Design Yourself

Happy New Year! Anyone else feeling a little slow as they turn the page on the calendar? In this week's mini-episode, Sharon invites you to stop and wait a second. Don't set your annual goals. Don't commit to your 2018 resolution. Don't dive right in. Not yet. Instead, wait a second. Take a moment of pause before you dive in. Follow your energy. If that takes you to goals and resolutions and plans. Awesome. Go with it. But if your energy is calling you to stop for a moment, this week's episode will applaud you for doing just that. Welcome to the start of something special.   Resources and Links Feeling inspired to ease into your 2018? Listen to episode 4 of Design Yourself to get tool and resources for taking breaks Ready to dive right in and get to resolution making and goal setting? Listen to episode 28 of Design Yourself for support in getting down to new year’s business.

From Sharon and the whole team at PRS, we wish you a very Merry Christmas. To celebrate the holiday we bring you a special mini-episode filled with love, cheer, and a fitting e.e. Cummings poem. Here’s to a strong finish to 2017; we look forward to being with you in the new year.  RESOURCES AND LINKS “Little Tree” by e. e. cummings  

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. (Hint: What involves crab marching, a refrigerator, and lots of Christmas lights? Sharon's fondest holiday memory this year!) From Sharon and the whole team at Point Road Studios, we are wishing you a peaceful and joy-filled holiday season. Ideas Shared Here are 10 questions to help you find your holiday spirit: What are some of your fondest holiday memories? Are there any old traditions that you want to let go of or new ones that you want to start? What’s most important to you this holiday season? What are you most excited about? How can you soak those moment up? What emotion or emotions will serve you as you move through the next week? What 2-3 experiences do you want to sit back and enjoy? What MUST DOs are draining your energy? Wha

2017 is coming to close and that is the ideal time to step back and reflect on what this year has taught you - epistolary style. Sharon shares insights and writing from the annual letters of Warren Buffet and Bill and Melinda Gates and then offers up 7 steps to support you in creating your own Annual Letter. From evergreen support systems like setting clear boundaries and clarifying key measures of success to creative prompts like channeling your inner Gabriel Garcia Marquez and writing stream-of-conscious style, this episode is sure to getting you thinking about what this year has offered you and give you some good momentum as you look to the year ahead.  Ideas Shared 7 Steps to Write Your Own Annual Letter Set Boundaries (e.g. To whom are you writing? What is your focus?) Start Writing Stream-of-Consciousness Style Circle Back to Your New Year’s Resolution/Intention/Theme Focus on Key Measures of Success Notice Your Successes, Surprises + Failures How do these insights inform what comes next? Determine Wh

The marking of time is an important and valuable ritual. And this week’s episode will provide you a simple tool to do just that. “Walking around the sun” is a birthday tradition in Montessori education. Every classroom can put its own unique spin on this special occasion, but the core set up is the same. A candle lit to represent the sun, cards with each month named fanned out around the “sun” to create a blueprint of the year. Each birthday child stands up in front of their classmates and then walks around the sun for each year lived, reflecting on what they were like that year and how things have changed today. To mark the 5 year birthday of her business, Point Road Studios, Sharon walks around the sun and shares with you what she has noticed and learned along the way.  Resources and Links: Montessori birthday celebrations Podcast episode with StoryMineMedia Podcast episode with Emmanuel Yamoah Annual Entrepreneur’s Getaway retreat (Here’s how you can design your own retreat.) Psst – want to leave a revi

As we enter into the end of year sprint, Sharon wanted to bring back one of her very first podcast episodes. In this Encore Episode, Sharon talks about why stepping away from your computer and taking a break is one of the best things we can do for ourselves - and our work too. The end of year often seduces us into a flat-out sprint. It's the last month to get your annual goals accomplished. It's a rush of finishing out current objectives and planning for new ones. And on top of that it's parties and sales and celebrations and just so many damn commitments. But it doesn't have to be. Let this week's episode be a reminder to you of the importance of stepping back and taking breaks - with several jumping off points for how you can make this practice your own. IDEAS SHARED Where do you get your best ideas? The shower? Running? I bet you won’t say: Sitting at my desk. Those breakthrough moments are unlikely to show up while you are pounding away for your umpteenth hour at the computer either. Point is: We need b

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 your Thanksgiving (and beyond!) week in an intentional way. She also offers up her own personal reflections for each question, just as she did in Episode 22, the original Let Us Give Thanks episode. 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 2017 year, consider… What makes you happy? What have you overcome this past year? What are you most proud of professionally and personally? Consider something that has

Creativity, resilience and a darn good sense of humor are at the heart of Katie Blattner’s story. In this week’s episode we learn the story of the seamstress and entrepreneur extraordinaire behind Three Little Birds Sewing Co., a place that is part fabric shop, part instructional space and part community hang out. It’s not quite the career and life she imagined for herself when she majored in chemistry with plans for med school. And then life stepped in. Through its lovely and sometimes heart wrenching turns, Katie adapted. Her optimism and bold decision making are sure to inspire you, whether you’re looking to create your own brick and mortar space or just trying to find ways to spark a little more creativity in your every day. “Take the positive things that happen in your life and let them be the driving force....if you lead with the positive and use the negative as a learning or as a speed bump rather than a wall I think that you can really live the life that you imagined for yourself." - Katie Blattner Id

