Design Yourself: Recent Episodes
Point Road Studios
A weekly podcast for people who want to lead a well-designed life. Imagine what you want + allow it to happen. Hosted by Sharon Lipovsky, founder of Point Road Studios, executive coach, and creative entrepreneur.
For show notes visit www.pointroadstudios.com/podcast
Milestones matter. They build momentum, create a chance to pause and reflect, and mark an important moment. Join us in this podcast to celebrate a personal milestone: 250 episodes of Design Yourself!
Together we explore 10 lessons learned in 250 episodes spanning 2016-2024:
- Use Your Voice
- Stories Matter
- Say It Again
- It's Fun to Connect
- You Will Be Surprised By Where Connections Lead
- This Podcast Made Me Better
- All Leadership is Human
- People Matter Most
- Ideas, Tools, Frameworks, Mindsets Unlock Us
- There is Nothing Stopping You
Please note that Sharon and the Design Yourself Team are taking a podcast sabbatical to digest these lessons learned and explore new ways to shape meaningful content for our dear listeners. Stay tuned and subscribed for more information!
Links and Resources:
For show notes:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/business-unusual-celebrating-250-episodes-of-design-yourself/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Have you ever sensed a change is called for and needed to summon the courage to take action? Have you ever grappled with making life moves when you weren’t sure exactly what your new end destination was? Then this episode is for you. Join host Sharon as she shares the details about the upcoming Design Yourself podcast sabbatical.
Links and Resources:
For show notes:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/taking-a-break-podcast-sabbatical-coming/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Step into the new year with intention and purpose! In Shine Your Light in 2025, we explore the profound questions that guide your journey: What kind of light do you shine? How can you embrace the gifts hidden in your shadows? And what will empower you to make the impact you envision? Join us for thought-provoking conversations and practical insights to help you illuminate your path and inspire those around you. Let’s make 2025 your brightest year yet!
Links and Resources:
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared 5 prompts to invite you to shine your light in 2025
- What kind of light do I imagine myself as in 2025? A midcentury lamp? The sun? A star? A crystal chandelier? A beeswax candle?
- What sparks your light? What brightens your spirit?
- What gifts are available to you in your shadows?
- Where do you want to shine your light in 2025?
- What will help you radiate this year?
Resources and Links * Design Yourself: 2024 Letter to Yourself * Design Yourself: Sharon's Annual Letter (2024)
Wintering is a season in the cold. It is both literal and figurative. It acknowledges those times where we move through a fallow period – cut off from the world. What is the power of wintering? How can we learn to call in the dark and the cold?
In today’s encore episode on wintering we discuss what wintering is, borrowing from the brilliance of writer Katherine May; we speak to the power of wintering, specifically the power of the dark, the cold, letting go and resting; and we close with reflection questions to spark your own best thinking on how to integrate this practice.
“So that is my wish for you – that you may be unburdened by the cold and dark of wintering. And more than that. That you can embrace it. Call in the dark and the cold – don’t run from it. It is through learning how to sit in this discomfort that we build our resilience for when the unexpected winters arrive.”
Links and Resources
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/wintering-3/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
We can’t change what we don’t see. So how do we sense a new consciousness? What tools will support us? How do we keep it simple and accessible? Cue this episode where we discuss the simple tenants of a life-changing practice. Listen in to learn all the how-tos of Journaling.
Links and Resources:
For show notes:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/building-a-journal-practice/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared How-To Build a Powerful Journal Practice 1. Use what works for you. I used to think journaling needed to be in a particular kind of notebook and sound a certain kind of way. Not anymore. 2. Try different formats. “Morning Pages;” Bullets in a word document. Letter to Love. Haikus. Handwritten prose in a bound journal. My own “journal” is written on loose paper and placed in a file folder to keep it in one place. 3. Leverage prompts. These can be questions, like the ones shared on this podcast. It can also be a meditation. A response to a piece of art. Or something you read. Or a view out your window. I will often think of a question and draw tarots to prompt be to respond. 4. Be consistent. This is a practice. I’m not a stickler that you have to do it every day. But it should be regular. 5. Do it for yourself and have fun. Don’t take yourself too seriously. This is for you.
Resources and Links * Julia Cameron’s books, including the Artist’s Way to learn more about the practice of Morning Pages * Oliver Burkeman writing about the power of morning pages * Join Liz Gilbert’s Letters from Love substack
Holiday letters aren't the only tradition during the close of the year. Cue the tradition of the Annual Letter to Yourself. What have I learned this year? How have I grown? Who has made an impact? What do I want to remember? Join Sharon as she reflects on these questions and more in reading her 2024 letter.
Links and Resources:
For show notes:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/sharons-annual-letter-2024/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
As we the close of 2024, it is a natural moment to take stock of lessons learned and goals for the year ahead. Join us in this Design Yourself episode as we consider what we are celebrating and what we are calling in as we learn the art and ritual of how to write a year-end letter to yourself.
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Ideas Shared Year-End Letter Prompts Paragraph One: Take stock on past year.
- As I look back on this year, I wanted to let you know that…
- I am celebrating…
- I worked really hard to…
- I learned…
Paragraph Two: Reflection on what got you here.
- The thing that supported me most is…
- The values that have guided me are…
- The challenge I faced is…
- The thing that made all the difference is…
Paragraph Three: Curate the lessons learned that will guide your year ahead.
- As I look to the year ahead, what I want to carry with me…
- What I want to leave behind is…
- The advice I want to hold onto is…
Links and Resources:
For show notes:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/2024-letter-to-yourself To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Meaning-making is a very human endeavor. We are quite good at coming up with what we believe the unspoken clues and loud declarations mean. What are ways to challenge our assumptions? How can we stretch our understanding to see a situation with a fresh perspective? That’s what we get into in this Design Yourself episode on Seeing with New Eyes.
Ideas Shared Prompts to See with New Eyes 1. Ask someone who knows you well for a trusted take 2. Ask someone who doesn’t know you well for their hot take 3. Get clear: Clarify your questions and reflect on your answers 4. Expand your own perspective through consciousness-raising activities that feel right-fit for you. A tool we really enjoy using on retreats is tarot… 5. Step back and take care – walks, facials, hikes, delicious food, not sitting in front of a screen all day.
Resources and Links * Get to know Sharon’s business besties, Catherine and Elena of StoryMine * Listen to this Design Yourself episode on Living in the Question
Links and Resources:
For show notes:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/seeing-with-new-eyes
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Hope is a choice. It's about gifting your attention to the light. Perhaps a simple concept, but one that's not always easy to execute. Particularly in inevitable moments of intensity - whether in our culture, around the board room table, in family text chains, or our own inner life. How do you get grounded in the midst of it all? How do you resist joining the whirlwind? Even when facing a wave of turmoil, how do you tap into finding hope?
In this episode Sharon dicusses the following practices and prompts to help you come back to your own light:
Ideas Shared Practices for Finding Hope 1. Meaningful Partnerships (at work, in my creative life, with loved ones) 2. Setting Boundaries 3. Prayer 4. Doing good work 5. Singing
Reflection Prompts 1. What is needed now? 2. What has brought a smile to your face this week? 3. What (or who) gives you hope right now? 4. What is the gift of the shadows you see? 5. What quiets your despair? 6. What is needed now?
Links and Resources:
For show notes:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/finding-hope/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
When the world gets intense, it's important to take breaks. Join Sharon as she does that by reading three beloved and personally connected poems. We start with a beloved poem by Meditation at Lagunitas by Robert Hass, who Sharon had the opportunity to study under in Berlin. We then turn to Saskia Hamiton and her poem Then. Saskia was another great teacher in Sharon's life and the person who first introduced Sharon to Hass' poetry. We close things out with the physician and poet Willam Carlos Williams and his poem The Red Wheelbarrow. May you find grounding and a little inspiration in the words of these writers.
Resources and Links * Robert Hass | “Meditation at Lagunitas” * Saskia Hamilton | “Then” from Divide These * William Carlos Williams | “The Red Wheelbarrow”
Links and Resources:
For show notes:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/take-a-break-with-three-poems
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Our bodies are incredible sources of wisdom. They are an important resource for ushering our ideas, dreams, and impact into the world. What happens when our bodies signal distress? What insights might we glean from the unlikeliest of places? That’s what we get into in this Design Yourself podcast, Lessons from the Emergency Department.
In this episode Sharon shares some of the insights that emerged during her own recent trip to the hospital, including:
Lessons from the Emergency Department 1. Own Your Value (and Put on Your Oxygen Mask First) 2. Cherish Your Support Network 3. Ask for Help 4. Demand the Attention You Need (with Neutral, Observable Facts) 5. Delightful Surprises are Everywhere
Links and Resources:
For show notes:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/finding-joy/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Joy is a light-filled anecdote to volatility, grief, and complexity. What different flavors of joy do you experience? How might you invite more of that into your life? That's what we discuss in today's podcast on Finding Joy.
Sharon shares 5 flavors of joy that she has been experiencing recently, including:
- Lighthearted Joy - Like a easy, breezy, predictable romance novel. (She's been loving Emily Henry's books like all the other readers creating this explosive growth of this genre.)
- Joyful Connection - Like holding hands with a loved one. Taking part in meanful traditions that connect you to history and the present.
- Heart-centered Joy - Like deep, soul-baring conversations.
- Joyous Anticipation - Like the fun of looking forward to an exciting vacation. Cornell University did a cool study showing how we gain more happiness from anticipation experiences versus object.
- The Joy of Knowing - Like when you have a clear budget, sense of priorities, even knowing what you are going to eat.
Links and Resources:
For show notes:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/finding-joy/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
It’s easy to let momentum take hold. Our expectations drive us to continue without letting up. Our desire to please or gain approval might do the same. But at what cost? What are the different ways that we can step back and rejuvenate ourselves? And what happens when we do? In this episode of Design Yourself we invite you to give yourself a break.
Links and Resources:
For show notes:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/worst-job-ever/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared 1. Celebrate when you take breaks 2. Distinctions and lessons on types of breaks: * Time Off: Sabbatical | Work Pause * Time Away: Retreat | Getaway * Down Time: Walk | Dance Party | Massage * All the Time: Rhythms, Routines and Rituals 3. Journal Prompt:
What is my relationship with breaks? For myself? For others? What kind of break might I offer myself this week that could make all the difference?
Resources and Links * The Parents Aren’t Alright from the Daily Podcast
What is the worst job you’ve ever had? And why? What made it so? In today’s episode, Sharon discusses her answer to those questions along with some prompts to inspire you never again to have the worst job ever.
Links and Resources:
For show notes:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/worst-job-ever/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared Reflection Prompts to Avoid Having the Worst Job Ever 1. What makes my professional light shine? 2. What environments delight me? Both physically and in the type of leadership and collaboration? 3. If you were to do something wildly different, what would it be? What else? What else? 4. What are dealbreakers for you? What makes you feel out of integrity with yourself? 5. What makes me feel safe to leave a job? What conditions will allow me to be able to stay OR leave a job? How can I take small steps to have make sure I have these conditions in place.
Big change rarely happens in an instant. Transitions are a natural part of the process. Transitions can feel uncomfortable. How do you build up resistance to stick with it? What supports you in building momentum toward a new destination? That’s what we get into in this Design Yourself episode on Sitting in the Messy Middle.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/sitting-in-the-messy-middle/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared 3 Tips to Sit in Messy Middle 1. Be clear on your why. 2. Partner on the HOW. 3. Stay present to what’s needed now.
Resources and Links * Design Yourself podcast on Partnering
Rarely can our dreams be realized in isolation. Partnering with others is a natural consequence of ambition. That doesn't mean it's easy. What makes for effective working relationships? What are the conditions that steward us to powerful teamwork? How do mutual accountability and productive conflict fit in? We explore these questions and more in this episode focused on partnering and productive conflict.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/partnering-and-productive-conflict/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Resources Shared * Marie Kondo’s book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” * Patrick Lencioni’s model highlighting the conditions needed for effective teamwork: trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, results
Deep listening can change the world. Listening impacts so many things: Our understanding, our questions, and our connections to those around us. When we listen deeply, we light a spark for transformation.
But listening isn't easy. There are habits and culturally accepted practices that hold us back from really listening to understand. The good news is that you can create simple shifts to improve the quality of your listening and inspire others to do the same.
This Design Yourself episode highlights 12 habits that prevent us from listening – including rehearsing, daydreaming, and placating. We invite you to see with a fresh perspective where your listening gets derailed and to make simple shifts to bring your attention back to listening to understand.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/how-to-be-a-great-listener/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared You can download a summary PDF of the Listening Blocks and tips for being a great listener here.
12 Listening Blocks Mind Reading – Assuming you know what the other person feels
Rehearsing – Planning what you want to say next
Filtering – Listening only for what’s relevant to you
Judging – Evaluating the speaker and what they say
Daydreaming – Getting lost in your own thoughts
Identifying – Relating everything you hear in yourself
Advising – Listening to solve or direct
Sparring – Invalidating the speaker through argument or debate
Being Right – Resisting all communication that suggests you are wrong
Derailing – Changing the subject
Comparing – Trying to figure out how you compare to the speaker
Placating – Agreeing too quickly
Source: Messages: The Communication Skills Book by Matthew McKay, Ph.D., Martha Davis, Ph.D., and Patrick Fanning
Reflection Questions * Which listening block shows up most frequently for me? * What new awareness am I taking with me about the quality of my own listening as I learn about listening blocks? * What’s one listening block that you could pay attention to this week to improve the quality of your conversations? * What’s one thing you could pay attention to this week to improve the quality of your listening? (e.g. set aside technology; ask for a colleague to be your listening accountability partner in a specific meeting)
Resources and Links * Messages: The Communication Skills Book by Matthew McKay, Ph.D., Martha Davis, Ph.D., and Patrick Fanning * Original Design Yourself episode on Listening Blocks
How we spend our days is how we spend our lives. Routine matters. It is a foundational building block that shapes what we do and how we do it. It seems simple enough: Make a choice each and every day to align with what matters. But it is not always that easy. How do you balance the short—and long-term priorities? How do you shift long-held routines that involve other people? We get into these questions and more as we discuss routines reimagined.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/routines-reimagined/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared Reflection Questions * How do we cultivate the eyes of a traveller when we don’t go anywhere at all? * How can we make mindfulness a way of being, even amidst habit and routine? * How do we remind ourselves of the unspoken choices we have everyday? * How do we act with courage as we make these choice – and own the life that these choices build? * What’s working in my current routine? * What would I like to change? * What’s the ideal way for me to start my day? End my day? * What small change could I make right now that would make a huge difference?
Resources and Links * “A New Chapter and Routines” – original post read aloud on this episode * Design Yourself: Preparing for the Camino with Aimee Rowe * Design Yourself: On the Road with Aimee Rowe * Design Yourself: Walking the Camino (while pregnant!)
Leadership is an embodied act. When we feel good, it shows. So it is perhaps not surprising that many executives are curious about personal style. Some people savor the act of dressing as an opportunity for individual expression. Others prioritize efficiency and ways to save time in the morning. No matter what the motivation, there is one person Sharon refers her clients to time and time again: Natalie Tincher and her team at BU Style. So in this season of back to school and the changing of seasonal wardrobes, we take you back to this throwback interview with Natalie from 2018. We discuss everything from fast fashion and personal styling tips to how love and empowerment fuel everything Natalie does. We also learn about what some of the investments Natalie has made to scale her business including hiring her first employee and rebranding her business. This episode is a great fit for anyone who has ever wondered how to put your whole self into a thriving entrepreneurial business. It’s also a must-listen for anyone curious about the power of self-love and failing forward.
“I lead with my heart and love with everything in life. So I need everything I do with my clients to also feel that way.” – Natalie Tincher
Summer Series 2024 | Curated guidance and resources to guide and support you in making this season – and what follows – just what you wish it to be.
Stay Connected
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/style-from-the-i…-natalie-tincher/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Resources and Links * Join Natalie's upcoming course Style From the Inside Out. Registration open now; course starts September 26, 2024. * Original Design Yourself show notes from Episode 88: Empowerment and Personal Style with Natalie Tincher of BU Style * Time Out New York, Top Six Personal Shopping Services which highlights Buttoned Up Style (now BU Style) * Marie Kondo’s Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up * The website Sharon peruses for capsule wardrobe inspiration * Essentialism * AYR jeans
Whether you have dreams of building your own home, are in the process of moving through a life transition or are just curious about Sharon’s new life in the woods, this week’s episode is for you. Sharon begins by sharing a glimpse into the reality of life in her new two room cottage in the Catskill Mountains of New York and then shares the connection she sees between designing a physical space and designing a life and offers the 5 key lessons that she has learned through the design phase of her building process. We’ll explore everything from the power of welcoming change, how trust is a key priority in getting great results (with sanity in tact!) and how building something from scratch isn’t the secret to perfection.
Sharon reflects this week on work-life balance – or imbalance. She shares the marriage advice that stuck with her as she nears her wedding anniversary: “Marriage takes 100% effort to be successful, but rarely is it split 50-50. Sometimes it’s 60-40. Sometimes it’s 90-10. But it always takes 100% effort to work.” She shares how this framework applies not just to a relationship with our spouse but to any time we work with others.
Summer Series 2024 | Curated guidance and resources to guide and support you in making this season – and what follows – just what you wish it to be.
Stay Connected
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/marriage-and-partnership/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared * The most inspirational advice I got leading up to my wedding:
“Marriage requires 100% effort to work. But rarely is it split 50-50. Sometimes it’s 60-40. Sometimes it’s 90-10. But it ALWAYS takes 100% to work.” Mimi Barringer
- Taking the Lead is the series from the podcast Note to Self. Much of the series follows two Brooklyn moms with a tech idea that has the vision and ambition to change what it looks like to be a working mom. But of course, they are dealing with many of the same stresses they hope to solve.
- Later episodes in the series also check in with the dynamic working parenting duo Andrew Moravcsik and Anne-Marie Slaughter.
“It’s not that I don’t want to work. I do want to work, but I want to work in a way that allows me to be home much more than a high-level government job would let me do right now.” Anne-Marie Slaughter
“We started out like most couples start out, I think a little bit naive, thinking that we are a two-career couple and we will also split the parenting 50-50.” Andrew Moravcsik
- If you’ve never read Anne-Marie’s influential Atlantic article Why Women Still Can’t Have It All, wait no longer. Read it!
- This week marks the first time in our nation’s history that a major political party nominated a woman for the office of President. No matter your politics, this is a special moment. I loved watching this video overviewing her career narrated by Morgan Freeman.
- Finally, below are the two key distinctions that helped me see how I was good at adding things to my life and work and why I was struggling to let things go. I had to start strengthening my emotional muscles to get in shape for those changes.
Intellectual Learning – Ability to take on new things (e.g. job, hobby, relationship, etc.)
Emotional Learning – Helpful when you are processing how to put things down (e.g. making a move, a job transition, ending a friendship, etc.)
Resources and Links * Original podcast episode “There is No Such Thing as 50-50”
Every moment offers us a new choice. Will we be guided by the momentum of what has been or carve a new path forward? In this episode of Design Yourself Sharon discusses five tips for how to choose your own adventure and highlights what this guidance looks like in practice as she shares an adventure unfolding in her life right now.
Stay Connected
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/choose-your-own-adventure-2/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared 5 Tips for How to Choose Your Own Adventure 1. There is no, singular “right” way. 2. Be clear on what matters to you. 3. Take aligned and inspired actions. 4. Tilt towards the good kind of scary. 5. Be present
Resources and Links * What is a 46er?
Summer is a season of rapid growth – in our gardens, our home lives, and at work. What is your relationship to this season? What transformation might you like to spark in the weeks ahead? Join Sharon as she shares five prompts and personal reflections inspired by this season.
Summer Series 2024 | Curated guidance and resources to guide and support you in making this season - and what follows - just what you wish it to be.
Stay Connected
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/bottling-up-summer-2024/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared Reflection Questions 1. What emotion or energy does summer inspire in you? 2. What is your present experience with Summer? 3. What are some sweet memories of this summer? 4. What would you like to call into the remaining weeks of summer? 5. What parts of summer would you like to bottle up to take with you into fall?
Hitting goals is not enough. Don't get me wrong: I love to run after a bold and audacious goal. But goal achievement can't be the end aim. Goals naturally come and go. They are a way to focus our energy and attention on something. This episode of Design Yourself explores the guiding question: "For the sake of what?" For the sake of what are you working hard to hit those goals? For the sake of what are you running your business? Sometimes work gets us so heads down that we forget to look at the big picture and ask if our energy is driving towards the kind of success that we want. Using the lens of running a business, Sharon offers up questions to ground you in your for the sake of what and then offers how you can cascade this foundation into the way you run your business. This episode is a great fit for anyone who runs a small business or dreams of starting one. It will also speak to those who seek more alignment between your actions and your dreams.
Summer Series 2024 | Curated guidance and resources to guide and support you in making this season - and what follows - just what you wish it to be.
Stay Connected
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/for-the-sake-of-what/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared Things to Consider for Your For the Sake of What * What is it that you are after in this life? * What are your values? * What is your deepest held conviction? * What do you want to offer into the world? What is your unique contribution that you and only you can make? * What do you want?
Resources and Links * Guided vision meditation in Episode 5 of Design Yourself * Original Episode Show Notes with photos from family hike
Have you ever found yourself in a place where your head keeps spinning on the same question (or set of questions)? But no matter how much energy you expend thinking about it, you can’t seem to come to a confident conclusion? You are not alone. We often get stuck on “unanswerable questions” because they are rooted in a way of seeing the problem limiting our ability to move forward. In today’s episode, Sharon shares a simple process for moving from question to action. Learn what it means to “live in the question” and why this practice is powerful for helping us shift from stuck to transformation.
Summer Series 2024 | Curated guidance and resources to guide and support you in making this season - and what follows - just what you wish it to be.
Stay Connected
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/living-in-the-question/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared: Let us all remember to be in the practice of resilience together.
resilience, noun: 1. the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; 2. the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness Process for Living in the Question 1. Write down the unknowable questions 2. Capture the questions underneath each question 3. Probe Deeper 4. Gather information 5. Watch your questions evolve 6. Give yourself grace
Insights on why this process works * It makes big, important questions more accessible * It promotes a growth mindset * It empowers you with actionable steps
Resources and Links: * Podcast on grief that I reference in today’s show.
- Here is the Jimmy Kimmel clip that brings a spirit of humor to the grief that half of the country is feeling in the wake of the election.
To lead a life of intention asks us to connect to what we desire. Simple in concept, but often hard in execution. Many things will grab our attention: Competing priorities; jampacked schedules; and people-pleasing habits - to name just a few. Many of us will falter on this path because we have been trained to act. When something is missing, we feel compelled to do something - anything! - to find a new way forward. Today's podcast offers an antidote to that restless pacing.
Learn to listen to yourself. What is it that you really want?
In this episode, you will be guided to think about:
- What kind of a vision is meaningful to you right now? What type of vision? What time horizon?
- What parts of your story are you proud of? What parts do you want to keep holding? What parts are you ready to release?
- What do you look like when at play?
- When you imagine yourself in your desired future, what do you sense? Feel into the details.
- What steps could you take today to start moving you on this path?
Summer Series 2024 | Curated guidance and resources to guide and support you in making this season - and what follows - just what you wish it to be.
Stay Connected
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/where-am-i-now/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
We are halfway through the calendar year and officially into the summer season. It’s a natural time to take stock of how your year is going. What’s working? What’s getting in your way? What do you wish for? Do your answers inspire you to make any shifts as you head into the second half of this year? Let’s explore these questions in “Where Am I Now?”
Stay Connected
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/where-am-i-now/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared Taking Stock: 5 Prompts to Cozy Up to Where You Are Right Now? 1. What’s True: How am I doing right now? You think specifically about: Mood? Energy? Emotion? Fulfillment? In the whole of your life and in key parts of your life (e.g. work, family, health, finances, creativity)? 2. What’s Working: What am I most proud of right now?What brings me most delight in my daily rhythms and routines? 3. What’s Missing: What am I wanting? Consider something that you might be missing or wishing that you could amplify 4. Lessons Learned: What do I notice (without judgement) as I answer these questions? 5. Taking Action: What changes will I commit to making?
Consensus is not an evergreen goal. It is neither realistic nor a worthy goal to chase everyone agreeing all of the time. How can we promote productive dissent? How can we move forward as a team when we don’t all have the same opinion on what the path forward ought to be? Tune in to this Design Yourself show to discuss how to disagree and commit.
I love a big-picture strategy, but sometimes the most important place to focus is right where you are. What supports us in being able to keep our heads down - with purpose? What gifts are received when we commit to immediate tasks? Explore together in this week’s Design Yourself Focus on This Effort.
Stay Connected
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/focus-on-this-effort/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared Conditions that supports focusing on the job at hand * Be clear on sense of direction – but not fixated on it * Have trust with key stakeholders * Understand the connection of this effort to the larger picture
The gifts of focusing on this effort * Mental fitness and resilience * DIg in and learn what’s needed now and next * Momentum building
“I guess I do subscribe to the joy being the journey, not the destination (especially when the journey has tracked milestones).” – Vision Coaching Client
Weeds happen. In life and the garden, we confront valueless things that encroach on the priorities we want to cultivate. What lessons can we learn from digging in the dirt and listening to the birdsong? How can we move with intention as we remove what is undesired and create space for our visions to flourish? Join me in this Design Yourself episode to discuss weeding in the garden.
Stay Connected
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/weeding-in-the-garden/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared 5 Lessons from Weeding in the Garden 1. Stay Present to the Task at Hand – It’s easy for me to get lost on my plot of land thinking about the many things that I can and want to do. But – even with a team of support – my wish list won’t happen overnight. I’ve been ruthless in the garden this season about the task that needs doing right now. 2. Pay Attention to Your Mindset – I can get caught in the “not enough” trap. I have so many ideas that I want to tackle the “what about this other thing I ALSO want to do.” Shifting from a focus on taking action on the full vision to focusing on a small piece. 3. Find moments to rest. Take breaks. Enjoy the baby groundhogs and fireflies. Sip a hot beverage. 4. Get help. Invite others to join. Hire values-aligned collaborators. Many hands make light work – and light hearts. 5. Savor each step. Hands in the dirt. Pulling the weeds. Loosening the soil. Transplanting.
Boredom: Friend or foe? For many of us, boredom is a luxury in our fast-paced lives. While some avoid it at all costs, boredom sparks enormous creativity and productivity. If we surrender to doing nothing, there are many opportunities to be bored in the mundane moments of life. What is your relationship with boredom? What distracts you from being present right where you are? Come explore in this Design Yourself episode how to let yourself be bored.
Stay Connected
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/let-yourself-be-bored/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared Reflection Prompts on Boredom 1. What is your relationship with boredom? 2. Could you embrace the mindset of bored and brilliant? 3. What are habits that are preventing you from boredom? Netflix, early morning scrolling, the impulse to text back/stay on top of emails, etc. 4. What boredom experiments could you design? 5. What’s one commitment you make today to explore this topic further?
Links and Resources * Manoush Zomorodi’s book Bored and Brilliant
Demands on our time, attention, and other resources are real. For many of us, our default way of processing stress is to dig in and take action. This action orientation leads to a swirl of activity, which exacerbates the situation. How do we center ourselves in the middle of the storm? In this episode of Design Yourself, we discuss how to get out of the whirlwind.
We cover:
- Reasons for the whirlwind
- What to do to calm the storm
- How to make the calm a sustainable way of being
Stay Connected
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/getting-out-of-the-whirlwind/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared Reasons for the whirlwind * Overwhelm * Workplaces stress * Not being able to find or connect to your purpose * Not believing that you can get out of the whirlwind
What to do to calm the storm * Shore up your foundation (e.g. breathe, take breaks, sleep, nurture yourself) * Get clear on what you want * Draft a believable path to move you from here to there
How to make the calm a sustainable way of being * Start with a roadmap * Build the navigation system * Develop a practice of “going beyond” (e.g. checking in on the current state, desired state, and the alignment of your movement on the path)
Links and Resources * Data shared on workplace stress can be found here * For more on the swirl of Sharon’s summer and to explore how to savor this season, listen to this Design Yourself episode from the archives on Bottling Up Summer
Frustrations are a normal part of life, but living in a state of frustration is exhausting. What is at the core of our dissatisfaction? How can we start to shift from this space into something new? That is what we discuss in this Design Yourself episode on transforming complaints.
In this episode, we discuss:
- Why honoring our complaints is a necessary starting point
- Four moves a complainer can make to transform from complaint to request
- Why trust is critical is coaching someone else to transform their complaint
- Ways to build trust and rapport when you are on the receiving end of a complaint
Stay Connected
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/transforming-complaints/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared 4 Moves to Transform from Complaint to Request 1. Mindset Shift: Behind every complaint is an unasked request. 2. Get Clear on What You Want: What might resolve the complaint? Be specific. 3. Start with yourself: Success begets success. What is one thing you can do to start seeing positive momentum? What can you do? 4. Engage with others: What can others do? Communicate a request with specificity.
Supporting Others to Transform their Complaint * Establish a foundation of trust. When you do not trust someone, you will not change their mind. * Listen to Understand. Be curious. Ask powerful questions. * Summarize What You Heard. Playback what is clear to you now. Stick to neutral, observable facts. Do not step into the role of problem solver or advisor. * Be Clear About the Path Forward. Co-create what comes next. If needed, draft a medium/long-term view of what a sketch of what your best thinking is on what will need to occur over time. Be specific about near-term actions.
Things don’t always go according to plan. And sometimes it’s almost comical just how far off the rail our plans go. What can we learn from these experiences? How can we get back to our goals in a productive way that honors the realities of what we are experiencing? That’s what we discuss in today’s episode on What To Do When Everything Goes Wrong.
Stay Connected
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/what-to-do-when-everything-goes-wrong/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared What to Do When Everything Goes Wrong * + Connect to the Story of Growth - not Victimhood + Remind Yourself of the Wins + Leave space for Going Sideways + Remember that Fast is Not the Goal + Cultivate the Emotion, Regardless of Outcome
Links Shared * Design Yourself episode highlighting the Vision Journey
We are all on a path, and obstacles showing up is inevitable. How we respond is not. How do you determine how to move around barriers? Where do you look for guidance? What if you had the confidence to trust your inner wisdom? In today's Design Yourself episode, we explore together how to be your inner compass.
In this episode, we discuss:
- The components of our inner compass (vision, values, guiding principles, guard rails)
- How to define these components
- Key strategies for operating with our compass
Stay Connected
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/be-your-own-inner-compass/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared The components of our inner compass
- Vision, values, guiding principles, guard rails
How to define these parts
- Vision - Where are you headed? For the sake of what?
- Values - What matters to you? Can you distill it into four words?
- Guiding Principles - What are the operating principles that allow you to move with and towards your vision in alignment with your values? (e.g., We are the leaders we’ve been waiting for. Leadership is a mindset, not a role. It is a priority to be as healthy on the inside as we appear on the outside, i.e., no beautiful, rotten apples.)
- Guard Rails - What creative constraints serve your roadmap?
Key strategies for operating with our compass
- Notice without judgment when you are looking outside or within for answers.
- Challenge old narratives that are comfortable but don’t work for you.
- Consult your inner compass and see what resource or combo of resources will guide you.
You are posed a question. Quick - how do you respond? Do you think it through? Do you respond in the moment? We all have patterns around how we process decisions and that’s what we get into in today’s episode on Yes Habits.
Stay Connected
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Who you are today is the guide to who you will be tomorrow. What wishes do you have for your future self? What wisdom do you want to be sure to carry with you? In the episode of Design Yourself, we explore questions to inspire Future You.
Stay Connected
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/future-you/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared Reflection Questions 1. What is something you can do right now as a gift to Future You? 2. What does Future You want you to know right now? 3. If you were to sum Future You up in 3 words, what would they be? 4. What advice do you want to give Future You? 5. What has shifted for Future You? How did they make that happen?
Resources and Links You Already Have All The Answers by Amanda Deibert
Humans can adapt, but so can systems. What happens when we spend the majority of our time caught focusing on what we have to do…and we don’t focus on what is problematic about the way we do things? In this week’s episode, we challenge the notion you always hold the answer and instead remind listeners that it’s not your fault.
Stay Connected
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/its-not-your-fault/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Resources and Links * Real Self-Care by Pooja Lakshmin * Yale University’s testing policy announcement and the policy itself
Human beings are interconnected, and we really can accomplish more together. But when it comes to visioning, how do we know what’s ours versus someone else? How can we connect what someone else sees as possible to what we really want? That’s what we get into in today’s Design Yourself episode on Vision Alignment: Tapped for a New Opportunity.
Stay Connected
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/tapped-for-a-new-opportunity
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared * The “light” and “shadow” of someone sharing what they see as possible for you. * The importance of assessing the relationship you have with the person offering you a new opportunity. * 3 steps to evaluate the new opportunity:
- Listen to understand.
- Return to center. What do I want?
- Build the path forward.
- Build trust and mutual support in the relationship.
- Stay clear on your “what,” i.e. what is the next step that you want in your career?
- Then get clear on “how” to evaluate the role and your ability to learn and grow in alignment with your career objectives and business need.
Productivity is a dead-end pursuit. Our to-dos will always fill whatever space we give it. How can we let go of the habits driving us to do more, better, faster? How can we make time for what matters most?
In this episode of Design Yourself we explore:
- Our relationship with time;
- Examples of how time influenced the daily routines of artists Sylvia Plath and Erik Satie;
- Sharon's musings on how urgency and scarcity impact our relationship to how much time we have and how much time we need;
- Reflection questions to create awareness and alignment on how we each move with and in time.
