Help Robbie Become a Certified Coach and Successful Author

Too long, didn't read:

The Story So Far

My name is Robbie Walker. As I write this, I'm a PhD candidate in Theological Studies, living near Toronto, Canada. As I see the light at the end of that tunnel, I dream about my next steps. You know, along the lines of my favourite ice-breaker: "Who do you want to be when you grow up?"

Many of you may know me. I live with Cerebral Palsy, which is a neurological disorder that inhibits motor functions, balance, and movement. During the early COVID-19 pandemic, like many other people, I found out a lot more about my mental health, too--I'm on the autism spectrum, and I live with clinical anxiety and ADHD--thank God for good meds!

I live a functional and joy-filled life these days! Maybe you can identify with me, though, when I say that for years, I wondered why I rarely felt like I "had it together." Getting my diagnoses was a huge step in the right direction, but still, something felt "off." So I went looking for ways to figure stuff out in the self-development world.

Nothing Quite Fits

I gained much value from many different people, including some of the big names you've heard of. Somehow I always left unsatisfied for two reasons. First, they usually require "believing in" becoming an entrepreneur, implying that capitalism always works well if people put in sufficient effort. There was no discussion of systemic injustice, unequal starting places, or anything related to social justice--and when I looked around, I saw a sea of white, mostly able, already middle-class people who had good credit for a new shiny program.

Still, I kept looking. There's gotta be a crew who mostly aligns with my values, an approach that I grok, I said to myself. This coincided with a strong sense I had in my spiritual life in 2024, a deep sense of calling: Robbie, become a friend of God. Friendship with God, according to Jesus, is open to everyone--if you're curious, look up John Chapter 15 in the New Testament. But I've been trying to lean into that friendship. What should my daily life look like if I am a friend of God? What sorts of incredible things become possible?

A Concrete Way to Live My Joy

And that's when I bumped into Chris Duncan and what he calls "conscious education," an approach that assumes something simple but profound: If human beings are made in the image of the Creator, what are we? Creators. OK. Cool. I'm with you. But how do you do that in daily life? Over the past several months, I've found an approach to creativity (some people call it manifestation, but that's not the language in my tradition) that resonates with the core of my spirituality: Joy. My most creative self comes from joy first, which is the outflow of knowing I am deeply loved, whole, and free. The way God sees me--the me I want to be when I grow up--I am not broken. But there can be plenty of "static" that gets in the way of that joy. Finding practical ways to allow people to experience themselves as God's joy is, I believe, my main purpose in life.

Conscious Education is a company, of course, and they charge about what I'd expect for their courses. They're also a real community of people who teach each other and others the mindset and practices that help people realize their most joyful selves. No one is perfect, of course, and I don't always agree with the assumptions behind some of the teaching--if I agreed with everything, would I have my agency? Despite my disagreements, I am finding:

There's been a lot of jargon to learn, and I don't always agree with everything I'm taught, but that's OK. Chris and many others on the team are clearly convinced capitalists with generous hearts. I don't always agree with the metaphysics Chris and others assume. (Did I have a pre-incarnate existence in which I chose to have a difficult birth and live with CP?) Sometimes, I think the company doesn't assess systemic impact nearly enough. (In reality, is it reasonable to want billions of dollars "just because," assuming our brains can handle thinking on a scale that large?)

However, I'm convinced CE's principles can scale up to communal, systemic, and structural levels. if a critical mass of people coordinated their efforts, I can't describe how exciting that would be! I "want in" on that project.

Besides, I love teaching "just because"! It brings me joy.

How I'll Use My Funds

My priority is paying tuition for courses I take toward CE's Magnetic Mind Coaching Certification. I have a dedicated contact at the company who regularly goes to bat for me to get me the best prices. CE also offers periodic draws and substantial discounts for its major programs. I will take full advantage of those discounted opportunities! One cool thing is that I'll have permanent access to the courses I take!

Any remaining funds will help me set myself up for success, writing and coaching! Things like:

Thank you for reading! Please give me your generous support! I'd be delighted to talk further with you, and I'll find ways to honour my donors (e.g., book dedications, thank you letters, free coaching, and so on). I'm so glad to receive your support for this journey!

In joy,

Robbie Walker