Meet Celia Barsby

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Celia Barsby. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Celia below.

Celia, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
As a former teacher, seeing burn out all around me, I realised I wanted to find meaning and purpose again, and help others to do the same. One of my transformational phrases is “Your deepest wound holds your greatest medicine”. My personal wound is my experience of childhood bereavement (which I share in my book The Garden Party), and how healing this wound through my own inner creative and energy work enables me to help other women find their medicine.

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?
In my work as an author, creator of the Free to be Me! program, and overall advocate for creativity, I’m driven by the belief that we all experience those days when we feel stuck or unproductive. Yes, it happens to me too! But what I find most exciting and special about my work is the opportunity to challenge and rewrite the old stories we tell ourselves – those limiting beliefs that hold us back. Recently, I stumbled upon a children’s book from nearly a century ago, and its outdated content reminded me of how much the world has changed. Similarly, the stories we tell ourselves about how we should work, behave, achieve, or think can hinder our progress. These old narratives can grind us to a halt, preventing us from reaching our full potential.
I use creativity in my work to transform productivity and mindset – whether personal or business. Let’s not confuse creativity with art – this is not about becoming the next Leonardo Da Vinci! I am talking about tapping into our innate creativity to inspire and encourage ourselves. Creativity allows us to envision new possibilities, think outside the box, and find innovative solutions to problems; this is the creativity I use in my own business and with my clients.
One way to nurture our creative muscles is by engaging in activities that break routine, like taking a short break, doodling, breathwork.
Whenever you change activity, do something different, your creative juices start to flow.
Even simply spending time in nature can reconnect us with our creative selves; have you ever solved a problem while taking a walk? That is living a creative lifestyle. When we embrace creativity, we step into the unknown, exploring new ways of doing things and reshaping our stories.
I’ve experienced first hand the power of living a life centered around creativity. It’s allowed me to discover my authentic self and embrace my rebellious, quirky self!
When I wrote “The Garden Party”, I knew I wanted to share the powerful medicine of my Magical Keys in more detail than would fit inside the pages of my book!
As I have embarked on my own personal journey of Expansion this year, so I have been able to expand the wisdom held in “ReAwakening to your Soul’s Purpose” and create the online container I dreamed of. We bring the Free to be Me! online program to life through a vibrant community and personalized group coaching in our exclusive membership program.
“Soul Garden Party” opens the gateway to your Soul’s Magical Garden. This is not just a membership; it’s a celebration of your authentic self.
Are you ready to embark on a transformative journey towards embracing your true self, unlocking your soul’s purpose, and living a life filled with joy and authenticity?

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Reflecting on my journey, three areas of understanding stand out as particularly impactful:

Creativity: Embracing creativity as a guiding force in my life has been transformative. It’s not just about artistic expression but also about problem-solving, innovation, and seeing the world from different perspectives. My advice for those early in their journey is to cultivate creativity through a vaiety of experiences, such as exploring different forms of art, trying new hobbies, and challenging conventional thinking. Keep an open mind, experiment freely, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes along the way – they often lead to unexpected discoveries.
Self-awareness: Understanding my own strengths, weaknesses, and motivations has been crucial in navigating challenges and pursuing meaningful goals. Developing self-awareness involves introspection, reflection, and seeking feedback from others. I encourage those at the beginning of their journey to invest time in self-reflection, journaling, and seeking mentorship or coaching to gain insights into themselves and their aspirations. Recognizing your own values and passions can guide you toward fulfilling paths.
Resilience: Like everyone, I’ve faced setbacks and moments of self-doubt along the way. Resilience – the ability to bounce back from adversity – has been essential in persevering through tough times and staying committed to my vision. Building resilience involves cultivating a growth mindset, embracing failure as a learning opportunity, and nurturing a supportive network of friends, family, and peers. Remember that setbacks are temporary and can fuel personal growth if approached with perseverance and a positive attitude.
My advice to those early in their journey is to prioritize self-care, maintain perspective during challenges, and celebrate small victories along the way. These are some of the Magical Keys which are at the heart of Free to be Me! Surround yourself with supportive people who uplift and encourage you, and don’t hesitate to seek help or guidance when needed. Stay curious, stay open to new experiences, and trust in your ability to navigate the twists and turns of your journey. You’re capable of achieving great things – believe in yourself and keep moving forward.

As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
I would love to share the book that has played a pivotal role in my own self development journey “Women who Run with Wolves“ by Clarissa Pinkola Estes. I share this quote in “The Garden Party – ReAwakening to your Soul’s Purpose“ in Magical Key 5: Going through the Mill.

“To bring back creative life, the waters have to be made clean and clear again. We have to wade into the sludge, purify the contaminates, reopen the apertures, protect the flow from future harm.”

When we do the inner work required for personal growth we see the greatest transformation.
In this step of Free to be Me! we address those moments when life can feel overwhelming, and the weight of expectations can seem crushing.
We delve into essential tools of resilience and the art of living in flow which are summarised so beautifully by Dr Estes. Women Who Run with the Wolves enabled me to gain a new perspective on overcoming obstacles, emerging stronger, and knowing the positive value of life’s more uncomfortable experiences.

During my own “uncomfortable experience“ of clinical depression, (my breakthrough which the world would call a breakdown) this book opened my understanding to the trauma (childhood bereavement) I had experienced. Here I found the stories which helped me understand my emotions, my behaviours and gave me permission to re-evaluate what was important and what I wanted in life.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Ian Barsby Photographer

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