Tag: dealing with change

Do You Need To Sit?

Written by SharRon Jamison on June 25, 2024. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Do You Need To Sit?

As a child, when there was a storm, my elders would say, “Go sit your narrow behind down somewhere. God is speaking.”

Now, when I look at all the political and historical storms in the world, I wonder if God is demanding that we sit, not be idle, but to sit down somewhere.

Maybe God is insisting that we sit and get incredibly still so we can hear the unique voice of our Creator, which guides and governs us.

Maybe God is forcing us into contemplation so we can see the error of our collective ways and the smallness of our love.

Maybe God is summoning us to something greater, fairer, bigger, and bolder that will support the common good.

Maybe God is showing us how our desire for domination and our denial of our corrupt systems are obliterating the world.

Maybe God is calling us to examine how society is disintegrating due to injustice, intolerance, and inaction.

Maybe God is empowering us to create strategies to dismantle oppression, confront greed, challenge exploitative capitalism, and resist all vestiges of white supremacy.

Maybe God is refueling our spirits to fight for freedom, live with integrity, and heal our ancestral wounds.

Maybe God is intervening and integrating ways to reboot, rebuild, and redistribute resources so nobody goes hungry, unhoused, or unhealed.

Maybe God is reminding us of our humanity and the humanity of others so folks can stop dropping bombs and shooting bullets at defenseless people.

Maybe God is warning us to value people over profit, power, privileges, and perks so we can remember the sacredness of human life.

Maybe God is prompting us to talk to each other and to stop talking about each other so we can see that we have more in common than we think.

Maybe God is reclaiming our attention so we can focus on solutions that instill hope, promote harmony, and facilitate healing.

During storms, my elders wisely advised me to sit. And so, I am following their advice because I realize my anger and grief about what is happening in the world are starting to consume me.

Witnessing continued genocide, horrific violence, intentional starvation, political pandering, the lack of adequate healthcare, and other global atrocities requires me to gather myself so I can determine how to participate in what I pray about and hope for.

Life has taught me that sacred sitting is a meditative posture that prepares people to be visionaries, freedom fighters, game-changers, and truthtellers. It equips them to challenge the world’s ethos, create more humane paradigms, and confront the stifling status quo.

So, I find myself sitting, thinking about my next move, determined to make a difference even if I don’t know how to help in ways that would bring transformative healing, spiritual awakening, and paths for sustainable reconciliation.

I’m sitting – thinking and praying – because I know we can do better.

We are not powerless!

We are movement-makers! We are relational innovators! We are the hands and feet of a just God!

What about you?

Blessings to you!

Reclaim Your WILL And Find Peace!

Written by SharRon Jamison on May 9, 2024. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Reclaim Your WILL And Find Peace!

Hey there,

How are you doing?

I wanted to check in because a lot is happening around the world. And honestly, the world feels a bit heavy right now. For some, it may even feel heartbreaking and emotionally exhausting as people struggle to be heard, seen, and protected.

I know many of you may be dealing with conflicting emotions and trying to make sense of contradictory narratives we hear in the media. But as you try to make sense of it all, I want YOU to remember the incredible strength YOU have inside you – the power of your WILL.

Lately, I have been speaking a lot about our WILL because our WILL helps us feel strong and grounded during difficult times. It keeps us hoping, working, advocating, and living without giving up or giving in to vitriol, negativity, and hopelessness. Most of all, our WILL ensures that we stay purposeful and focused as we navigate an evolving and sometimes turbulent world.

As you harness the power of your WILL, here are a few thoughts to consider.

YOU HAVE…..

W – Wisdom. Even though a lot is happening in the world, you have wisdom within and around you to move through complexity and uncertainty. You have inherited and acquired knowledge that you gained from your ancestors, upbringing, communities, spiritual beliefs, and life experiences that provide incredible insight and direction. So, access and apply what you know to make choices that honor your deepest values, desires, and dreams. Especially during political and social unrest, trust your instincts and intuition to navigate the path ahead, trusting that the answers you seek lie within your soul.

I – Imagination. Now more than ever, you must unleash your imagination to think outside the box and dream beyond your current reality. You must look inwardly and pay attention to the messages in your dreams, bypassing evidence, predictions, and naysayers to see opportunities for yourself and others. You must quiet the outside chatter to sense your inner hope and see a future filled with peace, justice, and dignity. Your ability to imagine is directly tied to your ability to create, innovate, problem-solve, and manifest what you need and want. Remember, tomorrow’s answers may not be limited to what you know and see today.

L – Levity. Since the world feels heavy, please make time and create space for joy, passion, play, and rest. Weekly, dedicate a few hours to drawing, laughing, dancing, and singing. Commune with nature, paint a picture, get a massage, or play a sport. Do something fun and light to rejuvenate your spirit, reconnect with your body, and renew your resolve. Levity will relax your mind, which will help you access your wisdom and activate your imagination as you pursue your path.

