Sea soul blessings

Join our conversations with people who love the sea as much as we do…

This is our nineteenth Sea Soul interview, and features Clare Osborn, a Blue Health And Mindfulness Coach who is passionate about supporting people to reconnect with their purpose and the planet. 

Tell us a little bit about you:

Hi, my name is Clare Osborn, I’m 42, and from Brighton, where I spend most of my time, when not seeking watery adventures and wilderness escapes!  

“I’m a Wild Ocean Soul, meaning that I have a bit of wanderlust and free spirit, an obsession with the ocean and the creatures in it and a deep desire to do good for people and planet.”

I’m an Professional Coach and I hold space for people who care, empowering them to overcome the  limiting beliefs getting in their way so that they can create a life that works for them and the planet.  

I am a Blue Health Coach, and so I bring the health benefits of water and especially wild water spaces into all my work.  At the moment I am running Mindfulness by the Sea drop-ins online, and I use Sea Soul Blessings as part of those sessions.

What does nature, and the sea in particular, mean to you?

“The sea is everything to me!  It humbles me with its magnificent power, scares me on occasion and has challenged me to overcome many fears.”

 For instance, I never thought I would swim with sharks let alone travel the world to seek them out!  It is also the place I go to when I feel overwhelmed or like “I just can’t”, and the place I go to in order to find clarity and creativity.  

How do you feel on a good day?

On a good day, I feel energised, confident and connected to others.

How do you feel on a bad day?

On a bad day, I feel like curling up in a ball and hiding from everything.  

“I’ve had lots of bad days this year – as I am sure many have. I might in the past have allowed them to spiral into weeks, if not months, so I’m very grateful to now have inner resources to keep myself afloat.“

This year, I have also had the sea, and a bunch of women from the Salty Seabirds. They have been life savers during lockdown and have kept me going.  As have the Sea Soul Blessings (and I’m not just saying that!).”

Who or what is inspiring you right now?

Anyone who is holding it together and thriving in the face of all the uncertainty is inspiring to me.  Provided they are doing so with genuine intent and not taking advantage of a situation.

I’ve seen the different ways people have coped, and how some have allowed themselves to be pulled down into the depths, and others have taken care to keep air in their inner buoyancy aid.  Its really important.

“I’m humbled by the people who put their lives on the line to help others and by the small acts of kindness coming out of communities.“

What do you worry about on a typical day?

I am my own worst enemy, so most of my worries are about me not being or doing enough.  I am very aware of this pattern though, so I practice kindness whenever I can.  

Bigger issues like climate change and ocean pollution, poverty and racism are always on my radar.  At the moment, I am trying to reflect on how I can have a greater impact on those things. I hope that in my work to help people who care to take action, we can together create a movement! 

Where do you find joy? 

“I find joy playing in the waves, diving under the sea, paddling in my kayak or SUP, swimming, dancing, eating great food and seeing friends.“

What do you love to do, read, watch or listen to?

Ha ha – I watch total trash! I love true crime dramas and trashy American crime series.  Also home improvement programmes and stuff like Love it or List it!  I also love documentaries, but that would be the “trying to look clever” answer if I put that first.

What makes you cross?

Mess! I like order and tidiness.  Littering.  Big Ego’s. 

How do you look after yourself?

Caring for myself comes in ebbs and flows, and is something I am working on making more of a habit at the moment.  

“I’ve had many wayward years in my life, where I was clubbing and drinking too much, avoiding myself and life – when I didn’t have any good habits.  Now I exercise as often as I can and get in the sea as often as I can.  I also meditate as often as I can”.  

What would you most like to change about your life?

I want to have better habits, and I’m actually taking an extreme approach to that – I have signed up for a 10 day Vipasanna silent meditation retreat which I go to next week.  

I feel ready to embed a habit of mindfulness into my life and I want to embody it as I lead it.  It is important to me to walk my talk and lead by example.  I hope the retreat will help with that, but also have no expectations.

What have you learnt about life that you wish you’d understood earlier?

Thats a tough one, because without all my experiences to date, I might not have learnt the things I have learnt.  I was very naive in my teenage years, strong on the outside and hurting a lot on the inside.  I experienced a lot of trauma at that time but, being a teenager, thought I had the emotional intelligence to deal with those traumas.  Turns out burying them until adulthood isn’t the best strategy 😉

“Maybe if I had allowed myself to be more vulnerable younger, I might have reached a better place quicker.  Maybe I wouldn’t have! But finding the strength in vulnerability has also been very empowering as an adult.“

How would you describe Sea Soul Blessings in 3 words?

Salty cards of joy (sorry that’s four)

How do you use your Sea Soul Blessings? What do they help you to change?

“I turn to my Sea Soul Blessings as and when I feel drawn to them, and they pretty much always give me exactly the right wisdom I need.  MAGIC!”

I also use them in my Mindfulness By the Sea sessions as a group intention at the end, or I select one that goes with the theme of the session.

If someone was thinking about trying Sea Soul Blessings, how would you encourage them?

I would get them to pick one!  I’ve had loads of clients ask me about them.  They are awesome.

If you’d like to find out more about Clare, her coaching and workshops, visit her facebook page.

You can read more of our Sea Soul Community interviews over here.

And if you’d like to read more from Sea Soul Blessings, sign up for the Sea Soul Newsletter, full of sea wisdom, self compassion, special offers and the latest news from Pippa.