abstract geometric tomato cubism isolated minimal, single-line drawing of a heirloom tomato continuous black line sweeps around to form the tomato’s rounded body, with subtle bumps or lobes suggesting its sections small stem sits on top, created by a short loop in the line the artwork is drawn in a single stroke without breaks or added shading, maintaining a simple and modern look
glochids (small clusters of barbed spines), that grow from small, cushiony bumps (on the skin) called areole
**title:** prickly oxhe.art
**meta_description:** Unpack old baggage, overcome fear, reclaim autonomy, and create real change. Prickly Oxheart merges coaching and the art of psychology, enabling authentic transformation and self-leadership.
**meta_image:** https://bear-images.sfo2.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/coaching/nudged_work.webpMost people treat their pasts like a weathered suitcase — dragging it everywhere, convinced that what’s inside defines them. But here’s the thing about old luggage: it’s filled with worn clothes that no longer fit, souvenirs from places you’ve outgrown, and **stories that might have served you once but now only weigh you down**. The scope of psychology isn’t to pretend that suitcase doesn’t exist but to unpack it, sort through what’s useful, and leave behind the dead weight. Then ==the real story== — the one that matters — ==is the one you actively shape rather than passively carry==, the one you choose to tell [now](https://lev.lc/now).
If you’re here, it’s probably because a part of your current story is out of order. Maybe you’re circling the same frustrations, waiting for something to shift. Maybe you’re wondering whether you can step into a future that actually feels yours — not just the predictable outcome of inherited path and acquired habits.
## Coaching is not Therapy — and That’s a Good Thing
Psychotherapy is about making peace with the past, healing old wounds, and integrating pain. Coaching, on the other hand, is when stepping forward — building the version of yourself that won’t happen on its own. It’s not for the lost, the broken, or the hesitant. It’s for people who are ready to change.
Will coaching make you feel better? Probably. But that’s a side effect, not the purpose. The function is in realignment — ==rewriting outdated scripts, challenging assumptions, and stepping into a future that fits well==. You already have a default future — the one that will unfold automatically unless you change the narrative. Coaching, then, isn’t merely about gaining insight; it’s the practice of applying it, transforming aspirations into meaningful steps. Your commitment to taking those steps is what makes this real.
Coaching develops the ability to lead your own life with confidence. **Leadership over oneself** isn’t control or performance — it’s clarity, trust, and **the ability to act with integrity, even when no one is watching**. The coaching process, then, focuses on:
- <span style="color: var(--code);">Spotting</span> the hidden narratives that shape your choices and <u>seeing through self-sabotage</u> before it runs the show.
- <span style="color: var(--code);">Learning</span> how to <u>be fully present in your body</u> — inhabiting it fully — because your body carries just as many patterns as your mind.
- <span style="color: var(--code);">Turning</span> insight into action — <u>moving from thinking to doing</u>, applying awareness in real time rather than letting it collect dust.
- <span style="color: var(--code);">Taking</span> full responsibility — letting go of blame, whether toward circumstances, others, or even yourself, and stepping fully into <u>ownership of your choices</u>.
- <span style="color: var(--code);">Moving</span> beyond limitations — <u>shifting from scarcity thinking</u> to a mindset of possibility and forward momentum.
- <span style="color: var(--code);">Shifting</span> <u>from consumer to creator</u> — breaking free from passive existence, making an impact, and contributing meaningfully to the world around you.
The process sharpens your internal compass, helping you move in ways that align with who you truly are. And when you develop this kind of inner stability, others naturally look to you for guidance. ==Leadership over others== isn’t a matter of imposing change — it’s embodying it, making decisions that reflect [your values](https://principles.page/project), and ==creating spaces where people can develop a sense of agency== over their own choices.
## Why I don’t Call Myself a Coach
I don’t call myself a coach, though I use the term "coaching" because it’s the closest shorthand for my type of psychological work. Life coaching, in its conventional form, is often associated with structured programs, rigid methodologies, and step-by-step agendas. **My approach** is different. It’s dynamic, fluid, and deeply personal. It doesn’t follow a set formula, nor does it rely on templates or standardized techniques. Instead, it **adapts to the person in front of me** — unraveling the narratives that hold them back and guiding them toward their own unique way of moving forward.
This is not a friendship, though. A paying client proceeds with this work differently than someone looking for a deep philosophical conversation over coffee. We don’t talk to agree with each other — we have an agreement to navigate the process.