“Productivity is a trap. Becoming more efficient just makes you more rushed, and trying to clear the decks simply makes them fill up again faster. Nobody in the history of humanity has ever achieved “work-life balance,” whatever that might be, and you certainly won’t get there by copying the “six things successful people do before 7:00 a.m.” The day will never arrive when you finally have everything under control—when the flood of emails has been contained; when your to-do lists have stopped getting longer; when you’re meeting all your obligations at work and in your home life; when nobody’s angry with you for missing a deadline or dropping the ball; and when the fully optimized person you’ve become can turn, at long last, to the things life is really supposed to be about. Let’s start by admitting defeat: none of this is ever going to happen. But you know what? That’s excellent news.”
-Oliver Burkeman, Four Thousand Weeks
Stay Connected
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/how-to-make-time/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared Reflection Prompts * What is your flavor of distraction? * What if it’s not time that’s hold you back? What else could it be? * What are you wishing for? How might you make that happen in the next month? * What else might work to try? * What if you let time be?
Links and Resources * Four Thousand Weeks: Time and How to Use It by Oliver Burkeman * And a good summary and review in The Guardian by Tim Adams * Daily Rituals: How Artists Work by Mason Currey
Our stories shape us. They form the fabric of not just where we are coming from, but also what we believe is possible. Stories forecast our future. How do we find the pulse of our narrative? How do we decide what’s working and what is getting in the way? How do we understand what’s my story versus what’s our collective story?
Let’s explore in this episode of Design Yourself as we discuss how stories move us.
Links and Resources
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/stories-move-us
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared 7 Prompts to Reimagine Your Story Movement 1. What do you notice about your current movements? Look at how you move - in your schedule, through a room, in your home, at the grocery store. What do you notice without judgement? 2. What distinctions do you have about your movements? Your pace? Your intensity? How would you describe the characteristics of your movements? 3. What does your movement suggest about about the stories you are telling? Are you winning? Rushed? Transforming? Out of balance? 4. What kind of story movement do you want right now? Are you dancing? Floating? Resting? Driving? Cycling? 5. What kinds of tools support your story movement? If you are dancing…do you need tap shoes? Jazz shoes? Are you in a vehicle? What kind? A single speed bike or a bike kitted for the next world tour? 6. What commitment can you make today to your own story movement? 7. How will you know you are honoring that commitment?
Resources and Links * Never underestimate the power of music! Here is the song "Naughty" from Matilda the musical.
What do you want to be when you grow up? Are you already living that life? Are you curious about the road not taken? In this episode of Design Yourself, we cast aside the artificial constraints of what is true right now and play with what we might create with imaginary lives.
Links and Resources
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/life-keeps-happening/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared In this episode we...
- Learn a Julia Cameron prompt from the book The Artist's Way inviting us to imagine five alternative lives to the one we are currently living;
- Hear about how to take simple steps to actually do what you feel called to do right now, instead of waiting to create perfect conditions to do the thing the way you might imagine it happening.
- Learn about what five things Sharon's imagining doing herself and which imaginary life she's been stuck on for over a decade.
Links and Resources * Julia Cameron's book The Artist's Way
Turns out, there are a lot of things we can’t control. That’s part of what makes life so precious: It’s unexpected. Sometimes miraculously joy-filled. Othertimes cripplingly painful. How do we recognize when we are swept up in the swirl of life? How do we find our footing in the middle of a tsunami? That’s what we discuss in this Design Yourself episode, Life Keeps Happening.
Links and Resources
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/life-keeps-happening/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Ideas Shared * Honor that life happening is what’s normal. * Celebrate some of the ways I saw this show up tied to a joyous moment in my own life last week. * Highlight THE question I return to, when life shows up: What is needed now?
Links and Resources * “That Would Be Enough” from Hamilton
Do you dream of a change in your life? Maybe it’s about getting to the next level of your career. Or maybe there is a long held creative desire, like being a part of an award-winning show or publishing a best selling book? Today we talk about how to move toward your big dreams in a sustainable and powerful way in this episode of Design Yourself on the Vision Journey.
Links and Resources
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/vision-journey/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Join to discuss:
“The path you take to get there is indicative of how you will feel when you get there.” – Sharon Lipovsky
Sample Client Strategies to Build the Bridge to Your Vision * More White Space (eliminate distractions, set boundaries with people around your time and service; set boundaries for yourself around time to do nothing and see what emerges) * Build a Creative Practice (e.g. paint, write, draw circles, garden, journal reflections) * Put Yourself First (say where you want to eat; decide how you want to spend your time; practice seeing what you want in small, daily ways so that you can build the muscle to see into bigger manifestations for yourself) * Follow Your Energy (this will both help build strength and resilience and will allow you to practice discernment – an important skill in leading with vision. Some days Bridgerton reading is energized…other times it’s a distraction…learn how to tell the difference!)
Ways to Lead with Vision Right Now * Do the dishes – and nothing else. * Walk to walk – and nothing else. * Identify eliminating distractions * Write a short daily “notice without judgement” reflection on how your practices are going * Consider a creative practice like the one described in the Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. * Draw circles * Have an accountability date with your partner (or other/s) * Celebrate every win. Build momentum behind your subtle changes – start to build the new wish path.
There are so many questions to process in our lives - and even more answers to sift through. Our intuition is our quick-thinking guide. But many of us don’t listen. What gets in the way of tapping into our instinctive internal whispers? How can we tune into our ability to understand something right away? That is what we cover in this Design Yourself episode on exercising your intuition.
Join in to discuss:
Common Intuition Blockers
The 4 A's. Ambitious, Achiever, Accomplished, Accomodating. These traits aren't blockers unto themselves. When overused, however, they get in the way of accessing our intuition.
Thinking Too Big. Stop focusing exclusively on what's out of your control; start adapting your moves into what you can do right now.
Chasing External Validation. Stop prioritizing what other people want you to be; start getting clear on what matters most to you.
Numbing Yourself with Busyness. Get comfortable with stillness, rest and quiet.
Being too scared or exhausted to listen to yourself. Listen to your own internal whispers. This could be a gut feeling, heart feeling, bone feeling, body feeling. Rarely does it come from intellect.
Exercises to Build Your Intuition Muscle
Exercise 1: Notice, without judgement.
Exercise 2: Get comfortable with discomfort.
Exercise 3: Find ways to get still internally (this can include movement!) - meditation, writing, hiking, doing the dishes, peloton
Exercise 4: Listen to yourself. When you have a question - ask yourself first. When you reach for research, ask yourself first.
Links and Resources
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/intuition-exercises/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Words matter, but the emotions behind the words matter more. That energetic exchange that sits beneath the surface makes a huge impact in our ability to connect and collaborate with others. So how do we do this? And what’s one emotion that makes all the difference? That’s what we discuss in this Design Yourself episode on leading with love.
Join in to discuss:
- How emotions are a silent (usually) player in every interaction you have.
- 4 Actions to Lead with Love
- Radical Self Awareness – Start by noticing what emotion shows up when you lead. Are you calm or anxious? Delighted or frustrated? Angry or sad? Simply notice without judgement what emotion/s show up when you lead.
- Set an Intention – Whether love is already present or not when you lead, set an intention to lead with love. Simply invite in the potential to bring love into the mix.
- Embody Love – Love is not just something we say or do. Love can show up in the way we are. We can embody that feeling of love in how we stand, walk, and gesture. Practice physically holding love.
- Grow Love - It's amazing how much we can grow or intensify the feeling of love, simply by paying attention to it.
Links and Resources
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/lead-with-love/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
You have been told, how important it is to listen and care for others. And it is. But it requires us to do the same for ourselves. How can we give, when our own buckets aren’t full? What does it look like for us to practice this tender concern for ourselves? That’s what we discuss in this Design Yourself episode on Self Empathy.
Join in to discuss:
- Why self empathy is so wildly important
- Why empathy must start as a self practice
-
Applying the Empathy Rules for others to ourselves
- Embrace Not Knowing
- Embrace Radical Difference
- Embrace Commitment
- Embrace Community
- A sweet story about 1st graders putting these lessons into action
Links and Resources
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/self-empathy/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
The wildest, dreamiest things start from the smallest of steps. How can we be more mindful of how what we do today connects to where we dream of going? What practices support us on that path? That’s what we get into in today’s episode on Baby Steps to Giant Leaps.
Links and Resources
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/baby-steps-to-giant-leaps/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
We live and work in a complex world. The markets, environments, and circumstances in which we operate are changing rapidly. How can we evolve our leadership to find new, compelling, and sustainable solutions? How can we spark transformation from the inside out? That’s what we discuss in this episode of Design Yourself on adaptive leadership.
Links and Resources
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/adaptive-leadership/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
I'm going to let you in on a little secret today. Those spaces where you feel most clumsy and lacking in ability offer incredible growth opportunities. But not if you sit around judging yourself or worrying about what other people think. In this episode of Design Yourself learn how to cultivate the mindsets that will accelerate your learning as we discuss The Art of Incompetence.
Links and Resources
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/the-art-of-incompetence/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Happy New Year! Tis the season full of calendar-driven inspiration about how to make this year the best one ever. Words of the year, themes of the season, goals, resolutions and intentions abound. How can you avoid getting caught up in trends and move to the beat that works best for you? That’s what we get into today's Design Yourself episode on Discerning What’s Right For Me.
Links and Resources
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/discerning-whats-right-for-me/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Celebrating milestones is a foundational leadership practice that supports us as we build positive momentum toward our goals, strategies, and - ultimately - our vision, mission, and purpose. In today's episode, Point Road founder Sharon models this practice as she pauses to celebrate and reflect on 200 episodes of Design Yourself. Learn about what the show has meant to her, what she's most grateful for and what struggles she's faced along the way.
Links and Resources
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/celebrating-200-episodes-of-design-yourself/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Wintering is a season in the cold. It is both literal and figurative. It acknowledges those times where we move through a fallow period – cut off from the world. What is the power of wintering? How can we learn to call in the dark and the cold?
In today’s encore episode on wintering we discuss what wintering is, borrowing from the brilliance of writer Katherine May; we speak to the power of wintering, specifically the power of the dark, the cold, letting go and resting; and we close with reflection questions to spark your own best thinking on how to integrate this practice.
“So that is my wish for you – that you may be unburdened by the cold and dark of wintering. And more than that. That you can embrace it. Call in the dark and the cold – don’t run from it. It is through learning how to sit in this discomfort that we build our resilience for when the unexpected winters arrive.”
Links and Resources
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/wintering-2/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
An ending is an invitation to pause and reflect. It is a chance to disrupt the routines you are in and take stock of what you have learned through whatever experience you have just gone through. In this episode of Design Yourself, we share a favorite closing ceremony well-suited to the end of the calendar year: Thank You and A Wish.
Links and Resources:
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/thank-you-and-a-wish/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
It’s that time of year where we are invited to stop, look back and reflect. Last week I taught you how to compose a letter for yourself. And this week I am sharing my own. Join me as I share my year end letter to myself. xo, Sharon
Links and Resources:
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/sharons-year-end-letter/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
We are officially in the final moments of 2023, and it is a natural moment to take stock of lessons learned and goals for the year ahead. Join us in this episode as we consider what we are celebrating and what we are calling in as we learn the art and ritual of how to write a year-end letter to yourself.
Links and Resources
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/year-end-letter-to-yourself/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
The experience we have on the journey to get to our destination is indicative of how we will feel once we arrive. Chasing our vision can be exhilarating, and it can also be exhausting. How do we build momentum and follow our dreams in a sustainable way? That’s what we explore in Dreaming Big Without Burnout.
Links and Resources
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/dreaming-big-without-burnout/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Tis the season for gathering with the important people in our lives. Let us take a moment and remember how to have purposeful, heart-centered conversations. What am I really trying to accomplish here? Are we on the same page? Am I leading with love and empathy or am I igniting the fuse? Learn three points for how to frame important conversations as we explore these questions and more in this episode of Design Yourself.
Links and Resources:
To book your 1:1 Vision Reading:
https://pointroadstudios.com/product/vision-reading/
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/relationships-and-framing-conversations
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Leadership begins on the inside and takes place out in the world. It makes sense then that we want to pay attention to and care for what we carry with us on the inside. But how can we tell what is taking up space in our leadership closets? How do we edit and curate this inner space?
In today’s Design Yourself podcast, we explore the intangible leadership stuff we carry and reflect on how to release the unnecessary weight.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/clearing-your-leadership-stuff/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Results follow attention. So knowing what matters (and what doesn't) is a key part of bringing ease and order to your life and work. But letting go isn't always intuitive. How do I know what to get rid of and when? How can I overcome old habits and worries about letting go of stuff? Guided by Shira Gill's framework and the evergreen wisdom of Marie Kondo, we dive deep into the what's and how's of Clutter Clearing - both in your home and in your leadership.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/clutter-clearing/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
It's easy to feel like you are being left behind. Like everyone else is doing more, faster, better. Is no one on the same path as me, you might wonder? It's understandble that we feel anxious about what we are doing. And a sense of urgency that we ought to be doing more. Let's explore how to reframe our mindset, focus and actions as we tap into the question: Am I behind?
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/am-i-behind/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
The day-to-day minutiae isn't where most of us turn for inspiration. This small stuff tends to be pretty monotonous. In this episode of Design Yourself, we challenge these assumptions and turn our excitement up for the granular and the mundane. Let's explore together how we can crack our ennui and find comfort and a sense of direction by thinking small.
In Thinking Small we explore 1) clues that thinking small is good leadership "move;" 2) the practice of paying attention (without judgement); 3) a Louise Glück poem to inspire us all to look closer.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/think-small/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
A plan is like a treasure map. A visual representation of how you can get from where you are today to where you dream about being in the future. But can we create a realistic path? How can we plan in the wild and unpredictable times we lead in? And is it even worth it? Let's discuss together in this Design Yourself episode all about making a plan.
In Making A Plan we explore: 1) The importance of an adaptive mindset; 2) The top 2 markers of an effective plan (believability and sparking action); 3) Discerning when it's time to adapt from the plan 4) Building momentum toward your end goal - even as things shape shift along the way.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/making-a-plan/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
"Tell me what you eat and I will tell you who you are." This wisdom comes to us from a French gastronome writing in 1825. The message stands up. Science shows us that what we consume impacts way more than numbers on a scale.Our moods, emotions, physical health, and mental well-being all connect back to what we eat and drink. What kind of eating will steward your professional and personal ambitions? Let's explore together in this Design Yourself episode on Clean Eating Reflections.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/clean-eating-reflections/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Our biggest aspirations are realized less like a tsumami crashing down on the shore and more like a toddler making their way down the block. We take one small, shakey step and then another. With commitment and focus, we move steadily to a new place. What tweaks could radically improve the way we live, work and lead? What victories are just beneath our awareness waiting to be uncovered? Let's explore in this episode of Design Yourself on Celebrating Small Wins.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/celebrating-small-wins/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
To lead a well-designed life does not mean things are never hard. How we act in the face of an obstacle says a lot about our values and integrity.
What's your move when the going gets tough? Do you walk away? Do you tighten your grip and attempt to control? Do you point fingers and look for an external source to lay blame? Or maybe you tap into your ability to keep moving in spite of the difficulty or opposition you face? We explore these questions and more in today's episode on persistence.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/persistence/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Our values show up everywhere - in how we make decisions, in the charges on our bank statements, in the way we spend our time, and in the company we keep. Get curious about how your priorities are revealed through your everyday habits.
What guides us in our work and lives? How do we discern and clarify what matters? And how do our values interact with others? We explore these questions and more in Defining Your Personal Values.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/defining-your-personal-values/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Imagine the dreamiest result you could possibly achieve happens. (Pretty good, right?) What would need to take place to bring this about? One thing is certain: You cannot get there on your own. What makes for effective working relationships? What are the conditions that steward us to powerful teamwork? And how does accountability fit in? We explore these questions in this episode focused on partnering and accountability.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/partnering-and-mutual-accountability/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Sometimes doing nothing is a valid, productive choice. Holding steady gives us space to seek more information, build up our energy reserve, and let a more ease-filled path reveal itself. Consider a place where you feel stuck. What's the harm in waiting to act? What's even the opportunity? We reflect on these questions and more in this episode highlighting the power of wait and see.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/power-of-wait-and-see/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
To realize our big, bold visions, we need support. Asking for help can offer us so much - from bringing ease to our daily rhythms and routines to getting resources in crisis to deepening our connection to our community. What is your relationship to asking others to help you out? What are the mindsets and habits at play for you? We explore these questions and more as we build up our muscle memory on how to ask for help.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/asking-for-help/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
We choose how to shape and give meaning to our lives. It seems simple enough. Make a choice each and every day to align with what matters. But it is not always that easy. How do you balance the short and the long-term priorities? How do you shift long-held routines that involve other people? We get into these questions and more as we discuss reimagining routines.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/reimagining-routines/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Being able to redirect your path is a unique skill. Often we summon so much energy to set a direction in the first place that it can feel particularly hard to pivot. The more momentum we have behind us, the more force we need to bring with us to create a change. But that force doesn't have to come with a bang. We can spark transformation through deep attention to what's true right now - through presencing.
In this episode of Design Yourself, we begin by creating a shared understanding of what it means to presence. We expand our discussion by exploring three simple ways to practice this way of being. Finally, we close things out by investigating how presencing showed up in a backpacking adventure in the wilds of the Adirondack mountains.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/presence-and-pivot/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Every moment offers us a new choice. Will we be guided by the momentum of what has been or carve a new path forward? In this episode Sharon discusses five tips for howto choose your own adventure and highlights what this guidance looks like in practice as she shares an adventure unfolding in her life right now.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/choose-your-own-adventure/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Our working partnerships define how we move through our professional and personal lives. The movement can be heavy with mistrust, judgment, and frustration. It can also be ease-filled, characterized by aligned expectations, clear communication, and mutual accountability. Achieving goals rarely happens in isolation, and the division of labor is rarely 50-50.
In this episode, we reflect together on the critical working relationships in your life and how you can bring more ease and impact to the way you work together.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/sharing-the-workload/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Summer is a season of rapid growth - in our gardens, our home lives, and at work. What is your relationship to this season? What transformation might you like to spark in the weeks ahead? Join Sharon as she shares five prompts and personal reflections inspired by Summer.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/bottling-up-summer
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Fashion is a creative playground. Every new day offers a chance to express yourself. How has your style evolved? What are opportunities to honor who you are and the cultures where you show up?
Join us in this episode of Design Yourself to reflect on these questions together.
"Fashion you can buy, but style you possess. The key to style is learning who you are, which takes years. There's no how-to road map to style. It's about self expression and, above all, attitude." – Iris Apfel
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/wear-who-you-are/
To listen to Sharon on the Wear Who You Are podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-to-lead-dress-with-vision/id1676153756?i=1000618593356
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Wisdom surrounds us. One of the most profound teachers is the natural world. We can learn strength and power from the wind, resilience from seeds, and adaptive leadership from our shape-shifting landscapes.
In this episode of Design Yourself, we explore six lessons we can take in from our own backyards as we talk about delighting in small wins and other lessons from the garden.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/delight-in-small-wins-and-other-lessons-from-the-garden/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Our time on this planet is absurdly brief. Our gifts and perspectives are uniquely our own. Being intentional about where we gift our talents and attention is critical to leading a life of intention.
As we step into the second half of 2023, it is a natural moment to check in and take stock on how we are doing - and also a chance to reset our intentions and focus. Join Sharon as she reflects on five questions to prompt your best thinking on how things are going and what shifts you might like to call in as you step into the second half of the year.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/reset-and-focus-reflecting-on-your-goals-midway-through-the-year/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Translating what we think and feel on the inside to the outside world isn't always easy. It requires us to discern our point of view and find the words and voice to share them with authenticity. It also asks us to consider the people and environments where we are communicating that message. What do I want to say? And how can I draw that out of myself? In this episode of Design Yourself, we explore how to find your message by writing it down.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/finding-your-mes…writing-a-script/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
News flash: You are doing a great job. So why not celebrate it? In this episode, get a sneak peek into the difference between adaptive and maladaptive perfectionism, learn why celebration prevents burnout and set you up to start planning your own Trying Party. (Yeah, it's a thing.) So here's to know what matters and bravely taking small steps each day to move towards being the fullest expression of your unique gifts and dreams. Here's to trying.
Links and Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/throw-yourself-a-trying-party/
We spend about 1/3 of our waking hours at work. And yet many of us don't know how to navigate our careers. While we can allow our professional lives to be molded by the people and environmental circumstances around us, there is a cost. In today's episode we look at how to support ourselves and those around us in building meaningful career paths.
Links & Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/building-a-meaningful-career-path/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Women continue to struggle. Same with our kids. The height of the global health crisis may be behind us, but not its impacts. Families around the world are struggling financially; children are facing increased poverty and anxiety; women and leaving their professional roles at a higher rate than any other demographic.
What norms do we need to disrupt? How can we bring more equity to the way we support ourselves and others? What's at stake if we don't? These are questions that we explore in this episode on Mom Guilt.
Links & Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/living-a-creative-life/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
It can be a gift to return to a place or experience that holds special memories. It offers a chance to reconnect and reevaluate. Join Sharon in this episode on a trip down memory lane as she shares what stood out to her at her 20 year colleage reuion and invite you to reflect on and connect to our own moments of nostalgia.
Links & Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/living-a-creative-life/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
We live our lives, one choice at a time. That choice can be conscious, of our own making. And it can be unconscious, left up to the whims of the momentum that swirls around us . What do you wish to express in your own life? What are the brushstrokes and compositions that make your life a work of art? That's what we get into in today's episode on living a creative life.
Links & Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/living-a-creative-life/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
What you do is not who you are. But left unchecked and unconsidered, our roles become part of our identity. In this way, the roles we play create pathways for what we see as possible - or not possible.
In this episode, Sharon talks about the impact that roles and identity have on professionals and human beings considering making a change. She also discusses her challenges of answering the question, "Are you an artist?" Finally, she shares a set of reflection questions and invites you to consider the roles you play and how that's working.
Links & Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/ask-for-what-you-want/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
How many times have you shrunk behind the weight of your desire and said nothing? A dream that sits only in the quiet of your own heart is just that - a dream. But a vision communicated with curious confidence is something you can move with - something that can come to life.
In this episode, Sharon invites listeners to ask for what they want and challenges them to get curious about when and how. She then walks through 5 moves to guide you as you give voice to wishes and shares how one client put it all together and did just that.
Links & Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/ask-for-what-you-want/
To connect on Linked In:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
To connect on Instagram:
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
We are living through unprecedented times. Words like pandemic, recessions, layoffs, hybrid work, and more are part of our everyday professional vernacular. And that's to say nothing of ongoing systemic issues from which there are many to choose. As a result, anxiety has become a necessary part of workplace conversations. What do I do when anxiety strikes - for myself or for a colleague? How can I get out of an anxiety spin cycle and into aligned and inspired actions?
Links & Resources:
For show notes visit:
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/growing-capacity/
To connect on Linked In and Instagram:
@Sharon Lipovsky
@Point Road Studios
@pointroadstudios
Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify
Oh the things we carry. Our capacity is precious resource and must be treated with care and attention. And to do this, we have to have an honest assessment on what our capacity actually is. This episode is all about deepening our awareness on how to assess our capacity. We gain new perspective as we explore the interplay between capacity and scale, capability, attention and discernment. And we reflect together on 6 simple questions to cozy up to the truth of your own capacity right now.
For show notes visit: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/assessing-capacity
It is easy to get distracted by what we can see. Or what we want others to see. But what is visible is a small fraction of what is there. What happens on the inside, out of sight, is a tremendous source of wisdom and guidance for each of us. How can we connect to our interior selves? What clues might we find at the surface to help us drop in and see with new eyes? In this episode, we deepen our awareness of what's happening for each of us under the surface.
For show notes visit: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/under-the-surface/
It is easy to get caught up chasing dreams. Yes, I am an advocate for daring to imagine what you really want and going after it; however, it is equally important to remember that the end goals and outcomes achieved aren’t the only point.
The experience that we have on our way to a particular destination gives us a strong indication of how we will feel when we arrive. Life is not about rushing and pushing ahead to the goal; it is about the practice of setting a vision, leading with intention and acting on purpose. Practice over achievement.
In this week’s podcast, we draw upon the wisdom of Ann Patchett and her 2021 New Yorker piece on How to Practice, discuss the mindset freedoms available to us when we practice, and reflect together on a few questions to bolster a practice of our own.
For show notes: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/practice-over-achievement/
We create our paths through every step we take. Yes plans and visions can bolster - even accelerate - our paths forward. But the actual road taken can only be seen in the review mirror. Because we forge our paths as we go. In each decision we make, each choice we own, each step we take. Thispodcast lays out 5 habits to nurture as you take the next step.
Spring is here and with it an invitation. We have made it through the cold, dark, fallow period. And it’s time now to wake up. To move and stretch and create focus. What do we wish to cultivate this season? What do we hope to grow? And how do we do so with intention? That’s what we discuss in today’s episode on Planting Seeds.
"My seeds are afraid to grow?" asked Toad.
"Of course," said Frog. "Leave them alone for a few days. Let the sun shine on them, let the rain fall on them. Soon your seeds will start to grow."
-Arnold Lobell, "The Garden" from Frog and Toad Together
Being able to move with your vision is pure magic. To do it, requires not just that we are able to take aligned and vision-forward actions; it also requires that we can see and delineate the connection between what we want and what we are doing. It's easy to feel stuck on a hamster wheel if we are missing the big picture. And it's just as easy to feel ungrounded and stuck if we know what we want, but don't know how to take action towards that thing. In today's podcast we share a framework that helps us break down the movement from vision to action. Along the way we offer techniques and mindsets on how to move with ease as you lift your attention up to the big picture and drop down to tactics that bring your vision to life.
Is raising the bar a familiar activity to you? Always pushing and expanding to do more, bigger, better, faster? Me too. While there is a time and a place for this direct growth strategy, this podcast episode shares an alternative: Lowering the stakes. The approach s not about apathy. When we clear the clutter of our expenctations, we can see our way through to smaller, more manageable approaches like technique, emotions and art.
Growth lies in the edges: Those places where we push past discomfort to metamorphosis. Our learning edges clarify the path to our potential - whether through skills, knowledge, or perspective. In this episode of Design Yourself, Sharon holds space for listeners to name and explore their learning edge. She then guides listeners through reflections about her learning edge - "let go and go fast" - and the beliefs that inspire her to continue to seek transformation. The gift of being human is that we can evolve every day into the fullest expression of our dynamic selves. We close the episode with the same question we started. What is my learning edge?
Anguish shows up when we don't know how to move. Many things can cause this stuckness. Maybe it's a limiting belief that we aren't worthy of having what we want. (Not true.) Maybe it's a lack of clarity on the direction we want to head. (Time to create a vision.) Maybe it's that we don't know how to get there. (Pause, look back, ask for help.)
In this week's episode Sharon highlights two stories of getting past stuckness and into aligned and inspired action. The first story celebrates a nonprofit leader focused on growing their leadership at work while exploring making a physical move for their family. Learn about how they developed an action plan that honored both of these visions - and what limiting belief they released along the way. The second story highlights a personal struggle that Sharon's been facing in her garden and what she's doing to get past it. We close with a bonus memory that underscores how patterns tend to repeat themselves.
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/getting-unstuck/
Wild growth is possible when we abandon our addiction to knowing and surrender to wonder and awe. A beginner mindset acknowledges that we always have more to learn and accepts that failure is just a natural part of the process. But it's tempting to sit back in old habits. And really who will know if we are accelerating toward growth or relying on what we already know to be true? So often the difference is unseen because it happens on the inside. It's a mindset and not a physical experience.
In today's episode, we talk about the power of a beginner's mindset and the power of living this mindset in your body. Sharon shares her recent adventures in skiing and past attempts at ballet as examples of both being a beginner and being a beginner in your body - where all mistakes will be visible on the outside. Finally, she challenges you to consider what new body practice you might attempt to accelerate your learning. Tap into your inner 8-year-old and just have fun - mistakes and all.
Listening is an incredibly powerful leadership and life skill. But that doesn't make it easy. There are habits and culturally accepted practices that hold us back from really listening to understand. But the good news is that you can create simple shifts to improve the quality of your listening and inspire others to do the same. This change requires radical self-awareness.
This episode highlights 12 different habits that prevent us from listening - including rehearsing, daydreaming, and placating. We invite you to see with a fresh perspective where your listening gets derailed and to make simple shifts to bring your attention back to listening to understand.
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/listening-blocks/
A powerful question will stop us in our tracks. It will demonstrate that the asker is listening deeply to us. It will deepen our own best thinking and invite us to see our situation with a fresh perspective. In a world where talking the loudest and unfailingly asserting our viewpoint is modeled in the highest levels of leadership, asking questions offers an antidote.
The quality of the conversations we have comes from the quality of the questions we ask. This is true of how we connect and speak with ourselves and how we connect and speak with others. In today's podcast, we offer practical tips for how to hone the craft of question-asking. Learn key distinctions in the types of questions you can ask and how you can put your question-asking skills to use in personal reflection, in 1-on-1 conversations, and in group facilitation.
So many things in today's world demand our attention: Targeted ads; technology programming; catchy headlines; our constantly refilling inboxes. Knowing how to eliminate distractions is a survival skill. We must learn to quiet the white noise and focus on the things that matter most.
To eliminate distractions, we must know what to pay attention to - and then relentlessly block out the disruptions that pull us away. In this episode, we explore three key questions to help us get clear on what matters most, clarify the perspective that will help move us toward growth and discover the tactics that will help keep us on our path.
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/eliminating-distractions/
Being prepared isn't just an act of readying for the future. It is a present state that means we are ready to do or deal with whatever comes our way. What a marvelous aspiration! In this way, preparedness feels connected to resilience, which allows us to bounce back from whatever circumstances we may face. But it's tricky. Preparation is something that holds both light and shadow.
Preparation offers an antidote to anxiety. When we have put in the work and are ready, we can focus on our quality of presence. Think speaking from the heart on a topic you've researched and rehearsed versus reading off half-scribbled notecards shaking in your hands. And preparation can also trigger anxiety. We may feel like we can never know, do or be enough. There is more research to do. More visuals to create. More practice needed. Think toiling away on that creative endeavor that remains forever unfinished because there is no sense of what "done" looks like.
In this week's episode we explore 3 aspects of being prepared - 1) Deepening our awareness about our own preparation tendencies; 2) Understanding the connection between preparation and our presence; 3) Learning how to honor your integrity by doing what needs doing.
Great leadership demands that we look beyond our own point of view. Taking perspective allows us to build empathy in the face of conflict, to understand the wants of our customers, to deepen our connection to our colleagues. Perspective taking can also be applied inward. We can weigh our options, see new pathways forward, tap into our vision, breathe life into our personal narratives.
Today's podcast focuses on how we can expand our capacity to take perspective. We look at four ways to hone your ability and build up your perspective taking muscles - everything from learning how to look beneath the surface, to practicing fierce empathy (even in the face of conflict), to finding fun ways to get outside of your comfort zone, to seeking opportunities to expand your consciousness. Throughout the episode learn practical tips for how to develop and apply this skill.
Ready or not, the new year is upon us. The flipping of the calendar invites us to bring fresh perspective to our day to day. What are you wishing to call in this year? And what will support you on this path? In today’s episode we talk about finding your own right-fit approach to kicking off the new year and how you can use this natural disruption to bring fresh perspective to your daily rhythms and routines.
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/starting-2023-off-right/
The new year invites us to reimagine what's possible. This is not about trying to burden ourselves unrealistic resolutions that we are doomed to abandon by February. Instead, it's about letting the rhythm of the calendar offer us a natural disruption in the momentum of our day to day.
In this week's podcast, we begin by discussing the importance of cultivate a belief that what you want is possible. And we look to Maslow's hierarchy to create distinctions on where our visioning energy is focused. Do we need to sure up our foundation (physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem)? Or are we in a moment where we can expand into self-actualization?
We then consider how to hold a space to explore what you want. We embrace the mindset that whatever we are doing, it is enough. AND we offer ways to go deeper. We then explore questions to get you thinking about what you really want for this year - a linear process to get clear on your vision. We close with a short guided meditation that invites you to go beyond your current awareness for what's possible and to invite in new perspectives. Feel free to reach out and share what emerges for you; happy visioning!
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/what-do-you-want-in-2023
Wintering is a season in the cold. It is both literal and figurative. It acknowledges those times where we move through a fallow period – cut off from the world. What is the power of wintering? How can we learn to call in the dark and the cold?
In today’s episode on wintering we discuss what wintering is, borrowing from the brilliance of writer Katherine May; we speak to the power of wintering, specifically the power of the dark, the cold, letting go and resting; and we close with reflection questions to spark your own best thinking on how to integrate this practice.
“So that is my wish for you – that you may be unburdened by the cold and dark of wintering. And more than that. That you can embrace it. Call in the dark and the cold – don’t run from it. It is through learning how to sit in this discomfort that we build our resilience for when the unexpected winters arrive.”
https://pointroadstudios.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=4750&action=edit
What have you learned this year? And how will those lessons inform your direction in the coming year? In this week's episode we explore the power of looking back and taking perspective. And then look at a few tools to help you do just that. We close with a how-to guide to writing a letter to yourself to reflect on the year. Here's to taking a few moments to look back and learn from what has unfolded for you in 2022.
https://pointroadstudios.com/wp-admin/post-new.php?post_type=podcast
Today marks the 10th anniversary of Point Road Studios! Has anyone ever told you, "No, you can't do that!" - and then you went ahead and did it anyway? That's a glimpse into why we celebrate together in this week's podcast. Join Sharon for a personal reflection and celebration meditation. Learn about the thing that Sharon is most proud of and hear some of the stories of clients she has worked with over the years. Hear her reflections on what being in business for a decade has meant for her personal life.
