“Don’t compromise yourself – you’re all you have.”
~ John Grisham
Be yourself. Be authentic.
It’s what everyone tells you.
In fact it’s totally hip to be authentic.
But how far should you go?
I’m creating a new website right now. My old one is awful – a static site I can’t change after my previous developers decided it wasn’t cool to have my ‘weird psychic self’ site come up first in searches for their company name at a time when they were heavily investing in representing large government departments and corporations. They gave me 24 hours to find a new host and booted me off so that they’d no longer be associated with me, because how embarrassing for them!
And this blog was never meant to be my main gig.
I’ve put off this whole new website thing anyway. It seemed a bit pointless to spend the money if I was going to croak it, which is a place I’ve danced around for years. My business is successful despite my awful website and total lack of branding.
But as my business is growing I need a website with functionality. Regardless of my varying health status, I’d rather have a new website. So last year I began this journey of ‘rebranding’. It’s a funny thing, building a website around yourself. You need to be able to say who you are, and to put that clearly out into the world.
I spoke to some trusted business colleagues and mentors first. People who are experts in the whole personal branding thing. People I know and care about.
Well, they all asked me, what is it that you do? You’ve got to be authentic and put that out there so others can find you.
Great, I said. I’m a psychic who…
No! You can’t say that, they all interrupted me.
Every single one of them advised me not to call myself a psychic. Psychics are strange and fluffy and lack credibility and are often just bogus. Also, I’ll alienate the whole Christian market, which is big, apparently. Especially in America. In fact some of my marketing friends told me that being a psychic is maybe not Christian and might also be that other thing. The Satan thing. Being a psychic is not cool. If anything it’s an affliction. Maybe I could call myself something else instead? Intuitive’s cool. Why not be intuitive?
Also, they advised me, just pick one thing. Don’t water down your message.
Okay. Great. Which one thing should I pick? I’ve got a rich and complex life happening here.
I’ve never been one of the ‘hip’ crowd. All the stuff I love is either so old or so out there that I am invisible, way at the front end of trends or following far behind. I trusted these people. So I spent all of last year trying to simplify myself and find less offensive words to describe myself.
Meanwhile I was also working on my memoir, which is now in its final draft stages. And of course my memoir is all about a period in my life where I am going through this profound psychic awakening and needing to come to terms with that. You know some of that story already – from the time where I lived in the Kimberley and was helped by my Aboriginal Aunties.
I recently gave my draft to a few people to read. My well-meaning writing friends and business colleagues told me to tone it down. But all my tribe, the ones who get me, told me to ramp it up. To include more of me and my weirdness, not less.
The more I work on polishing up my memoir the more I see that my tribe are right. Thanks to all of you I’ve decided that I just can’t do it. I can’t pretend to be a watered-down version of myself just to make other people feel more comfortable. If I can’t be myself, how can I ever ask that of you?
I guess it’s because we all worry about being judged, rejected or ridiculed if we show our true selves – warts and all.
Here on my blog I am always myself. I don’t hide anything. I have shared it all – the psychic stuff, the health stuff, the ins and outs of my life. And you guys have come and stayed. Thank you.
I promise you I’ll keep being myself. I’ll just do it bigger, and with a website that can support me to support you better in your own journeys.
I’m not just intuitive. I’m psychic. And I won’t be ashamed of that or hide that anymore. It’s my truth.
What’s your truth? What are you hiding or diminishing within you for fear of being judged?
I promise you that the people who will ‘get’ you, and who are the ones worth hanging out with, will be eager for you to just be yourself. If you have to change yourself or hide yourself you’re running with the wrong crowd.
The world desperately needs more authenticity. Not the hip kind. The unhip kind. The kind that allows us to be ourselves despite that self not looking like what marketers, magazines or social media tells us we need to be.
Will you join me in just being yourself?
Hi, I’m Nicole. I’m a psychic, channel, metaphysical teacher and mentor, a business coach, a blogger who loves to cook, a late-stage Lyme warrior who often lives in pyjamas and who favours gumboots and slippers for footwear ( although gumboots are better for dancing on the farm), and a writer who can’t stop writing, reading and acquiring more books.
How about you? I’d love to get to know you more. Feel free to drop me a comment below, or come visit me on facebook. Be yourself, and know I’ll love you for it!
Biggest hugs, Nicole ❤ xx
Love thy caption !
Nicole, I love you BECAUSE you are are psychic! I read your blog every day because of your authenticity. Please don’t change to please some other group of people who my be too closed minded to appreciate your amazing gifts!! xxxxx
Thank goodness for your wonderful decision. What odd people to advise you not to be your wonderful and magical marvellous self. Goodness, where will we all go to be our magical and marvellous selves?? Hurrah for a new web page. May it prosper and grow and bring us all loads of love, laughter, life, stories, recipes, and tales of owls, frogs, crystals and the cafe dogs!!
