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Tag: motivation

Living LONG or Living WELL or Both?

Did you know there’s a difference between LIVING LONG and LIVING WELL?

I never considered the difference until one of my mentors explained what LIVING WELL was.

According to my mentor, LIVING WELL means being the best version of yourself. It’s when you are doing work that you love, making a positive impact on the world, prioritizing your health, and surrounding yourself with people who value and appreciate you.

As a “midlifer” (that’s what I am lovingly calling myself now), that perspective resonated with my soul. It made me wonder: Am I living as well as I can?

Quietly, my soul whispered, “No, but you could if you keep making honest choices.”

So, what are honest choices?

Making honest choices is about telling yourself the truth about your desires, needs, and beliefs before you take action. It’s also about honoring your gifts, owning your strengths, and responsibly managing your physical, mental, and social resources.

Even though making honest choices is the most heart-affirming thing to do, it’s not always the easiest thing to do. In fact, implementing soul-expanding, values-inspired decisions can be difficult.

Why?

Since childhood, we have been taught and celebrated for parroting what others said or for copying what others did, even when those actions contradicted our truth.

But….what if you pushed past your discomfort, guilt, and fear and told yourself the FULL TRUTH about your deepest desires and unmet needs?

What if you turned DOWN the volume of external messages and turned UP the volume on your heart’s yearnings?

What if you trusted your longings and hopes?

What if you engage in new conversations and consider fresh beliefs?

What if you walked a different path or listened to your inner wisdom?

What if you stopped “obligated” living and embraced “option” living?

What if you shaped your world instead of being squeezed by the world?

What if you believed you were more than your history, memories, and career so you could see unlimited possibilities for your life?

What if you believed you were worthy of living WELL so you could enjoy your one precious life?

We lovingly explore what it means to LIVE WELL in all my coaching programs. We embrace the question with courageous curiosity and imagine what living well would feel, sound, and taste like.

We ask each other questions and share our experiences to learn, unlearn, and relearn ways of being true to ourselves and each other.

And guess what?

Those conversations are so clarifying and nourishing. Talking about life with generous, joy-seeking, supportive people helps you consider your values and goals. And by exchanging wisdom, everyone gains new insight and tactics to design a more fulfilling, purposeful life.

So, think about your life and ask yourself, are you living well? Determine if you are doing what you feel called, created, and anointed to do. Look within your heart and determine whether your life makes you feel inspired, motivated, or obligated. Ask yourself how to be more honest to help you dream and soar again.

Here’s the good news: there is a safe place to ask yourself soul-nourishing questions and get the support you need to thrive in Rooted To Rise: A Journey Back Home To Yourself.

Rooted To Rise is a sacred gathering where people can openly discuss ideas and take healthy risks without feeling overwhelmed or judged.

And if you join, you’ll be part of a caring, purposeful circle that will celebrate and encourage you as you rethink, reclaim, and reimagine your life.

If Rooted To Rise speaks to you, click here to get on the waitlist for the last cohort in 2023.

I share more about living well in our exclusive community podcast. Click here to listen.

LIVE WELL this week. Be good to yourself. Stretch yourself, but don’t stress yourself. And remember…you don’t have to soar alone.

Blessings,

SharRon.

 

At A Crossroads & Feeling Lost?

Are you at a crossroads in your life?

I am.

If you are like most folks, being at a crossroads in life can feel unsettling. Not knowing exactly what to do, when to do it, or where to go can cause anxiety, inner turmoil, and fear. And the fear can even feel MORE overwhelming when you believe your decisions will have life-altering or career-limiting consequences.

I get it. I wrestle and dance with fear when facing huge decisions, too. We all do.

Many clients admit that being at a crossroads is an extremely frightening place for a few reasons.

  • They have unconsciously followed scripts and predictable paths to make others happy. But now, they must create a new vision, craft fresh strategies, and travel an uncharted route toward their purpose.
  • They completed college, worked, raised children, relocated, volunteered, cared for elders, and launched businesses without considering their own needs. They did everything for others and failed to do anything for themselves. Now, they must learn to prioritize their needs amid competing demands and tight schedules.
  • They choose careers for money and status without realizing the price of “success” or the impact on their souls. Now, they need to change direction, even though debt and burnout are weighing them down.
  • They followed the societal rules and abided by the status quo, only to find themselves unfulfilled or detached from their inner compass. Now, they must re-learn how to honor their inner and ancestral wisdom to move in the world with authority and peace.
  • They conformed to stereotypes and lost their identity, confidence, and self-respect. Now they must resurrect their essence, reclaim their faith, and restore their joy.

For those reasons, many find themselves between a rock and a hard place. Lost. Confused. Exhausted. Worried. Drifting.

They find themselves so disconnected from who they really are that they cannot make informed life-giving choices.

Does this sound like your experience?

If it does, you are not alone.

Everyone experiences crossroads – sometimes many crossroads – in their lives. And crossroads are challenging, especially when you have not developed an internal system or cultivated your “inner knowing” to guide you.

