Today we’d like to introduce you to Rachel Bellotti.
Rachel, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My story has had some twists and turns to get to where I am. Today, I am a life+soul coach, owner and creator of UN|STUCK coaching, co-creator of THE TRUE NORTH COLLECTIVE podcast, meditation teacher in training, and a collaborator of experiences that connect humans in new ways.
I have always been a free-spirited soul with a fierce curiosity and depth for humanity. As a young child, growing up in the Chicago-area, my parents instilled a fearless sense of adventure into our lives. To this day, my happy place is climbing into the car, music turned up, cruising towards a new town to immerse myself in the unknown. It makes me feel alive to meet new humans, in new places, doing new things, and seeing all that this one life has to offer.
I have always had a fascination with people – what drives them, what holds them back, what makes one person go left, another go right, another go backwards, and another carve their own path. I spent my twenties in advertising and corporate brand strategy where I honed a skill for bridging the gap between creative and analytical-types by harnessing the innate strengths of each person, group, department, and team into a unified vision for change. I didn’t realize it then, but these experiences would be the training grounds for realizing my ultimate legacy – reconnecting people to their innate authenticity to unleash the potential and potency of individuals, teams, and organizations in the world.
I believe authenticity is a superpower and only when we know ourselves can we truly connect with humanity. After having cancer as a teen, I basically went numb as a way to cope. It was easier to ignore how I felt; until it wasn’t. I tried therapy, 12-step programs, self-help books, yoga, art therapy, and lots of other healing techniques. It wasn’t until I found a specific style of life-coaching that intuitively reconnects you back to yourself and gives you the space to find your own answers that things truly started to shift for me. I knew then that this was what I was meant to do; that this was going to be my gift to bring to the world.
Beyond coaching, a few years ago, I also started a project with a dear friend called THE TRUE NORTH COLLECTIVE. Un-sugar-coated conversations on wellness by two humans fearlessly finding their true north. It began as an inspiration incubator for us to share honestly as we connected with our authenticity. We talked with all sorts of people to gain insights into how to live an audacious life and quickly realized that the nuggets and insights couldn’t be kept for ourselves any longer! Last year, we launched Season 1 of THE TRUE NORTH COLLECTIVE podcast (on iTunes + Podbean) to capture conversations with ten amazing humans fearlessly living their true north in their own completely unique ways. It’s been an amazing amalgamation of authenticity, giving voice to the everyday people who are in the process of living their dream life. I cannot wait to bring Season 2 to life in 2019!
Has it been a smooth road?
Haha, no, it has not always been smooth. Figuring out who I was after having cancer as a teen has been my biggest obstacle so far in life. I was only 14-15 years old, so I was dealing with high school and becoming a teenager, which felt strange enough before adding in chemotherapy, hair loss, radiation treatments, and surgery to the mix.
After I went into remission, I was adamant that my family would never talk about it again. In hindsight, this wasn’t fair for anyone, but we were all just trying to get through it as best we could. Years later when I finally wanted to talk about it I realized just how much I had asked of my family in keeping their pain tucked away. We had all gone through cancer, not just me. When we starting talking about it and honoring each other’s experiences, I believe we finally started to heal. It took about 15 years to get there, and we aren’t perfect, but the point is that we got there and we are figuring it out one day at a time.
I have the same human struggles that anyone has. Always have, always will. Just because you become a coach or healer doesn’t mean that you stop going through the ups and downs of life as a human. This has been a huge lesson as I have embarked in the coaching world. I used to think that there was some silver bullet to feeling better, but that’s not how it works. As long as we are human, we will always be human, ups, and downs, until the day we die. That said, we can still find ways of enjoying the process more and more. When we take the time to pay attention to ourselves in this cycle, to get curious about ourselves and our experience, we have the chance to enjoy the moments a little bit more, learn from them, feel connected to other humans who are experiencing the same and live more fully as ourselves.
Someone said to me recently that time is more valuable than money. This really stuck with me. We have such a limited time on this planet, why not spend more time reveling in the awe of our unique human experience? Seeing more beauty, even during the times that feel like a struggle. We only get to experience these moments once and then they are gone. And there is SO much to experience!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with UN|STUCK life+soul coaching – tell our readers more, for example, what you’re most proud of and what sets you apart from others.
I created UN|STUCK life+soul coaching to reconnect people to the power of their authenticity. I offer 1:1 coaching, workshops, classes, and group/team programming that guide people in the art of being – being human, being you, being here.
My coaching approach utilizes an intuitive conversational methodology© that encourages powerful self-inquiry to discover new awarenesses, unlock inner wisdom and truths, and ignite transformational momentum in all areas of life. I truly love all parts of being alive – the messy, the adventurous, the passionate, the chaotic, the confusing – all of it. I love the process of getting curious and unpacking each moment to understand someone’s unique way of experiencing life more fully.
I have clients from all walks of life, across the US and Canada. Lately, I have been attracting more artists, creators, and healers who want to re-ignite their creative spark while understanding their common humanity and unique way of being. Additionally, I have started to connect with adults who experienced medical traumas in their youth and are ready to process, shift, and grow. A long-term goal is to bring this work to more teens and young adults going through cancer in any capacity (as patient or sibling or friend). There is a young woman I have connected with in Dallas who has Stage 4 ovarian cancer and we are jamming on how we can create a unique space for this community.
Currently, Dallas partners include, but aren’t limited to: Lululemon Dallas, Breath, Vital Fitness, Arts Mission Oak Cliff (an artistic co-working space).
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
I love how quickly the city is changing. I feel like every day there is a new business or community popping up and creating experiences that expand the status quo. There are so many little pockets of hidden gems, with people trying new things, you just have to be willing to get out and explore a little bit. There is a quiet rumble in this city that can be easily missed by the big beige buildings, but don’t be mistaken, this city has some magic going on under its surface.
The driving here is rough. I know that every city says it, but seriously it is scary driving out there – be safe!
Contact Info:
- Website: unstuck-unstuck.com
- Email: rachel.unstuck@gmail.com
- Instagram: rachel.bellotti
- Other: http://thetruenorthcollective.org/category/podcast/
Image Credit:
Danielle Doby, Nate Johnston Photography, Natalie Williams
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
