Justine Ickes | Explore what's possible

a quote by author Karen Blixen that says "We must leave out mark on life while we have it in our power."

What are you doing here?

What did you come here to do? In other words, what’s your life purpose?⁣
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Not sure? ⁣
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Here are some ways to find out:⁣
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* Help other people. – Studies have shown that being of service can help you feel a sense of purpose. ⁣
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* Seek feedback. – Ask people what they think of when you enter their mind. What they notice about you can give you insights into your purpose.⁣
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* Take note of topics that interest you. Do you regularly post about certain things on social media? Is there an injustice that deeply bothers you? These could be clues to your life purpose.⁣
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Identifying a clear sense of purpose — aka the mark you’re here to make — can help you lead a better, happier, healthier life.⁣
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So, ask yourself: What’s the mark I’m making?⁣ And is that what I really came here to do?

large boulder painted with a bright yellow smiley face in the shape of the sun

Go Big or Go Home!

Ain’t that the truth?

I love seeing people’s creative expressions on this Block Island landmark. The messages and images change on the daily, sometimes even hourly. I’ve spotted folks happily making their mark in broad daylight and by flashlight.⁣
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The thing is you don’t need spray paint or a boulder to speak your mind.⁣
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Every day you are making a statement with your words and actions.⁣
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Tell me: If you could express your truth big and bold, what would you say?⁣
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Need help figuring that out? I’ve got spots opening right now for new coaching clients. Reach out and let’s work together!

close up photo of a large sculpture made of wrought iron letters of the English alphabet

What’s your personal alphabet?

Did you know that the word “alphabet” comes from the first two letters of the Greek language?⁠
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And that way back in the day, speakers of Latin created the word “abecedarius” (aka the “ABCs”)?⁠
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I didn’t and I’ve been a word nerd and language geek my whole life! :-)⁠
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Which just proves you can always learn (and make!) something new.⁠
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All this got me thinking: If you could create your own ABCs, what would the letters stand for? ⁠
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I’d probably choose words that express what most matters to me:

A for art.

B for becoming.

And C for creativity (and coaching)! No surprises there, right? ;-)⁠
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How about you? What would your personal alphabet say about you and what you value? Want help figuring this out? Schedule a complimentary conversation to see what coaching can do for you!

Let your dreams take flight!

Do you ever get all pumped up about a new goal and then a week later your energy has fizzled?

Me too.

And often it’s because we get in our own way.

How? Here’s a recent example: For the first time since I’ve been in business, I set an actual revenue goal for this year. Yes, with real actual numbers! LOL

A couple days later I spotted this “Moneyfly Mandala” by artist Arthur Becker in a lobby in Boston.

I was starting to get excited that this might be some sort of “message from the universe” about my financial goal.

And then my inner critic/doubter piped up, “Nah! Can’t you see this is just a tongue in cheek observation about money!?” Cue sinking feeling…

Then I noticed an installation called “Moneyflies” on the opposite wall of the lobby. Now I felt even more deflated. “Okay, so my conjecture was correct – this is about the fleeting nature of money”, I told myself.

Guess what?! 5 minutes after I took these photos, I got an inquiry about my coaching and 5 minutes after that, someone reached out to ask about my workshops!

Who knows whether either will pan out?! What I do know is the stories that we tell ourselves really matter. A lot. They can clip our wings. Or they can lift us up and help our dreams take flight.

What story are you telling yourself? I can help you flip that script and move toward you the life you want. Schedule a free consult with me here.

beach grass waving in the autumn wind against a clear blue sky

Who do you need to thank today?

Who is one person you can pause and be grateful for today?

For me, it’s Mrs. Lanka, the babysitter who looked after me when I was about 5 or 6.⁣

Actually, the word babysitter doesn’t really do Mrs. Lanka justice. Because from her I learned all sorts of things — especially, the joy of simple pleasures, like puzzles, reading and baking.⁣
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But what I remember most about my days with Mrs. Lanka are our trips to the Bayard Cutting Arboretum on Long Island. I think it was there — seeing the expanse of the Great Lawn or climbing the knotted branches of the giant European Weeping Beech tree — that I fell in love with wandering and wondering. ⁣
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Our absolute favorite thing to do was follow the River Walk along the Connetquot River. We’d meander down the labyrinthine paths past all manner of plants — stopping now and then to search out the metal tags that identified the plants and trees. ⁣
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Eventually, we would end up on Breezy Island. There we’d unpack whatever treat Mrs. Lanka had packed – maybe a PBJ sandwich or some juicy oranges — and bask in the sun while ducks and geese floated by.⁣
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I can still taste those oranges. ⁣
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And whenever I see cat o’ nine tails and beach grass, I say a little prayer of thanks to Mrs. Lanka. ⁣
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Who do you need to thank today?