Kim Hermanson's Blog, page 4

Your work rests on who you are. Not your credentials.

I see so many of my clients spend tens of thousands of dollars on trainings, certifications, and degrees. They think that they just need the proper credential and then they can finally do the work that’s been calling them.

They feel that what they DO know isn’t “good enough” and so they seek the outside validation.

They’re afraid to embrace their true gifts.

I’ve never had the right certifications. I teach graduate courses in the field of depth psychology and have never taken a graduate level psychology course, let alone a course in depth psychology. Years ago, I trained teachers at UC Berkeley. My course was titled “Instructional Strategies” and my courses were filled with experienced teachers who were taking my class merely to get the continuing education credit. 

And….  I’d never taught a class before in my life.

But here’s the point: do the work that’s calling you, even if you don’t have the “right” credentials for it. Walk through the doors that mysteriously open for you.

THOSE DOORS OPEN FOR A REASON.

You can get the certification later (or never).

Read the full article here:

  https://www.kimhermanson.com/2022/05/27/true-callings-are-unique/

Teaching as a sacred calling: Accessing Something Greater

I’ve always viewed teaching as a sacred calling.  I treasure the teaching moments when magic and miracles happened…..  unexpected breakthroughs, a precious sense of time flowing with grace and ease, students shedding tears, fears, and their deepest dreams and visions, synchronicities, finding myself saying things that felt like they were coming from another place, conflicts magically resolving themselves.

When I’ve taught classes, I’ve often felt held and led by Something greater than myself. 

Which is a good thing…because standing up in front of a room of tired, stern, crabby adults isn’t easy (lol).  When we feel like we have to be perfect, meet everyone’s needs and expectations, and have all the answers, it’s exhausting (and terrifying…)

But when we can find and access that place of “something greater”, we have fresh space to breathe into once again.

Teaching is more than just sharing knowledge—it’s a sacred calling where magic and breakthroughs can unfold. From moments of grace and ease to unexpected synchronicities and emotional transformations, teaching offers profound opportunities to connect with “something greater.” Discover how letting go of perfection and accessing this deeper space can transform your experience as an educator, creating room for fresh inspiration and meaningful impact.

The cognitive capacities of artists: Why their perspective matters

Why does an artist’s way of looking at the world have any meaning for us? Why does it give us pleasure? Because…a way of looking at the world implies a certain relationship with the world…the work need not be optimistic to achieve this; indeed, its subject may be tragic. For it is not the subject that makes the promise, it is the artist’s way of viewing the subject.  ~ John Berger

The physicist Arthur Zajonc says that our culture needs the artist’s cognitive capacities.

Artists’ openness to confusion, sensitivity to nuance, and willingness to embrace risk and curiosity allow them to go beyond ordinary reasoning. This perspective, as John Berger notes, creates a profound relationship with the world, offering meaning and beauty even in tragedy. 

The artist’s capacity to see beyond the surface invites us to expand our own perceptions. By embracing complexity and finding beauty in unexpected places, artists show us how to navigate ambiguity and make connections that spark creativity and insight. This way of engaging with the world not only brings pleasure but also fosters resilience and a deep understanding of the human experience.

Here’s a more in-depth article about artists’ cognitive capacities

The transformative power of Third Space: Creating room for clarity

In my work with clients, I’ve seen time and again that creating space can be transformative. Rather than following a rigid agenda or trying to push for quick solutions, my clients enter “third space” –  a terrain of the right hemisphere that is open, free of expectations, and beyond the judgments and perceptions of the thinking mind.

One client, who was initially frustrated with not having clear answers, found that in simply sitting in third space, insights emerged naturally. Without forcing or “solving,” a clarity of understanding developed that had previously been out of reach.

The educator Maxine Greene said, “I find that, when a space is provided, something rather wonderful can happen.” Third space allows things to evolve in an organic way. It creates room for what we don’t know and can’t expect. 

Third space allows something greater to come through us.

So next time you’re stuck, don’t search for a solution. Instead, open space for it.

Creating space is the first step toward transforming anything.

Embrace your soul’s calling: Break free from the boxes that hold you back

For years, I tried to conform to traditional expectations, struggling to fit into boxes that were never meant for me. An inner vision—one that speaks from the soul—can’t be confined or forced into someone else’s mold. But I didn’t trust my path. I doubted myself and felt unworthy of the calling that tugged at my heart.

I stayed quiet, avoided attention, and resisted the pull. Yet a soul calling doesn’t disappear. It lingers, grows louder, and haunts you until you listen. It’s not something anyone else can answer for you. It’s yours, and only you can step into it.

Resisting this call left me feeling incomplete and drained, as though I was living only half a life. But the moment I stopped fighting, everything began to shift. I realized the journey wasn’t about fitting in or seeking validation—it was about breaking free, trusting the unknown, and daring to embrace the truth of who I am.

Your soul calling isn’t meant to fit into a traditional mold—it’s an invitation to embrace your authentic self and live with purpose.

While resisting this call can leave you feeling stuck and incomplete, stepping into it opens doors to clarity, insight, and fulfillment. Trusting your path is about breaking free from societal expectations and daring to explore the unknown. Discover how answering your soul’s calling can transform your life and align you with your true potential.

