We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nicole Loor a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Nicole , so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
It’s been a long and emotional journey, and I want to share how, even though there are many times when I feel unmotivated and lose the excitement for things, I still push myself to do what I know benefits my self-esteem and self-love. Self-discovery has always been at the core of this process. For a long time, I felt like I was living in a bubble, and it wasn’t until 2021 that I began my journey to get to know myself better. I started going to therapy and began to understand my emotions more clearly. I also realized that I am a person with the potential to become a better version of myself, even if I haven’t fully discovered that version yet.
Through this process, I started asking myself basic questions that I had never really stopped to think about before: “What do I like?”, “What don’t I like?”, “What am I afraid of?”, “What hurts me?”. These were things I had never truly explored because I was living on autopilot. I believe the problem is that, so often, we don’t pause to live mindfully. We take everything that happens for granted, and we forget to live in the present moment. Instead, we get stuck in the anxiety of the future or the sadness of the past.
As I started to gain more clarity about life, I realized I needed to find my purpose. But how? I knew I had to start by discovering new things, making mistakes, learning, unlearning, and recognizing my shortcomings. That’s part of the process when you’re striving to become a better version of yourself.
My therapist advised me to set small, achievable goals with specific time frames. Often, we set goals that are too distant, and that discourages us, because we try to reach the top floor without climbing each step first. The key to staying optimistic is to remind myself that I am capable, that I have goals to achieve, and that even on days when I feel like doing nothing, I must keep going. Time moves forward, and no one else is going to accomplish my goals for me.
When we start to see each day as an opportunity, instead of “just another day,” life changes. And remember, when you don’t feel your best but still do something you know is good for you, that effort is worth twice as much.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’m currently in a stage of personal discovery. Seven months ago, I decided to move to California, a decision that has completely transformed my mindset. Leaving my country wasn’t easy, but this journey in a new place has been incredible. There have been days full of excitement, but also days filled with sadness, and I’ve come to understand that this is all part of the process.
One thing I truly love is helping to change lives. Did you know that you can change someone’s life with just a single phrase? I’ve always sought out spaces where I can contribute to that, which is why I’m so passionate about customer experience, employee experience, and self-love. There’s nothing better than designing something that ensures the person receiving a service—whether it’s a customer or an employee—feels satisfied.
Throughout every stage of my professional and personal journey, I’ve focused on helping others improve. From the bottom of my heart, I want people to know that life is beautiful, and there are a million reasons to live it. That’s why I have an Instagram account (@callmenicky___), where through videos, stories, and my personalized coaching sessions, I help people love themselves more and understand life better. This is my passion, and I know my purpose in life is to share my story so that many people can see how incredible life is and find the strength to leave behind the places that hurt them.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Acceptance, Recognition, and Purpose
When I talk about acceptance, I mean that there are many things we can’t control. Accepting that there are things we need to let go of, or things we need to start, is part of personal discovery and growth. Accepting complex situations isn’t easy, but we mature when we accept that we’re not perfect, that sometimes we need help, that we have beautiful qualities within us, and that we’re capable. These are things that many people struggle to accept, but I believe that self-acceptance is essential for moving forward.
When I speak of recognition, I mean that I used to take things very personally, and to some extent, I’m still working on that. However, there are times when we need to recognize that there are aspects of our lives that need improvement. It’s only through recognition that we can advance toward a better version of ourselves. And when we strive for that better version, amazing things start to happen.
As for purpose, you don’t discover your purpose by sitting down and asking, “What is my purpose?” You discover your purpose by doing things day by day, by exploring whether you enjoy something or not, by staying active. That’s why my motto is “days are opportunities,” because we shouldn’t waste them. We should learn from each day and take bold steps toward things that help us grow.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
They have taught me so much, but the most valuable lesson is that they always find solutions. I don’t know how they do it, but both of them are people who always manage to resolve everything. Whenever I face a situation that seems unsolvable, I remember that they always found a way to solve it. My mom and dad have that gift; that’s how I see it. They taught me that life isn’t easy, but there’s nothing that can’t be resolved. Their motto is: “The only thing in life that has no solution is death,” and that has been my guiding principle for moving forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://linktr.ee/callmenicky
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/callmenicky___/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicole-loor/
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
