Time to paint

I recently reconnected with a long-time friend and colleague of mine. Her and I did our undergraduate degrees together and were in the same studio at music school.

Like many quarantine reconnections, her and I huddled up at our screens and told tales. We drank tea, we laughed aloud and shared about our lives. Two Michigan girls in their respective big cities making it happen. It was medicine for the soul.

It had been years since we’d spoken. Early in our conversation, she said, “ I don’t know if you remember this, but I told this story about you to my partner before I logged on.”

My immediate thought was - “Sh*t! What did my silly twenty-year-old self do or say back in the day?!”

What she shared gave me chills.

Back in music school, our studio cohort, like many, had tons of drama. Drama that I had experienced myself, deemed harmful and that my friend had begun to experience upon her arrival as a freshman.

One day we were all in the music lounge a lot of unpleasant toxicity being created by our studio members. I pulled her aside away from the others and said, “Don’t get pulled into that drama. Focus on yourself, practice and you can be really good.”

My friend shared that this had really impacted her and stayed with her all these years. She shared how much she appreciated it and had carried it with her as she created success in her life.

Chills.

This was ten years ago.

I have no recollection of doing this or saying this.

While it sounds like something I would do and say, I simply don’t remember it.

It’s moments like these that I can’t recall when I know it wasn’t just me. I was the channel for a message bigger than myself.

She also shared how it’s been so cool to see me creating and sharing now because it was something I was already doing back then that I’m now bringing full force.

Chills again.

It’s truly powerful when someone can reflect something back to you so clearly about yourself that it took you so long to figure out.

This story from my friend is not the first time someone has circled back and shared something like this with me. A word, a gesture, something "small" I did that really made an impact.

Each time this happens, I feel immense gratitude that I was able make a difference. These moments give me towering reminders: How I show up matters, you never know when you could deeply impact someone’s life, and finally, keep going, keep being who you are, keep being a positive force.

Truthfully, I’ve always been a coach. Even when I didn’t realize that’s what I was doing.

As a young athlete, musician and lifeguard I was a leader and cheerleader for others. I love rallying the troops. I love paying it forward with what I’ve learned, I love helping others succeed, I love inspiring and empowering people to live their potential.

It’s my greatest joy to see someone fully live and watch them rise with a smile. Each and every time I get to be a part of this journey, it’s a blessing that sets my soul on fire.

I remember the first time I had the whisper that I wanted to be a coach or something like it. It was six years ago. It manifested as a deep dive with personal development, spiritual texts, a thirst to grow, to live as who I actually am and my first experience working with a coach.

It was this radical idea that I could inspire, help and empower people to live the life they really want to for my job. And not just my job, my purpose.

I remember thinking, This would be so cool. This would be so me.

My very next thought was “But you’re a musician”.

“You’ve got two degrees, you’ve been playing your whole life, you’re a musician.” My very next thoughts disqualified and dimmed the bright pull in my heart.

I put myself in an identity and box based on the idea that it was what I had always done and therefore who I am. Can you relate?

I stayed the course, achieved on my path of music and allowed myself to pursue my interest in development, mindfulness and coaching on the side.

When I began teaching upon my move to Chicago, this love affair with coaching and inspiring others infiltrated my way of being with my students. The two big loves of my life, music and coaching, married together in a package to ignite the next generation. Mindful Music was born.

And then, COVID hit. The world slammed on its brakes. I slammed on my brakes. Gigs were cancelled, everything switched to zoom, and it suddenly became me, myself and I for months. Something I and others have deemed, spiritual Olympics.

In this forced pause, I felt that something was still missing. The coach inside me was alive and well. She was ready to serve and excited to share in people’s greatest time of need. Quarantine forced me to stop turning away from her and to instead lean in.

In October, I released my story with music, mindfulness and coaching. I announced that I would be opening a mindfulness coaching practice for musicians. I was excited, the response was a surge of love and I began serving musicians with my unique framework.

It was a beautiful beginning, and yet, I was still was in a box.

“You’re a musician, you’ve only been in the music field, you are only qualified to work with musicians.” The pesky voice in my mind appeared again! While I had expanded, I was still playing small. I was still not fully embodying what I wanted to do, what I’m meant to do.

Today I can now say, I’m a coach. I’m a conscious creation coach for all humans.

I help people unblock themselves, step into their potential, who they truly are and consciously create the life they want to live.

I am fully out of my self-imposed boxes and I have the pandemic to thank!

Here’s why.

The pandemic forced me to stop. It wiped the slate clean. It flipped my daily life on its head in ways I could have never imagined. I pared down to the minimum, I got quiet, and most important part - I listened to what I felt and heard.

With millions and counting of deaths world-wide, I was forced to ask myself very important questions: Who am I? What do I care about? What really matters?

I had received a blank canvas. I had received a new beginning like never before.

My response? It’s time to paint.

It’s time to paint with the colors I really want to paint with. It’s time to bring forth what I’ve always wanted. That project, that feeling, that relationship, that art, that life, that person I truly am.

My life is a masterpiece that I get to design. I have a blank canvas.

It’s time to paint.

What am I painting with? The part of me that’s always been in store, the part of me my friend helped me not ignore, a vibrant color I’m painting with from now on - coaching.

The first stroke on my canvas is Divine Design.

Divine Design is my group coaching experience for conscious life design and creation. It begs the question to you and your heart, what are you creating and designing in your life?

It’s an awakening to powerful parts of yourself and transmission of tools to unblock and actually live from that powerful place.

Divine Design is a mindful creation layout and navigation system for your life. It’s a layout for your unique genius where your visions can take flight.

Divine Design is what I do, it’s how I live. It’s the navigation, layout and how I’ve created the life I lead today - full of the businesses, art, purpose, relationships and experiences I adore.

Divine Design is a call and container for you to paint, for you to Divine Design your life alongside me.

For I’m not the only one who received a blank canvas - you did too.

It's your time to paint.

How do you want to re-integrate after this slam-on-the-brakes? What are you creating with this one life of yours?

Is there a part of you that’s been whispering for a while? Are there boxes you want to shed and just be you and smile?

What has the pandemic illuminated for you that you want to bring forth? What kind of life do you want to live?

Is there something that would be so cool and so you that you haven’t yet explored? What lights your soul up? Are you creating it?

You don't need to wait six years like I did.

If you’d like to choose, craft and design your life to match your heart and potential moving forward, Divine Design is for you! I invite you to check out the details here and sign up if it’s a yes. We begin March 1st and those who register by 2/22 get a bonus 1:1 coaching with me! Got questions? Book a free call with me here to talk about Divine Design.

Every new chapter begins with a whisper and a simple yes to yourself.

A yes to awaken, to your power, to your contributions, to live your creation.

Who are you? What really matters?

Your life is a masterpiece.

The nudge in your heart is holy.

You have a blank canvas.

It’s time to paint!

With paintbrushes galore knowing there’s more in store,

⭐️ Adrienne

*Special thank you to my friend who shared this memory with me and a special reminder to all of us - call someone who made a difference in your life today. Say thank you!*