Design Yourself

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. 

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 Start By Noticing Get Another Perspective Be Clear on What You Want to Say Welcome in All the Feelings 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 someth

Love the podcast? Join the conversation! Don’t miss out on this free webinar series, Design Your Work.  * 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 Slow Down Be Present Appreciate Resources and Links “Mindful” by Mary Oliver Catch up on each monthly theme for 2018: January – Rituals; February – Focus; 

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 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

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 prop

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 rea

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 What matters most to you? What does this place tell you? What whisper is getting louder? What do you hear when it’s quiet? 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 busine

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