Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Josette Diaz. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Josette, appreciate you joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Thomas Jefferson is credited with saying “With great risk comes great reward.”

We can apply this to so many situations in life. Risk says one thing to your mind and another to your body. To your mind, it says, be fearless, be brave, you never know unless you try, and so on. To your body, it can instill fear, doubt, and feelings of not good enough.

Risk is thought of as taking action and being bold. Risk can also be more subtle. It comes in moments when we become curious or dig deeper for resolution. It can look like asking for help or even finding forgiveness within ourselves.

All of these moments feel like a risk to our nervous system. Often what we fear the most is losing our identity.

When I left my 15-year career to stay home with my children, I was taking a risk. The majority of people find risk uncomfortable, and I am one of those people. I worked so hard to build my career and my reputation. When I remarried and had my second child, I felt I could not give the time and attention to a demanding job and my home life and be successful in the way I wanted to in both areas of my life.

I chose to stay home with a bit of sadness and trepidation. I knew I was risking a life I spent years building, and any time away could be detrimental. I was torn between what I had in the past and what I may or may not have in the future. This was a certain kind of risk.

It took me more than a year to adjust to the change.

Just so you know, raises are not given for potty training or vacuuming, nurturing your little human beings, or volunteering at your child’s school.

I had to generate my self-esteem in a whole new way. I found confidence boosters in leaning into the values I wanted my children to grow up with, promoting what mattered to them, and what they were interested in.

In moments of doubt and confusion, I knew I had to carve out a new way of thinking, a new way of being, and a new identity.

This is when I realized that most of my fear and apprehension was based on who I thought I was. The previous version of myself could not thrive in this new world I wanted to carve out for myself.

Then things began to shift. I changed my focus. My mindset changed, I put myself in places that promoted the shift I wanted to see. I made new friends who had similar goals and ambitions as I did.

This was the beginning of becoming a new expanded version of myself. I loved this new version of me. The rewards I received by raising my children were priceless.

What I learned taking the risk to leave my career, I could not have known at the time. I also could not have predicted the pure joy I received as a mother in raising my beautiful daughters.

If I had not risked leaving something dear to me behind I would not have found the greatest moments of my life, I would have missed out on this woman. This woman with great wisdom, an open heart, insight, patience, and the highest love I could ever experience. The risk was worth it. Leaving my past identity behind was worth the woman I became at that point of my life.

Josette, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

A little bit about me, I am a Self Awareness Coach for Women in Midlife…

After years of being last on my list of priorities and ignoring my dreams, life turned upside down so I could get right side up.

I knew what was meant for me, I had been putting it on the shelf and brushing it off for years. I had all the excuses, kids, spouse, busy life.

This is when life stepped in to remind me that what is meant for you will find you, even if everything has to fall apart for you to say YES.

In getting myself right side up, I learned to let go of what everyone else expected of me and became my own soulmate.

I specialize in working with women who are high achievers and silently struggle with thinking they have to do it all.

Our struggles do not feel like choices, they feel like “I have to get it done!”

My passion kicks into overdrive by seeing my clients succeed in releasing themselves from their self-inflicted shackles. It’s not their fault, and letting go happens effortlessly through awareness.

For over 37 years I have studied the areas of metaphysics, mindfulness, intuition, and thought reform. Each step has led me to today, creating a system of self-mastery in order to recalibrate and reconnect women to thier inner power, living a life driven by their values and unfolding from the inside out.

I took the lessons from childhood around a deep desire to be creative and now guide women through Creative Strategies that raise their Emotional Intelligence and bring revelations to the surface so that perfectionism, people-pleasing, overgiving, and being at the bottom of the list fade into the background.

I developed a system of Self-Mastery called Seasons of the Soul®, guided by these three pillars, Slow Down, Listen Deeply, and Connect Within.

This is my umbrella program and includes a 3-month program, and four, 6-week programs. Under Seasons of the Soul® is a membership.

The Art of Awareness is a membership for women to connect and witness one another and where creativity opens the doorway to a soul conversation, bringing to light revelations of their beliefs and patterns, and guiding them through discernment and realizations of what they truly value. Women in The Art of Awareness, understand what is unfolding and lead their lives through what they love rather than responding to all of the outside noise.

I am also a Speaker, Author, and Podcast host of A Soulful Pause and Evolving with Soul, both on YouTube. I have an extensive background in leadership, I am a certified Reiki Master Teacher with nine certifications in NLP, including Timeline Therapy™, and in the process of completing my Art Therapy Practitioner certification.

I can be found on Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Substack.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

Yes, growing up I watched my mother sit in her unhappiness for many years. She spoke often of her unhappiness and the powerlessness she felt. She may not have used this language, yet the message came across loud and clear.

Regardless of the varying circumstances that I experienced growing up, I knew I always wanted to be influential. I wanted to change lives and lift women specifically to be the woman that they were born to be. I had to find my own way to this woman for myself, and I of course still find myself continuing to unfold.

Once I owned my inner artist, and freed myself from perfectionism, I claimed the creative strategies that have brought me towards my true self. Using art as the language to connect to my soul has shown me how to transform my life. These are the strategies that I use to guide other women in their unfoldment.

The joy that is experienced when you witness another woman uncover a part of themselves that has been there the whole time is magnificent. This is my mission, to bring women home to themselves, to express their power in the areas that they value.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Growing up with my mother, through her experience of powerlessness, made the world feel in charge of my life. I was not in control, life simply happened to me.

Through two marriages, raising two wonderful daughters, a beloved career, starting my own business, some very hard life lessons, therapy, healing, forgiveness and stepping into my power are some of the ways I have unfolded into where I am today.

I have had to learn a new mindset and perspective, I am not a victim of life. Victimhood places you in the center of chaos. This makes it difficult to make decisions, to see circumstances clearly. Everything is seen through a blurry lens.

Unlearning powerlessness and a victim mindset has changed my life. One of the most beautiful results is my daughters did not grow up immersed in this mindset. The chain has been broken in our family line and healing is underway. This is what we all can do. Every small step leads forward.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://guidancetowellness.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/josettediaz/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/josette-diaz/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@JosetteDiazCoach
• Other: Substack: https://josettediaz.substack.com/

Image Credits

Stefanie Blue