Genius in a Bottle

Annelies M Gentile, MA, PCC

Integrative Life & Leadership Coach

Hello! I'm Annelies and I am glad you are here! From chaos to calm, I'm no stranger to change. How about you... what's your change story? Through life's fire of change we all fumble through and learn to be resilient, adaptable and (hopefully) honor needs and boundaries for ourselves and others. Persistence not perfection. The genius in us is both guide and foe, both are teachers. What are you cultivating with your creativity?

I believe you're not broken in need of fixing nor is the world. We are all creative expressions of change, energy forming and informing our experience of this thing we all inhabit called life. It's not as much about repair (fixing) as it is about returning to source (rejoining). Connecting to a bigger story, connecting to ourselves, our values, our senses, and connecting to each other.

THINK: What's your piece of the peace? What's your role in contributing to the WHOLE, a story big enough to live in to?

While we may feel disconnected from the whole, feeling the HOLE (the things showing up as missing)... you don't need to do ALL the things... just your piece. To feel at peace, it's imperative to acknowledge your piece within a larger story of peace.

What exactly is your responsibility? What dictates this? From my perspective, I believe our responsibility is not the roles our parents gave us nor religious tasks nor what society expects.... it is our soul's calling or what I call your thread of integrity. The thing quiet inside that rarely gets room to breathe let alone hold free creative expression.

The snag is when our soul doesn't get air-time, it screams and throws tantrums, sometimes loudly, sometimes quietly in really dark sinister ways that self-implodes, making some pretty poor choices from unsavory partners to too much popcorn to patronizing ideals that really don't align with our best values or behavior.

THINK: Genie in a bottle. When the genius in us feels trapped it schemes and screams. When the cork is popped by unexpected trigger events and--- has no direct usage to be helpful it turns its upset towards the one holding the bottle--- you and those around you.

In an extended way, according to Wikipedia, the word 'genius' is related to the Arabic word 'jinn'. While genius is considered a 'guiding spirit', jinn plays a sometimes sinister role that's invisible, an unseen 'tutelary deity' or teaching spirit.

From a folklore perspective, jinn's primary role is 'to hide' or 'to adapt'. Some interpret the word to mean, literally, 'beings that are concealed from the senses'. Benevolent jinn might support humans and teach them moral lessons. While malevolent jinn ascend to the surface and can cause sickness when mistreated.

The bottle is a metaphor for the body, the vessel in which the imagination of the soul inhabits. The genius in you holds characteristics of 'original exceptional insight', and have a Latin lineal relationship with the Greek word 'daemon' which interestingly is also related to both words demon and diamond.

THINK: Wisdom under pressure.

So what?... When relationship to your creativity is cultivated... your inner genius (genie) can become your helper, your healer and your wise sage to guide you in ALL your choices. Activation of ideas. Activation of energy. Check boxes or check out, your choice.

Then what?... When relationship to your creativity is hidden, stunted, malnourished, and ignored, the inner genius aka: genie... leans more towards jinn, more towards demon versus diamond.

Under pressure (without awareness) you'll get is unbridled chaos (quiet or loud, seen and unseen) verses clairvoyance. Stuck and under-expressed versus shining soul that knows why it's here and what it needs to do to thrive and lead through adversity.

So... what's next? Consider developing a relationship to your creative process. You don't need to make anything.

I invite you to begin noticing how everything is connected. The process of creation/destruction/creation again is in everything.... your compost, your omelet, the economy, the laundry, your stretch marks, that new car smell, the hands of your mother as she fades away in front of your eyes--- creativity is EVERYWHERE and in EVERYTHING.

You are creative. It's not about making stuff, acquiring stuff or proving stuff. It's about BE-ing fully present. Welcome. Are you home?

I've been labeled "creative evangelist", "chief wisdom advisor", "secret sage for every leader" and a few other fancy twists on who I am and what I do. Regardless of any label, I help you come home to your heart helping you bridge the gap of uncertainty with creativity, mindfulness and grace, and apply the science of positive psychology because I believe it's imperative to nurture what works with data to back it up.

When I coach leaders, goals are different for each person because people are different. I don't coach problems, I coach people. Some of our dialogue is about the sticky stuff like communication issues and culture shifts at work or strategy. Some dialogue is much more personal... like being vulnerable, facing uncertainty and grief associated with change.

The exciting bit is exploring what's here, what's next and ideation to then take brave bold steps forward. Regardless, it's all about creating with change verses distracting ourselves from it. Busyness isn't an effective use of creativity. What are you creating?

One-to-one, with groups and from the stage, I'm dedicated to you as an invaluable guide to resilience— sense, solace and sanity for our rapidly changing world. Let's explore, together.

Love and Light, Annelies ✨

PS... The amazing illuminated butterfly wing photo above and in the background was photographed by me at Pullen Park at the Raleigh Drum Circle's 21st anniversary. So pretty! It's actually the inspiration for this ENTIRE newsletter. I was about to write my autumn Inspiring Nuggets Newsletter but my inner genius took me here. See... everything is connected! Hope you learned something inspiring and useful! :)

We've just celebrated Conduit for Change, LLC's 15th year in business with a roof top toast and a trip to Florida to speak on the relationship between creativity and spirituality, then led two days of Creativity Retreats for a Jewish temple and their beloved congregation. Talk about a fresh perspective!

To celebrate our 15th year in business, here's a special! "A Love Feast to Remember Self-Paced Online Creativity Retreat" for a special price! Available for $15 for 15 days! It's a $155 value! Don't miss it. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll learn something about yourself (and me!).

Thank you for being a part of this incredible journey of transformation with me! Know you are tucked into my heart's pocket. Let me know what's new with you. ✨

Coach with Annelies
If you're wrestling change, feel MIA in your own life and leadership or are facing pretty substantial challenges when it comes to ideation or loss, consider coaching one-on-one with me to address priority issues, de-stress, get clear, and take brave bold action, even if that means... letting go. Maybe you just need to get off the hamster-wheel and calm the chaos inside and out. Either way, let's cross the threshold of change and be present to what is together. Coach with me for several months, years or for a brief period of time. View Coaching packages here.

Invite Annelies to Speak
Moving through change has never been so interesting! Need an educational experience or an insightful transformative retreat? Invite me to speak and/or facilitate a workshop or custom program. Learn about resilience, creative process, transform grief associated with change, build empathy and trust, learn mindfulness practices. View Speaker page here.

Email: annelies@conduitforchange.com
Website: www.conduitforchange.com
Phone: 919-345-8396