Chapter 1: The Struggle to Create

For quite some time, I had a desire to develop a mini online course, yet I found myself unable to bring it to fruition. I experimented with crafting audio messages, videos, and written content, but nothing seemed to resonate. Conversations with friends and internal dialogues yielded no progress, and what I had initially envisioned as "Mindful Moments" became a source of anxiety instead.

A turning point came when a client introduced me to Medium, igniting a glimmer of hope. I began penning articles related to the themes of my proposed course, which revolves around embracing self-acceptance and self-love. The goal is to empower individuals to create manageable stepping stones for themselves, enabling them to navigate life at their own pace.

Sharing these writings felt like a significant leap forward. I was also pleasantly surprised by the wealth of insightful articles and talented writers I discovered. Joan Westenberg was the first author I followed on Medium, and recently, her thought-provoking piece titled "How to Make Something People Give a Shit About" appeared in my recommendations.

The article was an eye-opener. The moment I read the line, "Only make what you care about," a wave of inspiration surged within me, reminding me of my commitment to this project. Joan's question, "Who are you making it for?" made me realize I was unprepared to create the course, as I had no clear answer.

I reframed Joan’s prompt about identifying a product's pain point into a more personal inquiry: "What deeply troubles me that motivates me to create this course?" This reflection brought back memories of a visit to Greece about seven years ago, where I unexpectedly encountered an old friend. He was also an expat, and we had known each other for around 25 years.

During our conversation, I inquired about his well-being, and he responded with a resigned shrug, stating, "I still haven't had my breakthrough yet." Living sustainably on a Greek island, where the economy relies heavily on seasonal tourism, can be a challenge. For some, it’s manageable if they possess the right skills, mindset, and resources. Sadly, this wasn't the case for my friend.

Witnessing him grapple with the same aspiration for a quarter of a century without making progress deeply affected me. This pattern repeated itself with a client who first approached me in 2005 and continues to seek guidance annually. Initially, she expressed a desire to transition careers, as her physically demanding job would eventually become unsustainable. Together, we devised a plan involving part-time studies in her area of passion. She left the session invigorated and ready to take action.

However, a year later, she revealed that her limiting beliefs had impeded her progress. We revisited her goals, worked through her doubts, and she left once again feeling motivated. Over the years, the topic came up infrequently until last year (2023), when she shared how her financial situation had drastically changed due to her inability to keep up with her job's demands—there was no backup plan. Like my old friend, she echoed the same words of longing for a breakthrough.

Last year, I returned to Australia after a tumultuous three months in Greece. In early January, I dedicated time to writing in my exercise book, a practice I engage in to process my thoughts. I documented how the events in Greece revealed my need for help in addressing serious issues, particularly through kinesiology. My action plan involved finding the right therapist.

Back home, I was confronted with my own dilemma: Should I stay with my husband or return to my family in Greece? Graham, now retired, had structured his life to suit his preferences, while I had built a fulfilling life here. Yet, the void of not having my family close and the sorrow of missing out on my grandson's childhood weighed heavily on me.

My husband preferred to remain where we were, while I yearned to spend half the year with my family. Guilt about leaving him behind compounded my feelings, especially since I lacked the resources to establish a second household in Greece.

To increase my income, I planned to join Etsy as a psychic. While it may not seem significant, this decision felt monumental for me, as I had been living hand to mouth without advertising, and stepping into the spotlight was a major leap of faith.

I also expressed my frustrations regarding the stagnation of my "Mindful Moments" project, which remained in a vague planning phase. Shortly thereafter, life accelerated: my son visited from Greece, my stepson and his children arrived, and both my husband and I fell ill.

While recovering, I came across a loose sheet of paper from 2019 while decluttering. It contained my thoughts upon learning my son would become a father—expressing joy mixed with the sorrow of being far from family and missing significant moments in my grandchild's life. I felt guilt about leaving my husband alone, and I had no means to set up a second household in Greece.

In disbelief, I stared at the paper, realizing the sentiments mirrored what I had recently written. I opened my exercise book to check my earlier entries, and the words were strikingly similar. However, as I continued reading, a smile emerged. Just days after my entry about seeking a kinesiologist, I found one and have since completed eight successful sessions.

My fears about joining Etsy faded as I began receiving reading requests regularly. Regarding my dilemma of splitting my time between Australia and Greece, I had just booked a ticket to spend the summer and autumn in Greece.

The best revelation was recognizing that over the past five months, I had been unknowingly preparing for my future course: my kinesiology sessions, joining Etsy, and writing on Medium had served as stepping stones, empowering me to book my ticket without the weight of doubt for the next five years.

Now, I was ready to answer Joan's question, "Who are you making it for?" I was creating it for myself, aiming to reach a place where I could genuinely assist others. Furthermore, I understood the answer to her follow-up query, "What is the single pain point that the product could solve?" It was to prevent individuals from abandoning their dreams and aspirations.

I am prepared!