On the Art of Self Mastery podcast, Sonja Thompkins sits down with Whitney King, CEO and Founder of Wave of Mind, for an in depth discussion about the pressures of success and the journey toward overcoming them. Whitney's path, from the relentless pursuit of external validation to inner peace and fulfillment, is a story that has become far too familiar and is sure to hit close to home. Her tireless quest for excellence—whether in sports, academics, or her career—led her to neglect her well-being and trapped her in a cycle of achievement without rest. This led her down the path of not only entrepreneurship, as she created Wave of Mind to help others on a similar journey, but on the path of self-discovery and self-love.
The Turning Point: From Panic to Purpose
As Whitney recalls, it wasn’t until she suffered multiple anxiety and panic attacks that she realized she would never feel true fulfillment until she could appreciate, accept, and validate her achievements independent of anyone else’s input. For so long she had been worried about what others thought of her and how she was being perceived that she was neglecting her own confidence and validating her inherent self-worth.
This moment ignited a path of deep self-exploration, culminating in the creation of what we know of now as the Wave of Mind journals series— a carefully curated set of tools designed to empower individuals on their own healing journeys. Each journal follows 24 clinically-based techniques used by psychologists and psychiatrists in their own practices to ensure a structured yet freeing flow of self-inquiry, reflection, and growth.
Whitney describes these journals not as just mere notebooks, but as instruments of transformation. Wave of Mind was founded upon the notion that everyone can be their best support system so each of the 6 journals focuses on one key aspect of self-growth: emotional awareness, self-trust, core values, self-validation, self-compassion, and self-acceptance. Notably, the first journal stands out as a game changer for anyone just beginning their healing journey as it takes a deep dive into what it means to be emotionally aware and how to start practicing it efficiently and effectively.
So often we hear meta concepts like ‘inner work’ that it feels intimidating to begin. But as Whitney reminds us, knowledge is power. This is why the first journal equips everyone with the knowledge they need for success by including an emotional awareness wheel. Whitney considers it essential to articulate our feelings no matter how complex. We so often misidentify and act out of alignment with our true feelings because we simply don’t have the proper words to categorize them. This is why beginning the healing journey with a proper refresher or first touchpoint of nearly 60 clearly defined emotions helps us reconnect with our emotions. It allows us to consider what each emotion feels like as it manifests in the body, and where its stems lay as we find the root of what triggers it.
Finding Your "Why" and Living It
A central theme in Whitney and Sonja’s discussion is the significance of understanding your "why"—the deeper purpose that drives your actions. This "why" acts as your moral compass, or anchor so that even in the most challenging times you can stay true to your north star and act in accordance with your morals and aspirations. Sonja expands on this concept by introducing "soul goals," which transcend material success and connect with our most authentic desires. Soul goals help connect us to the hidden parts of our psyche by going beyond what the hedonistic part of our brains tells us we want and aims straight to the subconscious where our soul tells us what we need. Sonja reminds us self-discovery is not about fixing what’s broken but appreciating and nurturing the wholeness that already exists.
Each of us is whole no matter how much we feel broken or incomplete. We were born a pure slate and no person or event can prevent us from returning to that state, only us. The hard part is getting there but the good news is that it just takes time and intentional work. We may feel the world, or some people/things in particular have wronged us, but one unifying human experience we need to remember is that we’re not alone in this struggle. Everyone battles trauma in some way, shape, or form – either from the past or current happenings. Once we can become aware of and appreciate that fact that no one has it all figured out, we can start to have deeper, more meaningful conversations and connections with those around us and ourselves.
Whether you're just beginning your healing journey or are seeking to deepen your rituals, prioritizing a connection with your inner self, your "why," and your "soul goals" is essential. If you’re ready to embark on this journey to discover or redefine what those are, we invite you to explore how the Wave of Mind may help you by visiting our website or Instagram. And if you're interested in working with Sonja as a coach, we invite you to book a call with her to discover how you can start living a life aligned with your authentic self.
The main takeaway is that you can be (and already are) your best support system. Sometimes you may need a little help and that’s ok, but it’s just about believing in this statement, yourself, and beginning your healing journey today.
YOU deserve it 💙
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