Hi gorgeous! we went to school together, and am definitely a late bloomer. Married at 39, babes at 42 and 45, and will complete my Masters in Early Childhood Education in 8 weeks – yes I’m counting. A former Farmers Wife, I love my home, garden, making and baking and have a soft spot for my dogs. I love living in Orange, and am so grateful for the spiritual journey we are taking together. One day I will get to Byron and we can have long cups of tea on your verandah and catch up… wish you were closer. Anna xxxx
Yeah… it takes some guts, and heapsa trust ~ to stay out there at the front of trends. Or deeply snuggled in the magick world (which exists). I’m stiil learning, growing into myself.
Big times for new beginnings… stepping out as ‘me’. It’s a journey for sure.
Lotsa love Nicole 💖💖💖
Thank you for this Nicole – so insightful and brave as always – you are such a Warrior in so many ways – the mere thought of you being watered down just doesn’t seem possible – what were people thinking? – we love you because we don’t want more of the same to get the same answers etc. You will find a surge in your tribe numbers because of your honesty and authenticity I am sure. xxxxx
We love you just the way you are, Nicole. No watered-down versions thank you just wonderful, inspirational you xx
I have never been so inspired to find and be my true self after meeting you and spending time at the retreat. So much love to you just being you. Px
Nicole, I just found you through a recipe post and I am so glad that I did. I love your honesty and acceptance. When I listen to you speak, I feel such a sense of calmness. When I read your pages, I feel like your are speaking directly to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
💕We love you just the way you are! 💕Your “rawness” is what makes you “real” and many of us can relate to you in one way or an other. Thank you for being YOU!
Don’t ever change or water it down.🌈💐💓🦄
I’ve been following your blog since last year and can’t remember how I found you but I’m so glad I did. I’ve been going through a tumultuous 2 years and trying to find me again. Your blog has been incredibly inspirational to me. So much so I bought your Year of ME planner to help guide my way. I just did my quarterly review and April planning today. And was left with the question of “Who am I really?” Then comes this post! Always timely, definitely thought provoking but also a cocoon of love and acceptance. Thank you for just being you – all of you!
I stopped hiding quite a while ago. It’s very freeing! And I think that lots of people will still flock to you😀
I so like your blog which is why I come here, so many of your posts feel like they were written just for me and for that I do thank you
Just… thank you! I’m so glad I found you, your blog, your insights, your encouragement and your love. From afar you have helped me in my own spiritual journey. Just knowing that someone else out there “gets it” and makes it ok to for us to be ourselves is so comforting and inspiring. So again, so many thanks and so much love for being there for all of us!
Thank you! YES!!
I believe in you Nicole and all the readers. Your blog has helped me so monthly, daily, weekly, monthly, yearly. The experts cannot reach people in that way. The world did not start with capitalist views. It started with knowledge that you share. It is a gift that cannot be copied and sold like a product. You are more than a website. We are all more than a selling point. Keep on being you.Thank you for your wisdom.
Thanks for this post Nicole. I love you and your daily posts for all these reasons. Thanks for being you and reminding me to embrace all of authentic me. Much love Terri xo
Wonderful words of inspiration…here’s to being who we truly are! Thank you Nicole. I love how you share your world with us, don’t water it down!!
I really look forward to reading your blogs each day because you keep it real, be yourself and you don’t judge. That’s just who you are. And you inspire soooo many people. Thank you for being you and for being who you are – you are a truly amazing, talented and gorgeous soul. 💜💜💜
As a formerly “closeted” astrologer who used to work in the corporate world, I understand the struggle and appreciate your multifaceted talents. I like to read, write, garden, cook, knit, run, problem solve and fix things. And not necessarily in that order. My mainstay is my life in the astrological/spiritual world. It’s taken me until my late 40’s to fully embrace it. I applaud you for putting yourself out there well before I did. Keep on doing you.
You, in all your radiant glory, are nothing short of bloody amazing!! Not of this world, in the most magical and breathtaking way. How lucky we are to have you in our lives ❤
I just LOVED this blog Nicole. Finding the tribe that gets you supports you and allows you to be fully you is vital. So glad I found my tribe with you. ❤️
And yay to the new website!
Break free and be you such a unique beautiful person it’s been a pleasure meeting you again last month spending time and watching your journey since 2012 for me we are all evolving together it’s wonderful to surrounded by kindness and sincerity. 🌌
Beautiful Nicole what a big moment for you to let go of what the “experts” were telling you …… I have to wonder what their methods would have built you ? Perhaps not the tribe of people that needed or are ready for your message or wisdom …perhaps watered down messages would have trickled down …. When what you are in fact creating is a legacy and that legacy and the information and learning you have shared will be available for many generations …… Long after you and I both croak it 🐸🐸🐸🐸🍀 and thank you for your message today as I need to take a leaf from your book … I’ve moved and ceased employment in the early childhood area … My plan to study more and do “the thing” ( whatever that is) and when people ask what I do I must admit they often get a watered down version as I test the waters as to how open they are to all this energy healing and “weird ” stuff but I guess I am what I am and I’ve been given these master colours for a reason not just cause they look pretty 💛💜💚💙💕 so guess I better get on with it too 👣👣👣👣 much love Nicole and as you would tell us You are Soooo bloody enough and the gumboots dancing is an added special feature 👣👣👣👣👣