And then reflect on what this means for you. Today's episode closes with a Celebration Meditation (starting at 15:47) inviting you to explore chapters of your own life. What are you celebrating? What are you noticing? What can you see? And at what perspective?
Celebrate what you are most proud of. And not just the big milestones. Celebrate those tiny moments that summed together create the magical moments of your life. Because only you can know and navigate how to call forth the whispers of your heart. Listening deeply is a catalyst. Celebrating and finding joy builds momentum. Onward!
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/celebrating-10-years/
Perfectionism is a shadow driver of so many high achievers. It helps us get the job done. But at what cost?
In today's episode, we cozy up to the realities of the perfectionism paradigm. We look at its different flavors and the ways we might experience it in our own lives. What standards do we hold ourselves to? What about the people around us? Our family? Colleagues? Friends? Community members? And what about the standards that we inherit from the cultures we live in and move through?
The alternative to chasing an impossible standard is simple. We have to set our own. Rather than aligning our actions with an unachievable ideal, we have to connect our focus to what actually matters most. As defined by - you guessed it - you! Which does require that we know what we value. For this reason, we close today's podcast with an invitation to reflect - a chance to be honest with ourselves about our own relationship with perfectionism and to consider what's actually important to us. From the strength of our own convictions emerges the possibility of a whole new way of leading in and living our lives.
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/hello-there-perfectionism/
"No" is an incredibly powerful tool. It allows us to clear the clutter of our lives and to prevent unnecessary distractions. Behind every yes is a silent no - we just usually don't realize it at the time. It is through creating the negative space that we can dream up of biggest, brightest, happiest yeses. "No" really does create the space.
In today's episode we give gratitude to "no" and offer up 4 simple questions to spark your own personal reflection. Host Sharon cozies up to her own answers including how fear and control get very loud when she's saying no - and how it's worse when she is afraid of how her no will impact someone else. We also look at patterns that lead you to avoid saying no and supports to get over it and just do it anyway.
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/gratitude-for-no/
To gather - to come together with others - is a deliciously human act. But the experiences are varied. And many of us are out of practice or still adjusting to how it feels to be together. As we step into the season of gatherings, we invite you to consider what makes a gathering good for you.
Sharon reflects on some of the wildly different gatherings that she has been a part of recently - from her annual-ish Entrepreneur's Getaway to a Catskills Sister Moon Circle, from a Vision at Work Retreat to a family routine of playing Dragonwood before bed. She shares what each of these gatherings is, what she appreciates about the experience, what surprises her and more. Through cozying up to these experiences, she draws out 5 lessons that she knows will serve her in the intense season of coming together that lies ahead. And she prompts you to set your own intentions for the gatherings in your life.
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/gather-good/
The end of the year is coming. It's that season where we are stretching to the finish line professionally - while simultaneously laying the ground work for what comes next. And our personal lives tend to get fuller too. Holiday celebrations and gatherings. Traveling and hosting. It is a time when we are naturally drawn to sprinting, adding on more responsibilities and generally pushing harder.
But today's podcast challenges that way of being. It invites you to get clear on what matters most and then align your actions with these priorities. Particularly as we think about the short timeframe between now and the end of the year. We aren't talking about a laundry list of priorities either. We are talking about what 1 or 2 or maybe3 things that matter most. That's it. And that's enough.
Together, we examine why the time is right to be asking ourselves what matters most, we highlight what tends to get in our way and we offer questions to prompt your own best thinking on how to return to and honor your priorities. You are the only person who can answer what matters most to you. And when you do, you can rally the whole dang world to support you.
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/what-matters-most/
We have enormous aptitude for thinking. But not all of our thought habits serve us. Frequently a thought that served us for one season of life gets in our way in the next. "I am a hard worker" may have given you the focus and discipline to rise into your current station in life...but it is also contributing heavily to your sense of burn out.
Being able to break from your current thought habits is an incredible life and leadership skill. It requires both that you can seeyour current thoughts, discern if they are working for you and then shiftthem if they are not.
In today's episode, we explore the Thinking Path model as a tool to help you do just that. Learn from real life examples and consider for yourself what thoughts you are ready to challenge and reimagine.
The things we carry can get heavy, fast. And we have a choice. Keep holding the weight. Or set it down. To move through the world with levity, unburdened by the weight of our mental loads, requires us to both see what we are holding onto and then decide consciously what to do with it.
As our work and lives take on a new shape, we are once again revamping the rhythms and routines of how we give shape to our days. And this means we are taking on new mental loads.
In today's episode we create space to take perspective on why many of us are experiencing a sudden uptick in our mental loads. We then explore what mental loads we are holding so that we might see with fresh eyes the things we carry. We close the episode with 4 moves you can make to get relief.
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/mental-loads-getting-relief/
Your attention is a precious resource. But one that is all too often wasted or ignored. Annie Dillard speaks to this beautifully: "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing."
You can choose to focus your attention and the minutes of your life on what matters to you. Or not. The act of focus may seem small in the moment, but its ripple effects are wildly consequential.
In today's episode we draw inspiration from David Foster Wallace's commencement speech and emphasize the importance of choice when it comes to where we gift our attention. We then invite you to reflect on 4 questions to spark your own best thinking on how to put the ideas shared into practice in your own life.
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/gifting-your-attention/
Your attention is a precious resource. But one that is all too often wasted or ignored. Annie Dillard speaks to this beautifully: "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing."
You can choose to focus your attention and the minutes of your life on what matters to you. Or not. The act of focus may seem small in the moment, but its ripple effects are wildly consequential.
In today's episode we draw inspiration from David Foster Wallace's commencement speech and emphasize the importance of choice when it comes to where we gift our attention. We then invite you to reflect on 4 questions to spark your own best thinking on how to put the ideas shared into practice in your own life.
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/gifting-your-attention/
You are in charge of your reactions to the circumstances around you. As for the circumstances and people around you, not so much. Yes, you can motivate, negotiate, influence and inspire those things. But you can't control them.
But your reaction? Absolutely yours to decide. Yet we know it doesn't always feel like it's our choice. We get so triggered in the moment or so habitual in our response that we forget that we do actually have a choice.
In today's episode, we help you remember that the choice is always there. We begin by looking at why centering matters and then share tools for three ways of centering: Tactics to come back to center when you are triggered; practices to build up your centering stamina so that you are less likely to be triggered in the moment and practices for how to center with your team - whether with your colleagues around the board room table or on a zoom call or at home with your family. Enjoy!
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/finding-center/
You are in charge of your reactions to the circumstances around you. As for the circumstances and people around you, not so much. Yes, you can motivate, negotiate, influence and inspire those things. But you can't control them.
But your reaction? Absolutely yours to decide. Yet we know it doesn't always feel like it's our choice. We get so triggered in the moment or so habitual in our response that we forget that we do actually have a choice.
In today's episode, we help you remember that the choice is always there. We begin by looking at why centering matters and then share tools for three ways of centering: Tactics to come back to center when you are triggered; practices to build up your centering stamina so that you are less likely to be triggered in the moment and practices for how to center with your team - whether with your colleagues around the board room table or on a zoom call or at home with your family. Enjoy!
https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/finding-center/
We've been 2020ed and there is no turning back. That has a lot of us feeling adrift. Untethered. Unmotivated, even. We can't unsee or unexperience these last few of years. This new consciousness has sparked lots of change in the workplace. For some of us, this new awareness has spurred us into action. Perhaps seeking a new job (hello, great resignation) or reimagining the one we already had. For others of us, we have scaled way back - perhaps exiting the workforce or re-evaluating how much we are willing to give (#quietquitting). And our employers are following suit. Return to office plans are rolling out, flexible work plans are being established (or not) and generally speaking, the next normal is coming into focus. In today's episode we cozy up to how we are feeling in the face of multi-years of near-constant, collective change. At a time when so many of us feel like things are beyond our control, we explore the choices we do have that might help bring us back to center. Sneak peek: All paths forward begin with the need to paying attention to how we are feeling and cultivating an ability to be mindful of the actions we take. https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/feeling-adrift/
Get pumped! Starting October 5, the Design Yourself podcast is coming back to spark inspiration and share practical resources for how to imagine what you really want and figure out how to lead with your vision each and every day.
In this sneak peek episode, learn about the fun personal project that led Sharon to put the podcast on hold (hint: you can read about it in the NYT and Dwell!) and why she is recommitting to the Design Yourself podcast now (hint: it has a lot to do with offering support amidst the unprecedented demands and choices facing professionals today).
A is for Actualize. B is for Brainstorm. C is for create. Okay, just kidding, that's not quite the structure of today's podcast. In this week's episode, Sharon does share some key terms for breaking apart the big idea of vision. She says a more linear set of distinctions that can move us along that path by exploring terms like strategy, goals, milestones and tactics. And also shares a magical pathway to vision through the lens of words like surrender, release, be, listen and move. The idea is not that there is a single or better pathway to realizing and stepping into what you really want. Instead these are distinct ways to break down something that can feel big into simple concepts and structures. This episode closes with some questions for you to consider as you wend your way down your own visionary path.
The podcast is back! Listen to Sharon read Frank Bidart poems, share what she's been up to over the last 4 months and talk about the power of not forcing things. She discusses how being still can be uncomfortable and yet why that's important. She shares how to drop in and listen to the voice within you (and not just the mental chatter) and lead and act from that space of wisdom. And finally, when you are just itching to sprint to action even if it doesn't feel right, she reminds you to just breathe. And see if you can't tilt into a deeper sense of presence over action.
Taking time out brings about mixed emotions for a lot of us. We know we'd like to, but how to balance what needs doing with the desire for taking a break. We've talked in the past on this podcast about the importance of taking breaks and how they can be fun. But what about when we don't choose the pause? What about when it feels like it is out of our control? That's just what we dig into this week. Inspired by an extended power outage on the home front, Sharon discusses key distinctions about the kinds of pauses we take, recent lessons she has learned and some questions to prompt reflection about your own relationship to the concept of pause. From the disruptive nature of stopping to how we react differently to short, medium and long-term breaks, prepare to see with new eyes the power of pause.
This week's episode shines a light on the important role that our stories play in our lives and works. Not just as a reminder of what has been, but as a signal for what's coming next. To step into what we really want, we have to own our stories. This podcast will help you along this path. Sharon begins the episode with some personal updates, which include east coast spring break adventures, the kick off of building her dream home and how she missed three Thursdays of hitting publish on the podcast. She shares how her own story about being a failure if she missed publishing the podcast weekly was wrestling with her story that there is a way to do the podcast in her own way, with ease. She then shares how the podcast schedule is evolving. The episode builds from Sharon's own stories to reflections and actionable tips for both how to see the stories you tell and how to create shifts in your stories.
"It's not just about changing your stories. It's about choosing them." - Sharon Lipovsky
Ideas Shared How To See Your Stories * Name What You See * Slow Down * Be Still * Drop In
How to Create Story Shifts * Allow Discomfort * Be Kind * Challenge Your Assumptions * Get Help * Go At Your Own Pace
Links and Resources * The Line Hotel (DC) * Sister City Hotel (NYC) * This podcast shares a bit of Sharon's move to upstate NY from DC
Raindrops on roses / And whiskers on kittens / Bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens / Brown paper packages tied up with strings / These are a few of my favorite things...or so the song goes. This week Sharon is inspired by the feeling of Spring in the air and wants to share a personal update about how things are going at this very transitional and transformational moment in her life. She shares a behind the scenes look at what's happening with her home and her work and how her intention setting process is evolving this year and this season. This is a great episode for anyone who's been wondering what exactly Sharon's been up to in her cottage in the woods. It's also excellent for those of you looking for some reflection and inspiration as you contemplate or move through a transition of your own.
Ideas Shared * Sharon's monthly intention setting from 2018 has been shifting to be more seasonal. * Simplicity continues to be the focus in 2019. In the transition from the winter focus on clearing to something new that's opening up. * Sharon is getting ready to break ground on her new home! She shares what the process is like. * She also talked about the difference between her personal vision and her professional vision - and how the two have been interacting together over the last 7 years.
Reflection Questions Re: Simplicity * What matters most? * How can I bring ease into my actions? * Is there a simpler way? * How do I embrace less?
Links and Resources * Design Yourself episode 105 on Lessons Learned in the Home Building Process * The amazing design partner she has had on her Catskills home is the wonderful Sanabria and Co * Here are the podcasts on each monthly theme in 2018: * January – Rituals * February – Focus * March – Center * April – Magic * May – Vision * June – Truth * July – Trust * August – Move * September – Listen * October – Care * November – Savor * December – Slow
Meet Bill Goulding in this week's episode. He's finishing up his PhD at MIT's Sloan School of Management. His research interests include Empirical Asset Pricing, Financial Intermediation, and Market Microstructure. If that sounds confusing to you, don't worry, we break down his deep financial expertise into human terms and also discuss his own unexpected path to his nearly finished PhD. We talk about the stresses and benefits of professional development through higher education and Bill's own journey. Bill is insightful, open and funny and makes complex topics accessible. This is a great episode for anyone curious about finance, economics and the impact of both on your average human being. It's also lovely for anyone whose ever gone through or thought about pursuing a PhD.
When we our energized, it's apparent in the way we lead, act, and feel. This week's episode offers up ideas for how play with and grow your energy - and makes the case for why prioritizing how you feel is critical our role as leaders. We discuss how your energy is impacted by your priorities and values, your emotions, and the health (or lack thereof) of your body. We talk about how to quiet your mind when busyness and stress surges. And we close with a discussion of how critical it is to write your own rules for how you structure your time. This is a great episode for anyone teetering on the edge of burnout (or managing/supporting someone else in this position). It's also great for anyone looking to summon the courage (and energy!) to make a change.
In taking care of your energy, you are taking care of not just yourself, but all the people around you too. Take good care!
What money mindsets or limiting beliefs are getting in the way of what you really want? That's what we are cracking open in this week's episode. Sharon shares how to pull apart our money mindsets and simple ways we can all make small shifts about our approach to money today. Explore together the difference between "bad scary" when it comes to money (e.g. spending beyond your means) and "good scary" (e.g. changing your spending habits to align with your values). Investigate 6 money mindsets that could be getting in your way and then learn a practical process to help you move past these roadblocks.
Ideas Shared There is Good Scary and Bad Scary when it comes to money * Bad scary are triggers for true concern; the modern day saber tooth tigers showing up on your living room. * Good scary are ways that you are really aligning with what you want, but maybe feeling nervous about the change it prompts.
Money Mindsets that Get In Our Way * "I'm not good with money." * "People with money are bad." * "Money will change me." * "I'm not worth it." * "I don't have enough experience yet." * "Money isn't important."
4 Simple Ways to Change Your Hijacks 1. Practice Radical Self Awareness 2. Determine if what you see is working or holding you back 3. Clear out the clutter 4. Amplify what's good
The idea of doing something on purpose carries with it a feeling of positive authority. I've chosen it. I've selected this option. It's mine. But how do you actually figure out what your purpose is? That answer is often elusive. In this week's episode, Sharon offers perspective and a framework to help you navigate your own path forward. On purpose. Learn how to figure out what matters most to you and a simple way to make thoughtful decisions to align with your values. This is a great episode for anyone trying to figure out how to move through the world with a feeling of, "yes, I chose this."
"Here's my perspective. Your reason for existing will likely shapeshift over time. That's okay."
Ideas Shared 5 Steps to Clarify Your Purpose 1. Check In With Your Current Awareness 2. Notice What Others Want Your Purpose to Be 3. Observe How Your Actions Indicate What's Important (or not) 4. Let Go of Unnecessary 5. Move with Your Purpose
Radical self awareness is worth chasing. It is through expanding what we see that we expand our sense of what's possible. In today's episode, Sharon shares a simple and powerful practice to help you do just that: be the observer of your actions. Gain clarity on how to step back from being in the action to seeing yourself in the doing. Learn how to notice patterns and expand your perspective on you in action. And finally get some tools to help you interpret the data you are collecting. This is a great episode for anyone who has been feeling like they need to grow in their leadership capacity, but are unsure about how to make a change. It's also great for anyone who is curious about pushing their own boundaries on what's possible. Enjoy!
Ideas Shared How to Be The Observer of Your Actions Stop and Step Back (See More) * Step above the fray * Disrupt your habits * Partner with an accountability partner * Breathe and other simple pauses
Notice Patterns and Insights (See Deeply) * Pace * Story * Questions vs. Statements * What kinds of questions * Body Alignment * Emotions
Interpret the Data (Gain Insights and Choices) * What meaning do you make of what you see? * What feels aligned? * What feels misaligned? * What will you choose based on this new perspective?
Happy Valentine's Day! And welcome to Design Yourself's new release day, Thursday! (If you are wondering why we moved from Mondays to Thursdays, go check out last week's episode where I dish on this shift.)
This week's episode talks about two seemingly distinct topics: love and leadership. How many times have you considered the role of love at work? For many of us the topic is taboo. In today's episode, Sharon talks about the importance of leading with love. She shares vignettes of how she has seen leaders and teams transform with this approach and offers four key actions on how you can lead with love. She closes things out with a short meditation to get you in the practice of growing and embodying love. Enjoy!
Ideas Shared 4 Actions to Lead with Love 1. Radical Self Awareness - Start by noticing what emotion shows up when you lead. Are you calm or anxious? Delighted or frustrated? Angry or sad? Simply notice without judgement what emotion/s show up when you lead. 2. Set an Intention - Whether love is already present or not when you lead, set an intention to lead with love. Simply invite in the potential to bring love into the mix. 3. Embody Love - Love is not just something we say or do. Love can show up in the way we are. We can embody that feeling of love in how we stand, walk, and gesture. Practice physically holding love. 4. Grow Love - It's amazing how much we can grow or intensify the feeling of love, simply by paying attention to it.
Resources and Links * Learn more about Sharon Salzburg
We've talked on the podcast many times before about story - specifically that we are all writing our own stories every single day, usually unconsciously. The stories we tell impact how we lead at work and at home. Today we are going to zoom in on a particular story we tell that often massively influences our willingness to take risks, value our worth and grow our businesses or bank accounts - yes, my friends, we are talking about our Money Stories. In today's episode Sharon discusses the impact that our money stories have on us and offers a series of reflection questions to empower you to see the story you are currently telling, adapt what's not working and make sure your Money Story is working for you.
This week’s episode is a little like grabbing coffee with an old friend. Sharon shares her word of the year – simplify! – and all the ways she’s holding this theme. How can she simplify her building/renovation project upstate? How can she simplify and slow down life at home? How can she help her clients simplify their approach to leadership? How can she simplify her own approach to scaling Point Road Studios. She also talks about why she stopped setting annual resolutions or intentions or words of the year in the past and why she felt called back to this practice in 2019. You’ll also learn about how her Design Myself Experiment in 2018 has turned into a monthly intention setting practice. This is a great episode for anyone looking for simple structures to bring more joy and intention into the way you lead your life. It’s also a good one for anyone wondering what Sharon’s been up to lately. Enjoy!
As of publishing this episode, the US partial government shutdown is into its fifth week. If you or someone you know is expectedly out of work, this episode for you. While the inspiration for the 4 tips shared are the many individuals who are effected by the shutdown, these are lessons gleaned from coaching many individuals through various interruptions from work-as-planned. Sometimes the interruption is undesired, like a layoff or a furlough. Other times the interruption was sought after, like a sabbatical or a pause between jobs. No matter how you landed in a space without work, this episode walks you through 4 ideas for how to shape your time off.
In 2018, Sharon conducted a little experiment - Design Myself. The Design Yourself method that she'd honed through personal reflection and lessons learned through her executive coaching work had taught her how to support individuals and organizations to get really clear on what they want and then move towards making that vision come to life. She'd podcasted for nearly 100 episodes on the topic to boot. But it had been awhile since she went inward and really asked herself those same questions. Thus Design Myself was born. She took a simple approach with big, BIG results. Tune in to today's episode to hear what Sharon learned and to consider what might serve you as you move towards your own dream, wishes and ambitions.
Ideas Shared 5 Top Lessons from Design Myself Experiment 1. Strike the balance for this season between structure and flexibility 2. Focus on self first and the rest will follow 3. Strengths Can Get In Our Way 4. Magic is real 5. Habits change with our assessments (e.g., beliefs, judgements, stories)
Monthly Themes In 2018 * January – Rituals * February – Focus * March – Center * April – Magic * May – Vision * June – Truth * July – Trust * August – Move * September – Listen * October – Care * November - Savor * December - Slow
Links and Resources * Details and registration for Sharon's upcoming class Building A Sustainable Six-Figure Income As A Coach
It’s the last day of 2018 and a perfect time to take stock. What has 2018 brought you and what are you really wishing for in the coming year. In this week’s episode Sharon shares common new year strategies (e.g. word of the year, intention setting, resolution making) and pairs those ideas up with whimsical and dreamy approaches to unleashing your own inner wisdom and vision. What do you really want in 2019? Let’s dive in!
December is a month filled with family traditions for so many of us. Hopefully these traditions are experiences that you enjoy and that are aligned with what matters most to you! But don’t worry if that’s not the case. For many of us our traditions carry with them a weight that can be downright burdensome. It’s what we’ve always done and therefore we keep on doing it – without really thinking about it. In this week’s episode, Sharon looks closely at family traditions. (And yes we mean family in whatever way YOU define that community of loved ones around you.) What’s working for you? What’s missing? What’s getting in your way and how can you adapt or let go? Here’s to embracing what you love about your traditions and changing what you don’t. Life holds too much delight and wonder to carry anything less.
Ideas Shared Steps to Re-energize your Family Traditions * Take stock of the traditions you are holding. What’s working? What’s missing? What’s holding you back? * Include all the important people in your traditions. How do you define family? Do you have traditions with all the important people in your life? * Embrace JOMO when it comes to traditions. What’s one thing you could let go of? What about traditions that involve doing less and being more? * Choose What to Stop, Start and Continue. What will you stop doing? What will you start doing? What will you continue doing?
Links and Resources * Juliette Fradin photography * Simply Leap’s instagram post (repost actually) defining the Joy Of Missing Out
It’s the end of the year and the holiday season is in full effect. Today Sharon shares 10 questions designed to help inspire you to move through the holidays with intention and choice. Explore your own answers and hear Sharon’s personal reflections for each of these inquiries. Learn about everything from how slowing down is shifting Sharon's approach to the holidays to why she chose to post the podcast "late" this week. Get inspired to create happy new memories and celebrate old traditions! From Sharon and the whole team at Point Road Studios, we are wishing you a peaceful and joy-filled holiday season.
Point Road Studios is the business Sharon founded back in 2012. It is a coaching and leadership development business that focuses is on helping businesses and creatives bring intention and choice into their work and lives. As Point Road celebrates it's 6th birthday this month, Sharon reflects on the key business lessons she's learned over the last year. She also offers up simple questions for your own personal reflection as you crest over important milestones fo your own. This is a great episode for anyone curious about a behind the scenes look into running a business. It's also great for anyone looking for some inspiration to learn from your own leadership experiences.
December is here! It's both inevitable and always a little surprising. This week on the podcast Sharon introduces the final theme of her 2018 Design Myself challenge, Slow. This challenge has been all about finding a way to both achieve results AND feel good at the same time. You'll learn what appeals to Sharon about a slower pace of life, leadership and general way of being (pssst - it's because it's a good counter to her natural fast moving tendencies).
Sharon discusses the connection between living slowly and leading slowly - how slow leadership, zero waste and mindfulness all intersect. You'll hear the four ways that Sharon's embracing slow in an intentional way this month and prompts for you to reflect on what pace will serve you right now - and how you will choose it. This is a great episode for anyone looking to find some balance and joy this holiday season.
What's important to you in this season?
Love the podcast? Join the conversation! Don’t miss out on this free webinar series, Design Your Work.
Ideas Shared 4 ways that Sharon is Embracing Slow * Blocking time to work out * Read More (Screen Less) * Connect with Friends * Journal
Resources and Links * Design Your Work webinar with Alx Block (and more) * Zero Waste Home - a blog, a movement, a way of living * Julia Cameron and the Artist's Way * David Allen's book Getting Things Done all about how to manage our calendars and stress
To speak with ease, authenticity and full command of your personal power and beliefs. This is what it looks like to own your voice. In this week’s podcast episode Sharon discusses how to overcome common pitfalls and step into the practice of discovering and owning your voice. From deepening your own self awareness to tapping into someone else’s perspective to clarifying what you want and more. This is a great episode for anyone who wants to speak up and out in a way that feels perfectly you.
Love the podcast? Join the conversation! Don’t miss out on this free webinar series, Design Your Work.
Ideas Shared 5 Steps to Practice Owning Your Voice 1. Start By Noticing 2. Get Another Perspective 3. Be Clear on What You Want to Say 4. Welcome in All the Feelings 5. Keep Going + Keep Growing
Resources and Links * What Do You Want Me to Say by the Dismemberment Plan * A vision meditation from episode 5 of Design Yourself
We are all writing our stories every day - but how many of us are conscious of it? I'm a hard worker. (Story.) I'm a rules follower. (Story.) It is what it is. (Story.) There is nothing stopping you. (Story.) In this week's episode Sharon shines a light on our unique roles as storytellers. She discusses the importance of getting clear on our stories so that we can let go of what's holding us back and amplify what's working. She shares questions for reflection and framing to guide you through this process. This is a great episode for anyone who is looking to clarify what matters most and feel a sense of alignment between what was, what could be and what is right now.
May you each be filled with gratitude and peace as we move into the end of year holiday season. In today’s episode, Sharon shares 10 questions to inspire you to step into the Thanksgiving season (and beyond!) in an intentional way. She also offers up her own personal reflections for each question, just as she did in the original Let Us Give Thanks episodes (episodes 22 and 70). In additional to having space for your own reflections, you will also learn about the power of repetition and sitting with one thing over an extended period of time (whether a question, a physical practice or an idea). This is a great episode for anyone who is looking to reset before the holidays, who is curious to know more about what Sharon is up to or who is game for some personal reflection.
Ideas Shared 10 Questions to Get into the Thanksgiving Spirit As you reflect upon the 2018 year, consider…
- What makes you happy?
- What have you overcome this past year?
- What are you most proud of professionally and personally?
- Consider something that has been difficult for you this year…what have you learned from this situation?
- What’s one thing that you could let go of that would bring you a greater sense of peace and gratitude?
- What are your greatest gifts?
- If you could give one gift to the world, what would you want it to be?
- If you could give one gift to yourself, what would you want it to be?
- What’s one thing that you would like to give to somebody this week?
- What are you thankful for?
Resources and Links: * Curious how Sharon answered these questions the first time around? Check out Take One and Take Two of the Let Us Give Thanks episodes
Love the podcast? Join the conversation! Don’t miss out on this free webinar series, Design Your Work.
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This week on the podcast Sharon dishes about lessons learned throughout this year’s Design Myself approach where she sets a theme each month. She also shares why she chose “savor” as the theme for November. No it’s not just because delicious Thanksgiving awaits those of us in the US at the end of this month. It’s also because she sees the benefit and power of delighting in each present moment. She shares three ways that she’s thinking about savoring this month and invites you to do the same. This is a great episode for anyone looking for support in getting centered and appreciating what’s right here right now. It’s also fun for anyone curious to hear a behind the scenes look at what Sharon is up to these days.
Ideas Shared 3 Ways to Savor the Month 1. Slow Down 2. Be Present 3. Appreciate
Resources and Links * “Mindful” by Mary Oliver * Catch up on each monthly theme for 2018: January – Rituals; February – Focus; March – Center; April – Magic; May – Vision; June – Truth; July – Trust; August – Move; September – Listen; October – Care * Klutz Book of Magic * The Layered Garden: Design Lessons for Year-Round Beauty from Brandywine Cottage * Slow Home Podcast * Insight Timer
Love the podcast? Join the conversation! Don't miss out on this free webinar series, Design Your Work.
This week’s show reflects on what it means to lead with purpose and alignment. Sharon discusses the differences between creative and reactive leadership borrowing from a favorite 360 tool (The Leadership Circle Profile). She also notices the pull to the proactive vs. reactive framing and why she prefers the creative/reactive interplay. We then get into how to tell and own your own story before moving into reflection on a) reactive tendencies to be aware of and b) reflection questions to help you amplify your own creative leadership. This a a great episode for anyone looking to lead with authenticity and impact.
Ideas Shared 5 Questions to Reflect on your Creative Leadership 1. What does my creative leadership look like? When I am at my best how am I showing up?What is my purpose? What are my values? How do I take actions aligned with my values, purpose and talents? When I'm leading with authenticity/integrity/vision, what does that look like? When I'm interacting with others in a positive, results-oriented way, what does that look like? 2. What reactive tendencies get in my way? Does imposter syndrome influence my behaviors? Do I go along to get along? Do I tightly control things because I'm afraid of things falling apart if I don't? What's the quality of my listening/engagement? How much empathy am I holding for those around me? 3. What would support me in amplifying my creative leadership? What will help me get there? What will help me radiate? What prepares me for that? What allows me to move into that with ease? 4. What is the cost of my reactive tendencies? What's lost when I react? What's the cost to myself? To others? 5. What's one thing I can do this week to support my creative leadership?
Resources and Links * The Leadership Circle * Design Yourself Storytelling episodes - Introduction, The Past, The Present, The Future * Gain more distinctions on the imposter syndrome
This week Sharon talks about the power of compassion and love - for ourselves, our colleagues and our communities. Inspired by a recent gathering of colleagues focused on compassionate coaching, Sharon shares her reflections from the day. Hear about the importance of beginning this process with yourself, ways to play with shifting the mood of your team and how love can positively shift the workplace conversations you are having. This is a great episode for anyone needing a healthy dose or positivity. It's also spot on for anyone looking to spark cultural change.
This week Sharon shares why her October Design Myself theme is “Care.” You’ll hear about the importance of taking care of what needs attention, pausing for self care and how you can still scratch your Type A itch by bringing an active approach to caring. Learning about the seasonal connection Sharon attaches to this theme now that autumn is in full effect in upstate New York, the place she’s felt most stuck through her recent relocation and the reason she likes to “do care” more than be cared for. Finally she shares a simple reflection exercise to prompt your own thinking about how to bring more care into your life and work.
“A transition necessarily means you are going from one thing to another…the trick is to not get hung up on what was and really appreciate what it.”
Ideas Shared There are 3 buckets of care that Sharon explores this month…
Take Care Focus on what needs doing. For Sharon this includes, preparing her temporary quarters (cottage in the woods) for winter, clearing the dead wood on her property (and enjoying a bon fire!) and knocking off some of those lingering items on her to do list.
Self Care What would give you more energy right now? An afternoon off? Deep tissue massage?
Sharon is committed to prioritizing some self care this month!
Do Care Sharon has fun this episode reflecting on these 6 different types of questions:
- Who will I spend my time with?
- What matters now?
- Where can I find more ease?
- When will I rest?
- Why not?
- How will I prioritize?
Resources and Links * Catch up on each monthly theme for 2018: January – Rituals; February – Focus; March – Center; April – Magic; May – Vision; June – Truth; July – Trust; August – Move; September – Listen
Driving to get to the goal, pushing for results and taking action towards your objective all have pretty good track records in getting to a desired outcome. But this week host Sharon shares what some of the downsides are to always efforting your way to the finish line and how the art of allowing has challenged her belief that if you work hard, you will get good results. What happens, she ponders, if you just let things be? What happens if you take action that feels more like inspired choices and less like checking this off a never ending to do list. In this week’s episode you’ll learn about how the art of allowing has been a powerful catalyst for meaningful change in Sharon’s life and learn 5 steps you can take to enter in this practice on your own. This is a great episode for anyone who is tired of teetering on the brink of burnout or feeling stuck in moving towards something that you really want.
“Act as if what you want is what is. Let what is be.”
Ideas Shared What is the art of allowing? For us it really boils down to two key points:
- Just let what is be. Without irritation or a sense that it must change. When in doubt, talk about the present in neutral, observable facts.
- Imagine what you desire as if it is. Not with a sense of the problems with getting to this imagined state. Not with any regret about how it might not happen. Or why you are unworthy of it. Imagine it as if it is what is and bask in the joy of being there. Embrace how it is just as it should be.
5 Tips to Practice the Art of Allowing 1. Practice Radical Self Awareness 2. Cultivate a Growth Mindset 3. See the Good in What is 4. Heal Where You Are Hurt 5. Act as if What Your Want is What Is
Resources and Links * Design Myself themes shared for 2018: January – Rituals; February – Focus; March – Center; April – Magic; May – Vision; June – Truth; July – Trust; August – Move; September – Listen
September is here and we are all about the back to school vibe around here. This week Sharon invites you to create your own school of learning and shares just how you can do so. Hear about the difference between a growth and fixed-mindset and why being open to learning is key to leading a well-designed life. Explore what content, format and budget will fit your Learning Game Plan and get intentional about what you will choose to take on this year. This is a great episode for anyone itching to get back into the classroom and wondering where to start. It's also great for anyone who has felt stuck in reaching for a big idea. (Psst, changing your perspective is a great first step.)
This week Sharon introduces September's theme of Listen. She shares updates on her move upstate, how the design myself approach to 2018 has facilitated this transition and why Listen best captures what is serving her this month. She also shares 5 reflection questions to prompt you to listen to your own inner wisdom and her own honest and off-the-cuff responses to these questions. This is a great episode for anyone looking to tap into your intuition and see what magic can be found on the other side of white noise.
