Leaving Corporate Without Losing Yourself: Identity, Burnout & Creative Reinvention with Vika Nikitina Chala

Have you ever told yourself, "I’m just not the creative type"? In this episode, Vika Nikitina Chala, founder of Rising Heart Coaching and Studio and author of Mother Monster Mystery, dismantles the myth that creativity is reserved for professional artists.

Vika shares her incredible journey from a 20-year career as a process engineer and pharmaceutical services professional to becoming a creative wellness entrepreneur. We discuss the pivotal moments that led Vika to embrace the title of Artist. Vika also opens up about the entrepreneurial burnout she faced after opening her physical studio and how she used her own creative wellness tools to navigate insomnia and anxiety. If you are standing at a career crossroads or feeling the weight of hustle culture, this episode offers a soulful, practical guide to coming back to yourself.

💡 Key Takeaways:

• The science behind creative wellness and how you can incorporate it into your life.
• Art as a tool for neuroplasticity, problem-solving, and nervous system regulation.
• The importance of speaking your truth after the creative process.
• How voicing who you want to become will help bring your vision to life.
• How to avoid burnout when you are starting a business.

Chapters

00:00 | Introduction to Vika Nikitina Chala

02:07 | The Belief in Universal Creativity

06:42 | Creative Wellness as a Pathway to Well-Being

09:25 | Personal Journey: From Corporate to Creative

13:47 | The Pivotal Moment of Change

16:59 | Launching the Creative Arts Studio

20:34 | Navigating Grief with Past Identities

22:24 | The Importance of Pacing and Pausing

27:18 | How to Work with Vika 

Guest

Vika is an artist, expressive arts practitioner, and certified professional life coach who helps people reconnect with themselves through creativity, reflection, and honest conversation. After nearly 20 years in a pharmaceutical services career, a persistent creative calling pushed Vika to reimagine achievement and belonging on her own terms.

Her pivot into creative wellness came after realizing she could not fake being successful if she could not be herself. Over the past decade, Vika has delivered hundreds of hours of creative facilitation, helping people reframe their relationship with creativity as an internal resource rather than a performance. She has developed multiple comprehensive creative wellness programs that support connection with creativity from within, in conversation with others, and in relationship with society as a whole. 

Vika is a mother of two, the founder of Rising Heart Coaching, and the owner of Rising Heart Studio in Metuchen, New Jersey. She is the author of Mother Monster Mystery and is currently working on a children’s book. Vika believes that creativity is for everyone and is an essential component of human life. 

Website: https://www.risingheartcoach.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/risingheartcoach/

Host

Kelly Dwyer is an executive coach and facilitator. Through her podcast Life from Within, she opens up real conversations about personal growth, career crossroads, and the inner work of leadership. She created the show to explore the moments of courage and clarity that spark inner shifts and lead to meaningful outer progress.

In her coaching and facilitation practice, Kelly partners with thoughtful, influential leaders including founders, C-suite executives, and rising leaders who shoulder significant responsibility and want to lead with grounded clarity and self-trust. She helps them return to what matters most, cut through the noise, and navigate inflection points with aligned conviction.

Kelly is a graduate of the University of Colorado and holds an MBA from Cornell University.

Coaching and facilitation: https://kellydwyer.co

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Instagram – @kd_lifefromwithin

LinkedIn – /in/kellydwyer

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