L – Liberation. Think and choose for yourself. This sounds easy, but opening your mind to new ideas is extremely difficult. But to operate fully in your WILL depends on your ability to listen, learn, and pressure-test what you hear about other countries, communities, and cultures. Because once you free your mind from other people’s beliefs and conclusions, you will create spaciousness for personal revelations, receive divine downloads, and unlock new possibilities for yourself and others. Remember… OPENNESS creates Opportunities.

Life is complex, and there are no easy answers, especially now. However, your WILL can ground and guide you through this unpredictable, challenging time. And when surrounded by supportive friends and fortified by faith, you will make it through this difficult chapter in your life.

I shared more about the power of our WILL in our community podcast. To listen, click here. (Choose a podcast server and subscribe to be notified when I release new episodes.)

As you navigate this uncertain time, you are also invited to join me for a free gathering next week called “Unboxed and Unbothered.” In 60 minutes, we will talk about the power of being unboxed and unbothered during times of transition and growth. It’s free, so sign up now because I am keeping the gathering intimate, so people can feel safe sharing.

My friend, I genuinely believe in the power of our individual and collective WILL – wisdom, imagination, levity, and liberation. And by activating our WILL, we can co-create a safe, secure world for all of us and a unique path just for you!

If this message resonates with your soul, will you do me a favor and share it with a colleague or a loved one? I want to ensure that people know about our community so that they can have support, too.

Remember to register for Unboxed and Unbothered.

Blessings to you!

SharRon

Rediscovering Dreams, Nurturing Growth, and Embracing Authenticity

Written by SharRon Jamison on January 2, 2024. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Rediscovering Dreams, Nurturing Growth, and Embracing Authenticity

Yesterday was the first time in 20 years that I spent Christmas with my parents. Celebrating and enjoying the holidays with them was such a blessing.

While there, I saw this wonderful picture of me when I was 7. It made me ask myself:

What did this little girl want?

What did this little girl believe about her potential and purpose?

What did this little girl hope for and believe about her life?

When did this little girl STOP dreaming big?

I don’t know the answers, but this morning I am asking myself those questions because the little girl in the picture has wisdom that the adult ME needs.

The little girl in the picture has divine insight… insight that God protected from the unconscious, ubiquitous effects of cultural and social indoctrination.

Wisdom that God protected to ensure she stayed equipped, enthusiastic, and empowered to fulfill her divine calling. To do something significant, transformative, and legacy-producing in the world.

So, the adult ME is staring at the photo, straining to see beyond the social brainwashing and conditioning to see what the little girl wanted and needed so that I CAN give it to her.

The adult ME is resurrecting and reclaiming those childhood buried dreams – the dreams that society tried to kill – so I can be the changemaker that God ordained me to be.

The adult ME is revising narratives, identifying lies, and debunking myths that tried to make me settle for the status quo and a “toxic” normal that is making the world a scarier, sicker, and sadder place to live.

Questions:

What did your little person need?

What buried dreams do you need to resurrect?

What must you remember and reclaim to walk in your authentic authority?

Our childhoods hold clues about our greatness. And when we look under the pain, trauma, historical narratives, systematic oppression, cultural domination, and gender norms, we will uncover who we were divinely created to be!

As my elders used to say: You are higher than what you heard.

Let’s Dare To Soar Higher!

Blessings.

Bet On Yourself, Not A System!

Written by SharRon Jamison on October 20, 2023. Posted in Uncategorized. No Comments on Bet On Yourself, Not A System!

Therapist: Why do you keep betting on the system more than you bet on yourself?

Me: What systems? How am I betting on them?

Tears still come to my eyes when I think of this painful conversation. I still feel sad when I remember struggling to prove myself in an unsupportive corporate environment.

For years, I did everything to demonstrate my competency, creativity, and proficiency. And I knew people saw my value because they consistently stole my work, ideas, and strategies. But despite being trusted to train and unofficially lead others, I was repeatedly told I wasn’t “ready” for leadership roles. In other words, I was good enough to “labor” but not lead.

After being overlooked for yet another leadership position, I emotionally crashed. And during one of my therapy sessions, my therapist — a powerful Black woman – asked me a critical question that changed my life: Why do you keep betting on the system more than you bet on yourself?

For years, I had been in therapy with white counselors (they accepted my health insurance) but had never been asked about the impact of systems on my well-being. Never! There were no conversations about bias, being excluded, being overlooked, being talked over, being dismissed, or being disrespected. Even though I shared many details of my work environment, I was never asked questions about systems, racism, sexism, or any other isms.

Thankfully, I finally found a Black therapist who deeply connected with me. Tenderly, she asked me questions that made me feel genuinely heard and understood. Because of her own experiences, she never questioned my experiences or realities. She didn’t ask for painful examples or embarrassing details that made me feel more ashamed. She didn’t pepper me with questions to devalue or discount the effects of ongoing corporate abuse. She KNEW!

During my sessions with her, she gently explained how I unknowingly colluded with harmful historical systems and narratives that robbed me of my agency, health, and self-respect. And through her wisdom, love, and spiritually infused strategies, I started a powerful healing journey. I began to learn and unlearn messages that made me doubt my value, ability, and brilliance. Most importantly, I began to remember and believe in the power of MY story, identity, and ancestral wisdom.