Ideas Shared Reflection Questions 1. What matters most to you? 2. What does this place tell you? 3. What whisper is getting louder? 4. What do you hear when it’s quiet? 5. If you could magic yourself into the thing you most want, what would that look like? feel like? sound like? be different?
Resources and Links * Garden Awakening by Mary Reynolds * Mary Reynolds interview on Being Boss Podcast
Sharon is joined by two of her business besties this week on the podcast. Catherine Orr and Elena Rue are known for creating documentary videos that move people. They've been on the podcast before sharing about their craft, but this week they are dishing on what it's like to grow their business. They've been making bold moves recently (expanding their team, taking on bigger project) inspired their imminent maternity leaves. Yes, they are both pregnant! These co-founders will both be welcoming their second children into the world within a month of each other. They share openly about where they see a clear path forward and where they still struggle. And they also dish on how they are finally taking the very advice that they've been giving their clients for years. This is a great episode for anyone whose wondering how to take on a bigger role professionally while in the midst of a big personal transition. It's also great for anyone looking for role models in how to be committed to continuous growth - as a business owner and human being.
Have you ever felt stuck or overwhelmed from being in the middle of a transition? Sharon can relate. This week she shares why she chose "move" as her Design Myself theme this month and how that involves not just physically moving to upstate New York this month, but also getting off the couch and taking a lot of walks. She reflects on lessons learned from being 8 months in on setting monthly intentions/themes to design herself and in particular what additional lessons she's learned about last month's theme of "trust." In particular, she keeps returning to the question of what the unspoken costs are of NOT trusting. You will hear all about where Sharon is in the process of moving to the Catskills and three reflection questions for listeners to get moving through their own transitions. Oh yeah, and there's the story about the bear...
Hooray! The podcast hits triple digits with episode 100! Sharon is joined by her husband and Design Yourself audio engineer Colin to reflect on 100 episodes and 11 years of marriage. You'll hear about everything from why their 17 month old Iggy makes a guest appearance on today's show, to what Colin and Sharon have learned as individuals and a couple over the last 2+ years and 100 episodes, to what's next for the podcast. (Psst...at least 100 more episodes!) Plus Colin and Sharon record like they've never done before. (Literally while driving.) Please pop some bubbly and join us in indulging in this week's celebratory show!
An ability to manage each detail beautifully, a drive to get things finished on time, a desire to put forth your best effort are all great gifts - with a shadow side. Perfectionism, overdrive and an expectation that you can all try a little harder can leave us feeling like we are just never finished. It could be better or faster or simply more. If any of these sentiments sound familiar than this week’s episode is for you. Hear as Sharon describes the tension between settling and settling down and how you can both hold a big vision and not be a slave to it. She describes 4 ways to tap into a sense of joy and calm, even when you are in the midst of unfolding what you really want - and not quite achieving it. For anyone whose ever felt frustrated or overwhelmed by a transition or the sheer volume of time is can take to realize a big dream, this episode was created for you.
“There is no try, there is only choose or commit”
Designing yourself is really about stepping into the life that you really want. But sometimes even though we have figured out what we really want and even how to make it make it happen, we are stuck. Worrying about what others will think, overwhelm about how we can make ends meet, the whirlwind of change and a whole lot of other things that boil down to Fear keep us in place. For anyone who has ever dreamed of leaping into something fantastic, wild and dreamy, this week’s episode is for you. Sharon is fresh from her own cliff leap (selling her beautiful home to prepare to make a move from her lovely hometown in DC to the woods in the Catskill mountains of upstate New York) and she wants to empower you to do the same. She says 6 actions you can take to prepare for your own leap. Whether you are looking for a small baby step towards a change you really desire or are ready to dynamite your life, this week’s episode will give the clear steps to answer, “But how?”
Ideas Shared How to Make the Leap (into something you really want) 1. Create a Vision 2. See the Details 3. Be in Conversation with your Parter/s 4. Take Action Tied to Present Moment 5. Build a Community of Support 6. Jump When You Are Ready
Resources and Links * Photographer Juliette Fradin * Sue McLeod Coaching * Design Yourself Episode 5, A Vision Meditation * Design Yourself Episode 21, Living in the Question
Goodbyes can be really hard. Sometimes because the situation is so emotionally fraught - a job you feel trapped in; a toxic relationship; a commitment that has you moving toward burn out. Sometimes because the situation is really wonderful - you are in love but have a plane to catch; your partner's fantastic new promotion means a cross country move; your dreams that once led you here are now leading you elsewhere. That last one is the position Sharon finds herself contemplating this week. After 4 years back in the neighborhood she called home for all her childhood, she is moving on. As she and her family prepare to finalize the sale of her home and move north, she shares 3 lessons about moving on regardless of what your starting point is. This episode is great for anyone contemplating or in the midst of a big life transition or curious to know what's keeping Sharon going as she wraps up life in DC and prepares for a family adventure in upstate New York.
Ideas Shared 3 Lessons for Moving On 1. Complement Your Natural Strengths 2. Be Clear on What Matters Most 3. Take Good Care
Resources and Links * Rocket Fuel * Design Yourself 78 on Letting Go * Design Yourself 94 on Choiceful
Drum roll please. The Design Myself theme for July is....Trust. We are officially over half way through 2018 (!) and in this week's episode Sharon reflects on what she has noticed and learned through her month-by-month commitment to a particular theme. Hear how April's theme of Magic catapulted her onto a new life path and how February's theme of Focus triggered some old habits that weren't really working for her. Sharon shares what's been really working and also places where she notices she is still getting stuck. All the while she invites you to reflect on your own 2018. Are you moving toward a year that delights you? On track to celebrate that big milestone that awaits you at year end? Sharon then goes deeper on July's theme of Trust. She shares the three "reminders" that help her move through transitions in a way that cultivates trust. She then shares the four actions that she takes to promote trust - with herself and others. This episode is great for anyone who is curious about how to make and move through big life/work leaps in a way that builds the kind of trust necessary to come through the transition whole. It's also awesome for anyone who has been tracking with Sharon's own personal journey who is curious to hear some honest reflection on how it's all coming together.
Ideas Shared 3 Supports for Moving Through Transition * Remember the mantra “I choose this” * Focus on your energy * Be vulnerable
4 Way to Build Trust with Yourself and Others * Reflect on the question “What’s true now?” * Be open and honest about how you feel * Surround yourself with people who support you * Be willing to adapt
Resources and Links * Praise by Robert Hass * The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben
It’s officially summertime, which means sunshine, pool parties and no excuses on taking time for yourself! That’s why this week, Sharon is giving you a lo-fi and high-impact way to create a space for yourself to bring inspiration, purpose and reflection together. Learn about why Sharon still loves the term retreat (when others worry it feels like they are hiding out with their heads in the sand), what questions to ask yourself to put a structure in place to design your own retreat, and Sharon’s top tips for making your retreat experience just what you are wishing for - and then some. Plus learn about why Sharon might be needing her own retreat experience in the coming months (hint: packing for the Hudson Valley is in full effect!). Whether you are looking for a half-day of guided self-reflection or designing your own sabbatical, this week's episode is for you!
Ideas Shared Steps to Design Your Own Retreat As you set out to design your own retreat, ask yourself these questions:
1) What is the purpose of your retreat? What do you want to get out of the retreat experience? If the experience is delightfully impactful, what will be different at the end of it?
2) Who will be on the retreat? Is this is a retreat you want to do solo? With friends? Guided?
3) Where will the retreat take place? In the city or country? Out of town or at home? In a hotel or an Airbnb?
4) When will the retreat take place? What timing works best? What season matches the retreat purpose?
5) What design best aligns to your purpose? What content is meaningful? What structure serves you?
Tips for Designing Your Own Retreat * Begin with the end in mind * Trust that you have the perfect amount of time * Set boundaries - a timer, ask for breaks, go somewhere without wifi or cell service * Ask simple questions * Give yourself time to reflect, move and explore * Write things down * Celebrate!
Resources and Links * Books you can use to guide your retreat: 1) Sharon Lipovsky's Go Beyond activity book; 2) Adam Kurtz’s Pick Me Up; 3) Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way; 4) Co-active Coaching * Here's the blog post I wrote after the last Entrepreneur's Getaway on how to design your own retreat * A glimpse into the early Entrepreneur's Getaway retreats * Elena Rue and Catherine Orr of StoryMine taking about telling stories on Design Yourself * Aimee Rowe talking about a seizing adventure on Design Yourself
One of the things that can get in the way of leading from a place of power and intention is really feeling like we have a choice in the matter. To be choiceful is to lead from a place of power and personal accountability. It’s about seeing that you are stuck - whether in a bad situation, mindset, habit - and then choosing a new path forward. This week Sharon uses a decision she’s making as she prepares for her move to the Hudson Valley to describe the difference between leading choicefully and leading when you feel backed into a decision. She then contextualizes this example by sharing 3 common roadblocks to being choiceful as well as 6 tactics to help you on this path. Finally she offers up 5 reflection questions to bring this framing back to your own work and lives. For anyone feeling stuck or ready to amplify what’s working, this week’s episode is for you. It’s also great for anyone curious to know more about what Sharon’s up to personally as she prepares for moving upstate.
“We value what we choose. When we choose we feel strong and empowered. When we feel like we have no choice (including feeling that all the choices are bad), we feel out of control, like things are just happening to us, like the victim.”
The Philovsky Family is following a dream and moving to the Hudson Valley (NY)! Hear from Sharon about what is inspiring this move to Ulster County, how this move ties into the vision she and her husband dreamed up years ago and what new work opportunities this opens up. (Psst - you can come stay on the property in a gorgeous cottage for your own personal Design Yourself retreat!) This personal update is shared within the context of this month’s theme of Truth. Sharon shares a few simple questions to help you find your own truth and how sit quietly with the light and the dark of what you discover.
“Sometimes it’s not about what you are moving away from. It’s what you are moving towards.”
It’s one thing to see what you want, but it’s quite another thing to be able to communicate that vision to others. When we know how to say what we want, others can help support us on that path and we can more clearly direct ourselves to the future we desire. This weeks episode looks at common roadblocks to saying what you want like fear, lack of clarity, wordiness and concern for what others think. Sharon then shares ways to overcome that resistance like being direct, getting specific about what you want, being “selfish” and more. Finally you will learn how to put all of these tools together and get into the everyday practicing of saying what you want.
Ideas Shared What Gets in the Way of Saying What We Want * Too many words * Fear * Lack of clarity * Focusing on What Others Want
Overcoming Resistance * Be direct * Let go * Be specific * Focus on What YOU Want * Cultivate the emotion that will serve you * Honor the emotion that you are in
How to Say What You Want 1. Ask Your Heart, “What Do I Really Want?” 2. Quiet Your Mental Chatter 3. Write it Down 4. Say it Aloud 5. Tell A Friend
Resources and Links * Design Yourself 5 – Vision Meditation * Design Yourself 92 – Vision
Today Sharon explores the topic of asking for help. You will learn about why flexing this skill is a critical component of successful leadership and sane living, what holds us back from asking for help, and why we’ve got to push forth and ask anyway. Finally, Sharon offers 5 Rules of the Road for how to get past your own discomfort or habit of not asking for help and move into the practice of doing it anyway.
Ideas Shared Why Don’t We Ask For Help: * + We don’t know what to ask for + The “Busy-ness Cycle” + It makes us uncomfortable + No one can do it as well as me + I’m in control, thank you very much
Why We Ought To Ask Anyway: * + Our own capabilities are finite + We can’t do everything + You can leverage others’ strengths to cover your own blindspots * + You will learn something – about yourself, about your habits + Going it alone can get lonely and it’s necessarily riddled with your own limitations. You can’t see beyond you.
5 Rules of the Road for Asking for Help: * + Be clear and specific + Be open + DON’T ask at the emotional breaking point + Keep doing it + Embrace Hearing No
Resources and Links * Learn more about the Camino de Santiago– a pilgrimage walk through Spain that profoundly changed my life. (Among other things it taught me that sometimes getting to the end goal just isn’t the point.)
- Psst. If you are curious about walking the Camino yourself, here is a must read book, A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino de Santiago.
Vision, if we’re lucky, is what propels us forward. We set our sights on what we want and then choose to move in that direction. It’s rare that our visionary paths are linear but the sightline helps keep our actions aligned with our values, our choice. This month’s “Design Myself” theme is vision. You will hear about how vision fits into Sharon’s larger 2018 path, receive a few questions to prompt your own visionary reflection, learn about the connection between vision and seasonal (springtime!) living and hear about some personal updates in Sharon’s life and business. Whether you are curious to learn about some of the behind the scenes looks into this coach entrepreneur’s world or to prompt your own Design Myself path forward, this week’s episode is for you.
“It’s about not taking on too much…the thing I do want is to choose intentionally, to be choiceful. And that’s ultimately what Design Yourself is about. When you are figuring out what you want and you are making it happen and you are going after that thing that really matters to you, that’s about being in a place of choice. It really doesn’t usually matter what the thing is, it’s that you are saying, “Yes, this is what I choose” – as a human being or as an organization. You are not just letting things happen to you.
Ideas Shared * Vision is a present action; not just about the future * Spring is a perfect time for visioning. Like planting the seeds that you want to bring into being over the Summer and Fall months. * Be choiceful about your commitments. Make sure this is THE vision you REALLY WANT!
Vision Reflection Questions * What do I want? * What, if I gave it up, would I not miss at all? * What would support me in letting go of that? * What am I desiring that would light me up? * How might I manifest that thing?
Resources and Links * Sue McLeod Coaching
This week’s episode is all about the simplest of tools for getting stuff done: The To Do List. This week Sharon geeks out on the best times to tap into this tool, her favorite 4 variations on the To Do List, and 4 tactics to make sure that you leverage this resource to best effect. Here’s the basic theory, one size fit all solutions simply don’t work. But that doesn’t mean you have to begin every solution from scratch. Sharon offers these templates and strategies to arm you with some best practices to customize your own approach.
IDEAS SHARED 5 REASONS TO WRITE A TO DO LIST 1. To stop feeling overwhelmed 2. To let yourself dream up something ambitious 3. To achieve something you’ve never done before 4. To bring your big ideas into fruition 5. To get stuff done
4 TYPES OF TO DO LISTS The Comprehensive List – Whether you write it all out on pen and paper or capture it in an online tracking tool, the Comprehensive To Do List allows you to put down everything in your head in one place. Bonus: It usually lowers your stress levels in the process.
Timeline Map – What needs to get done this day/this week/this month/this quarter/this year? Your Timeline Map will tell you. This tool can be incredibly useful when planning for what you want to achieve in your work or business for the year.
Action Planning Tool – A timeline map used in Sharon’s Go Beyond visioning process. Download the Vision Action Plan here.
Index Card Strategy – To build momentum with a particular to do list, write out your to do lists on Index cards. You can use index cards (or post it notes!) to write out both 1) like tasks that you can knock out quickly, and 2) individual items that are part of a big project.
Project Lists – Lay out what needs to be achieved to take a specific project from start to finish. This is especially important for both building momentum and making sure that you really understand what it will take to make a larger project or initiative happen. Often using an online tool makes sense here.
4 TACTICS TO MAKE YOUR LISTS WORK Brain dump + transfer –First write everything out and then take that list and move each item into your regular workflow practices. Don’t just leave the big list or things will almost always fall through the cracks.
Segment your list into “like tasks” –This straightforward approach has the advantage of both breaking up the to do list into more manageable chunks and sets you up you execute similar tasks at the same time. Yay efficiency!
Use an online tool to track and communicate between team members –Basecamp, Trello, Slack, Google Docs/Sheets, Asana (et cetera!) all have their pros and cons.Here are the headlines on leveraging online tools:
- Always be tracking
- Use it before you think you need to
- With teams: Use it for ongoing work teams, not for “one offs”
- Commit to it
Make it fun
RESOURCES AND LINKS * Blog post to give you insight into Sharon’s “book problem” =) * The joy-seeking, stuff purging consultant, Marie Kondo * List writing/project management tools referenced: + Basecamp + Trello + Slack + G Suite + Asana
It feels good to step out of winter hibernation and embrace the energy of spring. This week’s podcast episode is all about shifting into a space of action to get stuff done. But not just any things - the things that matter. Sharon frames this week’s conversation around how to know that you are ready to move to action by highlighting both potential red flags and readiness signals. She then offers up her tried and true resources for shifting from being ready for action to being in the action. Her 5 Tips for How to Get Sh*t Done include everything from creating a roadmap to dropping the unnecessary distractions to cultivating boldness. This week’s episode is great for anyone who is feeling ready to dive into a new project or perhaps follow through on that idea that’s been on the back burner for long enough.
“Timidity has no place in the space of holding a purpose and taking action.”
When we are on the midst of realizing something close to our heart, money worries often show up. It might be about fear of change or a concern about being vulnerable. No matter the circumstances, when we are on the cusp of a transition money worries are a common road block. This week’s episode highlights some of the reasons the two are so linked up and then shares strategies for how to buck this unhelpful trend. You’ll hear about how you less the fear and move into inspired action. You’ll learn about why cynicism around money is getting in your way and how to grow your sense of confidence and bank account too. For anyone in the midst of a transition who is feeling stuck around money, this episode is for you. If you’ve got a dream, don’t let money stop you from running after it. There is nothing stopping you, including money.
“What would support you in taking back your power from the worry, from the fear that is present? How might you move forward? How might you cozy up to that money worry and see it for what it is.”
Ideas Shared How to Address and Replace Money Worry * Cozy up to your worry * Take inspired money action * Get clear on what’s scary but not dangerous versus what is dangerous but not scary
Connecting Money and Magical Thinking * Name without apology what you want * Let go of the cynicism around money * Build a sense of confidence and trust in yourself * Lean on your spiritual practice
Resources and Links * Design Yourself Episode 13 Money, Money, Money shares 5 ways to own your money mindset
Do you have one of those friends who you freaking love to hang out with and who kind of blows your mind when it comes to what she has created professionally? Natalie Tincher is just like that. She’s about as down to earth as they come and super impressive. Time Out Magazine named her business one of New York’s top personal shopping services. In today’s episode we learn all about Natalie’s journey from freelance copy editor to thriving entrepreneur. We discuss everything from fast fashion and personal styling tips to how love and empowerment fuel everything that Natalie does. We also learn about what some of the investments Natalie has made to scale her business including hiring her first employee and rebranding her business. This episode is a great fit for anyone who has ever wondered how to put your whole self into a thriving entrepreneurial business. It’s also a must listen for anyone curious about the power of self love and failing forward.
“I lead with my heart and love with everything in life. So I need everything I do with my clients to also feel that way.” - Natalie Tincher
Resources and Links * Time Out New York, Top Six Personal Shopping Services which highlights Buttoned Up Style (now BU Style) * The Paid Stylist * Marie Kondo’s Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up * Can you support handmade work and box stores? By Grace Bonney of Design Sponge * The website Sharon peruses for capsule wardrobe inspiration * Essentialism * AYR jeans * Aloe style of AYR jeans that Natalie was wearing during recording * Rachel Craven
Have you ever had the feeling that things just seemed to fall into place without any effort at all? The feeling that just by wishing for something that of course it would be so? April’s “Design Myself” theme is inspired by just such a feeling – the feeling of magic. In this week’s episode, Sharon shares some of her resistance to the idea of magic and the 5 spaces she’s exploring this month to play with the wild possibility of making things happen – with ease. From getting out into her own garden to vacationing in one of her favorite places to paying attention to the moon, this week’s episode offers up many opportunities for brings a little more magic into your everyday. Wand optional.
“Changing our questions can change our life. What we ask, directs where we follow. What we see determines where we question. You’ve got to shift your perspective – literally change the question – to move down a new path.”
Ideas Shared 5 Magical Explorations 1. See Something New 2. Ask New Questions 3. Be Positive + Allow For Healing 4. Pause + Look Within 5. Experiment
Resources and Links * Garden Awakening by Mary Reynolds * Being Boss interview with Mary Reynolds * Lunar Abundance by Ezzie Spencer * Design Yourself 57: Make Magic
What if I told you that you could actually increase your brain function in just 8 weeks and all you have to do is meditate? Scientific studies have shown the meditating can improve things like your memory, compassion and sense of self relevance. At the same time it can decrease your anxiety, fear and stress. In this week’s episode, Sharon shares her own journey into mindfulness and meditation and how she has come to understand these two practices. She then offers up 5 simple ways for how to bring mindfulness into your everyday and how these simple tactics lay the groundwork for more in depth meditation. If you are a meditation-curious or ready to deepen an existing practice, the week’s episode is for you.
“What is it that my awareness lacks? What am I hungry for? What diversions am I giving more attention to than my true self?”
Ideas Shared Mindfulness vs. Meditation These two terms are often used interchangeably. Here is how Sharon sees the two:
Mindfulness - The act of bringing an observer’s lens to your thoughts; quieting the mind by bringing focus to it.
Meditation - Letting go out your thoughts and tapping into your inner being and in so doing connecting to the universal oneness of all things.
5 Simple Ways to Bring Mindfulness into Your Day 1. Pay attention to your breath - Take 3 deep breaths and really allow yourself to notice the quality of each breath. 2. Hold a receiving posture - Sit or stand with your palms up, shoulders back and chest open. 3. Follow your thoughts - Sit down with both feet rooted into the ground and bring focus to your thoughts. Do not let the thoughts run the show; allow your attention to slow your thoughts down. 4. Appreciate the action you take - Bring attention to whatever you are doing. Be in the task and appreciate your ability to both do and notice what you are doing. 5. Get uncomfortable with not doing - To find stillness, we often have to move through the discomfort of not choosing the distraction.
Resources and Links * Poet Louise Glück - Her poem “Ancient Text” can be found in The Seven Ages * Oprah & Deepak’s 21-Day Meditation Experience
What are you afraid to say out loud? What places do you feel stuck? Sharon is joined by her dear friend and fellow executive coach Bethany Dufour in this week’s episode to explore these questions and more. You’ll get an honest and unfiltered look into the places where Sharon gets stuck and also get to observe a coaching conversation in action. Sharon talks about getting her chakras read, being in the middle of a transition but also feeling stuck, her fear of disappointing people and her worries about being selfish when she prioritizes herself first. You’ll hear her move towards realizations about needing to stop doing something and also her new distinctions about how she is holding the idea of letting go. This is a great episode for anyone who is curious about some of the personal questions that Sharon is working through, anyone who is curious what it is like to be coached, and anyone who is working through his or her own transition.
“That’s one of the greatest benefits of coaching – it’s the space for you to reflect deeply on questions that are simple and yet profound.” – Bethany Dufour
“I need to stop doing something. But what?” – Sharon Lipovsky
Resources and Links * Jess Lively’s podcast episode called Afraid to Tell You was a source of inspiration for me creating today’s episode * Jess Lively originally approached this topic with this blog post. * Bethany Dufour, our host extraordinaire is the founder of Maley Group and the cofounder of The Next Play * Terry Gross * Caroline Myss
Altitude Summit is a conference for creative entrepreneurs and social media influencers. It’s bright colors, fashionable attire, gorgeous location and - best of all - a fantastic community gathered to learn and grow together. Sharon attended this year for the first time and was blown away by the experience. She gets why 85% of attendees have come back more than once. In today’s episode, Sharon shares a glimpse into the experience of Alt Summit 2018 with headlines from talks that inspired her, ideas that stuck with her and the lessons she is carrying with her from this amazing experience. From What Not to Wear’s Stacy London talking about the Evolutionary Woman to Liz Forkin Bohannon bringing new insights to Design Thinking, prepare to have your socks knocked off. This is a great episode for anyone looking for some fresh perspective and inspiration or who might just be curious about what all the Alt Summit hoopla is about.
“The bigger takeaway I had was that the ideas will iterate and grow with inspiration. For me it wasn’t about having a clear understanding for the sake of getting an A on the test. It was about asking myself what small nugget would inspire in me a new way of doing. Or better yet, a new way of being.”
Ideas Shared 7 Key Takeaways from Alt Summit 2018 1. An Okay System You Use is Better than a Perfect System You Don’t Use 2. Choose inspiration over ideas 3. Be a beginner 4. Take care first 5. Keep It Simple 6. Follow Your Wicked Problem 7. The Power of the MVP
Resources and Links
- Altitude Summit
- Melissa Sanabria’s blog Pretty Little Rowhouse
- Melissa Sanabria on Design Yourself
- Stacy London
- Stacy London On Her Year of Going Broke
- OG Bloggers who ran the Work Smarter, Not Harder session were Jaime Derringer of Design Milk, Joanna Howley of Jojotastic, Kelly Beall of Design Crush
- Designing Your Life by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans
- Stacey Ferguson of Be Blogalicious
- Bethany Tran of Weft & Warp Branding
- Liz Forkin Bohannon of Sseko
This week’s episode introduces our March theme, Center. After a hard-driving February, Sharon was ready to return to her own center. If you’ve ever found yourself working hard to achieve a goal that your own sense of wellbeing takes a backseat, perhaps you can relate. Learn how the Altitude Summit, a conference for creatives in Palm Springs, helped kickstart Sharon’s own centering practice and 5 simple ways that you can find your own center every day. Sharon shares her favorite meditations tools, talks about the power of being thankful and tipping generously, asks herself (and you!) what wicked problem are we trying to solve and more. This is a great episode for anyone wanting to listen to tap into your inner wisdom or regain a sense of wellbeing. “The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.” Mark Twain For show notes visit www.pointroadstudios.com/podcast
Things don’t have to be complicated. Ease is possible. And this week’s episode embraces this possibility. Sharon shares why more is available to us when we scale our potential through systems for support – more impact, more joy, more peace, more! She also discusses her favorite tools for bringing beauty and ease into her life and her business. From productivity management to video chat platforms to delegating to a virtual assistant, you will hear about tons of resources that you may choose to add to your own tool belt. Plus learn about why the most important “resources” are the real live human beings who make up Sharon’s tribe, partners at work and creative community. This week’s episode is a great prompt for anyone who is looking to grow and scale at home or work. It’s also a great fit for anyone who values efficiency and the power of getting things done.
Plus Sharon kicks off this week’s episode with a personal update on how her “focus on Focus” has gone this month. If you’ve been wondering what she’s been up to, this is a great lens into her world.
“You can’t jump to a system without knowing what’s needed. When, and only when, you get clear on what’s needed, you can move into creating a system to get that support with ease.”
Ideas Shared * Lessons learned from February’s theme of Focus * Why having systems around your support makes such a huge impact * What some of Sharon’s favorite systems are
Sharon’s Systems for Support People Who Matter * My Tribe (Family, Friends, Soulmates) – The people who know you best and love you just as you are. Vulnerability is always welcome in this circle. * Partners in Work (Business Besties, Mentors, Trusted Clients) – The people who you can call about work and ask for help, to brainstorm ways to improve, for growth – in your bottom line and also in your own humanness. * Creative Community – The people and places that inspire you to think differently.
Tools and Resources Sharon’s Go To Tools for Life and Business
- Zoom
- Virtual Assistant (like the kind you can hire through Zirtual)
- Asana
- G Suite
- Podcasts – Here are the ones on Sharon currently tunes into: Young House Love Has A Podcast, Being Boss, The Lively Show, HBR Women at Work, How I Built This, A Well-Designed Business
Other Business Admin Tools
- Lastpass
- Mailchimp
- Dropbox
- Soundcloud
- Wave apps
- Hootesuite
Resources and Links * Fortune article on “How Asking for Help Actually Helps You” * Great article about past Design Yourself guest Emmanuel Yamoah which noted that when it comes to teams 1+ 1 = 3 * Sharon likes Asana, but has also tried Basecamp, Trello, Todoist * Sharon’s favorite creative communities include, Sohy Collective, WeWork and Creative Mornings
This week Sharon’s very special Grandma passed away peacefully while sleeping in her own home. In honor of her legacy, we decided to interrupt our regularly planned scheduling with this encore episode. With light hearted humor (hello, chickens!) and a deep well of grace, Sharon opens up about her own observations on the topics of death and grief. This is not a show designed to give you the answers on what’s right or wrong when it comes to these gritty topics. Instead it’s one person’s reflections and observations as she comes to appreciate not just what’s possible in this life, but what’s possible when we honor the full life cycle. May this be a helpful resource to those who listen.
Resources and Links * The inspiration for this episodes’ title? Anna Sale’s podcast Death, Sex, and Money, which isall about the big choices and hard questions that are often left out of polite conversation. * If you already know the podcast or just find you want to learn a bit more behind its managing editor and host Ms. Sale, I can highly recommend episode 94 of Grace Bonney’s After the Jump where she interviews this podcast hero/childhood friend. * Check out Mason Jennings’ song Instrument.
“I want to be an instrument of your love” “I want to live my life a brand new way…”
- Read more about the 5 stages of grief (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance).
- Sharon’s short meditation on chickens, inspired by a coaching client and fellow chicken lover:
I wake with the first movements of day
Birds call out and I stretch my wings
Dust and worms and bits of green
Clawing and scratching and running towards life
No fence can keep me in
But home I’ll return as the sun sets
What fences will I build?
Which ones will I tear down?
- Sharon closes this episode with a reading from The Chicken Chroniclesby Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and spiritual guide Alice Walker . Her reading is from Chapter 18, “St. Michael.”
Goals, goals, and more goals ya’ll. Having a great idea is one thing, but figuring out how to make that idea come to life takes a whole other skills set. This week’s episode dives into the practical side of how to set big and audacious goals and then execute the follow through to achieve success. Learn about the difference between lag and lead measures, why focusing on inflection points is so critical, operating with the Pareto principle and more. Plus Sharon explains how setting goals for business and life follow the same key tenants. So whether you want to hit an ambitious revenue target or buy your first home, the process to get there is the same. This week’s episode is perfect for anyone who is ready to get tactical on how to make your vision a reality. It is also a great primer for anyone new to a leadership role who is a looking for a quick primer on how to achieve results.
“As leaders – both at work and in our personal lives – we must shift from letting others define success for us to putting our own measures in place. The question then is how.”
Ideas Shared How to Set and Achieve (Big!) Goals * Setting goals in business and setting goals in our lives are more similar than you think * The difference between lead measures and lag measures * The importance of inflection points * The connection between goals and vision * Define and celebrate milestones along the way
Resources and Links * StrengthsFinder * Pareto Principle * Design Yourself episode 5 will help you see what you want with “A Vision Meditation” * Design Yourself episode 31 on the belief that “There is Nothing Stopping You”
This week’s episode introduces our February theme, Focus. You’ll learn how Sharon chose this theme despite some initial resistance as well as tools and frameworks for sharpening your own focus. You will hear how to bucket out your own areas of focus, practical tools for rethinking your schedule, how to shape your own goal setting retreat and more. This week’s episode is great for anyone who is feeling lost for where to put down roots or who is overwhelmed from trying to do many things at once.
“Focus is what we pay attention to. A small act with the most consequential of results. Where we choose to focus drives not just the outcomes we achieve but the process for how we get there and how we – and those around us – feel along the way.”
Ideas Shared Areas of Focus Consider what 1-3 buckets of focus are critical for the results and impact you want to drive in your life. Here are the 3 areas that Sharon is focused on this month.
- Goals Setting
- Quality of focus
- Support
“Like so many things in life, it wasn’t so much about finding the perfect new thing so much as peeling back the layers – of clutter and expectation – to get to the core of what really matters.”
Exercises for Sharpening Your Focus SET ASIDE A 1/2 DAY GOAL SETTING EXPLORATION Consider: What do you want to achieve? How will you get there? What support do you need?
Create: A list that lays out what you will “Pick Up” and what you will “Put Down.” You may add, like Sharon did this month, what you will “Delegate” and what you will consider for “Later.”
PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR SCHEDULE Past: Look at schedule what notice what you see. What does it suggest about your priorities? What are jazzed to see there? What’s missing? What on this snapshot brings you energy? Consistency? Do you follow this plan?
Present: For one week, create a daily log each day that lays out what you focused on that day. Write is down at the same time each day and use 15 minute increments to block out your activities. At the end of the week ask yourself what you’ve learned through both the daily of experience of paying attention to how you are using your time and by reviewing you data that you gathered at the end of the week.
Future: Draft your ideal week. Lay out what are you doing each day. Do you follow the same routine 7 days a week. How much space do you like to leave open? When you put everything down how does the whole week feel? Edit and adapt until you come up with a week that knocks your socks off to imagine.
FOLLOW YOUR THOUGHTS Sit down in a chair. Both feet firmly on the ground. Allow your mind to drift in and out of focus. Choose a path: Either focus on emptying your mind of the thoughts as they arise. (e.g. Put those thoughts on a cloud and let them float away. Or on a log on a river and let them float downstream.) Or choose to follow your thoughts from one to the next, allowing them to interact and spark other thoughts as they emerge.
Set a timer and stick to your allotted time. (1 minute is great for beginners. You may enjoy working up to 10 minutes, 30 minutes or longer.)
GET INTO YOUR BODY Being in our bodies is a gift. Whether you choose meditation, running, yoga, throwing paint at the wall or getting out into nature – focus on moving and appreciating your body.
Resources Shared * In episode 76 of Design Yourself, Sharon introduces the Design Myself challenge and January’s theme of Rituals * Rocket Fuel: The One Essential Combination That Will Get You More of What You Want from Your Business * The Coffee Bar (Washington, DC) * Here is the free guided meditation that I mentioned Design Yourself guest Joanna Andreae created.