Following a soul calling takes courage, but it’s not about becoming someone else. It’s about uncovering the fullest, most authentic version of yourself. Each hesitant step forward brings clarity and alignment, opening doors to new insights and connections that couldn’t be seen before.

The path isn’t always easy, but it’s profoundly rewarding. When you stop resisting and start listening, you’ll find that the answers you’ve been searching for were waiting all along—just beyond the boxes you were never meant to fit into.

Metaphor cuts through mental confusion

“Metaphors have a way of holding the most truth in the least space.”  ~ Orson Scott Card

Metaphor cuts through mental chatter and confusion.

1. An artist who’s involved in too many outside projects sees her work as an apple tree with ripe fruit. It’s time for her to harvest her fruit. If she doesn’t, it will fall to the ground and be wasted. 

2. Metaphor explains complex things.

A coach describes her way of working with clients as “Batter up!” Her clients pitch her a ball and she hits it back. She says, “Batter up” is who I am and what I love to do. Having that image of hitting a baseball has been moving and beautiful. It’s explained 10 billion times more to me than any business advice like, ‘define your target audience’ or ‘identify your niche.’”

3. Metaphor clarifies our needs.

A man going through a stressful divorce sees himself as a spider with a beautiful, safe web surrounding him. The image gives him a tactile sense of space.

5 reasons creativity & business have a problematic relationship

I have a new article on Medium 

True creativity is confronting, confusing, unacceptable, and childlike. And nearly impossible to measure, contain or define. Creativity lives in the unknown…in a fairy-tale place that’s beyond how we are currently “looking.”  While businesses purport to be all about creativity, in truth, it’s a problematic relationship. Here are five reasons why:

Creativity is about expansiveness, unlimited possibilities, and being comfortable with the unknown.True creativity is challenging, confronting, and rarely ‘acceptable.’Creativity is confusing and not readily explainable.Creativity is not separate from who are as humans — it’s not a “tool.”Highly creative people are comfortable with childlike play.

Both Carl Jung and Albert Einstein said in different ways that problems can’t be solved at their own level. To come up with truly innovative solutions, to sincerely dwell in the creative, we have to shift our focus. We have to focus our attention in ways that don’t naturally align with business models that are focused on productivity and numbers.

Click here to read the full article.

The antidote to fear is not courage. The antidote to fear is curiosity.

I grew up in an ordinary, middle-class family in Iowa where I attended public schools. Through a stroke of fate, I was critically injured in a head-on collision in my 20s and received insurance money that allowed me to attend the Ph.D. program at the University of Chicago. My fellow classmates were very different from me.

They came from wealthy and privileged families.

One defining moment changed my view of the world…. during a conference on school choice, I realized that the scope of policy in our country is determined by a select, chosen few. I had never understood that before. 

Here’s my personal story about speaking up (and my fear of it…)

https://www.kimhermanson.com/2022/08/09/having-the-courage-to-speak-up-2/

Unlocking ancient wisdom: Non-cognitive and intuitive knowing

Non-cognitive, intuitive, feeling-based learning is a profound, heart-centered approach that reconnects us to our innate wisdom, fostering growth and understanding in ways that transcend traditional, linear methods. This type of learning invites us to embrace the richness of our emotions, intuition, and sensory awareness, enabling a deeper connection with ourselves, others, and the natural world.

HEART-CENTERED

Intuitive learning begins with the heart. It nurtures a sense of interconnectedness—aligning us with our inner truths, the people around us, and the earth itself. This heart-centered approach fosters empathy, authenticity, and a grounded sense of belonging.

NON-LINEAR

In this learning paradigm, answers don’t follow a straight path or arrive predictably. Instead, they emerge in unexpected and often serendipitous ways, reminding us to remain open to possibilities and trust the process of discovery.

ASYNCHRONOUS

Unlike problem-solving models that focus on immediate results, feeling-based learning shows us that solutions often arise independently of the problem. They emerge organically, sometimes long after the initial question, creating a sense of timeless insight.

SIMPLE

True understanding reveals itself in simplicity. Complexity and overthinking can cloud our ability to connect with intuitive wisdom. Feeling-based learning invites us to let go of mental clutter and embrace clarity and ease.

ANCIENT

This method of learning is rooted in our deepest origins. The earliest humans relied on sensory, experiential learning, intimately attuned to the rhythms of their environment. This ancient way of knowing speaks to the timeless wisdom embedded in our being, guiding us toward wholeness and balance.

Why Feeling-Based Learning Matters Today

In a world dominated by cognitive overload, intuitive, heart-centered learning offers a much-needed antidote. It reconnects us with the natural rhythms of life, fostering creativity, resilience, and a deeper sense of purpose. Whether applied in personal growth, education, or problem-solving, this approach empowers individuals to tap into their full potential and navigate life’s challenges with grace and wisdom.

Non-cognitive learning is non-linear, simple, and heart-centered.

Non-cognitive, intuitive, feeling-based learning is…

HEART-CENTERED. We’re connected to ourselves, one another, and the earth.

NON-LINEAR. Answers don’t arrive the way we expect them to.

ASYNCHRONOUS. The solutions are separate from the problem.

SIMPLE. Our understanding is simple, rather than complicated. (Complexity often signals that we’re over-thinking.)

ANCIENT. The earliest humans learned in a sensory way…. intimately connected with their natural environment.