The healing process was painful and layered, yet soul-nourishing. Gradually, I started regaining my confidence, joy, and self-respect. I regained my agency and began working differently and more courageously with colleagues and saboteurs. I also began reimagining my future as a Black professional and realized I had enormous potential that didn’t need to be validated by corporations.

My life-changing experience with a therapist who understood oppression and the sting of microaggressions – which are NOT micro at all – was one reason I started creating safe places for other Black women and women of color. I wanted to provide loving sanctuaries where women could grieve without judgment and grow without fear. I wanted to create spaces where women felt honored, celebrated, and affirmed—places where women didn’t need to compete or spiritually exhaust themselves to be seen or witnessed.

The truth is, when I entered corporate America, I unknowingly bet on a system because I didn’t know any better. For the first 10 years of my career, I played by the written rules of success, not the unspoken paths. Why? I was the first person in my family to work in corporate settings and didn’t know what it meant to bet on myself in corporate environments. Honestly, I just didn’t know how to navigate or advocate for myself; I wasn’t taught the political games. In the early 1990s and even today, there were few mentors, sponsors, or allies willing to extend a hand to support people who looked like me.

If you feel you are betting on a system instead of seeing your brilliance, I would love to help. For over 25 years, I have worked with some amazing women and have helped them rethink, retool, and reimagine their careers in ways that honored their souls.

I am still in corporate America and doing work I enjoy. But because I see myself differently and fully – I see myself BEYOND the limitations of systems – I have also been able to build a successful business, write books, coach executives, serve as a minister in a progressive congregation, and help some big-hearted people DARE TO SOAR HIGHER in every aspect of their lives.

Bet ON YOURSELF!

You have everything you need encoded and loaded in your DNA to create a soul-nourishing career inside and outside organizations.

BET ON YOURSELF!

You got this!

Blessings!

SharRon

What’s Blocking You?

Written by SharRon Jamison on April 27, 2015. Posted in Soar Higher Blog. No Comments on What’s Blocking You?

Have you ever thought about what’s really blocking you in your life? No, really. Have you thought about why you continue to stay in a joyless, sexless and unfulfilling relationship? Or, why you continue to work an unrewarding, unsatisfying and low-paying job? Or, why you continue to associate with people who have low goals, no goals or no guts? Or, why you participate in organizations that demonize, disappoint or degrade you and others? Or, why you associate with people who are envious of you and secretly covet your life? Have you truly thought about those things?

To be honest, I really did not consider those questions myself until one day I woke up and realized that I was lost. I woke up and found myself confused about my career, puzzled about my purpose, baffled by my relationship, mystified by my faith and confounded by the choices that I was FAILING to make. Yes, I was shocked when I realized that I was not making decisions at all; I was just letting life happen. I was not choosing anything; I was settling for whatever and whomever came in my life. And boy, did I settle. I sold myself short personally and professionally.

But thankfully, I have learned that living and creating a fulfilling life required that I make decisions. Yes, living a satisfying life required me to participate fully in the life process even when I didn’t feel equipped, qualified or confident enough to make informed choices. Even when I didn’t want to or feel up to it, I learned that I had to be the leader, director, and organizer of my life; I had to be the boss of me. Prepared or not, I learned that I had to guide, manage and love myself enough to make decisions that helped me SOAR.

Those decisions are not always easy to make and sometimes the options are less than desirable. But being the boss is not always easy and not making a decision is really a decision too. Something to consider right?

My clients often ask me the same question, “How do I become the boss of me?” It is a simple question, but simple questions rarely have simple answers. But here is what I offer.

I first tell my clients, who I call my teachers, to become AWARE. I encourage them to be become AWARE of what moves them, soothes them, angers them, motivates them, stresses them, relieves them, inspires them, etc. I advise them to conduct a monthly and sometimes a weekly self-inventory to learn what makes them tick, sick and stick. I encourage them to find out what makes them uncomfortable and then fully explore that discomfort. I hope I inspire them to learn what brings them peace, growth and liberation so that they can “live” in that space for the rest of their lives. Finally, I encourage them to get quiet and still so that they can hear the whispers from their souls because that is where our truth lies.

Becoming aware and staying aware won’t be easy, especially with all of the distractions that vie for our attention and challenge our minds. But I implore you to try. Try to be become more AWARE of the amazing person you already are, and try to stay committed to growing into the more amazing person you hope to be. Because once you become aware, you will better appreciate who you are, recognize your full potential, discern what’s good and who is good for your spirit, and transform your life into greater abundance.

Awareness is the first step. I look forwarding to sharing the other 4 steps in the coming weeks. So stay tuned.

I wish you success on your journey to greater AWARENESS. You can do it! I know you can. We are on this journey together.

If you are interested in working with me to gain more self AWARENESS, please contact me. I am always here to support and serve you!

Blessings to you always and remember to DARE To SOAR HIGHER!