The idea of leading slower, less cluttered lives is a deeply resonant concept right now. With good reason. With the barrage of information and stuff at our fingertips, minimalism holds a calming appeal. The shadow side of this trend is that it can leave us paralyzing to pick anything up. The episode addresses this conundrum head on. Host Sharon talks through a few core concepts that unpin her “Picking Up Philosophy” and then offers up a How To Guide for Picking Up. From learning how to say yes with intention (ahem exercise your ability to say no ahem) to recognizing seasonal shifts, this episode shares many tools and lens for how you can think about the things you carry. “What we choose to hold with us, what we choose to pick up and carry, makes up the landscapes of our lives. The greatest gift is learning how to curate this bundle for each season. To decipher what to hold and when to let go – and when we are ready for something new.” – Sharon Lipovsky
Ideas Shared Starting Points for Picking Up Understand your values
Honor your values in what you hold
Remember that we carry far more than stuff
How to Guide for Picking Up 1. Start Fresh 2. Get Inspired 3. Pick Up Only What You Love 4. Say Yes with Intention 5. Set Boundaries that Honor Your Values 6. Learn to Trust Your Impulses 7. Recognize Seasonal Shifts 8. Stay True
Resources and Links * Visionaries and Voices and its progressive learning studio and retail space the Visionarium which is getting a lot of deserved press lately like this * Design Yourself 53 with Julia Lipovsky of Visionaries and Voices * Artist Kevin White who made the painting featured in the cover art * Still no photo dug up of me skydiving, but if I find one, I’ll post it! * Values Exercise
Letting go is a critical process to clear the path to whatever it is that you really want. In this week's episode, Sharon shares 6 steps you can take to ease you through the act of letting go. You will learn how to tap into the power of the present, honor your emotions (especially the tough ones that like to show up and tell you to hold on!), make room for what you want, see things with a different perspective, and find your inner compassion and gratitude. Sharon also shares some of the common road blocks to letting go like perfectionism and resentment and how to keep going in spite of them. This is a great episode for anyone looking for tangible ways to let go and move forward. Whether you are simply getting organized, looking for more simplicity or ready to release something long held, this week's show is for you.
“I never thought I’d have so much to give up; that the view from this side of my life would be so precious.” – Philip Schultz, Magic Kingdom
Ideas Shared 6 Tips for Letting Go 1. Stick with the present Instead of dwelling on the past or getting lost in the future
Be where you are. Let go of the distractions and anxiety and fear. When we see what is needed right now, in this moment, letting go is abundantly more ease-filled.
“If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the futre. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” – Lao Tzu
- Honor your emotions Instead of pretending your emotions don’t exist
Negative emotions – like sadness, anger, or frustration – often emerge when we want to let go of something that we’ve been holding for a long time. The impulse can be to run from them. Or ignore them. Anything to not feel them. But shutting our eyes to our feelings gives them strength. By honoring how we feel, by letting these emotions breath, they tend to disippate. And we come back to neutral – a far more conducive place for letting go.
- Make room for what you want Instead of cramming what you want on top of everything else
Most of us have been trained to learn new things. A new concept, idea or practice. A new hobby or relationship. The learning is additive in nature. We expand our capacity and potential through this new thing. To do this we flex our intellectual learning, which is full of possibility and potential. The shadow side is that we keep adding and adding and this can lead to overwhelm and a feeling of constant distraction. Focus feels impossible. Sometimes we’ve got to let go of thing/s to make room for what we really want. We need to peel away the layers to find the core of what we want to highlight. It’s often already there, but is dimmed by the noise of what surrounds it. This kind of letting go requires us to flex our emotional muscles. It requires an emotional nimbleness and fitness that we can cultivate the same way we do with our bodies and our minds.
- Adopt a new perspective Instead of putting up blinders
Transformation is often prompted by a new way of seeing. The first step in any kind of change is seeing what is already there. In this way we can look to the possibility of there being another way. You may seek the support of a trusted friend or mentor for this new perspective. You may look to the wealth of content shared in writing or events or on podcasts. Or you may look inward through meditation or journaling. You may also seek the professional expertise of a counselor or coach or spiritual guide. Whatever way you look, know that a new perspective can often be the spark to guide you in the process of letting go.
- Tap into compassion Instead of holding to resentment or perfectionism
It’s one thing to honor the tough emotions – I am feeling ANGRY! – but it’s another thing to hold genuine compassion for those people who are driving us nuts. But there is magic in empathy. When we can really step into someone else’s shoes without any judgement, without any should’s or but’s, and hold compassion for their perspective, we are given a true gift; the gift of letting go to what has been, the gift of releasing our own narrow worldview. Compassion for others is the pathway to this kind of letting go. To get there, we also have to hold this same compassion for ourselves. We are all beautifully, imperfectly human. When we can appreciate and honor our foibles, a world of new opportunity emerges.
- Count your blessings Instead of counting your infractions
Gratitude. There is a reason it’s having a hey-day right now. When we give thanks, it’s very difficult – perhaps impossible – to hold on to negative energy. Through appreciation, through the counting of our blessings we bring ourselves back to the present and into a grounded space where letting go is easier. Ask yourself what you are thankful for. See what emerges. And then ask again and what else? What else? What else?
Resources and Links * Sharon opens this podcast reading the poem “Magic Kingdom” by Philip Schultz, which can be found in his 2007 book Failure * Design Yourself 57 Make Magic
There’s something about the start of the new year that makes you want to start with a blank slate, right? Cue the queen of decluttering, Marie Kondo, the Japanese organizational consultant behind The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. In this week’s episode, Sharon takes Kondo’s framework for decluttering your home and talks about how it can be adapted to living the life you really want. She reviews why it can be hard to keep your life in order in the first place and offers up tools and resources to overcome those challenges. From simplifying to being still to appreciating what’s already there, this week’s show has a little something for everyone. This is a great episode if you are looking for a little more peace and calm in your life and will be especially fun for all those who have been inspired by Marie Kondo’s approach to home.
“I suspect that the mind, like the feet, works at about three miles an hour. If this is so, the modern life is moving faster than the speed of thought, or thoughtfulness.” – Rebecca Solnit, Wanderlust
Ideas Shared Tips for Adapting Marie Kondo’s Home Advice to Your Life This was a fun episode to create for host and KonMari method fan, Sharon. See below for the 5 ways that Sharon has adapted the Marie Kondo framework to apply to how you lead your life
1. Why can’t I keep my LIFE in order? Marie says: Why can’t I keep my house in order?
- We inherit mindsets and behaviors from others (often unknowingly)
- We don’t want to hurt people’s feelings
- We are moving so fast and consuming so fast – it’s beyond the speed of thoughtfulness
- Life is a moving target – it’s not like decluttering your house; it cannot be “finished” in a weekend
- But we can create wins and we can keep our energy positive
2. Start with what is there Marie says: Finish discarding first
- See what you want in your life
- Everything that you need is already available
- Be still
- Avoid rushing, adding activities and other distractions
3. Focus on one thing at a time Marie says: Tidying by category works life magic
- To get focused, ask yourself these three questions:
- What do you want? Pick a specific arena.
- What will support me in getting there?
- What next?
4. Honor Your Commitments Marie says: Storing your things to make your life shine
- Simplify
- Appreciate
- Let Go of unwanted baggage each day
- We don’t get to choose what happens to us, but we do get to choose our emotions
5. You Can Design Yourself Marie says: The magic of tidying dramatically transforms your life
- See what you want
- Let go of distractions
- Joy in simplicity
- Be a host for gratitude
- Practice empathy
- Set boundaries
- Be the container for what you really want
Resources and Links * Marie Kondo * KonMari method * The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo * Design Yourself Episode 45 Marie Kondo Your Business
This week’s episode introduces our January theme, Rituals. These are the actions and behaviors that we do regularly, invariably, without having to think about it. You will learn about why Sharon is introducing themes in 2018 (sneak peek: to avoid the end of year burn out and blues), why rituals is our starting point this year, and how to see, evaluate and simplify your own rituals this year - and beyond! You’ll get tips on how to bring your current rituals into focus, how to determine what needs weeding and what needs cultivating and learn how to do all of this with ease and a healthy dose of fun. This is a great episode for anyone looking to move through your year with intention and to find ways to bring ease for how you move through your everyday routines.
“Rituals are like a uniform for your actions. They are something that we do everyday without having to think about it. There is incredible freedom and potential offered up in this way of being.” – Sharon Lipovsky
Ideas Shared 9 Steps to Create Rituals 1. See what’s already there 2. Weed out what’s unhelpful 3. Notice what’s left 4. Determine what’s missing (if anything) 5. Remember that rituals aren’t sexy 6. Choose thoughtfully what new rituals to cultivate 7. Commit to the practice 8. Let them carry you 9. Create a system to evaluate and change
Resources and Links * Design Yourself Episode 47 with Jon Flannery * Design Yourself Episode 45 on how to Mari Kondo Your Business
Happy New Year! Anyone else feeling a little slow as they turn the page on the calendar? In this week's mini-episode, Sharon invites you to stop and wait a second. Don't set your annual goals. Don't commit to your 2018 resolution. Don't dive right in. Not yet. Instead, wait a second. Take a moment of pause before you dive in. Follow your energy. If that takes you to goals and resolutions and plans. Awesome. Go with it. But if your energy is calling you to stop for a moment, this week's episode will applaud you for doing just that. Welcome to the start of something special.
Resources and Links * Feeling inspired to ease into your 2018? Listen to episode 4 of Design Yourself to get tool and resources for taking breaks * Ready to dive right in and get to resolution making and goal setting? Listen to episode 28 of Design Yourself for support in getting down to new year’s business.
From Sharon and the whole team at PRS, we wish you a very Merry Christmas. To celebrate the holiday we bring you a special mini-episode filled with love, cheer, and a fitting e.e. Cummings poem. Here’s to a strong finish to 2017; we look forward to being with you in the new year.
RESOURCES AND LINKS “Little Tree” by e. e. cummings
It's the end of the year and the holiday season is in full effect. Today Sharon shares 10 questions designed to help inspire you to move through the holidays with intention and choice. Explore your own answers and hear Sharon’s personal reflections for each of these inquiries. (Hint: What involves crab marching, a refrigerator, and lots of Christmas lights? Sharon's fondest holiday memory this year!) From Sharon and the whole team at Point Road Studios, we are wishing you a peaceful and joy-filled holiday season.
Ideas Shared Here are 10 questions to help you find your holiday spirit: 1. What are some of your fondest holiday memories? 2. Are there any old traditions that you want to let go of or new ones that you want to start? 3. What’s most important to you this holiday season? 4. What are you most excited about? How can you soak those moment up? 5. What emotion or emotions will serve you as you move through the next week? 6. What 2-3 experiences do you want to sit back and enjoy? 7. What MUST DOs are draining your energy? What opportunities do you have to delegate, get done quick, or revamp your approach? 8. What would bring you relief to move from your TO DO list to your DON’T DO list? 9. What gift would you most like to give yourself this holiday season? 10. What gift would you most like to offer those around you (your loved ones, your community, the world)?
Resources and Links * Listen to the original Finding Your Holiday Spirit episode 26 * Festival of Lights at Watkins Regional Park (Upper Marlboro, MD) * Visionarium (Cincinnati, OH) * Join Sharon at the Point Road Studios Visioning Pop Up at the Visionarium on December 23rd * Asana
2017 is coming to close and that is the ideal time to step back and reflect on what this year has taught you - epistolary style. Sharon shares insights and writing from the annual letters of Warren Buffet and Bill and Melinda Gates and then offers up 7 steps to support you in creating your own Annual Letter. From evergreen support systems like setting clear boundaries and clarifying key measures of success to creative prompts like channeling your inner Gabriel Garcia Marquez and writing stream-of-conscious style, this episode is sure to getting you thinking about what this year has offered you and give you some good momentum as you look to the year ahead.
Ideas Shared 7 Steps to Write Your Own Annual Letter 1. Set Boundaries (e.g. To whom are you writing? What is your focus?) 2. Start Writing Stream-of-Consciousness Style 3. Circle Back to Your New Year’s Resolution/Intention/Theme 4. Focus on Key Measures of Success 5. Notice Your Successes, Surprises + Failures 6. How do these insights inform what comes next? 7. Determine What Is Needed Now
Resources and Links * Bill and Melinda Gates’ Annual Letters * The Gates’ Annual Letter 2017 – with letter to Warren Buffet * Design Yourself 28: New Year, Same You * Design Yourself 52: Checking in on New Year’s Resolutions
The marking of time is an important and valuable ritual. And this week’s episode will provide you a simple tool to do just that. “Walking around the sun” is a birthday tradition in Montessori education. Every classroom can put its own unique spin on this special occasion, but the core set up is the same. A candle lit to represent the sun, cards with each month named fanned out around the “sun” to create a blueprint of the year. Each birthday child stands up in front of their classmates and then walks around the sun for each year lived, reflecting on what they were like that year and how things have changed today. To mark the 5 year birthday of her business, Point Road Studios, Sharon walks around the sun and shares with you what she has noticed and learned along the way.
Resources and Links: * Montessori birthday celebrations * Podcast episode with StoryMineMedia * Podcast episode with Emmanuel Yamoah * Annual Entrepreneur’s Getaway retreat (Here’s how you can design your own retreat.)
Psst – want to leave a review for Design Yourself, but feeling a little lost technologically? I feel you. Here’s a step by step overview to make the process easy whether you are using your desktop or mobile device.
As we enter into the end of year sprint, Sharon wanted to bring back one of her very first podcast episodes. In this Encore Episode, Sharon talks about why stepping away from your computer and taking a break is one of the best things we can do for ourselves - and our work too. The end of year often seduces us into a flat-out sprint. It's the last month to get your annual goals accomplished. It's a rush of finishing out current objectives and planning for new ones. And on top of that it's parties and sales and celebrations and just so many damn commitments. But it doesn't have to be. Let this week's episode be a reminder to you of the importance of stepping back and taking breaks - with several jumping off points for how you can make this practice your own.
IDEAS SHARED * Where do you get your best ideas? The shower? Running? I bet you won’t say: Sitting at my desk. Those breakthrough moments are unlikely to show up while you are pounding away for your umpteenth hour at the computer either. Point is: We need breaks.
Remember the false peak I discussed in this episode? Here she is in all her glory. Not a bad sneak preview of what was to come! * Here are just a few of the benefits of taking breaks:Allows us to recharge; Creativity flourishes away from our desks; We get new perspectives on old problems; Clarity of focus when we return to our work.
Our view of Lake Champlain on the “real” Point Road. So magical. Baby on hip, crisp summer day, dogs snoozing, happy hour started…this is the stuff I dream about on vacation. * I find that anytime you are looking to make more space for something new – whether a behavior, habit, or hobby – it’s helpful to be able to understand that thing. Distinctions are a great way to do that and it is in that spirit that I discuss in this episode three types of breaks.
1) Short, Every Day Breaks
2) Vacations/Minibreaks
3) Long Breaks, e.g. sabbaticals
- Of course it’s one thing to start to see what different options are out there for taking breaks and quite another to actually start taking them. For this reason, the episode concludes with some practical tips for taking breaks.
1) Integrate short breaks into your everyday routines
When we dream about taking a break, it usually doesn’t include something like taking a deep breath, standing up from your desk and stretching, or taking a walk around the block. But really these short breaks are the kind of daily practice that can bring peace and a sustainable pace to our lives. Sure it’s not as dreamy as jetting off to the shore of Nice, but I promise the impact will be felt every single day. Plus learning how to appreciate the sunshine on your lunch break is very good practice for being able to shift into the vacation mindset when you do head off for longer adventures.
2) Take vacations on a regular basis Did you know that in 2016 55% of Americans left vacation time on the table? Don’t be that person. (You can learn more about this issue over at Project Time Off. Psst – it’s not just bad for those of us missing out on vacation; it’s also bad for the businesses who employ them.)
Listen to the Note To Self interview with NPR’s Eleanor Beardsley on tech etiquette. It reminded me again of the cultural differences at play when it comes vacation. Eleanor is based in Paris and I was shocked to hear that she never gets out of office messages from her colleagues in France. There is a deeper assumption that work can continue when they are gone. She laughed about how stateside we can write these out of office messages when we step away for even a mere afternoon. Fascinating. And so darn true.
3) Take a longer pause Sometimes longer pauses are delivered to us when we didn’t ask for them. Think jury duty, being sick, or caring for someone in need. Other times we can carve out special pauses like a sabbatical or year of traveling around the world. I personally loved my month-long break spent on the Camino de Santiago when I was nearing my third-trimester of pregnancy with my first. (A little insane in retrospect, but a lot amazing too.)
Look at the beautiful Grandma I got when I married my hubby. I think she is the human embodiment of the peace that this environment offers.
May you each be filled with gratitude and peace as we move into the end of year holiday season. In today’s episode, Sharon shares 10 questions to inspire you to step into your Thanksgiving (and beyond!) week in an intentional way. She also offers up her own personal reflections for each question, just as she did in Episode 22, the original Let Us Give Thanks episode. In additional to having space for your own reflections, you will also learn about the power of repetition and sitting with one thing over an extended period of time (whether a question, a physical practice or an idea). This is a great episode for anyone who is looking to reset before the holidays, who is curious to know more about what Sharon is up to or who is game for some personal reflection.
Ideas Shared 10 Questions to Get into the Thanksgiving Spirit As you reflect upon the 2017 year, consider…
- What makes you happy?
- What have you overcome this past year?
- What are you most proud of professionally and personally?
- Consider something that has been difficult for you this year…what have you learned from this situation?
- What’s one thing that you could let go of that would bring you a greater sense of peace and gratitude?
- What are your greatest gifts?
- If you could give one gift to the world, what would you want it to be?
- If you could give one gift to yourself, what would you want it to be?
- What’s one thing that you would like to give to somebody this week?
- What are you thankful for?
Resources and Links: * Curious how Sharon answered these questions the first time around? Check out Episode 22, the original Let Us Give Thanks show * Here are the two yoga studios Sharon referenced: 1) Bikram Hot Yoga; 2) Down Dog Yoga * Brene Brown’s book, Braving the Wilderness
Psst – want to leave a review for Design Yourself, but feeling a little lost technologically? I feel you. Here’s a step by step overview to make the process easy whether you are using your desktop or mobile device.
Creativity, resilience and a darn good sense of humor are at the heart of Katie Blattner’s story. In this week’s episode we learn the story of the seamstress and entrepreneur extraordinaire behind Three Little Birds Sewing Co., a place that is part fabric shop, part instructional space and part community hang out. It’s not quite the career and life she imagined for herself when she majored in chemistry with plans for med school. And then life stepped in. Through its lovely and sometimes heart wrenching turns, Katie adapted. Her optimism and bold decision making are sure to inspire you, whether you’re looking to create your own brick and mortar space or just trying to find ways to spark a little more creativity in your every day. “Take the positive things that happen in your life and let them be the driving force....if you lead with the positive and use the negative as a learning or as a speed bump rather than a wall I think that you can really live the life that you imagined for yourself." - Katie Blattner
Ideas Shared “One of my biggest fears was that someone else was going to open this business and do the exact thing that I wanted to do before I did and that I was going to really regret it.” – Katie Blattner
“I kind of felt like now or never. There is only one way to find out. And I kept saying to myself, what’s the worst that could happen.” – Katie Blattner
“You can’t miss what is in front of you…because you are so focused on what is not even here yet.” – Katie Blattner
Resources and Links * Ginger Root Design * Tanglewood Works * Sohy Collective
Learn More about Katie and Three Little Birds Sewing Co. Visit the brick and mortar shop:
5132 Baltimore Ave, Studio B
Hyattsville, MD 20781
Visit the website
insta: Three Little Birds Sewing Co.
Facebook: Three Little Birds Sewing Co.
Email: threelittlebirds.sewingco@gmail.com
Phone: 202-246-5396
Ever found yourself wishing for a job that just felt like you? That felt like you’d found a work home? If you are anything like host Sharon and this week’s guest, Jennifer Bangoura, the answer is yes. We spend so much of our waking life at work that it ought to be an endeavor that feels meaningful - whether in the work itself or what the work creates for the rest of your life - and ideally both. Jennifer shares her own journey from the Peace Corp in Mali to working as a project manager to starting a photography business to landing her dream job. She shares how marrying someone from another part of the world and becoming a mom changed her. She shares her struggles and how she has seized opportunities as they’ve emerged all with an lighthearted optimism that you are going to find infectious. “A well designed life is being grateful for the present and reflecting on what brought you there and being excited about what’s coming ahead and expressing it.” - Jennifer Bangoura
Ideas Shared “I don’t need to turn my whole life upside down to design the life that I do want to have.” – Jennifer Bangoura
“Of course you can do other things, but it’s scary and it’s not secure and it’s not the job that you know exists and is out there.” – Jennifer Bangoura
“I want to support kick ass, bad ass women who are just doing there thing…and I want to be one of those kick ass women.” – Jennifer Bangoura
Resources and Links * Little Free Library * Meet Blake Sloane who first introduced Sharon to Jennifer * 2U * IREX * World Resources Institute * The Advisory Board Company * Atlas Corps * Tanglewood Works * Love Languages * Hyattsville, MD * Shea Radiance and founder Funlayo Alabi * Three Little Birds Sewing Co. * Being Boss podcast episode with Jessica Lauren of No Real Jewelry
Learn More about Jennifer Bangoura Jennifer’s photography website
insta: @jennifer.m.bangoura
twitter: @jmbangoura
In today's episode Sharon shares some of her transformational reading experiences and a way for us to think about the things that shape us (be they books, experience or people). Hear what children's book characters have stuck with her and which one actually changed her. (Hint: She's a very skilled teacher!) Listen as she reads from Lydia Davis and talks about why she really appreciates reading prose written by poets. For anyone who loves books or is thinking about their own story (for a job interview or for fun!), this episode is for you.
“There are worse things to do when you’re in grade two than to spend your time building a dream.” – Iggy Peck
Ideas Shared The Books that Changed Me: EARLY YEARS Miss Nelson is Missing
HIGH SCHOOL The Great Gatsby
Heart of Darkness
COLLEGE Wild Iris
Praise
Proofs and Theories
Twentieth Century Pleasures
The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas
ADULT LIFE Domino, The Book of Decorating
Design Mom
A Visit from the Goon Squad
Freedom
This is Water
The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up
Iggy Peck, Architect
Resources and Links * Nanowrimo * Bernstein Bears * Frog and Toad * George and Martha * One Morning in Maine * Bridget to Terabithia * Franny and Zooey * A Separate Peace * Remodelista
Carpe diem. Live in the now. Heck, even be here now. There are so many expressions out there calling us to focus on getting present. And that probably has something to do with just how easy it is to get distracted these days from exactly where we are right now. In this week's podcast, Sharon offers up her own reflections on different flavors of NOT being present and then shares 10 ways to get yourself back into the here and now.
Ideas Shared 4 Different Flavors of Not Being Present Consciously and Negative – For example I’m mentally planning how to get through a heavy task list while my husband tells me about his day
Consciously and Positive – For example choosing to listen to a podcast while doing the dishes
Unconsciously and Negative – For example a condescending comment at work causes me to to be mentally and unknowingly hijacked
Unconsciously and Positive – A great idea pops into my head and captures my imagination while I’m out for a run
10 Ways to Be Here Now 1. Single-task 2. Go for a walk – and only a walk 3. Start a new physical practice 4. Read for pleasure – like a real book that you hold. Stay with the words 5. Honor your (right now) emotions 6. Check in with your body 7. Close your eyes + follow your thoughts 8. Put technology away 9. Listen deeply 10. Speak from the heart
Resources and Links * Praise by Robert Hass + I read this poem from this lovely volume: “Picking Blackberries with a Friend Who Has Been Reading Jacques Lacan” * Note to Self episode on single-tasking * Bored and Brilliant by Manoush Zomorodi
We often think of vision as that thing that happens out way in the future. And there is a time for imagining all that is possible; a time for answering where are we headed. But today Sharon offers up a different approach to vision. One that allows you to lead from a visionary stance in the present. From meditation to emotional resilience to asking for help, we will explore tips and resources to help you move towards your vision in the here and now.
“Vision glimpses a future state and moves you today.” – Sharon Lipovsky
Ideas Shared 5 Actions to Move Your Vision Today 1. Meditate 2. Strengthen Your Desired Emotion 3. Share your vision with trusted partner 4. Ask: What can I do today? 5. Get support
Resources and Links * You can sign up for the You Can Design Yourself webinar series here. Be sure to sign up for all three dates (October 17, November 7 and December 5). * Other Design Yourself episodes on vision setting include: a) Ep 5 – A Vision Meditation; b) Ep 29 – Go Beyond – PRS Vision Cycle; c) Ep 53 – Visionaries and Finding Voice with Julia Lipovsky * You may also like this blog post on a Process for Crafting and Unleashing Your Vision
This week Sharon offers up a 10 Step Guide to Creative Living. If you are already jamming on all the ways that you need to be creative, awesome! But if you are like a lot of us and need a little kickstart to your creativity, this week’s episode is for you. Explore options for how to choose creativity over consumption (take a walk!), learn the difference between copying and appropriating (mindset!), discover some of Sharon’s go-to resources to kick a creative slump to the the curb (books! recipes! friends!) and more. This is a great episode for anyone who wants a reminder about just how much potential for awesomeness is sitting right there inside of you. Go ahead and let your inner kid run wild. “To be alive is to have the potential for creativity.” - Sharon Lipovsky
“To be alive is to have the potential for creativity.” – Sharon Lipovsky
Tomatoes fresh from the backyard garden cooked up about 2 feet from where they were grown? Yes please!
Ideas Shared 10 Step Guide to Creative Living 1. Choose creativity over consumption 2. Be generative not derivative 3. Appropriate at will 4. Don’t wait for the muse 5. Create to solve your own problems 6. Create to feed your body 7. Create to feed your soul. 8. Embrace constraints 9. Remember suffering is not helpful 10. Say yes to play + no to judgement
Resources and Links * You can sign up for the You Can Design Yourself webinar series here. Be sure to sign up for all three dates (October 17, November 7 and December 5). * Morgan West * A Creative DC * Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert * Baby Name Wizard by Laura Wattenberg * Creative Block: Get Unstuck, Discover New Ideas. Advice & Projects from 50 Successful Artists by Danielle Krysa * Pick Me Up: A Pep Talk for Now & Later by Adam j. Kurtz
Special announcement: Sharon is hosting a free webinar series on how You Can Design Yourself this fall. Details can be found at https://pointroadstudios.com/classes/fall-17-webinars/ Itching to try something new, but feeling stuck? Cue this week’s episode. Sharon shares a behind the scenes look into launching the Classes arm of Point Road Studios along with tips and resources for how you too can try something new. Sharon talks about common obstacles to getting started like being afraid or overwhelmed or simply lacking the know how to even get started. This episode is great for anyone who is ready to stop talking about that new thing they want to do and start doing it. It’s also a fun listen for anyone who has been curious about what’s been keeping Sharon busy these days.
Ideas Shared How to try something new… …if you don’t know how * get scrappy and see what you can learn * ask for help * delegate to someone who does know
…if you are scared/overwhelmed/frustrated (or otherwise not quite yourself!) * honor the emotion * ask what emotion would serve you * cultivate that new emotion
…no matter what your circumstance * pick your new thing with intention * make space for the new thing * the whole thing doesn’t have to be new * going all in works too * give yourself permission to fail
Resources and Links * Point Roads Studios launches a Classes arm! * You Can Design Yourself Webinar Series registration (kicks off October 17th) * Launch Yourself Course (now enrolling)
Joanna Andreae of Wandering Wellness from Episode 62 is back with us for a special bonus episode. Joanna runs a successful business that is as much of her as it is run by her. And as clear as she is on who she is and what she offers, she was struggling with figuring out what to call herself. With permission, Sharon steps into to coach Joanna through this question. This short episode offers a glimpse into what executive coaching can look like and demonstrates the power of having a quiet space held to see an often asked question in a new light. For anyone who has been curious about what coaching is or who is also struggling to answer the question, "what do I call myself?" or "how do I describe what I do in a simple, easy to understand way?" this bonus episode is for you.
Learn More about Joanna Andreae of Wandering Wellness Wandering Wellness
insta: @wanderingwellness
Join her weekly mailing list here
Joanna’s cover art photograph was taken by Les Mansour
What does it mean to live and be well? How can you do so while also fully owning your own sense of creative power? These are just a few of the questions that today's guest Joanna Andreae, the healer behind Wandering Wellness, ponders. You will hear about how Joanna pushed herself to the brink with the intensity and stress of her work and her job before realizing that there was - thank goodness! - another way. Today she works with what she describes as the multidimensional modern woman to help her find her own way through a mix of meditation, coaching, nutrition and support. Joanna is one of those special people that can make something unfamiliar feel comfortable. She and host Sharon both worked in sales and marketing at the same professional services firm before wending their way into entrepreneurial ventures of the heart. They both share what they learned from that experience and how they each prepared for making the entrepreneurial leap. Today's episode is a great fit for anyone curious about how to uncover or sustain your own wellbeing. It's also on point for anyone looking for inspiration about how to leave your day job to launch your own dream job.
“I think wandering is an essential part of designing yourself.” -Joanna Andreae
Ideas Shared “There is so much freedom in discipline” – Joanna Andreae
“We are often holding the key to wherever we are heading and when we can let go of something…[we] create the space for the other thing.” – Sharon Lipovsky
“The way we treat ourselves is the way we teach those around us to treat us as well.” – Joanna Andreae
As promised, here’s a glimpse at the new recording set up.
Resources and Links * Wild woman project * Chris Maddox * Andrea Bocelli – Time to Say Goodbye * The Advisory Board Company * Kripalu in Massachusetts * Plant-based nutrition course from Cornell * yoga nidra * Meisner acting technique * Anthropologie * Curves * Abraham Hicks * Camino de Santiago * Sharon’s blog posts about walking the Camino de Santiago * The Art of Surrender * Design Yourself 60: Making Girls Strong with Katey Comerford of Girls on the Run of NOVA
Learn More about Joanna Andreae of Wandering Wellness Wandering Wellness
insta: @wanderingwellness
Join her weekly mailing list here
Joanna’s cover art photograph was taken by Les Mansour
Visionary leadership isn’t just for corporate boardrooms - it is for everywhere. It can be satisfying sometimes to imagine getting to where we want to go all by ourselves, but that is not reality. To walk through the world is to interact with others - whether strangers or friends, colleagues or clients, skeptics or supporters. Visionary leadership is the essential skill to get us where we want to go, because it allows us to brings other along with us. Today we start with some context setting, exploring what visionary leadership is, where is shows up and what happens when it’s missing. We then turn our attention to how you can cultivate your own visionary leadership through linking your vision to the past, present and future, getting out of your own way, and tapping into your unique voice to share your vision with others. This week’s episode is a great fit for anyone who is looking to amplify his own vision or who is wondering how to take a vision and put it into a systems context.
“We are often the biggest barrier to our own success. Our own mindsets or emotional states can frequently hold us back. But usually we aren’t aware of that.” – Sharon Lipovsky
Ideas Shared RECOGNIZE THAT VISIONARY LEADERSHIP COMES IN ALL SHAPES AND SIZES * It’s not just about waving your hands around wildly * All leadership styles can work * It’s not always about being a great manager (think Steve Jobs) or people person (think Gertrude Stein)
VISIONARY LEADERSHIP ISN’T JUST ABOUT THE FUTURE * What have you learned from your path up until now? (PAST) * What is true in the here and now (PRESENT) * Where are you headed? (FUTURE)
YOU HAVE THE CAPACITY TO BE A VISIONARY LEADER * Visionary leadership isn’t a special gift of the elite few, it is a learnable skill. * Not only that, but it is a human trait that allows us both to perform at a high level and feel satisfied by the connections we are creating in the process.
How you can cultivate your own visionary leadership CONNECT TO YOUR OWN VISION FIRST * Don’t underestimate how powerful vision can be for motivating action * Your vision should get you really excited * When feeling stuck, try something completely new (don’t sit in front of a computer screen!) * See the details * Remember that vision is always evolving – just like you
GROUND THAT VISION IN THE PRESENT REALITY * Get cozy with what is true right now * To move forward with integrity you have to begin with an honest look at where you are
INTEGRATE THAT VISION INTO STORY * Our stories lead the way to the future * This means we to make sure that the story of where we have been aligns with the story of who we are becoming
GET OUT OF YOUR OWN WAY * Cultivate self-awareness * Identify what you need to amplify your vision * Always be learning
FIND A WAY TO COMMUNICATE THAT VISION TO OTHERS * It’s about connecting to your own unique voice. Back to my friend who thought that visionary leadership must look a certain way…remember it just has to look and feel like you to work.
Resources and Links * Other Design Yourself episodes on vision setting include: a) Ep 5 – A Vision Meditation; b) Ep 29 – Go Beyond – PRS Vision Cycle; c) Ep 53 – Visionaries and Finding Voice with Julia Lipovsky * You may also like this blog post on a Process for Crafting and Unleashing Your Vision
Only 19% of girls have a positive association with the phrase “Like a Girl.” Katey Comerford, Executive Director of Girls on the Run of NOVA, is a person out to change that. In today’s show we learn about this international organization focused on making girls strong and Katey’s own story of strong female leadership - where we discuss everything from how to find intellectual frameworks to put behind your work, visionary leadership, how to walk away from job, the value of taking an intentional pause from work and power of donating - both money and time. For anyone who has wondered how to marry impact and work or looking for inspiration on how to take a leap into the unknown, this episode is definitely for you.
