We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Stacy Keele a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Stacy, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
My mission, at its core, is to make Human Design (the map of your energetic DNA) as actionable and accessible as possible, so you can build the life you WANT to live, and not the life you think you “should.” Everything came into focus for me around 2019 when I was diagnosed with the autoimmune disease Hashimotos soon followed by Endometriosis. At the time, I had been living in New York City for a decade trying to further my career in music theatre. I was working too many jobs to count, rushing from one gig to the next so I could pay my bills. I had little to no time for rest, reflection, or mindfulness and my body was trying to tell me something important… the way I was living was not sustainable. My health struggles forced me to slow down in a way I never had before and that’s when I was introduced to Human Design. It was like a lightbulb went off and everything clicked. I had earned my Strategic Interventionist Life Coaching cert in 2017 but when I discovered my OWN Human Design. everything suddenly made sense for me. Through my own work using Human Design, I was able to finally build a life that supports me authentically – a flexible schedule, space to honor my chronic illness flares, a partnership I thought only happened in movies, and a client base of heart centered people who want to exit hustle culture and live life on their terms. The shifts I personally experienced through Human Design are why I coach on the topic. It’s game changing on every level!
Stacy, 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?
I always knew I was different growing up. I was really sensitive, creative, and saw the world through a different lens. I was the person who provided advice, a safe space to vent, always leading through empathy. So it was no surprise when I felt called to enter the coaching arena. I had been simmering with the idea of getting certified when my Dad messaged me “ever thought of coaching? I think you’d be great!” That was really the push that set me on this path! I felt I had the gifts and skills to really provide lasting change in people’s lives, which actually aligns so fully with my Human Design – a 5/1 Splenic Projector. Projectors are guides. We are seers. We help make other people’s energy more efficient and we require more rest than the other energy types! Building my business has been my greatest joy. I am so proud of the work I do through combining energetic blueprints with my NLP coaching strategies. I provide a coaching experience that’s tailored to you in the moment. This is not a one size fits all approach, nor a one size fits all transformation. It’s nuanced to the client’s Human Design because that’s the gift of the modality! We are all designed differently so something that works for one person is not going to work for another. I find this to be a real struggle for people, the conditioning society has put upon us – the way we “should” make money, craft our home lives, feel our feelings. All of it!
I really love to work 1:1 with clients because it gives me so much insight into their worlds, how their brains work, and where they are aligning energetically or behaving counter-intuitively. I am so curious by nature and I love to learn about my clients on a deep, personal level. This is why most of my client/coach relationships morph into genuine friendships. I CARE about you inside session but also outside.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
There have been MANY lessons I’ve had to unlearn throughout this journey. I mean, that’s what Human Design IS, really. It teaches you how you’re designed to show up in the world, how to make decisions, how to create opportunities for yourself, the list goes on and on. Without the awareness of your Human Design, it’s like throwing spaghetti against the wall to see what sticks. You’re moving through life in the way you’ve been taught, NOT the way that feels best to YOU!
I would say my biggest lesson has been unlearning my role in hustle culture. As I mentioned before, I was burning the midnight oil in NYC for 10 years, which is completely opposite of how I’m designed to live. We are all taught since we’re small to “make it happen.” “If you want it done right, do it yourself.” “Go out and get it.” This conditioning literally made me sick and it’s been a tough one to decondition. In fact, I’m still working on it that’s how deeply ingrained the narrative of “more more more, go go go” is. But through slowing down, practicing mindfulness and intentionality, seeking evidence that my worth is not rooted in my productivity and that I create success through doing less, I have been able to live a much happier, sustainable, and fulfilling life!
Does this mean I don’t work hard? Not at all! Am I saying you can sit back and not take action? Never! What I AM saying is that the way we create abundance for ourselves is so personal and learning your Human Design can be the energy hack you’ve been waiting for. We all have different strategies in HD that teach us how to create opportunities for ourselves and spoiler alert! None of them are to force or to push to burn yourself out.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
I pride myself on my reputation in the industry. I think the biggest help was getting clear on what I do, who I work with, and the transformations I provide. I lead with integrity, curiosity, and a fun yet grounded energy. I am also trauma informed, which means I show up to each session keeping in mind we are all coming from a place of trauma in one way or another. I work very hard to avoid re-traumatization because I know the coaching industry can be very harmful in a lot of ways. I provide a safe space full of empowerment, collaboration, and discovery.
The greatest feedback is always referrals in my opinion. Most of my clients find me through word of mouth and to me, that speaks volumes about my reputation!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Stacy_Keele
Image Credits
Moments by Madisen