The Best Way to Predict your Future is to Create it
Introducing GRAVITAS!
Do you often find yourself daydreaming about your ideal future? Envisioning the life that you wish to live, the accomplishments you aspire to achieve, and the happiness you wish to experience? If so, know that you are not alone. As human beings we have a remarkable capacity for imagining a better future for ourselves, and the good news is that we also have the unique ability to co-create it.
Today, I proudly announce a new endeavor that I have held near and dear to my heart for quite some time, GRAVITAS, a life and executive leadership consultancy—a place where dreams take shape, goals become reality, and personal transformations come to life.
Why Life Coaching?
The increasing awareness and interest in life coaching reflects a broader cultural shift toward valuing personal development, self-awareness, and the pursuit of a more fulfilling life. As a society we now recognize that investing in our mental, physical, and spiritual well-being can lead to a happier and more successful life and are turning to life coaches for support along the journey. Many organizations also recognize the benefits of coaching for professional development and performance improvement. As a result, organizational wellness has become a popular segment within the industry.
Throughout my 20+ year corporate career in several high-pressure, competitive working environments, I have always been passionate about helping my colleagues, "friend-tors" and even mentors, more senior than myself, identify their unique strengths, achieve their goals, and reach their fullest potential. Over time, I realized that my true calling and life’s purpose lies in coaching individuals to identify their personal and professional goals to find genuine purpose and fulfillment in their lives. This realization propelled me to begin this amazing entrepreneurial journey.
Attending Life Coach Live last fall was a pivotal moment for me as a then newly-certified life coach. The event was a whirlwind of inspiration, offering valuable time for introspection, learning, and networking. Meeting my amazing cohort in person, after months of virtual interaction during certification, was a ton of fun. Connecting with Gail Keyes-Allen, one of the first Black women in the space that I had encountered prior to becoming a certified coach, was a highlight. Gail, who coaches on money mindset, has built a very successful business by showing up as her authentic self each day. Her "quiet confidence" left a lasting impression. She is the embodiment of powerful, yet understated strength, which I both admire and respect.
I can’t overstate how incredible the experience was. Every encounter is still vivid in my memory as I remain in touch with just about everyone that I had the pleasure of meeting —many becoming my biggest supporters in this space. I left Life Coach Live brimming with ideas, that are now coming to fruition in just one year, a testament to the power of being intentional!
In building my practice, one book where I find incredible inspiration is "The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron. Discovering her work at the start of the summer has had a profound impact on my life. Julia’s widely-recognized practice of "morning pages" where she recommends writing three pages of “stream-of-consciousness text” each morning shortly after waking—has been transformative for me. Since starting in July, I have been pretty consistent, missing only a few days, and the result in both my personal and professional life have been nothing short of magical. In a sense, my personal and professional lives have merged into one, which was always my aspiration.
Highlighting that life's events are often more than mere coincidences, I had purchased “The Artist’s Way” right before attending a wonderful mastermind led by mindset coach Laura at her gorgeous home in Malibu. I brought the book along, as I had recently started the practice of morning pages and was deeply committed. As I had shared in a previous post, my time in Malibu was absolutely magical and after returning, a sequence of "coincidences" began to unfold, a phenomenon Laura had pre-emptively explained as a natural outcome of being in a flow state. I returned home shortly after the mastermind ended as I stayed a few extra days in LA to visit with friends. In a wonderful twist of events just days after returning, I was invited by a friend to attend a online workshop that she had stumbled upon and figured I would enjoy given the journey that I was on. To my surprise, the live workshop was being led by none other than Julia Cameron herself! It was an extraordinary moment of synchronicity, as I was deeply immersed in her work, and my friend had no idea. That evening, I hung onto every one of Julia’s words and I will forever treasure that experience as I consider it a privilege to have been in her magnetic presence.
Although I have some beautiful video clips of Julia's amazing presentation that night, I will refrain from posting them due to copyright considerations and without explicit permission. To learn more about her amazing creative process, I highly recommend purchasing The Artist's Way or a recording of one of her previous online events as a starting point.
Julia's philosophy, paraphrased, is that if God, the universe, or whichever entity we believe in, places something on our heart, it is our obligation to see it through as our creativity is God's gift to us and using our creativity is our gift back to God.
This resonates deeply with me, especially when fear creeps in as I begin to openly share my gifts with the world. In those moments I remind myself that by offering my work, I am not only being of service to others, but also of service to myself as I honor and support my own aspirations of personal growth and evolution.
This belief is truly at the heart of GRAVITAS—being of service through the work that I have the privilege to create.
The GRAVITAS Approach
Throughout the coaching experience, I strive for authenticity in each interaction, making every client feel seen, heard, and valued—guiding them towards a life that truly reflects the richness and variety of the human experience.
Here is what you can expect from me:
Integrity: Honesty, transparency, and ethical behavior is modeled in all interactions.
Respect: All clients are treated with dignity, fairness, and respect, regardless of differences.
Inclusion: A culture of inclusivity that celebrates the unique backgrounds, cultures, and identities of my clients.
Empathy: An understanding that each person's journey is unique, and in doing so, foster an environment of acceptance, understanding, and non-judgment.
I believe that every individual can reach their fullest potential and live a joyful, meaningful life.
I invite you to schedule a complimentary session with me where you can discuss your goals, learn more about my coaching approach, and explore how I can best support you along your personal journey.
Until then, learn more about my offerings and connect and engage on social media where I share inspirational content to support your personal transformation as we begin the start of a new and exciting year together.
Reflection
During the early days of the pandemic, I started doing some deep inner child work based on a recommendation from a trusted girlfriend that experienced a significant personal breakthrough as a result. It also felt like everyone was talking about their “inner child” around that time, and I was curious, so I took it as a sign. Well, all I can say is that the work is powerful. We are all born with a clean slate and our lived experience, good and bad, shape our identity and how we perceive the world, which is an evolving journey that spans the course of our entire lives. As children, we are shaped by external influences, absorbing the values, beliefs and norms imposed on us. As we move into adolescence and then adulthood, that journey starts to become a bit more complex. We start challenging established norms, pushing boundaries and exploring new ideologies. Remember those fun teen years? As we grow older, our pursuit of our true identity doesn't stop, it merely shifts.
"I was Responsible for Those People" - The Atlantic, September 2021
One realization from my inner child work is that pre-teen Nakia would be incredibly proud of who she has become. Pre-teen Nakia was extremely shy, painstakingly shy to be exact, to the point of physical discomfort in attention-seeking situations. Somewhere along her journey, she lost her voice, both figuratively and literally, dealing with recurring sore throats and hoarseness for most of her life as her throat chakra was completely shut. It wasn't until I began exploring my inner child that I understood the root of these issues. If I could impart any wisdom to this young girl it would be the following:
“Hang in there…Don’t be so hard on yourself, you’re doing excellent. It’s ok not to be liked by everyone. People will mistake your kindness for weakness—let them, then shock them. You are going to face disappointment repeatedly—and it’s perfectly ok, keep showing up, don’t hide, don’t shrink, and don’t change. Share your gifts. And the excessive people pleasing, kindly stop….
Lastly, if you are going to bet on anyone, bet yourself. It will get greater, much later—trust me.”
Thank you for joining me on this exciting new adventure! Here's to a brighter future ahead!
Check out my new website, which officially launches today! I would love to receive your feedback in the comments below!
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With Love & Grace,
Nakia
Nakia! You are such a BOSS!! Love this. HUGE congratulations to you, I wish you the best of luck!!