“I didn’t take for granted that I would be able to find a job. I did take for granted that I would find my way. And I definitely trusted in that.” – Katey Comerford
Ideas Shared
“I have a strong appreciation for the complications behind that laser focus. Because it is never as easy as the impact you want to drive. That impact comes with implications. Some are really positive implications and some of them aren’t.” – Katey Comerford
“I am in a place where I am living and working my values and that is a place of privilege.” – Katey Comerford
Resources and Links * Tom Cruise in Magnolia
Learn More about Katey Comerford and Girls on the Run Katey Comerford
Girls on the Run of NOVA
Girls on the Run International
Boundaries on work are increasingly blurring. We can work anytime and anywhere. And sometimes we want to. And sometimes we don’t. In this week’s episode, Sharon explores the question "when does work stop?" She reflects on the changing landscape of work (and how this is not a new phenomenon), provides tips for setting your own boundaries on work (because work stops when we decide to stop it) and offers up questions to push your own thinking about when and how you will choose to work. This is a great episode for anyone who might be looking for a reprieve from the demands of work, who might be leading an enterprise and looking for support for colleagues wondering how to find more balance or for anyone out there with the freedom (or desire!) to create your own schedule. Ultimately work stops being work when we stop seeing it that way. May you enjoy the process of choosing what you see.
“Now, more than ever, we are ‘designing’ our everyday lives to keep up with the hectic pace of modern life, while hoping to realize our dreams in new, colorful ways.” – Minna Kemell-Kutvonen, Marimekko
IDEAS SHARED 5 Tips for setting work boundaries 1. Stay fit 2. Get in the right mindset first 3. Listen to your inner voice 4. Share your voice 5. Change things up
Questions to push your own thinking about work:
- How do I prefer to work?
- What conditions best support my optimum work environment?
- What emotion will best serve my work today?
- What do I want to contribute?
- What is my vision for myself at work?
- How does work fit into the rest of my life?
- What does your “Work Roadmap” look like?
- What am I known for?
RESOURCES AND LINKS * Marimekko Voikukka Fabric was designed in 1997 by Kristina Isola * Design Yourself 15: Play Isn’t Just For Kids * Design Yourself 29: Go Beyond – PRS Vision Cycle
Emmanuel Yamoah is a person who defies the traditional approach. Not satisfied by what has always been, he’s always pushing for something more. As a young boy you might have found him deconstructing his sneakers to see what made them work. Today he leads a global Research and Development team at Duracell. He is an engineer, an artist, and a problem solver. He understands that to really drive product innovation, you have to start with personal innovation. This episode is a great fit for anyone curious how to go from idea to tangible product. His career also illustrates how you can create tremendous opportunities and growth for yourself working at the same organization. “It’s a constant iteration. It’s pushing and using those starting materials that you have and really figuring out how do you bring them all together. And there is no end solution because you’ve got to constantly evolve.” - Emmanuel Yamoah
IDEAS SHARED
“I can launch a product and then put it into the marketplace but it has to evolve to stay relevant…the needs of the world change so then how do you evolve – how do you design who you are – to continue to keep up with the needs of the world.” – Emmanuel Yamoah
“It is always important to have people around in your life who can reflect things for you. Who can give you a different viewpoint of who you are as opposed to who you think you can be.” – Emmanuel Yamoah
“You are who you are…So how do you bring everything of who you are to everything that you do.” – Emmanuel Yamoah
RESOURCES AND LINKS * shell toe adidas
Contact Emmanuel Emmanuel has kindly agreed to answer any further questions that you all might. He can be reached directly at emmanuel.yamoah@gmail.com.
Yes, magic exists. Inspired by this week's solar eclipse, host Sharon decided to share what she does to bring magic into her life. Learn her tricks for creating magic in her business from manifesting dream clients to the power of sitting with your palms facing up. Plus, there's poetry! This week's episode is a great fit for anyone to shake off logical thinking and get into the creative practice of tapping into the magic all around you.
**RESOURCES AND LINKS** * Dallas Clayton’s books *Make Magic! Do Good!* and It’s Never Too Late
- Design Yourself 41: On the Road with Aimee Rowe highlights the magic of the Camino de Santiago
- Go Beyond coloring + activity book
- Design Yourself 5: A Vision Meditation
- Design Yourself 29: Go Beyond – PRS Vision Cycle
This week Sharon shares one of the most helpful pieces of wisdom she’s ever received: “It’s more important to be present than prepared.” Learn how she has come to understand this adage over the years and how she’s added on to it as well. As part of this process, Sharon shares some questions you might consider if you find yourself holding on tightly to a desire to be in control and tips for bringing yourself back to centered awareness. May today’s episode steward you in stepping into your full presence, regardless of how well prepared you might feel.
Ideas Shared: Today’s show really focuses in on two core ideas:
- It is more important to be present than prepared.
- Everyone requires a different level of preparation to be present.
As we discussed it is more important to be present than prepared, we also looked at two ways of stewarding this mindset:
A) Letting go of control To aid this process, you might try and understand your impulse to control, but reflecting on questions like:
- What’s important to me about controlling this situation?
- What value/s feel/s threatened by not having control?
- What could be offered to me in letting go of control?
- What is the opposite of holding on to control? (e.g. embracing ease)
B) Being alert to what’s happening right in front of you To support you in drawing full awareness to your present moment, you might:
- Integrate breathing prompts into your routine
- Sit in meetings with your palms up (receiving posture)
- Ask for help from a friend
- Ask yourself: What will allow me to stay present?
Making a commitment can be daunting. Sometimes we get swept up in all the research we can do, even for some of our everyday decisions. Is this really THE best restaurant we could eat at on vacation? Is this THE movie we want to see? So when it comes to a longterm commitment, the pressure often rises. Is this really THE right job? THE right person? THE THING?! Host Sharon agrees with Sheryl Sandberg and Warren Buffet: Picking a life partner is one of the most important decisions we make in our lives. And this week she is delighted to be inviting her partner-in-crime (psst, hubby!) on the show to celebrate 10 years of being married. This episode is great for anyone who is curious about what it takes to sustain commitment to any one person (or thing!) while allowing for change and growth to still happen. Bonus: If you listen through to the end, you can meet Sharon and Colin’s 4 year old daughter who opted to make a surprise appearance on the show.
“Go with the interruptions.” – Sharon Lipovsky
“I truly believe that the single most important career decision that a woman makes is whether she will have a life partner and who that partner is.” – Sheryl Sandberg
Resources and Links * Kenyon College * Pavement * Cave In * Our DC real estate agent, Cameron Shosh * Episode 50 with Sue McLeod * Young House Love Has A Podcast
It’s a great accomplishment to achieve a critical goal. It can be all the more satisfying when that goal is to run a business you care about successfully. But it’s still just one outcome. Today’s episode focuses on for the sake of what. For the sake of what are you working hard to hit those goals. For the sake of what are you running your business. Sometimes our work gets us so heads down that we forget to lift up and make sure that all the effort is driving towards the kind of success that we really want. Using the lens of running a business, Sharon offers up questions to ground you in your for the sake of what and then offers how you can cascade this foundation into the way you run your business. This episode is a great fit for anyone who runs a small business or is dreaming about starting one. It will also speak to anyone who is looking for a little more alignment between your actions and your dreams.
Speaking of for the sake of what, here is a photo of a place that inspires my for the sake of what. Pssst, this place sits on the real Point Road – the inspiration behind Point Road Studios.
IDEAS SHARED Things to Consider for Your For the Sake of What * What is it that you are after in this life? * What are your values? * What is your deepest held conviction? * What do you want to offer into the world? What is your unique contribution that you and only you can make? * What do you want?
RESOURCES AND LINKS * Guided vision meditation in Episode 5 of Design Yourself * Here’s a couple of shots, as promised, of the family out for a hike:
Inspiring others to trust and follow you takes more than great ideas or a stellar product or service. It takes executive presence. Executive presence communicates your authentic spirit in way that allows others to connect to you. It inspires and motivates. And it necessarily takes many different shapes and forms. Executive presence must be varied because at its core is the unique spirit of each of us. In today’s episode, Sharon clarifies what this often misunderstood term means and why it matters. Then she offers up 5 actions you can take to understand, define, and amplify your own executive presence.
IDEAS SHARED What is executive presence? Executive presence is the result of aligning your inner message and spirit with your exterior presentation – e.g. what you communicate through your words, body language, pace, pitch, and appearance.
Why does it matter? Not having executive presence means you can get skipped over for job promotions or not get hired by your ideal clients. Lacking executive presence means being less trusted to lead the way through difficult times.
Can it be changed? Absolutely.
5 Actions to Understand and Improve Your Executive Presence 1. Self Reflection: What is my presence like right now?
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Identify Role Models
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Ask for Help
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Set a Learning Intention
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Take Action and Iterate
RESOURCES AND LINKS * Personal stylist Natalie Tincher, Buttoned Up Style
Remember what it’s like to first start out in work? Our guest today doesn’t have to remember. She’s in it. Artist and educator Julia Lipovsky joins her sister Sharon to talk about what it’s like to find your voice and find a job. Hear how Julia paid attention to clues as she moved from a job to pay the bills to a job that inspires her soul. And how she put her art school education to work even when selling donuts. Julia is one of those people is wise beyond her years and this week’s episode is filled with both parts sisterly laughter and inspiration. This is definitely one to tune into if you are trying to find your own voice.
“It’s a slow burn, it’ll come together. But there’s a lot of pushback when you feel yourself that things aren’t moving fast enough…when you know you have a lot to offer and give but you just don’t know how yet.” – Julia Lipovsky
“To me leading a well-designed life are when your passions and your routines find a way to intersect.” – Julia Lipovsky
Julia graduates! Sisters Elaine and Sharon celebrate!
Resources and Links * Stendig wall calendar (see also photo below of Julia’s own Stendig) * MICA * Visionary and Voices * Thunder-Sky Gallery * Northside neighborhood in Cincinnati * Essex Studios * Cryptogram * Lynn Twist The Soul of Money
Learn more about Julia Lipovsky insta (Julia Lipovsky): julipovsky
insta (handmade clay necklaces): heycladies
We are half way through 2017, which makes now the ideal time to check in on how things are going and get focused for the second half of the year. In this week’s episode, Sharon offers up 9 questions to reflect on how your year is going and shares what’s she been noticing about her own New Year’s resolution to “let rest.” This episode is perfect for anyone who is ready for a quick time out to reflect and refresh before moving through the second half of the year. It’s also a good fit for anyone who wants to know how to reboot because circumstances have changed and call for a new approach. This is exactly where Sharon finds herself and you will hear where she is struggling and how she is changing things up.
IDEAS SHARED Questions to inspire your New Year’s Check In 1. What was your new year’s resolution (or theme/intention)? 2. What inspired this resolution in the first place? 3. How has this resolution shown up in your life so far? How’s it been going? 4. What have you learned from your resolution? 5. What’s different today as a result of your resolution? 6. What would deepen your practice of your resolution? 7. What will serve you as you look to the second half of 2017? 8. It’s January 1, 2018 and you and I are high giving about how 2017 was everything you hoped it would be – and then some. What are we celebrating? 9. What will you commit to as you move through the second half of the year?
RESOURCES AND LINKS * Episode 28 of Design Yourself New Year, Same You on setting New Year’s resolutions-intentions-themes * Episode 46 of Design Yourself on Teaching and Transitions with my sister Phyllis Lipovsky * Blog post on my initial 2017 theme Let Rest
It’s easy to get caught up in what we are doing, isn’t it? This week’s episode is designed to help you lift out of the daily grind and celebrate your “champagne moment” successes. Whether finally hitting send on a big proposal, getting great feedback from a colleague or client, or finally seeing that passion project come to life, it’s important to carve out time to celebrate. These celebrations can take many different shapes and sizes. The tips offered in today’s show are designed to help you integrate celebrations into your way of doing business and living your life. Because taking time to appreciate and bask in what we have done is a critical step in keeping on doing. This week’s episode is perfect for anyone looking for new ideas about how to high five what’s going well and even for figuring out how to identify these milestones in the first place.
Here I am with one of my nearest and dearests, Kate, who always reminds me to kick back and celebrate! Don’t forget to join the giveaway celebration this week!
Ideas Shared Annie Dilliard wrote this in The Writing Life – “How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives. What we do with this hour, and that one, is what we are doing.” It can be compelling to stay heads down, to go-go-go-go, but a life sent simply going ends up tiring us out. Or worse leading to burn out. The following tips are aimed at helping keep you focused not just on achieving progress, but enjoying yourself along the way.
8 Tips for How to Celebrate Your Champagne Moments 1. Let your focus determine your champagne moments
2. Design a celebration to suit you
- How often do you create something that really is just about what you want?
- How many people do you want to be there? What venue do you see yourself in? What kind of experience are you creating?
- What would build your energy (verse draining it)?
3. Design a celebration that takes no effort
- What could I do right now to celebrate this success?
4. Celebrate by thanking others (e.g. run a Thank You Campaign)
- What makes my success possible?
- Who makes my success possible?
- What gesture would show how much I appreciate the help?
5. Celebrate with new learning
- Growth Mindset (e.g. there is more to learn) vs. Fixed Mindset (e.g. I know everything I need to know)
- What am I curious about?
- What investment in my own development have I been putting off that could make all the difference?
- What kind of learning format would suit my lifestyle right now?
6. Celebrate with the gift of time
- What would I love to do, if only I had the time to do it?
- How much time could I gift myself this day?
7. Set Champagne Moment in advance to motivate action
- Imagine yourself really seeing the celebration happening now.
- What does it look like?
- What actions can you take today to propel you forward?
8. Leave room for surprise Champagne Moments
Resources and Links * Join the giveaway celebration! * Episode 46 of Design Yourself on Teaching and Transitions with my sister Phyllis Lipovsky * Creative Mornings
Today we close out Season One of Design Yourself with the celebration of the podcast's 50th episode! Leadership Coach Sue McLeod joins host Sharon to reflect on what she's learned after her first year of podcasting and to model a process for evaluating progress. Whether you are wondering how your own passion project is going or are ready to take stock on a work initiative, this week's show offers questions to help you see how you are doing. This is also a great show for anyone interested in what it takes to start and stick with a podcast and learn what happens behind the scenes at Design Yourself.
“For Sharon there’s there’s this and – as opposed to an or – that guides her life.” – Sue McLeod
“I do not hold myself up as THE model…but I do feel like having the specifics of what’s real for someone makes the feedback or tools or advice more tangible.” – Sharon Lipovsky
“A lot of my leadership is just living my life and sharing that with people.” – Sue McLeod
Resources and Links * Here’s the Vision Action Plan Sharon referenced using for laying out her own personal/professional development plans * Eric Smucker is the bright mind behind Smucker Farms and Sharon’s almost first guest for the podcast that didn’t launch in 2013 * Rode Podcaster is the mic that Sharon uses in her home studio
+ Psst – she started with Blue’s Snowball mic and will use 2 Rode Lavalier mics when she’s offsite for interviews
- Podcast Like A Boss
- Camino de Santiago
- Georgetown Leadership Coaching Program
- Sharon mentioned in the show that she’s interested in having someone join her team to support the podcast in doing things like write show notes and schedule guest interviews. If you think you might be a good fit, contact her here.
- Jon Flannery, Cryptogram
Learn More About Sue McLeod suemcleodcoaching.com
While checking out her site, sign up for her “sometimes irreverent, always relevant” monthly newsletter
Coaches: Check out her classes here
If you’ve ever wondered how you can make not just a living, but a life, this week’s episode is for you. Nate Shearer is a thoughtful, funny guy who doesn’t let work define him. His pursuit of play has led him to race bikes professionally, learn the welding trade, explore skate and surf culture, move out to the country and then return to the city - and the list goes on. He is also one of Washington, D.C.’s great hair stylists; he apprenticed under the world-renowned Orlando Pita. Tune in for inspiration on how to follow your passion and let the magic of curiosity unfold.
“My primary focus in life is mostly, for lack of a better word, playing; I’ve always gravitated towards jobs that I could just take off whenever I wanted, jobs I didn’t take home with me.”
– Nate Shearer
“I feel like I work best when it’s approached like a collaboration.” – Nate Shearer
“That’s how you should try to form your life. You should just do these passion projects. If you are passionate enough about it and you just keep doing it, then people will be like, wow, what is this. Eventually, if you don’t allow other people to stifle your passion then that passion can actually become your profession.” -Nate Shearer
Resources and Links * People in Nate’s hood growing up included Spike Jones and Jeff Tremaine * Design Yourself episode 4 on the importance of taking breaks * Jon Flannery of Cryptogram is the designer behind the Point Road brand that came up in Nate and Sharon’s conversation + You can also hear Jon on the podcast in Design Yourself episode 46 on the Designer’s Mindset + Interested in learning more about forms of poetry like the sestina and villanelle that Sharon referenced? The Making of a Poem is an awesome resource. + In Search of Captain Zero: A Surfer’s Road Trip Beyond the End of the Road + Kon-Tiki: Across the Pacific in a Raft + You too can marvel at the picture of my dear friend Aimee Rowe biking down the Mississippi River - If you did Aimee, you can learn more about an adventure she and I took in Spain on the podcast here and here. * Grounded: A Down to Earth Journey Around the World * I love this shot of Nate out in the woods
- Harrisonburg, VA
- Writer Lydia Davis
- Nate’s mentor in the hair industry, Orlando Pita
Learn more about Nate Shearer You can find Nate cutting hair at Calvary Salon (Washington, DC)
insta (professional): natetheshearer
insta (passion project): thejunkmilechronicles
Facing the Monday Blues? Feeling antsy at the idea of taking a vacation for fear of all that work that will pile up while you are way? This week’s episode is for you. Drawing from what she has learned from re-entering her work routine after maternity leave, host Sharon explores what you can do before, during and after a “break” to making getting back into work as seamless as possible. Learn about how to get yourself (and your team) organized, techniques for limiting your priorities like the kanban method and why optimizing your schedule for time isn’t the most effective approach. Taking time away is as critical for the health of our businesses as it is for our own sanity. Here’s to setting ourselves up to do it in a way that works.
IDEAS SHARED Tips for Getting Back to Work Before You Go
- Capture everything that you are tracking for when you return
- Delegate what you don’t need to do
While You Are Away
- Allow yourself to really be away when you are away
- Create meaningful vacation boundaries for yourself
When You Return
- Get organized
- Set and limit your priorities
- Find a small win and get it done from start to finish
- Pay attention to your energy (not your time)
- Tap into mission and purpose
RESOURCES AND LINKS * Frog and Toad Together by Arnold Lobel (read from story The List) * Episode 44 of the podcast is all about To Do Lists * Episode 4 of the podcast looks at The Importance of Taking Breaks * Project Time Off * Background on kanban * Manage Your Energy Not Your Time, HBR article by Tony Schwartz and Catherine McCarthy
Ever wonder who makes our pretty and original cover art each week? It’s today’s guest, the designer and printer behind the Cincinnati-based studio Cryptogram, Jon Flannery. Jon shares with our Design Yourself community what motivates him in his work as a designer and entrepreneur. You will learn the mix of science and art that integrates in his own creative process and how having creative entrepreneurs for parents influenced him growing up. For anyone curious to get inside the head of a thoughtful, introverted creative or who is wondering how to make the jump and launch a business, this episode is for you.
“I don’t think I’ll ever stop learning…I’m frustrated a lot by what I don’t know.” – Jon Flannery
“Always be mindful and openminded about where you are and where you are going…I want to always be able to change and make changes.”
– Jon Flannery
Resources and Links * Here’s a post I wrote about Jon’s process for creating the There Is Nothing Stopping You poster. * Jon’s beautiful home. Yeah, it has it’s own website. * Here’s a picture of the Max Bill poster hanging in Jon’s office that we reference a few times during the episode. Sick right?
- You will notice this Max Bill piece is also featured prominently in this week’s cover art, designed by Jon himself.
- Learn more about artist Max Bill.
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Here’s a shot of that Collaboration cover that caught my eye. Artist is Jim Floor.
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Curious to know the backstory to the name Point Road Studios that we referenced? You can find that here.
- Art Academy of Cincinnati
- Powerhouse Factories
- Northern Kentucky University
- Mike McNeive
Learn more about Cryptogram cryptogramink.com
insta: cryptogramink
Changing jobs. Moving. Getting married. Having a baby. If you’re preparing for or experiencing a transitional time in your life, this episode is for you. This week’s guest is a high school English teacher, bride-to-be, and host Sharon’s “birthday twin” sister. She’s also one of the most giving and caring people we know. Philly has been a font of ideas for show topics since Design Yourself launched nearly a year ago. One topic that she suggested for a solo show early on was resources for moving through transitions. Especially “happy” transitions - like getting married or having a baby - whose growing pains are often ignored as the focus is on the “big event” instead. Rather than approach this topic on her own, Sharon invited Philly - who is in the midst of one such transition herself - to come share her ideas for what it’s like to be living through transition and what resources and mindsets might help along the way. Hear how Philly has wended her way to becoming a teacher and listen to these sisters talk about tips for moving through transitions.
“You can do theory, theory, theory all you want, but until you are in front of the room doing it, you are not sure if you are going to enjoy it or be successful at it.” – Phyllis Lipovsky
“Focus on yourself. You can only do and change what you can do and change.” – Phyllis Lipovsky
IDEAS SHARED Tips for transitions 1. Be clear on what you want out of your transition 2. Create a dialogue for “real talk” about your transition 3. Focus on your inner game (e.g. What can I do to be self-sufficient/strong through this transition?) 4. Name what’s motivating you to move through your transition 5. Honor that your emotions will change throughout 6. “Perform” your transition in whatever way feels right to you 7. Know yourself (e.g. What you want right now may not be what others want for you. It may not even be what you want yourself over time. Be clear on what you want in this moment.) 8. Understand that things will always be changing 9. Name what skills you have that will support you through your transition. 10. Identify places where you have gaps and ask for help. 11. Remember we are in transition every day 12. Do you!
RESOURCES AND LINKS Books Philly and Sharon referenced (#literarygeeks):
- Animal Farm
- 1984
- Silas Marner
- The Great Gatsby
- Macbeth
Here are a few of Sharon’s favorite books on the topic of transitions and change:
- Managing Transitions: Making the Most of Change
- Immunity to Change: How to Overcome It and Unlock the Potential in Yourself and Your Organization (Leadership for the Common Good)
- An Everyone Culture: Becoming a Deliberately Developmental Organization
Host Sharon isn't afraid to admit she loves a good organizing fest. Ever since she was a little girl, she's been famous (erm, sometimes infamous) for her love of taking everything down off the shelves so that she could pick it back up in a new and improved order. So you won't be surprised that when organizing consultant Marie Kondo's book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up hit stores in 2014, Sharon began playing with these principles in her own life. Today's episode uses the KonMari method as a jumping off point for discussing how and why to find focus in your work. Learn about the problem of stretching our efforts too thin, common reasons we do this anyway, and a 5 Step KonMari-inspired process for bringing focus to your own work.
IDEAS SHARED WE HAVE A PROBLEM We are scattering our efforts on the many at the cost of what making anything truly great. Over and over and over again.
It doesn’t come from a bad place
- We may be risk averse so we place lots of bets
- We may not be ready to make the decision about where to focus
We have natural limitations
- Multi-tasking doesn’t exist
- We can’t remember more than 4 things in our heads at once
5 STEPS TO MARIE KONDO YOUR BUSINESS Step 1: Name the thing that motivates you
Start by naming the thing that motivates you. If you close your eyes at night feeling exactly the thing that you want to feel, what would you call that feeling? Joy, happiness, peace, fulfillment?
Let your answer shape your guiding question: Does this bring me joy? (or peace/fufillment/happiness etc)
Don’t forget that there is a lot of beauty/joy/peace/fufillment in FUNCTION.
Step 2: Get clear on what you really want to do in your business
What one thing do you really want to do? Maybe not forever, but at least in this season of your work life.
To set this horizon for the longer term consider: What do you want to be known for?And consider your baseline. What is your reputation right now?
Step 3: Audit your current focus
List out everything you have on offer. All the services and products. Marie Kondo would have you put them all on the floor. I want you to make physical representations of each thing. If it’s something tangible, perhaps use the thing itself. If you offer services, write them out using pen and paper. If you have multiple divisions or arms in your business, you may want to segment your focus into those – or other natural buckets.
Step 4: Determine what brings you “joy”
Take each thing in turn, hold it and ask your guiding question. “Does this bring me ______?” Notice your answer without judgement.
Step 5: Let go of the no’s
Determine what emotion will steward you in this process. Take steps to strengthen that muscle.
RESOURCES AND LINKS * Marie Kondo * KonMari method
This week’s episode is all about the simplest of tools for getting stuff done: The To Do List. This week Sharon geeks out on the best times to tap into this tool, her favorite 4 variations on the To Do List, and 4 tactics to make sure that you leverage this resource to best effect. Here’s the basic theory, one size fit all solutions simply don’t work. But that doesn’t mean you have to begin every solution from scratch. Sharon offers these templates and strategies to arm you with some best practices to customize your own approach.
IDEAS SHARED 5 REASONS TO WRITE A TO DO LIST 1. To stop feeling overwhelmed 2. To let yourself dream up something ambitious 3. To achieve something you’ve never done before 4. To bring your big ideas into fruition 5. To get stuff done
4 TYPES OF TO DO LISTS The Comprehensive List – Whether you write it all out on pen and paper or capture it in an online tracking tool, the Comprehensive To Do List allows you to put down everything in your head in one place. Bonus: It usually lowers your stress levels in the process.
Timeline Map – What needs to get done this day/this week/this month/this quarter/this year? Your Timeline Map will tell you. This tool can be incredibly useful when planning for what you want to achieve in your work or business for the year.
Action Planning Tool – A timeline map used in Sharon’s Go Beyond visioning process. Download the Vision Action Plan here.
For anyone wanting help in both articulating your vision and how to get this done, check out the whole Go Beyond workbook.
Index Card Strategy – To build momentum with a particular to do list, write out your to do lists on Index cards. You can use index cards (or post it notes!) to write out both 1) like tasks that you can knock out quickly, and 2) individual items that are part of a big project.
Project Lists – Lay out what needs to be achieved to take a specific project from start to finish. This is especially important for both building momentum and making sure that you really understand what it will take to make a larger project or initiative happen. Often using an online tool makes sense here.
4 TACTICS TO MAKE YOUR LISTS WORK Brain dump + transfer –First write everything out and then take that list and move each item into your regular workflow practices. Don’t just leave the big list or things will almost always fall through the cracks.
Segment your list into “like tasks” –This straightforward approach has the advantage of both breaking up the to do list into more manageable chunks and sets you up you execute similar tasks at the same time. Yay efficiency!
Use an online tool to track and communicate between team members –Basecamp, Trello, Slack, Google Docs/Sheets, Asana (et cetera!) all have their pros and cons.Here are the headlines on leveraging online tools:
- Always be tracking
- Use it before you think you need to
- With teams: Use it for ongoing work teams, not for “one offs”
- Commit to it
Make it fun
RESOURCES AND LINKS * Blog post to give you insight into Sharon’s “book problem” =) * The joy-seeking, stuff purging consultant, Marie Kondo * List writing/project management tools referenced: + Basecamp + Trello + Slack + G Suite + Asana
Sharon is back with her first solo show as a mama of three. She shares what she learned by setting a 40 day boundary for extreme rest post the arrival of her new son. No matter your life circumstances, all of us can benefit from finding ways to carve out rest in a way that works for us and our life circumstances. This episode is great for anyone who is feeling ready to take a break, is wondering about the value of stepping back or who is just curious about what Sharon’s been up for the last few months.
IDEAS SHARED What I learned from taking 40 days to rest… * It was easier than I thought to jump right in * Preparation helps * There are lots of ways to rest * Rest made me happy * Timing matters * Having a boundary helps * I could have done it for longer * Maternity leave isn’t the only cause for a period of rest
RESOURCES AND LINKS The First Forty Days
Design Yourself Episode 33: Setting Boundaries
National Novel Writing Month (“Nanowrimo”)
Melissa Sanabria is one of those rare people who is both super creative and super organized. She is the designer and blogger behind Pretty Little Rowhouse and she is a consultant with a Big Four accounting firm. She is a natural at dishing out great design solutions and she is just as comfortable directing projects and managing clients engagements. This week we get to hear the story of how she developed these twin skill sets and what she learned along the way. In the process, we hear many great examples for how knowing what you want can really catalyze you to take actions that move you towards that reality. Melissa has made a series of intentional choices that I think will inspire all of us, especially anyone who is wondering how to launch a business that comes from the heart.
“All of a sudden the wave carries you and then you’re like, what happened?” – Melissa Sanabria
“I’m at the point where I need to decide: Am I going to be all in on [my job] or all in on my business. I like to work and I like to be challenged; it’s hard to do both halfway. I kind of need to choose one or the other and be all in.” – Melissa Sanabria
Resources and Links * University of Arizona’s program in Agricultural & Resources Economics * Warren Wilson
Learn More About Melissa Pretty Little Rowhouse
pinterest: melissasanabria
insta: mannesanabria
Aimee Rowe returns to the show this week for the second half of her Camino de Santiago discussion with Sharon. In episode 40 Aimee and Sharon share how they prepared to walk this ancient pilgrimage route through Spain. This week they share what the experience of walking was actually like. Hear Aimee and Sharon’s favorite Camino adages, what they loved about the journey, who some of the memorable characters were that they met along the way, and more. Whether you are curious about walking the Camino yourself or just want to hear two friends reflect on what they learned when they stretched their limits, this episode is definitely worth a listen. Buen Camino!
“The Camino provides.” – Aimee Rowe
Aimee and Sharon taking one last picture together on the Camino before their paths diverge. A favorite food on the Camino – bocadillos de huevos. Holy hiking appetite, right?!
Remember how excited Aimee and I told you we were about finding a washing machine. Proof! Ideas Shared Sharon and Aimee’s Camino Adages
- The Camino provides
- A true pilgrim doesn’t judge other pilgrims
- The Camino giveth and the Camino taketh away
- The Camino isn’t about you
- You might have plans for the Camino but the Camino has plans for you, These may or may not coincide.
Resources and Links * A Sense of Direction: Pilgrimage for the Restless and the Hopeful by Gideon Lewis-Kraus * Spark Joy: An Illustrated Master Class on the Art of Organizing and Tidying Up by Marie Kondō
Learn More About Aimee Check out Aimee’s bio with Cascades East, where she is currently completing her residency focused on rural family medicine.
Hear about Aimee’s penchant for Seizing Adventure in Episode 37 of Design Yourself.
Hear Part 1 of Aimee and Sharon’s Camino conversation all about Preparing for the Camino.
Aimee Rowe joins us on the show this week for for the first in a two-part series on the Camino de Santiago, an ancient pilgrimage route through Spain. Aimee is a doctor, an adventurer, and a long-time friend of Sharon’s. Sharon and Aimee walked this pilgrimage route together nearly 5 years ago and this week they are discussing how they both prepared for this walk, including how they went about making and honoring the commitment to walk, how they were able to carve out 6 weeks from their regular routine to - despite work and family obligations, and how they readied themselves for the experience itself. If you are trying to figure out how to carve out the time and space for a passion project or are gearing up for a life transition, this episode is for you. Hear about how small conversations can catalyze big change, tips for prioritizing what you really want and lots of laughter shared between two good friends.
“Don’t let perfect be the enemy of the good. Just do it.” – Aimee Rowe
Resources and Links * Listen to sermons from the same LA church that Aimee tuned into as part of her self-designed Camino preparation. In particular, she really enjoyed listening to the reflections of Rankin Wilbourne. * Check out Sharon’s blog series My Pregnant Pilgrimage on her and Aimee’s adventures along the Camino de Santiago.
Learn More About Aimee Check out Aimee’s bio with Cascades East, where she is currently completing her residency focused on rural family medicine.
Hear about Aimee’s penchant for Seizing Adventure in Episode 37 of Design Yourself.
Life is too short not to spend your time doing what you really feel called to do. In today’s encore episode Sharon offers up tips and resources for just letting go of the excuses and going for it - whatever it might be for you. Learn 5 simple steps to move from where you are today to where you want to be.
Ideas Shared: This week I had fun playing with Adam Kurtz’s new book Pick Me Up: A Pep Talk for Now & Later. It is a fun book-journal-workbook-guide thing with pages of prompts for you to fill out.
One page in the book offered the space to “write some good advice.”Here’s what I was inspired to scribble down:
There are two tracks that I see people on as they set out to go after the things they really want in their lives:
Track 1: If you already know what you want
Track 2: If you don’t know what you want
Track 1: 5 Steps for Going For It…if you already know what you want…
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Be present
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Name the prep/steps required to get you there
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Do the leg work
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Name and cultivate the emotion that will serve you
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Make the right jump for you
Track 2: 5 Steps for Going For It…if you DON’T know what you want…
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Be clear on what you don’t want
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Change direction when you feel stuck
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Try lots of things – quickly!
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Follow your curiosity
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Pay attention to what’s working/not working
Resources and Links: * Check out Adam Kurtz’s new book Pick Me Up: A Pep Talk for Now & Later.
This week we meet the husband wife team behind Forty Third Place, the umbrella under which all of the creative projects and collaborations of Jonaki Sanyal and Blake Sloane live. Woodworking, carpentry, photography and design are among their specialities. (Blake just built beautiful custom desks for Sharon’s home office!) Listen to learn the story of how this pair has always prioritized their creative pursuits and how they continue in the work of figuring out what a well-designed life looks like for them. Theirs is an inspiring story of continuous iteration and evolution. And one where family serves as a strong grounding force. This is a great episode for anyone whose ever wondered how to meld their passions and their work into one place. It’s also a great case study into how you can throw out the idea of work-life balance and see work-life integration in action.