My [personal story](/story), struggles, and perspectives inform my ability to guide — but they stay outside our conversations. Likewise, ==this is not about fixing relations or changing others==. We don’t spend our sessions strategizing how to make your partner more understanding or your boss less difficult. The focus is solely on you, even when it seems like relationships are the biggest limiting factors in your life. **When you change, so do your relationships** — because the way you engage with others will.
So, at its core, transformational coaching is not a service you receive; it’s a dynamic process you engage in. It means ==forging a connection between your inner genius and your authentic self== — the sole partnership that lasts a lifetime. I’m just a witness for some of its part.
## Reclaiming Power from Fear
Coaching exposes the lies we tell ourselves, the distractions we use to avoid discomfort, and the fear that keeps us from stepping forward. **The biggest fear of all** is that power exists outside of us — in objects, money, deities and most dangerously, in others. We are conditioned **to seek external authority, to trade autonomy for comfort** and validation. But real power, real resilience, comes from reclaiming what’s already ours.
There is no certificate that makes someone [a good coach](/good-coach). Coaching is not a credential; it’s an art. And like any art, it’s not about following a rigid formula — it’s about perception, composition, and knowing when to introduce the right elements at the right time. I consider myself [an artist of psychology](https://lev.lc). This job involves looking beyond the obvious, creating tension where necessary, and facilitating transformation with the precision of composing music or crafting a painting.
What makes my practice effective? [Life experience, yes](/story), but also the ability to ask uncomfortable questions, see hidden patterns, and challenge assumptions in ways that provoke a resonance. It means knowing when to press, when to pause, and when to **introduce just enough chaos to break resistance** and reveal the answers already waiting within you.
## Why "prickly oxheart"?
Transformation isn’t smooth. It’s jagged, full of friction, and requires pushing past resistance. Prickly Oxheart is a reflection of that — raw, real, and deeply vital. The oxheart is a variety of heirloom tomato — organic, irregular, and richer in flavor than anything mass-produced. It ==does not conform to expectations==, and that’s precisely why it’s valued. Prickly serves as a reminder that doing work challenges comfort. Growth could be simple, but it's never sleek — it demands effort, awareness, and commitment.
**Psychological work**, much like gardening the oxheart tomato, shouldn’t aim to produce a uniform result — it **should cultivate an authentic, vibrant process** that is entirely your own. It isn’t something that happens to you just because you picked it up at the store. It unfolds within you, shaped by your continuous engagement.
<u>No one needs a coach. But everyone needs to break through fear</u>, clarify what they truly want, and start trusting themselves. That’s why **some people choose to hire** a coach — or, in my case, **an artist of psychology** — to accelerate that progress.
If my words resonate with you — if you see yourself in this — we’ll probably get along. When you're ready to do the work, pack light and [reach out](/connect).prickly oxheart
Most people treat their pasts like a weathered suitcase — dragging it everywhere, convinced that what’s inside defines them. But here’s the thing about old luggage: it’s filled with worn clothes that no longer fit, souvenirs from places you’ve outgrown, and stories that might have served you once but now only weigh you down. The scope of psychology isn’t to pretend that suitcase doesn’t exist but to unpack it, sort through what’s useful, and leave behind the dead weight. Then the real story — the one that matters — is the one you actively shape rather than passively carry, the one you choose to tell now.
If you’re here, it’s probably because a part of your current story is out of order. Maybe you’re circling the same frustrations, waiting for something to shift. Maybe you’re wondering whether you can step into a future that actually feels yours — not just the predictable outcome of inherited path and acquired habits.
Coaching is Not Therapy — And That’s a Good Thing
Psychotherapy is about making peace with the past, healing old wounds, and integrating pain. Coaching, on the other hand, is when stepping forward — building the version of yourself that won’t happen on its own. It’s not for the lost, the broken, or the hesitant. It’s for people who are ready to change.
Will coaching make you feel better? Probably. But that’s a side effect, not the purpose. The function is in realignment — rewriting outdated scripts, challenging assumptions, and stepping into a future that fits well. You already have a default future — the one that will unfold automatically unless you change the narrative. Coaching, then, isn’t merely about gaining insight; it’s the practice of applying it, transforming aspirations into meaningful steps. Your commitment to taking those steps is what makes this real.