Ever found yourself wishing for a job that just felt like you? That felt like you’d found a work home? If you are anything like host Sharon and this week’s guest, Jennifer Bangoura, the answer is yes. We spend so much of our waking life at work that it ought to be an endeavor that feels meaningful - whether in the work itself or what the work creates for the rest of your life - and ideally both. Jennifer shares her own journey from the Peace Corp in Mali to working as a project manager to starting a photography business to landing her dream job. She shares how marrying someone from another part of the world and becoming a mom changed her. She shares her struggles and how she has seized opportunities as they’ve emerged all with an lighthearted optimism that you are going to find infectious. “A well designed life is being grateful for the present and reflecting on what brought you there and being excited about what’s coming ahead and expressing it.” - Jennifer Bangoura  Ideas Shared “I don’t need to turn my who

In today's episode Sharon shares some of her transformational reading experiences and a way for us to think about the things that shape us (be they books, experience or people). Hear what children's book characters have stuck with her and which one actually changed her. (Hint: She's a very skilled teacher!) Listen as she reads from Lydia Davis and talks about why she really appreciates reading prose written by poets. For anyone who loves books or is thinking about their own story (for a job interview or for fun!), this episode is for you.  “There are worse things to do when you’re in grade two than to spend your time building a dream.” – Iggy Peck Ideas Shared The Books that Changed Me: EARLY YEARS Miss Nelson is Missing HIGH SCHOOL The Great Gatsby Heart of Darkness COLLEGE Wild Iris Praise Proofs and Theories Twentieth Century Pleasures The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas ADULT LIFE Domino, The Book of Decorating Design Mom A Visit from the Goon Squad Freedom This is Water The Collected Sto

Carpe diem. Live in the now. Heck, even be here now. There are so many expressions out there calling us to focus on getting present. And that probably has something to do with just how easy it is to get distracted these days from exactly where we are right now. In this week's podcast, Sharon offers up her own reflections on different flavors of NOT being present and then shares 10 ways to get yourself back into the here and now.  Ideas Shared 4 Different Flavors of Not Being Present Consciously and Negative – For example I’m mentally planning how to get through a heavy task list while my husband tells me about his day Consciously and Positive – For example choosing to listen to a podcast while doing the dishes Unconsciously and Negative – For example a condescending comment at work causes me to to be mentally and unknowingly hijacked Unconsciously and Positive – A great idea pops into my head and captures my imagination while I’m out for a run 10 Ways to Be Here Now Single-task Go for a walk – and only a wal

We often think of vision as that thing that happens out way in the future. And there is a time for imagining all that is possible; a time for answering where are we headed. But today Sharon offers up a different approach to vision. One that allows you to lead from a visionary stance in the present. From meditation to emotional resilience to asking for help, we will explore tips and resources to help you move towards your vision in the here and now.  “Vision glimpses a future state and moves you today.” – Sharon Lipovsky Ideas Shared 5 Actions to Move Your Vision Today Meditate Strengthen Your Desired Emotion Share your vision with trusted partner Ask: What can I do today? Get support Resources and Links You can sign up for the You Can Design Yourself webinar series here. Be sure to sign up for all three dates (October 17, November 7 and December 5). Other Design Yourself episodes on vision setting include: a) Ep 5 – A Vision Meditation; b) Ep 29 – Go Beyond – PRS Vision Cycle; c) Ep 53 – Visionaries and

This week Sharon offers up a 10 Step Guide to Creative Living. If you are already jamming on all the ways that you need to be creative, awesome! But if you are like a lot of us and need a little kickstart to your creativity, this week’s episode is for you. Explore options for how to choose creativity over consumption (take a walk!), learn the difference between copying and appropriating (mindset!), discover some of Sharon’s go-to resources to kick a creative slump to the the curb (books! recipes! friends!) and more. This is a great episode for anyone who wants a reminder about just how much potential for awesomeness is sitting right there inside of you. Go ahead and let your inner kid run wild. “To be alive is to have the potential for creativity.” - Sharon Lipovsky  “To be alive is to have the potential for creativity.” – Sharon Lipovsky Tomatoes fresh from the backyard garden cooked up about 2 feet from where they were grown? Yes please! Ideas Shared 10 Step Guide to Creative Living Choose creativity ov

Special announcement: Sharon is hosting a free webinar series on how You Can Design Yourself this fall. Details can be found at https://pointroadstudios.com/classes/fall-17-webinars/ Itching to try something new, but feeling stuck? Cue this week’s episode. Sharon shares a behind the scenes look into launching the Classes arm of Point Road Studios along with tips and resources for how you too can try something new. Sharon talks about common obstacles to getting started like being afraid or overwhelmed or simply lacking the know how to even get started. This episode is great for anyone who is ready to stop talking about that new thing they want to do and start doing it. It’s also a fun listen for anyone who has been curious about what’s been keeping Sharon busy these days.  Ideas Shared How to try something new… …if you don’t know how get scrappy and see what you can learn ask for help delegate to someone who does know …if you are scared/overwhelmed/frustrated (or otherwise not quite yourself!) honor the emo