“That’s what our relationship has always been built on: Being able to work together on things.” -Jonaki Sanyal
“All of our clients come to us because they seem to be gravitating to the story…I think it is being able to put a face and a whole family to these products.” – Blake Sloane
I had the good fortune to record this episode on 43rd Place in Blake and Jonaki’s beautifully restored home. The dining room table was built by Blake as an anniversary gift for Jonaki.
Resources and Links * Rebuilding Exchange (Chicago, IL)
Learn More About Forty Third Place Forty Third Place
insta: fortythirdplace
Meet Clara Muggli-Toyloy, the mom and entrepreneur behind Fuzzy Logic Wool, a brand new company that produces gorgeous, handmade, sustainable clothing and cloth diapers for infants and toddlers. Clara is just starting out with Fuzzy Logic (her Etsy shop launched in late 2016), but she’s not new to the world of working for herself. Early in career, she set up her own landscape design company operating in the San Francisco Bay Area. Hear Clara discuss everything from taking small steps to get her business started, what it’s like to balance her creative pursuits with life as the mom of two toddlers, and how she recognizes and moves past fear when it shows up. For anyone whose been itching to stop thinking about that passion project and just get started, prepare to be inspired by this remarkable woman.
“I get so depressed thinking how much stuff is out there…that nobody wants…The thought that I could create and make something new not using new materials made me feel good.” – Clara Muggli-Toyloy
Resources and Links * Marie Kondo * Bea Johnson * Design Yourself episode on getting started
Here’s my newest addition sporting gorgeous Fuzzy Logic pants. I love them! Learn More About FuzzyLogicWool and Clara Muggli-Toyloy Etsy: FuzzyLogicWool
insta: fuzzylogicwool
Clara Mugli-Toyloy
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” So says Epictetus. In this encore episode Sharon discusses money, money, money. Learn about the difference between operating from a sufficiency (“there is enough”) vs. a scarcity (“there isn’t enough”) mindset and explore the 5 guiding steps to ensure that money isn’t what holds you back from going after what you really want. Money ultimately only has the value that we give it; learn how to make sure that your values and your spending are aligned.
Ideas Shared * There is a lot of chatter out there on money. Here are some quotes that really struck me as I was doing research into this topic…
“Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.” ― Oscar Wilde
“If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to.” ― Dorothy Parker
“As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all – the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them.” ― J.K. Rowling
“This planet has – or rather had – a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movement of small green pieces of paper, which was odd because on the whole it wasn’t the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.” ― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
“A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.” ― Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own
“While money can’t buy happiness, it certainly lets you choose your own form of misery.” ― Groucho Marx
“Don’t think money does everything or you are going to end up doing everything for money.” ― Voltaire
“A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned” ― Benjamin Franklin
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” ― Epictetus
- Finally, below are the steps I shared that have worked for me and many of my clients to prepare financially for a big personal and/or professional transformation.
5 Steps to Owning Your Money Mindset (and preparing yourself for change) Step 1: Get clear on your budget
Step 2: Get clear on your values
Step 3: Notice without judgement how your values align or not with your money habits
Step 4: Establish a new budget (or range) that fully aligns with your values
Step 5: Make small changes every day
Resources and Links
- In today’s episode, I also reference the “Marie Kondo effect.” For those who haven’t joined her “tidying” craze, you can learn more here.
- To get more into the distinctions of scarcity vs. sufficiency discussed in the episode, I recommend you check out Lynne Twist’s book The Soul of Money. Here’s a great quote from early on in this little volume:
“Money itself isn’t the problem. Money itself isn’t bad or good. Money itself doesn’t have power or not have power. It is our interpretation of money, our interaction with it, where the real mischief is and where we find the real opportunity for self discovery and personal transformation.”
- Mint (for everyone) and The Wave (for small business owners) are great free budgeting resources to check out. (And there are many more like YNAB!)
Today we meet adventurer-extraordinaire, Aimee Rowe. Learn about how she wended her way from being a humanities major in undergraduate (religious studies with an environmental studies concentration to be specific!) to completing her medical residency today – nearly 15 years later. Aimee’s path is filled with many unusual twists and turns from sailing tall ships on both the Atlantic and Pacific, teaching young students about the wilderness in Maine and water conservation along the Mississippi River, and somewhere along the way deciding that she was meant to be a doctor. And then going for it despite all odds. For anyone whose ever wanted to think beyond the conventional way to get things done, this episode is for you.
“You have to not take things personally, which is hard.” – Aimee Rowe
Resources and Links * Dr. Ifeoma Ikenze inspired Aimee in her talk on healing * Learn about the tall ship Aimee worked on after graduating from Kenyon College(where she and Sharon met). She later worked on the Tabor Boy before starting her pre-med studies in San Francisco. * Here is the article on CSAs in Time Magazine that inspired Aimee to find (and land!) a job farming for a season in Central California * Here is the farm in Central California where Aimee worked for a season * Chewonki is the 100-year old environmental education center in Maine where Aimee taught about wildlife * Yestermorrow is a design/build school in Vermont. * S.E.A. in Massachusetts is where Aimee studied abroad for a semester * The book Sharon referenced about life in New Orleans post-Hurricane Katrina is 1 Dead in the Attic: After Katrina by Chris Rose * Aimee’s famous brownie recipe that she admits to stealing from somebody else and that she may or may not have sent to the medical school that she really wanted to attend
Learn More About Aimee Check out Aimee’s bio with Cascades East, where she is currently completing her residency focused on rural family medicine.
And here is Aimee on her “bicycle powered pontoon boat” (that’s the “technical term,” ahem, according to Sharon) sailing down the Mississippi River. #badass
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In today’s Design Yourself, we meet Catherine Orr and Elena Rue, the filmmakers and storytellers behind StoryMineMedia. Learn about how they launched a business that defied industry standards, created a unique perspective on how to tell stories that create impact, and pushed themselves to continue growing and learning along the way. This one is for anyone who has a story to tell. (Elena and Catherine would tell you that’s you. Yes, YOU!)
“If we are going to do it, we are going to do it.” – Catherine Orr
Resources and Links * Elena and Catherine generously offered to share their Story Strategy Guide with Design Yourself listeners * Independent film Overburden that Catherine and Elena edited and produced (directed by Chad A. Stevens) about coal mining + Editor’s Note: This film was awarded Honorable Mention from the Nicholas School Environmental Award Jury at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in 2015. Sharon misspoke in her intro saying that Overburden won the main award. The full list of 2015 winner’s can be found here. * The Point Road Studios’ story that StoryMine developed (scroll down in post for video) * Graduate program where Catherine and Elena met and built their journalism foundation * Brian Storm, Founder and Executive Producer at Media Storm * Fellow coach and founder of Maley Group, Bethany Dufour * Check this page out for more information on the visioning retreat that Sharon and Bethany created for StoryMine * Catherine references the Design Yourself podcast episode on not waiting – here it is
Learn More About StoryMineMedia storyminemedia.com
insta: storyminemedia
facebook: StoryMineMedia
twitter: StoryMineMedia
In today’s Design Yourself, we meet Ericka Leighton-Spradlin, the artist and entrepreneur behind Continuum, an eclectic bazaar//concept shop in Cincinnati, OH. (This happens to be Sharon’s favorite place to shop!) Learn how Ericka created her vision for the space and then followed her instincts to make her dream a reality. From sourcing trips to Japan, an artist commune in Maine, and balancing the demands of a growing business, Ericka’ story weaves a beautiful mix of the creative spirit and entrepreneurial mindset.
Resources and Links * Watershed Center for Ceramic Arts * History of Over the Rhine * Julia Lipovsky * DAAP * White Helmets for Aleppo * Interview with Grace Bonney on the Young House Love Podcast (interview starts around minute 10): * Paula Greif ceramics (based in Hudson, NY)
Learn More About Ericka continuumbazaar.com
insta: continuumbazaar
facebook: Continuum Bazaar
Visit Continuum: 1407 Vine Street Cincinnati, OH
Thanks to those listeners who reached out to suggest that I share some Encore episodes while I am out on maternity leave. There will be a few of these episodes – all suggested by listeners – shared in the months ahead, starting with today’s throwback. In this encore episode of Design Yourself, Sharon discusses the importance of getting started. Career moves, life adventures, and creative projects can only begin from one place – the one you are in. The theme for today is: Stop waiting + start doing. Listen to hear some Sharon’s favorite tips for how to get over the delay game and start getting the job done.
IDEAS SHARED * Eric Smucker of Smucker Farms is the visionary urban farmer and CSA pioneer who said yes to my podcast interview back in 2013. Fingers crossed I can get him on the show now that it exists.
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Here are the Erin Condren planners that my sister and I were using to capture our 2016 goals and intentions. I’ve had fun using my planner this year, though ultimately think I prefer something a little slimmer and more likely to make it into my purse on a daily basis. (I hate to be weighed down!) I recently picked up one of Appointed’s planners for my husband that I’m loving – and not just because he’s suddenly using a planner. (Though I’m not complaining about that either…)
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Paul Jarvis is the superfabulous dude who finally kicked me into gear on launching Design Yourself. I love his podcast The Freelancer and his weekly newsletter the Sunday Dispatch. The book of his that I quote from is Everything I Know.
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Registered Creative is the group of web development creatives that helped make this new website (circa Fall 2016) possible. Woot!
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Brené Brown is awesome. Here’s her TED talk on The Power of Vulnerability that I referenced. She has several books that I’d recommend, including The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, and her latest release Rising Strong.
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Podcast Like A Boss was the helpful online course that I took right before launching Design Yourself. In addition to learning from Paul Jarvis (who inspired me to take the class), this course offered up insight from Paul’s Invisible Office Hourscohost, Jason Zook, as well as the ladies behind the Being Boss podcast, Kathleen Shannon and Emily Thompson.
There is nothing like a little life adventure to teach. Sharon seized the opportunity to walk the ancient pilgrimage path through Spain, the Camino de Santiago, back in 2012. She hadn’t intended to be 6 months pregnant when starting this 500 mile walk, but the Camino - like life - doesn’t always follow our plans. Today Sharon shares 5 lessons that have stuck with her since this magical experience that she believes will resonate for pilgrims and non-pilgrims alike.
GIVEAWAY To celebrate the launch of the new pointroadstudios.com we are doing a special giveaway. Subscribe to join our community by February 15th and you’ll be entered into our raffle for a chance to win a limited edition screen print with the phrase there is nothing stopping you.
If you are curious, you can get an inside-the-studio look at the making of this print over on the blog.
IDEAS SHARED Key Lessons Learned on the Camino 1. Be clear on your declarations and requests 2. Take the leap 3. Honor your values 4. The path begins at home 5. There is no end destination
RESOURCES AND LINKS Learn more about the Camino de Santiago over here
This was my trusted guide for planning and then being on the Camino
Hate the feeling of being caged in? Me too. It may seem counterintuitive, but boundaries are a hugely impactful way to open yourself up to greater possibility. In today’s episode, Sharon discusses boundary setting using her three maternity leaves as examples for how her boundaries around this special time shape-shifted over time. While this episode will likely peak the interest of anyone preparing for their own maternity leave or supporting someone in this process, Sharon promises the 6 lessons shared on boundary setting extend far beyond this context.
GIVEAWAY To celebrate the launch of the new pointroadstudios.com we are doing a special giveaway. Subscribe to join our community by February 15th and you’ll be entered into our raffle for a chance to win a limited edition screen print with the phrase there is nothing stopping you.
If you are curious, you can get an inside-the-studio look at the making of this print over on the blog.
IDEAS SHARED Key Lessons on Setting Boundaries 1. DO set clear boundaries – be as specific as possible; understand what is black and white and where there is some blurry grey 2. Boundaries provide a structure that offers enormous freedom to play and create 3. Boundaries can be stretched and redefined 4. A boundary stretched extensively is no longer a boundary 5. Pick a defined timeline; when in doubt keep it short (K.I.S.) 6. Reflect, evaluate, refine (or redefine)
RESOURCES AND LINKS The First Forty Days has been a major source of inspiration to me as I prepare for this maternity leave
I didn’t reference this in the podcast, but I really enjoyed Megan Gilger’s take on maternity leave, How I Took Maternity Leave as an Entrepreneur.
We all experience transitions on a regular basis. Sometimes they are big - e.g. getting married, starting a new job, grieving a loss, moving to a new place. Sometimes they are little - e.g. commuting across town to work, finishing writing a proposal, integrating a new member on our team. Transitions often seem like something to rush through as quickly as possible on our way to get from the present to where we want to be. Unfortunately life doesn’t usually work this way. We spend the majority of our time in this act of moving from here to there , but we often gloss over this experience unto itself. But it doesn't have to be this way. This week, Sharon is investigating what it means to be in transition. Learn key insights about transitions in general as well as tips for how to move through them effectively.
GIVEAWAY To celebrate the launch of the new pointroadstudios.com we are doing a special giveaway. Subscribe to join our community by February 15th and you’ll be entered into our raffle for a chance to win a limited edition screen print with the phrase there is nothing stopping you.
If you are curious, you can get an inside-the-studio look at the making of this print over on the blog.
IDEAS SHARED A transition is the movement from where you are to a new different place.
Despite the diversity of transitions out there, there are some friendly reminders that will serve us no matter where we are.
Remember this when it comes to transitions * We can’t leapfrog transitions * Transitions are uncomfortable * Transitions arrive to us in many ways * Transitions are where life happens
Tips for moving through transitions * Be present * Honor your emotions * Trace the movement * Look to inspiring stories * Be a part of the circle of good * Keep going, keep going, keep going
“I guess what I’m saying is, let’s keep lifting each other up. It’s not lost on me that two of the biggest opportunities I’ve had to break into the next level were given to me by women in positions of power. If I’m ever in that position and you ask me, ‘Who?’ I’ll do my best to say, ‘You’ too. But in order to get there, you may have to break down the walls of whatever it is that’s holding you back first. Ignore the doubt – it’s not your friend – and just keep going, keep going, keep going.”
– Lauren Graham
RESOURCES AND LINKS Mark Sundeen’s book The Unsettlers
Lauren Graham’s book Talking As Fast As I Can
You’ve heard Sharon close each podcast with this phrase: There is nothing stopping you. But where did that come from and what exactly does it mean? Learn how this tagline came to be and work through some reflection questions for getting deeper on your own beliefs. Your intentions really can change the world, but first you have to discover what they are.
GIVEAWAY We shared this week that we are doing a special giveaway this month for early subscribers to our community. The full details of the giveaway will be posted over on the blog tomorrow January 24th, but in the meantime subscribe here to get your name entered in the raffle.
(And yes, if you’ve already subscribed, we’ve got you covered. And thanks!)
IDEAS SHARED There is nothing stopping you There is nothing stopping you is an intention that Sharon holds in everything that she does and creates. In this episode you’ll learn about
- Where this phrase comes from
- How it is informed by Sharon’s own growing up experience
- How your intentions can change the world
- How to let your intentions loose on the world
Finding your own voice What you believe will influence how you show up and how you are are received by those around you. Be thoughtful about what you give this kind of emphasis to in your life. When you aren’t purposeful about the intentions you are holding, you may find yourself carried by the momentum of something that isn’t serving you.
Below are 5 simple questions to help you locate and speak out your own unique voice.
Questions to consider:
- What is your deepest conviction?
- In what ways are you sharing this conviction with the world?
- Any places where you are feeling stuck or out of alignment with this conviction?
- What intentions does your conviction spark for you?
- What is the impact that your intention/s could have on the world?
RESOURCES AND LINKS Mary Oliver’s poem Summer Day
One of the many great legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is that real, transformational change is possible when you stand up for what you believe. The first step in being able to emulate this kind of leadership? You have to know what you stand for. Today Sharon draws inspiration from this visionary leader and offers up questions for you to consider as you hone in on what it is that you believe and how you might best drive that forward.
IDEAS SHARED Today we celebrate the profound leadership and long-lasting impact of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. May the questions and quotes offered below inspire you to chase after your own dreams.
Questions and Quotes What do you stand for? What are your core beliefs? What are you willing to stand up and fight for?
“I have a dream that one day little black boys and girls will be holding hands with little white boys and girls.” – MLK
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If you could offer one gift to the world before you die, what would it be?
“No one really knows why they are alive until they know what they’d die for.” – MLK
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Holding both what you stand for and the gift you want to offer to the world, name your vision.
Fill in the blank: ”I have a dream that one day…”
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Who can support you in bringing your dream to life? How might you influence that person or those people to make that dream a reality?
“A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a molder of consensus.” – MLK
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What’s holding you back from taking a stand for your dream?
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
RESOURCES AND LINKS Harvard Business Review article Seven Transformations of Leadership – a quick primer for those of you interested in learning more about the adult stages of development
Maturity Assessment Profile
Georgetown University’s Leadership Coaching Program
What do you want? This question is the core inspiration for setting and moving towards a vision. Sharon believes that the greatest gift we can offer the world is to let our inner lights shine out brightly. To be our own unique selves. Visioning is an amazing resource for stewarding us on this path. Today Sharon shares Point Road Studios’ vision process, the Go Beyond Vision Cycle. Learn about how this process came to be, why visioning isn’t a linear but a cyclical process, and exercises for how you can begin playing with this tool on your own.
Ideas Shared: Sharon distilled her vision process out of a desire to make this resource accessible to those in her community who might not have access to a resource like one-on-one coaching.
The PRS Vision Cycle* There are 5 different access points for setting your vision. While you can follow these steps in order, it is not necessary. As you create – and continue to evolve – your vision, the key is going to the access point where your energy is at that point in time.
- Get Clear
- Look Back
- Right Now
- Step Forward
- Go Beyond
*See full description of the Vision cycle in this blog post
There is only one rule: Start with naming your vision Below are the 4 simple steps to take to name your vision. Do this each time you want to develop your vision.
- Name the kind of vision you want to create (e.g. work, family, home, whole life)
- Set a time horizon (e.g. end of this calendar year, on my 60th birthday, 3-5 years from now)
- Answer: What do I want?
- Name your Vision Statement (e.g. For my “whole life” I want “freedom and flexibility” by “April 3, 2025.”)
Exercises to explore your own vision * Get Clear: Name your top 3-5 core values. * Look Back: Draw yourself at play – Remember a time when you were at play. What were you doing? What did you look like at play? Capture that essence. * Right Now: Journal exercise – What is real for you right now? * Step Forward: Begin to sketch out your action plan – What steps could you take today to move you towards your vision? * Go Beyond: Consider – How can I let my vision loose? Do something that scares you.
Resources and Links: Blog post that lays out full details of the PRS Vision Cycle, Go Beyond: A Process for Crafting and Unleashing Your Vision
Work through your own vision in the Go Beyond Coloring + Activity Book
Design Yourself 28: New Year, Same You
Design Yourself 15: Play Isn’t Just For Kids
Happy New Year and welcome to 2017! Today’s show is all about embracing who you are and what you want for the new year. Sharon offers alternatives to setting a New Year’s resolution - because let’s face it, most of us don’t follow through on those anyway! She also shares guidance for how you can focus less on trying to reinvent yourself and more on tapping into what's awesome about you right now - and build from there. Our wish for each listener this year is that you can let go of what’s not needed in order to focus on what makes you uniquely you. There is no greater gift to the world than to be yourself.
Ideas Shared: A few questions to consider as you step into the new year Notice if you have been eagerly awaiting the new year (i.e. can’t wait to put 2016 behind you) or if the shift into January from December was a non-event for you?
What do you wish that this year ahead holds for you?
What do you hope will be different? What do you hope will remain the same?
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3 alternatives to the new year’s resolution: goals, intentions, themes * Goals drop you into a level of specificity and provide a sense of drive and action. * Intentions bring you into the present moment and are more go-with-flow momentum. * Themes set a tone for where you want to go and draw you forward to a new destination.
- 3 ideas to tap into who you (already!) are
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. Every block of stone has a statue inside it and it is the task of the sculptor to discover it. – Michelangelo
Simplify
- Focus on what matters most
- Focus on what’s core to who you are
- Let go of the stuff that’s not needed
Do what you love
- Life is too darn short to get caught in a hamster wheel spin cycle of doing what we feel we should do and not what we want to do
- Balance short term wins and long term desires, but do prioritize what you love
Focus on your inner – not outer – game
- Take care of your emotional health
- Listen to the whispers of your soul and heart, not just your head
- Creating quiet (e.g. through exercise, meditation, journaling, etc)
- Receive your own beautiful inner wisdom
Resources and Links: * For more details on the distinctions between goals, intentions, and themes for the new year, check out this recent blog post Here Comes 2017: No Resolutions Needed. * For those of you interested in learning more about how to get rid of the excess stuff in your life, I highly recommend Jess Lively’s interview with Bea Johnson on the Lively Show podcast.
Maybe you, like Sharon, love this last week of the year for the quiet inspiration that it inspires in you. Or maybe you are thinking, “what quiet?!?!!” as you wend your way through the transition from 2016 to 2017. Today’s podcast will meet you wherever you may find yourself. In this last episode of our inaugural season, Sharon shares the importance of finding and exploring quiet moments - with a special emphasis on how we can embrace them when they show up naturally and create them on our own when they don’t. Here’s hoping that you will find some magic in them, whenever they do show up.
Ideas Shared: Quiet is a gift. It allows the distractions of the everyday to melt away and we can center in on what matters most.
To fully appreciate quiet, we must be mindful. And to be mindful is to be present, in the here and now.
There are two ways that we might find ourselves spurred on to quiet: 1) A natural prompt like a major life milestone, or 2) An intentional move towards quiet.
Quiet Prompted by a Major Milestone We know these moments when they hit us. A birth or death; a graduation; a move, a job transition. Sometimes there are certain times of year that prompt reflection, like the start of a new school year in the fall, your birthday, or an annual vacation.
Questions you might ask at these times: * What are the high points, the big celebrations? * What’s been tough? * How have I spent my time? * Where have I been? * Who are the people that have been there with me through the year?
And then importantly shifting from this past reflection into some present centered learning.
- What lessons am I holding as I step into the new year?
- What do I choose to let go of as I shift from this year into the next?
- What actions or mindsets serve me as I make this transition?
There are many ways that you might explore these questions. Here are 3 examples: 1. Sit down with a close friend or business bestie 2. Personal reflection as a primary focus (e.g. journaling, going on a retreat) 3. Doing the work with intentional space for personal reflection (e.g. can be done for many mundane administrative tasks; how I approach tax preparation)
Creating Quiet Yourself The bigger opportunity to finding quiet moments in our everyday is by creating them for ourselves. This is a practice and not an achievement. “Noises” will show up and throw us off center. How we come back to our quiet, our present, becomes the questions.
Four ways to bring yourself back to quiet: 1. Recognize that quiet is available all the time 2. Create triggers for inviting quiet 3. Be present 4. Create a discipline making quiet part of your routine
Resources and Links: * I shared at the end of the show a sneak preview for our January giveaway. To get your name entered for the There is Nothing Stopping You screen print raffle, join our community here.
- I drew inspiration at the top of the show from Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh. The meditation below is from his book of calligraphies, This Moment is Full of Wonders.
Breathing in, I calm my body.
Breathing out, I smile.
Dwelling in the present moment,
I know this is a wonderful moment.
- I shared that one of my own rituals for creating quiet is joining dear friends and fellow entrepreneurs on our annual Entrepreneur’s Getaway. You can read more about that retreat on the blog.
Can it be that the holidays and end of year are really here? Tis so! If you, like Sharon, are finding yourself not yet fully in the holiday spirit, fear not. Today’s episode is designed to help you find just that. Sharon shares 10 questions to get you reflecting on how you’d like to move through the coming weeks. Explore your own answers and see what Sharon’s personal reflections might spark for you. Wishing that the holidays this year bring you just what you hoped for - and a few fun surprises too.
Ideas Shared: Here are 10 questions to help you find your holiday spirit:
- What are some of your fondest holiday memories?
- Are there any old traditions that you want to let go of or new ones that you want to start?
- What’s most important to you this holiday season?
- What are you most excited about? How can you soak those moment up?
- What emotion or emotions will serve you as you move through the next week?
- What 2-3 experiences do you want to sit back and enjoy?
- What MUST DOs are draining your energy? What opportunities do you have to delegate, get done quick, or revamp your approach?
- What would bring you relief to move from your TO DO list to your DON’T DO list?
- What gift would you most like to give yourself this holiday season?
- What gift would you most like to offer those around you (your loved ones, your community, the world)?
Resources and Links: DY Episode 16, Letting Go of the Busyness Paradigm
DIY felt leaf garland (from Lindsay Stephenson)
DIY felt pom pom garland (from Oh Happy Day)
This week we are celebrating the 4th birthday of Point Road Studios with the launch of our new website (www.pointroadstudios.com) and some reflections on key lessons learned in our first 4 years. Come reminisce and learn with Sharon as she reflects on topics like quitting your day job, demanding your worth, taking a stand, and more.
Ideas Shared: Celebrating our 4th birthday at Point Road this past week was a real milestone. There is something about 4 years that feels a little like a “graduation.” I took the time to pause and reflect on some of my key lessons learned. Hope you will enjoy!
10 Lessons Learned from My First 4 Years as an Entrepreneur 1. Quitting Can Be A Great Start 2. Entrepreneurship Can Meet Your Professional AND Personal Goals 3. Build Your Energy as You Go 4. Identify Your Ideal Client 5. Demand Your Worth (!) 6. Experiment 7. Boundaries are Expansive (Not Limiting) 8. Don’t Go It Alone 9. Stand for Something 10. Change is the Only Constant
Resources and Links: * Louis Barajas is the financial planner with a holistic approach that I referenced in insight number 2 Entrepreneurship Can Meet Your Professional AND Personal Goals. I first got to know his work through the book Small Business, Big Life. * The Go Beyond coloring + activity book for adults was one of my most impactful experiments.
You know what’s not possible? Being perfect. But man does it still have a magnetic force that draws us towards it. In today’s episode Sharon shares some of her favorite resources for countering this pull as she discusses how to embrace imperfection. You’ll learn also about some of the many imperfect things Sharon’s experiencing right now (hint: it involves a lot of home renovations) and get a sneak peak into the launch of the new pointroadstudios.com which goes live at the end of this week. Enjoy!
Ideas Shared:
None of us are perfect. We are human. Perfectly imperfect in our humanness. And even though we can “know” this intellectually, it’s still hard to accept.
ADVICE FOR EMBRACING YOUR OWN IMPERFECTION:
- Choose your focus for this season
- Do C-level work
- Get better with time
- See the gifts in your vulnerability
- Learn from the missteps
Resources and Links: * Brene Brown’s TED Talk on The Power of Vulnerability and her book The Gifts of Imperfection * Interest in learning more about how multitasking doesn’t exist? I love this podcast episode from Note to Self. * Two podcast episodes that I referenced take a different lens into this same topic: 1) Fail Forward! 2) You Just Have To Start
This week Sharon shares one of the most helpful pieces of wisdom she’s ever received: “It’s more important to be present than prepared.” Learn how she has come to understand this adage over the years and how she’s added on to it as well. As part of this process, Sharon shares some questions you might consider if you find yourself holding on tightly to a desire to be in control and tips for bringing yourself back to centered awareness. May today’s episode steward you in stepping into your full presence, regardless of how well prepared you might feel.
Ideas Shared: Today’s show really focuses in on two core ideas:
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It is more important to be present than prepared.
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Everyone requires a different level of preparation to be present.
As we discussed it is more important to be present than prepared, we also looked at two ways of stewarding this mindset:
A) Letting go of control To aid this process, you might try and understand your impulse to control, but reflecting on questions like:
- What’s important to me about controlling this situation?
- What value/s feel/s threatened by not having control?
- What could be offered to me in letting go of control?
- What is the opposite of holding on to control? (e.g. embracing ease)
B) Being alert to what’s happening right in front of you To support you in drawing full awareness to your present moment, you might:
- Integrate breathing prompts into your routine
- Sit in meetings with your palms up (receiving posture)
- Ask for help from a friend
- Ask yourself: What will allow me to stay present?
The Thanksgiving season is upon us! Whether you are hitting the roads to travel to loved ones or embracing the opportunity to stay put, this week is often the start of a frenetic holiday pace. But it doesn’t have to be. In today’s episode, Sharon offers listeners a chance to settle into a spirit of peace and gratitude for the holiday season. Take in the 10 questions she shares to build up your own spirit of gratitude and hear her share how she is answering these prompts herself.
Ideas Shared: 10 Questions to Get into the Thanksgiving Spirit
As you reflect upon the 2016 year, consider…
- What makes you happy?
- What have you overcome this past year?
- What are you most proud of professionally and personally?
- Consider something that has been difficult for you this year…what have you learned from this situation?
- What’s one thing that you could let go of that would bring you a greater sense of peace and gratitude?
- What are your greatest gifts?
- If you could give one gift to the world, what would you want it to be?
- If you could give one gift to yourself, what would you want it to be?
- What’s one thing that you would like to give to somebody this week?
- What are you thankful for?
Resources and Links: * People to whom I gave thanks: My husband and Design Yourself audio engineer extraordinaire Colin Phillips; The team behind the Podcast Like a Boss course: Paul Jarvis of the Freelancer, Kathleen Shannon and Emily Thompson of Being Boss; Jason Zook of the Action Army; all of my awesome listeners who took a moment to leave a review on iTunes. * Psst – want to leave a review for Design Yourself, but feeling a little lost technologically? I feel you. Here’s a step by step overview to make the process easy whether you are using your desktop or mobile device.
Ever found yourself in a place where your head keeps spinning on the same question (or set of questions)? But no matter how much energy you expend thinking about it, you just can’t seem to come to a confident conclusion? You are not alone. We often get stuck on “unanswerable questions” because they are rooted in a way of seeing the problem that is limiting our ability to move forward. In today’s episode, Sharon shares a simple process for moving from question to action. Learn what it means to “live in the question” and why this practice is powerful for helping us shift from stuck to transformation.
Ideas Shared: Let us all remember to be in the practice of resilience together.
resilience, noun: 1. the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; 2. the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness
Process for Living in the Question 1. Write down the unknowable questions 2. Capture the questions underneath each question 3. Probe Deeper 4. Gather information 5. Watch your questions evolve 6. Give yourself grace
Insights on why this process works * It makes big, important questions more accessible * It promotes a growth mindset * It empowers you with actionable steps
Resources and Links: * Here is my recent podcast on grief that I reference in today’s show.
- Here is the Jimmy Kimmel clip I mention that brings a spirit of humor to the grief that half of the country is feeling in the wake of the election.
With less than 3 weeks until Thanksgiving, the joyful and jam-packed end of year season is upon us. Offices are budgeting and planning for next year while simultaneously focused on ending this calendar year with a bang. In our personal lives, invitations to holiday open houses begin to hit our mailboxes (or more likely, inboxes) while we also plan out how we’d like to celebrate the holiday season with our loved ones. All this makes for a fast-paced season. Beautiful chaos, as I like to embrace it. To help keep your energies and spirits high as you wend your way to the end of the year, Sharon offers 5 actions you can take to seize hold of the white noise buzzing around you and begin to eliminate it in the process.
Ideas Shared: 5 Actions to Eliminate White Noise Action 1 – Write down everything that’s on your mind.
Action 2 – Look at Your List for Themes and Patterns
Action 3 – Set Your Priorities
Action 4 – Get Another Perspective
Action 5 – Set a Clear Intention AND Goal
Life is too short not to spend your time doing what you really feel called to do. In today’s episode Sharon offers up tips and resources for just letting go of the excuses and going for it - whatever it might be for you. Learn 5 simple steps to move from where you are today to where you want to be.
Ideas Shared: This week I had fun playing with Adam Kurtz’s new book Pick Me Up: A Pep Talk for Now & Later. It is a fun book-journal-workbook-guide thing with pages of prompts for you to fill out.
One page in the book offered the space to “write some good advice.”Here’s what I was inspired to scribble down:
There are two tracks that I see people on as they set out to go after the things they really want in their lives:
Track 1: If you already know what you want
Track 2: If you don’t know what you want
Track 1: 5 Steps for Going For It…if you already know what you want… * Be present
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Name the prep/steps required to get you there
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Do the leg work
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Name and cultivate the emotion that will serve you
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Make the right jump for you
Track 2: 5 Steps for Going For It…if you DON’T know what you want… * Be clear on what you don’t want
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Change direction when you feel stuck
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Try lots of things – quickly!
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Follow your curiosity
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Pay attention to what’s working/not working
Resources and Links: * Check out Adam Kurtz’s new book Pick Me Up: A Pep Talk for Now & Later.
Sharon comes to you today from the peaceful setting of the Hudson Valley to share some reflections and resources related to rest and stillness. Learn what’s different about intentionally choosing to hold something (and not act) versus feeling stuck. Hear how we all need to take rest after we birth something new into the world - be it a new little baby or a brand new business. And get Point Road’s take on the steps you can take to realize your current habits around rest to making changes. May this episode be a good steward for you finding stillness in whatever way works for you.
Ideas Shared: Below are a few tips discussed in the episode on how to find rest amidst “busy” times.
5 Steps to Help You Downshift to Rest 1. Get clear on your current habits 2. Do a habits assessment 3. Set an intention around rest or stillness 4. Interrupt your addictions 5. Find an accountability partner
Resources and Links: * Today’s episode was recorded in the midst of a beautiful family retreat to the Hudson Valley. Here is the space where we stayed in Woodstock, NY – a magical retreat just a hop skip and a jump from downtown Woodstock, but nestled away in the woods. A perfect mix of restful seclusion and community. Soooooo good.