Coaching develops the ability to lead your own life with confidence. Leadership over oneself isn’t control or performance — it’s clarity, trust, and the ability to act with integrity, even when no one is watching. The coaching process, then, focuses on:
Spotting the hidden narratives that shape your choices and seeing through self-sabotage before it runs the show.
Learning how to be fully present in your body — inhabiting it fully — because your body carries just as many patterns as your mind.
Turning insight into action — moving from thinking to doing, applying awareness in real time rather than letting it collect dust.
Taking full responsibility — letting go of blame, whether toward circumstances, others, or even yourself, and stepping fully into ownership of your choices.
Moving beyond limitations — shifting from scarcity thinking to a mindset of possibility and forward momentum.
Shifting from consumer to creator — breaking free from passive existence, making an impact, and contributing meaningfully to the world around you.
The process sharpens your internal compass, helping you move in ways that align with who you truly are. And when you develop this kind of inner stability, others naturally look to you for guidance. Leadership over others isn’t a matter of imposing change — it’s embodying it, making decisions that reflect your values, and creating spaces where people can develop a sense of agency over their own choices.
Why I Don’t Call Myself a Coach
I don’t call myself a coach, though I use the term “coaching” because it’s the closest shorthand for my type of psychological work. Life coaching, in its conventional form, is often associated with structured programs, rigid methodologies, and step-by-step agendas. My approach is different. It’s dynamic, fluid, and deeply personal. It doesn’t follow a set formula, nor does it rely on templates or standardized techniques. Instead, it adapts to the person in front of me — unraveling the narratives that hold them back and guiding them toward their own unique way of moving forward.
This is not a friendship, though. A paying client proceeds with this work differently than someone looking for a deep philosophical conversation over coffee. We don’t talk to agree with each other — we have an agreement to navigate the process.
My personal story, struggles, and perspectives inform my ability to guide — but they stay outside our conversations. Likewise, this is not about fixing relations or changing others. We don’t spend our sessions strategizing how to make your partner more understanding or your boss less difficult. The focus is solely on you, even when it seems like relationships are the biggest limiting factors in your life. When you change, so do your relationships — because the way you engage with others will.
So, at its core, transformational coaching is not a service you receive; it’s a dynamic process you engage in. It means forging a connection between your inner genius and your authentic self — the sole partnership that lasts a lifetime. I’m just a witness for some of its part.
Reclaiming Power from Fear
Coaching exposes the lies we tell ourselves, the distractions we use to avoid discomfort, and the fear that keeps us from stepping forward. The biggest fear of all is that power exists outside of us — in objects, money, deities and most dangerously, in others. We are conditioned to seek external authority, to trade autonomy for comfort and validation. But real power, real resilience, comes from reclaiming what’s already ours.
There is no certificate that makes someone a good coach. Coaching is not a credential; it’s an art. And like any art, it’s not about following a rigid formula — it’s about perception, composition, and knowing when to introduce the right elements at the right time. I consider myself an artist of psychology. This job involves looking beyond the obvious, creating tension where necessary, and facilitating transformation with the precision of composing music or crafting a painting.
What makes my practice effective? Life experience, yes, but also the ability to ask uncomfortable questions, see hidden patterns, and challenge assumptions in ways that provoke a resonance. It means knowing when to press, when to pause, and when to introduce just enough chaos to break resistance and reveal the answers already waiting within you.
Why ‘Prickly Oxheart’?
Transformation isn’t smooth. It’s jagged, full of friction, and requires pushing past resistance. Prickly Oxheart is a reflection of that — raw, real, and deeply vital. The oxheart is a variety of heirloom tomato — organic, irregular, and richer in flavor than anything mass-produced. It does not conform to expectations, and that’s precisely why it’s valued. Prickly serves as a reminder that doing work challenges comfort. Growth could be simple, but it’s never sleek — it demands effort, awareness, and commitment.
Psychological work, much like gardening the oxheart tomato, shouldn’t aim to produce a uniform result — it should cultivate an authentic, vibrant process that is entirely your own. It isn’t something that happens to you just because you picked it up at the store. It unfolds within you, shaped by your continuous engagement.
No one needs a coach. But everyone needs to break through fear, clarify what they truly want, and start trusting themselves. That’s why some people choose to hire a coach — or, in my case, an artist of psychology — to accelerate that progress.
If my words resonate with you — if you see yourself in this — we’ll probably get along. When you’re ready to do the work, pack light and reach out.