truecallingproject/

It's easy to get sucked into the newest idea, theory, or practice. What happens when we don't get what we expected? This summer has taught me a good lesson on expectations and why we should be wary of "turning points" and the revelations outside of ourselves. Everything is an internal process whether we like it or not. And many times those needed lessons are not fun, exciting, or comfortable. Subscribe to the True Calling Project on iTunes and find it here:www.lifemadeconscious.com/category/truecallingproject

Technology is ruining our excuse that we use that says "I don't know how to do it" or "I don't know where to start". Knowledge is not something that is separate to be kept from us and guarded by the select few. No, you are just scared or insecure or not ready. And there is nothing wrong with that. Better to face fear and learn from it than hide behind the false notion that there is some source of knowledge out there that you're not privy to that is keeping you stuck. It's not that "we don't know how", we just may not know "yet". Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes or find it here:www.lifemadeconscious.com/category/truecallingproject/

We've been taught that material wealth and gain is the best way to measure our success.  But why are so many people who "have it all" miserable with their work and occupations?  I talk about reading Daniel Pink's book "Drive" and why if we don't have 3 factors in our work to express ourselves in, we are not going to be as satisfied with our work.  The science has spoken.  Money doesn't create job satisfaction. Catch the True Calling Project live on Facebook at 1pm EST every Thursday. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or find it here:www.lifemadeconscious.com/category/truecallingproject

We look to people with special knowledge to help us solve problems, or give us insight, that we can't necessarily do on our own.  But how often do we overlook our own abilities in comparison to these experts?  When others have a credible skill set, it doesn't mean that what we have to offer is somehow "less".  There is a tendency to shrink from putting ourselves out there in fear that we won't be as credible as others we see as subject matter experts.  However, expertise, in many cases is subjective. And we have to be the judge as to take in from others what is right for us.  The best experts still have to know how to communicate and connect with others to help them with their knowledge.  Otherwise, it's only knowledge and nothing more.  Even a small child can give us the bit of awareness that can help us learn something valuable.  When we recognize that true "expertise", in this weird experience we call life, is very much an illusion it allows us to give what we have.  We don't know who we can help and how w

What is professionalism?  Is it the words we use?  How we say them?  Etiquette? Expected behaviors in professional environments?  Is it what we wear?  Many of us are forcing ourselves into a box and parameter that we "think" is the way we should behave and speak.  When we are constantly trying to be something we're not, the imposter syndrome comes up in us.  Are we doing the right thing?  Are people going to accept and appreciate us?  What if we identified our own sense of what being professional means?  Respect for self and others.  Compassion.  Honesty.  Being real.  Because we know we value those things.  Authenticity is professional.  Respect and being true to ourselves and our values is being professional.  Not meeting some societal standard and "playing the game" so we "fit in".  Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes and find it here:  www.johnharrisoncounseling.com/category/truecallingproject/

Was talking with a good friend of mine last night about the state of the world, government, business, economy. It's not our boss, the government, the corporations, our neighbors, our lack of money, or anyone else's responsibility to live through our values and take action...except for us. We have this addiction of blaming our circumstances for our inability to create what we want and not being able to live through what's important to us. The blame game keeps us stuck and in resistance. And in resistance there is no creation of new. Just playing the same broken game. We're better than that and more than capable. Anything that says otherwise just keeps us stuck, subservient, and playing small. Be the change. No, literally. Be the change. Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes and find it here: www.johnharrisoncounseling.com/category/truecallingproject/

When we focus on gratitude in our lives it's NOT about ignoring problems or only seeing rainbows and gumdrop smiles. It's about seeing the WHOLE picture. Our brains are predisposed to be vigilant to identify what we can lose, or what we have lost. It's normal and natural to think negatively in many circumstances. BUT, since the mind is trying to keep us safe, it has a hard time being appreciative. So we have to be smarter than our monkey minds. GRATITUDE is about accepting the whole reality of life. It's healthy, balanced, and NOT bullshit. That's reserved for the part of our mind that only wants to see loss and catastrophe. Gratitude can make space for recognizing all the good stuff while also seeing that without some of the crap, we can't appreciate the good in life. Subscribe to the True Calling Project podcast on iTunes and find it here:www.johnharrisoncounseling.com/category/truecallingproject/