For example, one of my clients told me that one day something just clicked, and she realized she was unhappy and could not continue being a lawyer. She was done! Finished. She never liked law and would not work another day in a profession that made her physically sick. She was at a crossroads. Even though she was unsure how to move forward, she was committed to moving in a new direction.

Your experience may not feel as sudden as my client’s realization. Maybe you just felt a gradual aching for something more meaningful. Perhaps you experienced a progressive loss of joy in your career. Or maybe you just outgrew your current relationships or lost feelings of connection.

You can arrive at this life-changing event called a crossroads in many ways. And trust me, every way brings some discomfort and apprehension.

Since I am at a crossroads and considering significant changes in my life, I wanted to share some tips that are helping me navigate my journey.

Reflect: Sit down, relax, find a quiet space, and think. Ask yourself about your values and buried dreams. Determine how you want to feel in this new season of your life. Get honest about your goals, needs, desires, gifts, and hopes. Tell yourself the truth. Honest reflection will help you clarify your options because your deepest aspirations sometimes get buried under the busyness of life.

Talk to people you trust. Talk to your friends, family, mentors, or clergy. Hire a coach, therapist, advisor, or counselor who can offer proven wisdom and insight. Be open to paying for advice, apprenticeship, or assessments! Remember, free insight is not always the best insight.

Do your research: Read books, articles, or blogs. Travel. Explore. The more information you have, the more aligned decisions you can make.

Don’t be afraid to take risks. Take a risk. This could mean taking a giant leap of faith or taking a small step forward based on the variables of your life. Remember, risk-taking is personal, so do what feels like a stretch for you. And most of all, don’t compare your risk tolerance with others, because we are all wired differently.

Trust your gut. Do what feels right for you in your body. Don’t be swayed by opinions, social expectations, guilt, rejection, or gender norms. Go with your gut and listen to the wisdom of your soul.

My friend, being at a crossroads signifies exciting growth, life-enriching change, and beautiful opportunities. And if you take some time to reflect, research, and trust your gut, you will make decisions that feed your soul.

I shared a message on the private podcast about being at a crossroads. Click here to listen, and let me know your thoughts.

If you are at a crossroads and need support, reply to this message. I have VIP Sessions and Daring Discussions opportunities and would love to support you.

If you want to connect with other supportive and generous people at a crossroads, consider Rooted To Rise. Rooted To Rise is a close-knit, affirming community where people journey back home to their hearts and dreams. And, Rooted To Rise may be just what you need as you consider your next chapter. Click here to get on the waitlist.

I am cheering for us and excited to see what the future holds.

Have a blessed week,

SharRon

The DARE TO SOAR HIGHER Life Strategist

What Is Your Life Saying To You?

Have you ever wondered how you would look, live and love if you did most of what you promised yourself you would do?

During my weekly inventory, I think about my life. I examine my choices, thoughts, actions, and comments to assess if my life resembles and reflects the promises I made to myself and honors the commitments I made to others.

Sometimes I feel proud that my behavior aligns with my commitments. But sometimes, I realize that there are gaps, and the gaps are usually around how I treat myself and how I treat my “calling.” Sometimes I also realize that I am giving too much of myself to people and places not aligned with my destiny, jeopardizing my wholeness and health.

Over the last few months, I have realized that many leaders, visionaries, and change agents also feel their lives are not aligned with their deepest desires or their most urgent needs. Many have shared that they feel burdened by responsibilities or exhausted by politics, competing priorities, and challenging people.

Truth: Collective exhaustion and misalignment take a toll on our souls. It distracts people – people like you and me who deeply care about the world – from creating the change we want and need to see in our communities. Weariness also prevents us from honoring and caring for spirits, bodies, and loved ones.

So, this week, take a step back and review your life to ensure you are directing your energy and efforts to the right causes, values, and systems.

Inspect your relationships. Examine your career, your calling, or your life’s work. Analyze your progress, proficiency, and potential to determine if your behavior aligns with your soul’s desires and goals.

Then, look in the mirror. Glance over your body. Reflect on your heart. Connect with your soul. Survey the rooms in your house. Then honestly (without judgment), ask yourself: is my life lying to me about what I care about, or am I lying about my life?

My elders used to say that ” talking and telling ain’t the same thing.” Translation: What you say is one thing. What you do is something else.

So, today, ask yourself: What is my mouth saying that I am NOT doing? How can I get more in alignment with my truth? What unconscious thoughts or fears are getting in my way? How are my goals and actions aligned with my values? Where can I be more courageous in my decision-making and bridge-building?

When your life reflects the core of who you are, you will thrive! You will feel invigorated, empowered, and fulfilled. And when you are happy, aligned, and rested, you will create the changes you want to see in the world.

Let’s Dare to Soar Higher as we speak and work for the collective good while honoring our deepest individual needs. That way, our mouths will talk, and our lives with honestly tell.

Blessings!

SharRon

What’s Blocking You?

self awareness

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.

know thyself

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!

SharRon