Resources you might like to explore on habits:
- Point Road Journaling Exercise: Pick a timeframe (recommended: 24 hours and/or 1 week). Notice (without judgement!) how you spend your time. Write down what you observe capturing chunks of time in 15-30 minute increments. Review your data and notice (again without judgement!) what you see. It can be helpful to bring in a trusted set of fresh eyes to review the data as well and see what new perspective s/he might have.
- The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business by Charles Duhigg
- Better than Before: Mastering the Habits of Our Everyday Lives by Gretchen Rubin
Resource on finding stillness after birth:
- The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother by Heng Ou
The magical poem I read at the end of today’s episode.
The Peace of Wild Things, by Wendell Berry
When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
I know, I know: Death, Grief and Chickens isn’t, well, sexy. But this week Design Yourself foregoes sexy for a whole lot of getting real. With light hearted humor (hello, chickens!) and a deep well of grace, Sharon opens up about her own observations on the topics of death and grief. This is not a show designed to give you the answers on what’s right or wrong when it comes to these gritty topics. Instead it’s one person’s reflections and observations as she comes to appreciate not just what’s possible in this life, but what’s possible when we honor the full life cycle.
Resources and Links * The inspiration for this episodes’ title? Anna Sale’s podcast Death, Sex, and Money, which isall about the big choices and hard questions that are often left out of polite conversation. * If you already know the podcast or just find you want to learn a bit more behind its managing editor and host Ms. Sale, I can highly recommend episode 94 of Grace Bonney’s After the Jump where she interviews this podcast hero/childhood friend. * Check out Mason Jennings’ song Instrument.
“I want to be an instrument of your love” “I want to live my life a brand new way…”
- Read more about the 5 stages of grief (Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, Acceptance).
- Sharon’s short meditation on chickens, inspired by a coaching client and fellow chicken lover:
I wake with the first movements of day
Birds call out and I stretch my wings
Dust and worms and bits of green
Clawing and scratching and running towards life
No fence can keep me in
But home I’ll return as the sun sets
What fences will I build?
Which ones will I tear down?
- Sharon closes this episode with a reading from The Chicken Chronicles by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and spiritual guide Alice Walker . Her reading is from Chapter 18, “St. Michael.”
Think about it. When was the last time someone asked you how you were doing or how things were going at work and you leaned on this go to answer: Busy! In this episode Sharon shares what happens when we open ourselves up to the possibility of the spontaneous (for her it was a magical trip through Slovakia to discover the hometowns of her Great Grandparents!) as well as strategies for how to shift out of the default habit of “busy.” May you be surprised by what opens up to you in the process. Cheers!
Ideas Shared: 5 Strategies for Letting Go of the Busyness Paradigm
- Stop saying “I’m busy”
- Name the real issue
- Gather Data
- Model ideal behavior
- Take a break
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When discussing the power of naming the real issue, I shared an impactful framework I picked up at a conference recently from Juliet Funt at WhiteSpace at Work. Here are her 4 thieves of productivity:
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DRIVE (Shadow side: Overdrive)
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Ask yourself: Is there anything I can let go of?
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EXCELLENCE (Shadow side: Perfection)
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Ask yourself: Where is “good enough” good enough?
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INFORMATION (Shadow side: Information overload)
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Ask yourself: What do I truly need to know?
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ACTIVITY (Shadow side: Frenzy)
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Ask yourself: What deserves my attention?
Resources and Links: * When sharing the importance of gathering data, I recommend this HBR IdeaCast Be A Work-Life Friendly Boss. Hear Scott Behson (author of The Working Dad’s Survival Guide, and professor at Fairleigh Dickinson University) share tips for being a leader who models work life balance. * Did you like all those fun facts I shared about vacation on the podcast? That’s the kind of stuff I learned by investing a half-day at that Upside of Downtime 2016 conferencewhich makes the human and business case for taking vacation. If you are interested in learning more, check out the live stream recording. Man, modern technology. 🤔😊 * If you are digging the idea of taking a break, check out Episode 4 of Design Yourself, where we dive into this topic in depth.
When we think of play, what usually emerges are signs of childhood: playgrounds, kids running around, perhaps a cape, lego or magic wand thrown in for good measure. But here’s the thing, adults can - and need! - play, too. In this episode Sharon explores some of the research behind why play is important, leveraging the lessons of the great scientist and play advocate Stuart Brown. You will learn three simple insights that will challenge you and spur you on to play. Sharon also shares a few questions you might consider to evaluate what play currently looks like for you - and what might be possible if you brought more of it into your life. Let the fun commence!
Ideas Shared: It’s important to build distinctions around play. Here are a few of the different types of play that are out there:
- Curiosity, safe exploration
- Social play – creates belonging
- Rough and tumble play
- Spectator play
- Ritual play
- Imaginitative (solo) play
- Body
- Object
- Transformational
Questions for you to consider:
- What do you look like when you are at play? At home? With friends? At work?
- What kinds of play lights you up?
- What kinds of play are you engaging in on a regular basis?
- What would it look like if you played more? What might the consequences of more play be in your life?
Here are 3 key insights to remember as you consider the role of play in your life:
- Play is not just for kids, it’s a mandate
- Play is not just something we do, it’s a unique biological process that stewards our growth
- We all know how to play
Resources and Links: * “The opposite of play is not work; it is depression.” Brian Sutton-Smith * If this quote piques your interest, you might want to check out Sutton-Smith’s book The Ambiguity of Play. * Here are the two independent bookstores we checked out (among many other adventures) in Frederick and Baltimore, MD:
The Ivy Bookshop (Baltimore, MD)
Curious Iguana (Frederick, MD)
- You hear me talk a lot in this episode about Stuart Brown. I got to hear him speak at a conference a few years ago and he is the real deal. You can check out his TED Talk Play is more than just fun.
- I’m also a huge fan of his book Play: How it Shapes the Brain, Opens the Imagination, and Invigorates the Soul.
- Brown also founded the visionary National Institute for Play.
Some events seem to call more naturally for a celebration - birthdays, graduations, major events in our lives. But there is a huge opportunity to bring the celebratory spirit to those things in our life that no one is measuring or observing. Today’s episode looks at 4 simple tips for how to bring the spirit of celebration into the things you are working for in your life that might be unseen or unnoticed by the casual observer. Why bother doing this? Work is great for getting to goals AND celebration is great for replenishing our energy to keep working hard. You get to decide what a celebration looks like for you, but I’m here to remind you that you’ve got to make sure you are doing so. Enjoy!
Today’s episode really pushes us to celebrate and to understand that there are a host of opportunities to celebrate BEYOND those moments that are externally placed on us (e.g. report cards, performance reviews, graduations, promotions, etc). The trick is learning how to create and move towards those moments that we choose to celebrate.
Below are the 4 areas that Sharon recommends you explore as you move into this celebration practice.
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Understand the difference between vision, goals, and milestones
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Vision – What do I want? Where am I headed?
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Goals – How will I know when I have reached that place?
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Milestones – What are the little steps along the way that are showing me I’m headed in the right direction?
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Don’t miss your “Champagne Moments”
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Have an accountability partner
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Set and celebrate the small wins
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” So says Epictetus. In this episode Sharon discusses money, money, money. Learn about the difference between operating from a sufficiency ("there is enough”) vs. a scarcity (“there isn’t enough”) mindset and explore the 5 guiding steps to ensure that money isn’t what holds you back from going after what you really want. Money ultimately only has the value that we give it; learn how to make sure that your values and your spending are aligned.
Ideas Shared: * There is a lot of chatter out there on money. Here are some quotes that really struck me as I was doing research into this topic…
“Anyone who lives within their means suffers from a lack of imagination.” ― Oscar Wilde
“If you want to know what God thinks of money, just look at the people he gave it to.” ― Dorothy Parker
“As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all – the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them.” ― J.K. Rowling
“This planet has – or rather had – a problem, which was this: most of the people living on it were unhappy for pretty much of the time. Many solutions were suggested for this problem, but most of these were largely concerned with the movement of small green pieces of paper, which was odd because on the whole it wasn’t the small green pieces of paper that were unhappy.” ― Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
“A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction.” ― Virginia Woolf, A Room of One’s Own
“While money can’t buy happiness, it certainly lets you choose your own form of misery.” ― Groucho Marx
“Don’t think money does everything or you are going to end up doing everything for money.” ― Voltaire
“A Penny Saved is a Penny Earned” ― Benjamin Franklin
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” ― Epictetus
- Finally, below are the steps I shared that have worked for me and many of my clients to prepare financially for a big personal and/or professional transformation.
5 Steps to Owning Your Money Mindset (and preparing yourself for change) Step 1: Get clear on your budget
Step 2: Get clear on your values
Step 3: Notice without judgement how your values align or not with your money habits
Step 4: Establish a new budget (or range) that fully aligns with your values
Step 5: Make small changes every day
Resources and Links:
- In today’s episode, I also reference the “Marie Kondo effect.” For those who haven’t joined her “tidying” craze, you can learn more here.
- To get more into the distinctions of scarcity vs. sufficiency discussed in the episode, I recommend you check out Lynne Twist’s book The Soul of Money. Here’s a great quote from early on in this little volume:
“Money itself isn’t the problem. Money itself isn’t bad or good. Money itself doesn’t have power or not have power. It is our interpretation of money, our interaction with it, where the real mischief is and where we find the real opportunity for self discovery and personal transformation.”
- Mint (for everyone) and The Wave (for small business owners) are great free budgeting resources to check out. (And there are many more like YNAB!)
What’s possible? What’s next? We close out our 4-part miniseries on Storytelling by looking to the space of the future. Being able to set a future direction gives a sense of purpose in your here and now and draws you forward with intention. But this doesn’t mean it comes naturally. In fact, even though research indicates that simply focusing on the future causes us to be perceived as “leaders,” most of us aren’t in the practice of doing this. Sharon shares her 5 tips for stepping into a future-oriented stance and the gifts it offers. Enjoy!
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Started out today with a birthday shout out to my most fabulous mama. Happy birthday mom!
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This episode marks the close of our Storytelling series and we finish up in this series with a look to the future. In that spirit I shared a few of my favorite tips for getting into the future-oriented/visionary mindset (see below).
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Fun fact: Simply taking a future-oriented stance will cause others to perceive you as a leader. (What does this look like in practice? It can be as simple as asking questions like: Where are we headed? What’s possible?)
5 Tips For Tapping Into Your Visionary Self 1.Be clear about the kind of future you are imagining
The first step to tapping into your visionary self is to BE CLEAR.
What kind of a future vision are you imagining? ( A vision for…work? relationships? home? family? whole life?)
What’s the time horizon that feels meaningful for your future vision?
Finally: What do you want? What do you wish for? Vision is ultimately about desire for where you want to go.
You can learn more about the full vision process over on the Blog or in the Go Beyond coloring + activity book on our Shop.
2. Remember the importance of your past and present
The past: What is your story up until now. Will it catapult me towards where I want to go?
The present: What’s real for us right now? Cozy up to all your present truths and honor them. Don’t let them sidetrack you, but don’t try to ignore them. (It won’t work!)
3. Let go of reality thinking
Be able to separate from past and present and be open to possibility, unhindered by by the constraints of what is true today or has been true in the past.
If you really feel stuck here, you might start by doing a written mind dump of all the reality thinking. Usually once we write it down, we can set it aside.
Try to see what shows up without the constraints of dialogue. Be quiet with yourself.
Experiment with different ways to tap into your vision. Draw. Collage. Write lists. Create a field guild. Whatever. Get your creative juices flowing.
A word on timing: If you have a full day to dedicate to visioning, great! But 10 minutes is also stellar! Use the time you have.
4. Be open to surprises
I will usually step into visioning by asking people what they already see for their future. You’d be amazed by how much people already know.
Tap into your own inner wisdom by listening to the Vision Meditation shared in Episode 5.
5. Let it evolve
The more we see, the more our perspective grows and that can change our vision.
I think of this as the “Go Beyond” mindset and it is the final and critical piece to leading from a visionary stance versus simply achieving a set vision. We continue to grow and evolve as people and businesses as we move towards our visions and this might mean that our visions will shift and evolve right with us. Be open to it.
Carpe diem, baby. In part 3 of our 4-part miniseries on Storytelling, we go deep on the role the present in shaping our stories. We explore the power of being able to bring new awareness to what you see right now using the wise words of the late writer David Foster Wallace (this is water!). We also learn about how being really clear about what’s real in your present is key not just to telling the Story of You but to feeling sane in the process. Sharon also dishes on some of her favorite shopping destinations around DC. Oh and there are some crazy prancing deer that show up which lead Sharon to record the this episode in two-parts. Seriously? Seriously! Enjoy!
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I so loved that the recording of this show kicked off with me being surprised by seeing a doe and 3 fawns prance around the shallow waters of Lake Wallenpaupack. The fawns were living it up – jumping here, there and everywhere seemingly enjoying the splashing and fun of it as much as my own little toddlers are on this Labor Day weekend trip.
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In this episode, I shared a few of my favorite excerpts of a marvelous speech that I witnessed in 2005 back at my alma mater Kenyon College. (Oh boy, did I love my 3 years living on this hill surrounded by cornfields.) The speech, This is Water, was given by the sadly now diseased author David Foster Wallace. The opening vignette of the speech still blows my mind a bit:
There are these two young fish swimming along, and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, boys, how’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water?” … The immediate point of the fish story is that the most obvious, ubiquitous, important realities are often the ones that are the hardest to see and talk about. * For those who are interested in seeing the full text of the speech, you can do so here.
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You can also purchase a beautiful little hardcover volume, which is a delight for any bibliophile, especially one in the middle of a life transition. It’s a book I find myself reaching for at not infrequent intervals.
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I wish I could personally transport you back to that sunny day in May in Gambier, Ohio to experience the speech yourself. In lieu of inventing time travel, I will share that you can listen the audio for yourself.
The two key ideas I explore on the topic of The Present are: 1. That it’s possible to see the water. We have the choice of consciousness and an ever expansive ability to grow the scope of what we see. This isn’t a yes or no – I did it or I didn’t do it – kind of choice. This is an active practice that we must choose (or not choose) every day. 2. That cozying up to what’s real for you right now is critical not just to moving you to where you want to be, but to finding a sense of peace and sanity in the here and now.
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Curious to go deeper on the sufficiency (“I have enough”) vs. scarcity (“There’s not enough” or “I need more”) mindset that I reference in this show? Lynne Twist’s book Soul of Money is a great first stop.
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At the end of the podcast, I shared a beautiful, fully present experience I had had in the past week. Oddly – because I’m not much for shopping these days – this experience included my heading into and out of several spots in the U Street Corridor of NW, Washington, D.C. In case you are curious to check them out, they are:
Fyubi Makeup and Brow Studio – I love this place. I head here every few months to have my brows shaped. The owner, Flami Garioni, is a true inspiration and I’m delighted to report that she’s agreed to be a guest on the podcast. Stay tuned!
Good Wood – This shop has furnished a great deal of my living spaces over the years. Beautiful vintage/antique pieces. On this day I got some great end of summer steals, including a dress crafted by a design team that I adore, Osei Duro. Osei Duro is a small fashion house based in Los Angeles, CA and Accra, Ghana. Each piece is not only beautiful, but I always rest easy knowing that I can feel good about how it was created as well.
Redeem – I popped into this clothing boutique and came across a pop up shop for Be Clean, which sells products for your body, mind, and home that are chemical-free and american-made. I’m obsessed with this lip stain that I got on this visit. It’s stellar and I can’t wait to learn more about Be Clean and it’s intriguing product lineup.
I became interested in this wellness movement in make up and skin care when I stumbled across Follain in Boston on a visit there this summer. Sadly, I was pressed for time and so haven’t been able to explore there a ton…yet! (They also have a store in my native DC at Union Market.)
Salt and Sundry – The final stop on my U Street crawl where I scored a sweet gift for my hubby and ran into an old friend and colleague who wonderfully and bizarrely thought I was in upstate NY running a training and development center and writing novels. Not yet, Paul. But maybe soon. =)
Curious about the other episodes in this Storytelling Miniseries? Check out:
Episode 9, The Introduction
Episode 10, The Past
Episode 12, The Future
Welcome to Part 2 of our 4 part miniseries on Storytelling. Today’s episode looks at the Past and the influence our telling of it can have on our present and even our future. Draw awareness to the importance of your story “up until now” and learn tips on how to revise and adapt your personal history over time. We all have the power to change and revisiting the past can be a powerful catalyst on this path. As we head towards Labor Day, Sharon also briefly looks at some of her own past experiences as she celebrates the end of summer and the transition into the back-to-school season. Enjoy!
IDEAS SHARED
“An imagination is a powerful tool. It can tint memories of the past, shade perceptions of the present, or paint a future so vivid that it can entice…or terrify, all depending upon how we conduct ourselves today.” – Jim Davis
How to think about writing and telling the story of your past 1. Make sure you are telling a story that works well for you. 2. Be mindful that what works for you now, may change in the future. Be ready to adapt. 3. We always have the power of revision available for us. 4. Be conscious of what you are carrying from other people. Carry what works and let go of what doesn’t.
RESOURCES AND LINKS * Check out Larriland Farm – the sweet pick your own fruit and vegetable spot in Howard County, MD that I’ve been going to ever since I was a kid. (And also the place where my sweetheart proposed in a peach orchard a decade ago this month!)
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Want to stop for a picnic like the Lipovsky’s on your way to the farm? Brighton Dam is a nice spot on your way to Larriland (coming from the DC metro area). Apparently it’s especially nice in azalea season (spring!) though I must admit that I’ve never been there during that time. (Not yet, anyhow!)
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Have you read any of Erik Larson’s historical nonfiction? I’ve got to admit, I haven’t ready anything all the way through because, well, reality can be much scarier than fiction. But he’s got a special gift for pulling from many historical sources and weaving together a narrative that will draw you in and teach.
Today we kick off our 4-part miniseries on storytelling. In our Kick Off Episode, you will learn about the power of owning your role as life author and learn about how different leanings in time affect the way we interpret and react to events around us. Sharon provides a quick snapshot of what each Time Stance (Past, Present, and Future) looks like in practice and the importance of being able to move from one stance to another. She also geeks out a bit on the the genre of autobiographies (hello, English major) and some lessons that we can all pick up from the self-proclaimed “genius” of Gertrude Stein. Finally, she integrates throughout the episode questions your can leverage to step into your own genius and begin the practice of writing your own story. Enjoy!
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The book I quote early on in the episode is Paul John Eakin’s How Our Lives Become Stories: Making Selves. This critical theory was one of the building blocks in my college thesis on Gertrude Stein and the genre of autobiography.
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And here are the two books that I obsessed over circa 2002-03 😳: Gertrude Stein’sThe Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas and Everybody’s Autobiography.
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I discuss in this episode some of the imagery that Stein uses in this book to great effect. Below you find two images that she used as visual clues to the “real” author behind this autobiography.
Exhibit A: Cover art. (Side note: I’ve often contemplated getting this small circle image as a tattoo. Just saying.)
Exhibit B: The frontispiece photograph by Man Ray, Alice. B Toklas at the front door.Sure, Alice is in the light, but Stein and her desk are filling the dark edges of the page.
- Wisdom from Grandma Lipovsky:
“Don’t wish for the future, that’s wishing your life away.”
- The quotes I shared by the fabulous Ms. Stein:
“A very important thing is not to make up your mind that you are any one thing.”
“Let me listen to me and not to them.”
Today Sharon explores the topic of asking for help. You will learn about why flexing this skill is a critical component of successful leadership and sane living, what holds us back from asking for help, and why we've got to push forth and ask anyway. Finally Sharon offers 5 Rules of the Road for how to get past your own discomfort or habit of not asking for help and move into the practice of doing it anyway.
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Learn more about the Camino de Santiago – a pilgrimage walk through Spain that profoundly changed my life. (Among other things it taught me that sometimes getting to the end goal just isn’t the point.)
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Psst. If you are curious about walking the Camino yourself, here is a must read book, A Pilgrim’s Guide to the Camino de Santiago.
Why Don’t We Ask For Help:
- We don’t know what to ask for
- The “Busy-ness Cycle”
- It makes us uncomfortable
- No one can do it as well as me
- I’m in control, thank you very much
Why We Ought To Ask Anyway:
- Our own capabilities are finite
- We can’t do everything
- You can leverage others’ strengths to cover your own blindspots *
- You will learn something – about yourself, about your habits
- Going it alone can get lonely and it’s necessarily riddled with your own limitations. You can’t see beyond you.
If you are curious to learn more about my superstar partner-in-crime/planner extraordinaire who I often go to for help, you can do so over here. [LINK TO BETHANY ON THE COLLABORATORS SECTION]*
5 Rules of the Road for Asking for Help:
- Be clear and specific
- Be open
- DON’T ask at the emotional breaking point
- Keep doing it
- Embrace Hearing No
This week Sharon discusses the importance of embracing failure. (Fail forward!) Gain distinctions about how to own your own story, what it means to be (and be a part of) a deliberately developmental organization, and our default reactions to failure. Sharon shares tips for how to get comfortable stepping into the Fail Forward! mindset and offers questions to prompt your own reflection on this topic. Plus she brings in perspectives from both the "Harvard Business Review" and the "Gilmore Girls." Enjoy!
Ideas Shared: * We are all writing the stories of our lives all the time, whether or not we are conscious of it. When we own our authorship, we step into our power not just to own what happens next, but to go back and revise how we tell the story of our past as well.
- As the authors of our own lives, we tend to either write from the perspective of a Hero In Victory or a Hero in Retreat. I like to think of this in plain terms as operating from a place of strength (read: victory) vs. operating from a place of reactivity (read: retreat).
What do we tend to do when we hit failure: 1. Sweep it under the rug and keep moving (e.g. Who? What failure? I didn’t see any failure!)
- Give it extreme importance and let it stop us in our tracks (e.g. Excuse me while I go climb back into bed.)
While it may be human nature to run away from failure, there is so much research out there that suggests that running towards failure can be a tremendously positive catalyst for individuals and organizations.
Tips for embracing a Fail Forward mindset: * Honor whatever emotions show up when the potential for – or actual failure – is present – this is a practice of building emotional resilience * Be in the practice of celebrating your failures – that can be in a journal or other private form, in a shared way with a friend, trusted colleague * Model that it’s okay to fail – and learn from your failure with others (this is the kind of behavior that moves cultures) * Create a process for learning from your failures
Reflection prompts to support you on your Fail Forward path: Name 3 times you have failed in your life. Notice for each one: What did it feel like to fail? What was at stake in not succeeding? Notice, without judgement, if you have any default tendencies when it comes to failure? (Rush ahead? Climb in bed?) What did you learn from these failures at the time? What new learning might today – with all the new experiences you have had – offer you about these past failures?
What are you afraid of that’s keeping you in place? What might happen if you gave yourself permission not just to fail, but to celebrate your failures?
What are simple ways that you could begin failing forward today – this week – the month?
- Finally, who doesn’t want to learn about failure through the lens of the Gilmore Girls? Here is some sage wisdom dished out by Lorelei Gilmoreto her daughter’s best friend Lane:
“Everybody does stupid things [in high school]; it’s like a requirement…everybody screws up …that’s what happens. It’s what you do with the screw ups and how you handle the experience, that’s what you should judge yourself by.” So true, Lorelei, so true.
Resources and Links: * Learn more about Middlebury College’s leadership and innovation program MiddCore here. Or check out the program’s Director Jessica Holmes talking about the power of Fail Forward! in her interview on Visionary Leader, Extraordinary Life (episode 65 released 2/25/2013). * Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey’s book An Everyone Culture: Becoming a Deliberately Developmental Organization brings in a great data to make the case for embracing failure to drive growth and results inside of organizations. You can also hear their interview on HBR Ideacast #523, Let Employees Be People.
Sharon reflects this week on work life balance - or really imbalance. She shares the marriage advice that has stuck with her as she nears her 9-year wedding anniversary: "Marriage takes 100% effort to be successful, but rarely is it split 50-50. Sometimes it's 60-40. Sometimes it's 90-10. But it always takes 100% effort to work." After a near-decade she sees how this framework applies not just to our relationship with a spouse but to anytime we work with others.
- The most inspirational advice I got leading up to my wedding:
“Marriage requires 100% effort to work. But rarely is it split 50-50. Sometimes it’s 60-40. Sometimes it’s 90-10. But it ALWAYS takes 100% to work.” Mimi Barringer
- Taking the Lead is the series from podcast Note to Self that I’ve been listening to on the regular lately. Much of the podcast follows two Brooklyn moms with a tech idea that has the vision and ambition to change the what it looks like to be a working mom. But of course they are dealing with many of the same stresses that they are hoping to solve. Later episodes in the series also check in with the dynamic working parenting duo Andrew Moravcsik and Anne-Marie Slaughter.
“It’s not that I don’t want to work. I do want to work, but I want to work in a way that allows me to be home much more than a high-level government job would let me do right now.” Anne-Marie Slaughter
“We started out like most couples start out, I think a little bit naive, thinking that we are a two career couple and we will also split the parenting 50-50.” Andrew Moravcsik
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If you’ve never read Anne-Marie’s influential Atlantic article Why Women Still Can’t Have It All, wait no longer. Read it!
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This week marks the first time in our nation’s history that a major political party nominated a woman for the office of President. No matter your politics, this is a special moment. I loved watching this video overviewing her career narrated by Morgan Freeman.
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Finally, below are the two key distinctions that helped me see how I was really good at adding on things to my life and work and why I was struggling to let things go. Turns out I had to really start strengthening my emotional muscles to get in shape for those changes.
Intellectual Learning – Being able to take on new things (e.g. job, hobby, relationship, etc.)
Emotional Learning – Is required when we want to put things down (e.g. making a move, a job transition, ending a friendship, etc.)
Naming what you want is an incredible first step to any kind of change. In today's podcast, Sharon shares the first step in her Go Beyond Vision Cycle process: Getting clear on what it is that you want. To help listener's see for themselves what it is that their hearts desire, she spends most of the podcast offering a vision meditation (questions, prompts, exercises) to help you focus in on all that is possible. Wishing you fun and a few surprises as you play and explore here!
Bravely and boldly looking out to what you really want is an incredibly creative act. In a literal sense, you are the creator of your future.
The intention I hold for anyone – and everyone! – embarking on this process is simple: There is nothing stopping you. May it support you in whatever vision unfolds for you.
This meditation evolved organically from my Go Beyond visioning process. You can learn more about that process here and if you fancy a playful workbook to support you in this process, you can check out the accompanying coloring + activity book for adults here.
Tips for listening to this meditation:
- It’s okay to listen more than once
- Create a safe and quiet space
- Be open to what comes
- Trust yourself
Timing:
This meditation can be completed in under 25 minutes. Find a quite space and feel free to skip ahead to where the meditation begins. Good luck!
Meditation Begins – 3:50
Meditation Ends – 27:05
In Episode 4 of Design Yourself, Sharon talks about why stepping away from your computer and taking a break is one of the best things we can do for ourselves - and our work too. Bonus: You can hear the birds chirping in the background of this episode recorded on Lake Champlain (NY) at sunrise. Enjoy!
This picture pretty much sums up my trip to the Adirondacks this summer. Open, expansive, peaceful. IDEAS SHARED * Where do you get your best ideas? The shower? Running? I bet you won’t say: Sitting at my desk. Those breakthrough moments are unlikely to show up while you are pounding away for your umpteenth hour at the computer either. Point is: We need breaks.
Remember the false peak I discussed in this episode? Here she is in all her glory. Not a bad sneak preview of what was to come! * Here are just a few of the benefits of taking breaks:Allows us to recharge; Creativity flourishes away from our desks; We get new perspectives on old problems; Clarity of focus when we return to our work.
Our view of Lake Champlain on the “real” Point Road. So magical. Baby on hip, crisp summer day, dogs snoozing, happy hour started…this is the stuff I dream about on vacation. * I find that anytime you are looking to make more space for something new – whether a behavior, habit, or hobby – it’s helpful to be able to understand that thing. Distinctions are a great way to do that and it is in that spirit that I discuss in this episode three types of breaks.
1) Short, Every Day Breaks
2) Vacations/Minibreaks
3) Long Breaks, e.g. sabbaticals
- Of course it’s one thing to start to see what different options are out there for taking breaks and quite another to actually start taking them. For this reason, the episode concludes with some practical tips for taking breaks.
1) Integrate short breaks into your everyday routines
When we dream about taking a break, it usually doesn’t include something like taking a deep breath, standing up from your desk and stretching, or taking a walk around the block. But really these short breaks are the kind of daily practice that can bring peace and a sustainable pace to our lives. Sure it’s not as dreamy as jetting off to the shore of Nice, but I promise the impact will be felt every single day. Plus learning how to appreciate the sunshine on your lunch break is very good practice for being able to shift into the vacation mindset when you do head off for longer adventures.
2) Take vacations on a regular basis
Did you know that in 2016 55% of Americans left vacation time on the table? Don’t be that person. (You can learn more about this issue over at Project Time Off. Psst – it’s not just bad for those of us missing out on vacation; it’s also bad for the businesses who employ them.)
Listen to the Note To Self interview with NPR’s Eleanor Beardsley on tech etiquette. It reminded me again of the cultural differences at play when it comes vacation. Eleanor is based in Paris and I was shocked to hear that she never gets out of office messages from her colleagues in France. There is a deeper assumption that work can continue when they are gone. She laughed about how stateside we can write these out of office messages when we step away for even a mere afternoon. Fascinating. And so darn true.
3) Take a longer pause
Sometimes longer pauses are delivered to us when we didn’t ask for them. Think jury duty, being sick, or caring for someone in need. Other times we can carve out special pauses like a sabbatical or year of traveling around the world. I personally loved my month-long break spent on the Camino de Santiago when I was nearing my third-trimester of pregnancy with my first. (A little insane in retrospect, but a lot amazing too.)
Look at the beautiful Grandma I got when I married my hubby. I think she is the human embodiment of the peace that this environment offers.
In Episode 3, Sharon explores one of the fiercest barriers to going after what we really want: Fear.
Ideas Shared: Here are the two types of Good Scary that I most commonly see happening to us:
- Scary New – How can I possibly? I never have before!
- Scary Change – What? Me? Do something different? Never!
Scary Good Challenge:
When it comes to leading a life that makes you wildly happy/fulfilled/delighted – what are you afraid of?
Another way to think of this is: What is holding you back from going after what you really want?
How to Embrace the Good Scary:
Step 1: Name and acknowledge the Good Scary.
Step 2: Lean into that fear in small ways. Stretch your comfort level.
Step 3: Ask yourself what emotion might help serve as a counter balance to fear.
Step 4: Exercise courage.
Resources and Links: So this Bad Scary stuff is real. Curious to learn more about how fear works when we are faced with Bad Scary? Geek out over here and learn a bit more about the neuroscience.
In Episode 2 of Design Yourself, Sharon discusses the importance of getting started. Career moves, life adventures, and creative projects can only begin from one place - the one you are in. The theme for today is: Stop waiting + start doing. Listen to hear some of Sharon's favorite tips for how to get over the delay game and start getting the job done.
IDEAS SHARED * Eric Smucker of Smucker Farms is the visionary urban farmer and CSA pioneer who said yes to my podcast interview back in 2013. Fingers crossed I can get him on the show now that it exists.
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Here are the Erin Condren planners that my sister and I were using to capture our 2016 goals and intentions. I’ve had fun using my planner this year, though ultimately think I prefer something a little slimmer and more likely to make it into my purse on a daily basis. (I hate to be weighed down!) I recently picked up one of Appointed’s planners for my husband that I’m loving – and not just because he’s suddenly using a planner. (Though I’m not complaining about that either…)
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Paul Jarvis is the superfabulous dude who finally kicked me into gear on launching Design Yourself. I love his podcast The Freelancer and his weekly newsletter the Sunday Dispatch. The book of his that I quote from is Everything I Know.
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Registered Creative is the group of web development creatives that helped make this new website (circa Fall 2016) possible. Woot!
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Brené Brown is awesome. Here’s her TED talk on The Power of Vulnerability that I referenced. She has several books that I’d recommend, including The Gifts of Imperfection, Daring Greatly, and her latest release Rising Strong.
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Podcast Like A Boss was the helpful online course that I took right before launching Design Yourself. In addition to learning from Paul Jarvis (who inspired me to take the class), this course offered up insight from Paul’s Invisible Office Hourscohost, Jason Zook, as well as the ladies behind the Being Boss podcast, Kathleen Shannon and Emily Thompson.
Welcome to the inaugural episode of Design Yourself - a podcast to help you figure out what it is that you want and then make it happen. In this episode, Sharon shares her inspiration for launching the show, what you can expect from Design Yourself moving forward, and how this podcast fits into her own professional journey as a creative, coach, and entrepreneur.
As I kicked off the podcast I shared both the story of how Design Yourself came to be and some of the headlines of my own professional trajectory. Below are some links to some resources I referenced related to my own career path.
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I love my alma mater Kenyon College. Check out what it’s like to study in the cornfields of Ohio. Or read about it in a book by a English professor whose speech to my freshman class circa 1999 still gives me goosebumps. He was that good.
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My Fulbright Fellowship in Mainz, Germany was a game changer.
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I worked at the Advisory Board for nearly a decade. Loved it then and the more organizations I work with the more I admire and respect the culture and service ethic of this awesome place.
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I didn’t know the Leadership Coaching program at Georgetown University would launch me into a new career path, but it did.
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The Camino de Santiago = Amazing! Life changing! Beautiful! (Buen Camino!)