Joanna Andreae of Wandering Wellness from Episode 62 is back with us for a special bonus episode. Joanna runs a successful business that is as much of her as it is run by her. And as clear as she is on who she is and what she offers, she was struggling with figuring out what to call herself. With permission, Sharon steps into to coach Joanna through this question. This short episode offers a glimpse into what executive coaching can look like and demonstrates the power of having a quiet space held to see an often asked question in a new light. For anyone who has been curious about what coaching is or who is also struggling to answer the question, "what do I call myself?" or "how do I describe what I do in a simple, easy to understand way?" this bonus episode is for you.  Learn More about Joanna Andreae of Wandering Wellness Wandering Wellness insta: @wanderingwellness Join her weekly mailing list here Joanna’s cover art photograph was taken by Les Mansour

What does it mean to live and be well? How can you do so while also fully owning your own sense of creative power? These are just a few of the questions that today's guest Joanna Andreae, the healer behind Wandering Wellness, ponders. You will hear about how Joanna pushed herself to the brink with the intensity and stress of her work and her job before realizing that there was - thank goodness! - another way. Today she works with what she describes as the multidimensional modern woman to help her find her own way through a mix of meditation, coaching, nutrition and support. Joanna is one of those special people that can make something unfamiliar feel comfortable. She and host Sharon both worked in sales and marketing at the same professional services firm before wending their way into entrepreneurial ventures of the heart. They both share what they learned from that experience and how they each prepared for making the entrepreneurial leap. Today's episode is a great fit for anyone curious about how to uncover

Visionary leadership isn’t just for corporate boardrooms - it is for everywhere. It can be satisfying sometimes to imagine getting to where we want to go all by ourselves, but that is not reality. To walk through the world is to interact with others - whether strangers or friends, colleagues or clients, skeptics or supporters. Visionary leadership is the essential skill to get us where we want to go, because it allows us to brings other along with us. Today we start with some context setting, exploring what visionary leadership is, where is shows up and what happens when it’s missing. We then turn our attention to how you can cultivate your own visionary leadership through linking your vision to the past, present and future, getting out of your own way, and tapping into your unique voice to share your vision with others. This week’s episode is a great fit for anyone who is looking to amplify his own vision or who is wondering how to take a vision and put it into a systems context.  “We are often the biggest

Only 19% of girls have a positive association with the phrase “Like a Girl.” Katey Comerford, Executive Director of Girls on the Run of NOVA, is a person out to change that. In today’s show we learn about this international organization focused on making girls strong and Katey’s own story of strong female leadership - where we discuss everything from how to find intellectual frameworks to put behind your work, visionary leadership, how to walk away from job, the value of taking an intentional pause from work and power of donating - both money and time. For anyone who has wondered how to marry impact and work or looking for inspiration on how to take a leap into the unknown, this episode is definitely for you.  “I didn’t take for granted that I would be able to find a job. I did take for granted that I would find my way. And I definitely trusted in that.” – Katey Comerford   Ideas Shared “I have a strong appreciation for the complications behind that laser focus. Because it is never as easy as the impact

Boundaries on work are increasingly blurring. We can work anytime and anywhere. And sometimes we want to. And sometimes we don’t. In this week’s episode, Sharon explores the question "when does work stop?" She reflects on the changing landscape of work (and how this is not a new phenomenon), provides tips for setting your own boundaries on work (because work stops when we decide to stop it) and offers up questions to push your own thinking about when and how you will choose to work. This is a great episode for anyone who might be looking for a reprieve from the demands of work, who might be leading an enterprise and looking for support for colleagues wondering how to find more balance or for anyone out there with the freedom (or desire!) to create your own schedule. Ultimately work stops being work when we stop seeing it that way. May you enjoy the process of choosing what you see.  “Now, more than ever, we are ‘designing’ our everyday lives to keep up with the hectic pace of modern life, while hoping to re

Emmanuel Yamoah is a person who defies the traditional approach. Not satisfied by what has always been, he’s always pushing for something more. As a young boy you might have found him deconstructing his sneakers to see what made them work. Today he leads a global Research and Development team at Duracell. He is an engineer, an artist, and a problem solver. He understands that to really drive product innovation, you have to start with personal innovation. This episode is a great fit for anyone curious how to go from idea to tangible product. His career also illustrates how you can create tremendous opportunities and growth for yourself working at the same organization. “It’s a constant iteration. It’s pushing and using those starting materials that you have and really figuring out how do you bring them all together. And there is no end solution because you’ve got to constantly evolve.” - Emmanuel Yamoah IDEAS SHARED “I can launch a product and then put it into the marketplace but it has to evolve to stay