Ikigai and the Evolution of a Purpose-Driven Life

Belgian endive with curried chicken salad, micro greens, chive blossoms, and nasturtium

Like a caring mother

Holding and guarding the life

Of her only child,

So with a boundless heart

Hold yourself and all beings.

~Buddha

I love what I do. Nothing feeds my soul more than knowing that my offerings—the ways I serve—help others feel better and more whole.

The other day, I had somewhat of a reckoning. While preparing food for a beloved client who had just returned after six months away, another dear one reached out, seeking meal support as she recovers from a medical procedure. As we explored the level of care she was seeking, I listened and recognized there was something I could offer her immediately for acute support to help ease a lingering bronchial infection. Her partner arrived soon after, and I handed over a few jars of herbal remedies leftover from last year's brew, knowing they would bring her comfort and relief. Later that afternoon, they both let me know they were breathing easier already.

Not long after, my daughter sent a text: I put oregano oil on the soles of my feet before bed last night to kick the last of this cold. Perks of being a witch’s daughter. 😉

It made me smile.

Years ago, after a distance Reiki and chakra balancing session I had invested in, the practitioner told me she'd had a vision of me having been a medicine woman throughout many lifetimes. I was kinda stumped, because this has never been how I've seen myself because I have no formal training in herbalism, holistic healing, or even culinary arts. While, I’m a trained and certified Integrative Health & Nutrition Coach and Sacred Depths Transformational Practitioner, and I’ve been broadening and deepening my coaching practice for close to a decade I am mostly self-taught and a dabbler in the kitchen. And honestly, most of the time, I still feel like I’m flailing.

I’m simply a girl who loves to create. And nourishing others— providing care, both through food and through presence—this is my love language. And, I am beginning to understand that it’s the love and care I offer that feeds the people who seek and receive my support.

One day back in the fall of 2017 when I had just finished my final season of full-time waitressing I wasn’t sure what my next steps should be or how to begin building my coaching practice. Feeling lost and overwhelmed, I walked to the bluff—the place I go when I need to breathe, to listen, to receive guidance from the great beyond: from Spirit, my ancestors, woodland creatures, fairies, whoever might be whispering wisdom and infusing my soul with clarity.

Lifting my heart to the sky, I opened my arms wide and silently asked,

"Please help me to know how best I might serve."

And in that moment, a knowing pulsed through me...

"You are meant to fully live, breathe, become, and embody Nourish Nurture Nest."

OK. Let’s go... And, that is what I have been endeavoring to do ever since. Humbly. Quietly. And always heart-led, with an arrow through it guiding the way forward in the direction of love and service. I've been here offering a space, free from any judgment or dogma, for mostly women, when they're feeling weary, downtrodden, unwell, or just needing a dose of my mama jewelzz flavored love and magic. 

Without formal marketing, people have sought me out for nourishment and nurturance in many forms—long before I ever saw this as a business. Looking back, I see now that my work has never been about choosing one path over another but about honoring the interconnected nature of it all. From my early determination to help women rise up and out of adversity, to a focus on health and nutrition, to intuitive lifestyle and wellness coaching, and ultimately back to women's empowerment—the thread has always been the same: holding space, offering guidance, and supporting others in ways that nourish and nurture at the deepest levels.

It’s been a full-circle moment recognizing that my life’s work isn’t about separating one offering from another but embracing them all as facets of my nature and the same big picture mission. Nourishing with food, holding space for transformation, and helping to create environments that feel like santuaries… these are not separate callings; they are intertwined expressions of the same devotion to care, healing, and empowerment.

For so long, I believed that if coaching is my true passion then success had to fit a certain mold, and that providing prepared foods was merely a bridge to get there. But I’m no longer chasing an elusive version of entrepreneurial success dictated by the online slicksters. The truth is, as Frank Sinatra crooned, 'I did it my way.'

Coaching, nourishing, creating... It’s all part of the same calling. It’s all part of my ikigai—the convergence of what I love, what I’m good at, and what people seek from me when they need care and support. I am fully embracing and celebrating that I am thriving—not just surviving. I am safe, held, and supported through the reciprocal flow of exchange found through those who invest in my work. Their generosity at the higher levels of my sliding scale allows me to extend the same quality of care to those with more limited financial resources. In this way, The Underground Fairy Godmother Network has truly become the bridge—finally bringing my dream of philanthropy to life.

The reality is, I’m doing exactly what I’ve always been meant to do. And the other day, in that moment of reckoning, I thought, “Damn, fly girl, I’m in love with you…” I’ve had to be willing to remove the blinders, widen my gaze, and recognize with so much gratitude that I don’t have to cook for people to earn my living. I GET TO DO THIS WORK. And, what an honor to be trusted in this way.

I’m reminded of a favorite wisdom nugget that I discovered on the inside of an Honest Tea cap many years ago during one of the darkest moments in my life (escaping narcissistic abuse; yep - been there, done that. All set. Buh-bye… IYKYK). “The bird of paradise alights upon the hand which does not grasp”

~Taoist proverb.

Letting go of striving and forcing has been the most unexpected gift of this journey. Through “conscious surrender out of resistance,” another cherished nugget of wisdom shared with me long ago, I’ve come to understand that the nourishment and nurturing I offer to others through food is not just a bridge to my coaching; it is an essential part of my work. It’s something I GET to do simply because it’s within my skill set. And I recognize what a privilege that is, especially in light of so much volatility and uncertainty swirling all around us. I don’t take it for granted—not for a moment. The ability to sustain myself through meaningful work that aligns with my soul’s purpose is a gift; one that I honor with deep gratitude. It allows me to create a sustainable income and support myself in a way that feels authentic, true, and purposeful.

I don’t need to choose between the distinct pillars of my business. They are not separate. I don’t need to force Nourish Nurture Nest into being something greater than the sum of its parts. It already is. It's enough. I'm enough. And I feel so blessed that I get to do what I do even as the world turns on its axis.

My dad's final words to me before he left this world were powerful. I've wished he'd said more. Yet, now I think I finally understand the power of this gift.

"Julie," he said. "You are a spirit. A high spirit. You always have been. And, you have a purpose."

The impact of his words is finally sinking in and resonating more fully. And, I couldn't be more grateful and proud. I am not flailing. I am simply being. And I am exactly where I am meant to be.

Be ever wonderful, my darlings.

With grace and gratitude, I carry you with me in my heart. And, I’m ever and always sending out the love, love, love, love, crazy love.

Know that if you need a soft place to land, a loving ear or shoulder, or even some nourishing meal support, this is what I’m here for.

This is who I BE.

Reach out any time.

xoxo,

Mama Jewelzz