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.   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

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 Complement Your Na

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 throu

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

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. Whe

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.”