Design Yourself

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.

As you reflect upon the 2018 year, consider…

1. What makes you happy?
2. What have you overcome this past year?
3. What are you most proud of professionally and personally?
4. Consider something that has been difficult for you this year…what have you learned from this situation?
5. What's one thing that you could let go of that would bring you a greater sense of peace and gratitude?
6. What are your greatest gifts?
7. If you could give one gift to the world, what would you want it to be?
8. If you could give one gift to yourself, what would you want it to be?
9. What's one thing that you would like to give to somebody this week?
10. What are you thankful for?

• Curious how Sharon answered these questions the first time around? Check out Take One and Take Two of the Let Us Give Thanks episodes

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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.

1. Slow Down
2. Be Present
3. Appreciate

• "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.

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?

• 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."

There are 3 buckets of care that Sharon explores this month…

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.

What would give you more energy right now? An afternoon off? Deep tissue massage?

Sharon is committed to prioritizing some self care this month!

Sharon has fun this episode reflecting on these 6 different types of questions:

1. Who will I spend my time with?
2. What matters now?
3. Where can I find more ease?
4. When will I rest?
5. Why not?
6. How will I prioritize?

• 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."

For us it really boils down to two key points:

1. 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.
2. 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.

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

• 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.

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?

• Garden Awakening by Mary Reynolds
• Mary Reynolds interview on Being Boss Podcast