Design Yourself

In today's Design Yourself, we meet Ericka Leighton-Spradlin, the artist and entrepreneur behind Continuum, an eclectic bazaar//concept shop in Cincinnati, OH. (This happens to be Sharon's favorite place to shop!) Learn how Ericka created her vision for the space and then followed her instincts to make her dream a reality. From sourcing trips to Japan, an artist commune in Maine, and balancing the...

Thanks to those listeners who reached out to suggest that I share some Encore episodes while I am out on maternity leave. There will be a few of these episodes – all suggested by listeners – shared in the months ahead, starting with today's throwback. In this encore episode of Design Yourself, Sharon discusses the importance of getting started. Career moves, life adventures, and creative projects...

There is nothing like a little life adventure to teach. Sharon seized the opportunity to walk the ancient pilgrimage path through Spain, the Camino de Santiago, back in 2012. She hadn't intended to be 6 months pregnant when starting this 500 mile walk, but the Camino - like life - doesn't always follow our plans. Today Sharon shares 5 lessons that have stuck with her since this magical experience...

Hate the feeling of being caged in? Me too. It may seem counterintuitive, but boundaries are a hugely impactful way to open yourself up to greater possibility. In today's episode, Sharon discusses boundary setting using her three maternity leaves as examples for how her boundaries around this special time shape-shifted over time. While this episode will likely peak the interest of anyone preparing...

We all experience transitions on a regular basis. Sometimes they are big - e.g. getting married, starting a new job, grieving a loss, moving to a new place. Sometimes they are little - e.g. commuting across town to work, finishing writing a proposal, integrating a new member on our team. Transitions often seem like something to rush through as quickly as possible on our way to get from the present...

You've heard Sharon close each podcast with this phrase: There is nothing stopping you. But where did that come from and what exactly does it mean? Learn how this tagline came to be and work through some reflection questions for getting deeper on your own beliefs. Your intentions really can change the world, but first you have to discover what they are. GIVEAWAY We shared this week that we are doi...

One of the many great legacies of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. is that real, transformational change is possible when you stand up for what you believe. The first step in being able to emulate this kind of leadership? You have to know what you stand for. Today Sharon draws inspiration from this visionary leader and offers up questions for you to consider as you hone in on what it is that you believe...

What do you want? This question is the core inspiration for setting and moving towards a vision. Sharon believes that the greatest gift we can offer the world is to let our inner lights shine out brightly. To be our own unique selves. Visioning is an amazing resource for stewarding us on this path. Today Sharon shares Point Road Studios' vision process, the Go Beyond Vision Cycle. Learn about how...

Happy New Year and welcome to 2017! Today's show is all about embracing who you are and what you want for the new year. Sharon offers alternatives to setting a New Year's resolution - because let's face it, most of us don't follow through on those anyway! She also shares guidance for how you can focus less on trying to reinvent yourself and more on tapping into what's awesome about you right now -...

Maybe you, like Sharon, love this last week of the year for the quiet inspiration that it inspires in you. Or maybe you are thinking, "what quiet?!?!!" as you wend your way through the transition from 2016 to 2017. Today's podcast will meet you wherever you may find yourself. In this last episode of our inaugural season, Sharon shares the importance of finding and exploring quiet moments - with a...

Can it be that the holidays and end of year are really here? Tis so! If you, like Sharon, are finding yourself not yet fully in the holiday spirit, fear not. Today's episode is designed to help you find just that. Sharon shares 10 questions to get you reflecting on how you'd like to move through the coming weeks. Explore your own answers and see what Sharon's personal reflections might spark for y...

This week we are celebrating the 4th birthday of Point Road Studios with the launch of our new website (www.pointroadstudios.com) and some reflections on key lessons learned in our first 4 years. Come reminisce and learn with Sharon as she reflects on topics like quitting your day job, demanding your worth, taking a stand, and more. Ideas Shared: Celebrating our 4th birthday at Point Road this pas...

You know what's not possible? Being perfect. But man does it still have a magnetic force that draws us towards it. In today's episode Sharon shares some of her favorite resources for countering this pull as she discusses how to embrace imperfection. You'll learn also about some of the many imperfect things Sharon's experiencing right now (hint: it involves a lot of home renovations) and get a snea...

This week Sharon shares one of the most helpful pieces of wisdom she's ever received: "It's more important to be present than prepared." Learn how she has come to understand this adage over the years and how she's added on to it as well. As part of this process, Sharon shares some questions you might consider if you find yourself holding on tightly to a desire to be in control and tips for bringin...

The Thanksgiving season is upon us! Whether you are hitting the roads to travel to loved ones or embracing the opportunity to stay put, this week is often the start of a frenetic holiday pace. But it doesn't have to be. In today's episode, Sharon offers listeners a chance to settle into a spirit of peace and gratitude for the holiday season. Take in the 10 questions she shares to build up your own...

Ever found yourself in a place where your head keeps spinning on the same question (or set of questions)? But no matter how much energy you expend thinking about it, you just can't seem to come to a confident conclusion? You are not alone. We often get stuck on "unanswerable questions" because they are rooted in a way of seeing the problem that is limiting our ability to move forward. In today's e...

With less than 3 weeks until Thanksgiving, the joyful and jam-packed end of year season is upon us. Offices are budgeting and planning for next year while simultaneously focused on ending this calendar year with a bang. In our personal lives, invitations to holiday open houses begin to hit our mailboxes (or more likely, inboxes) while we also plan out how we'd like to celebrate the holiday season...

Life is too short not to spend your time doing what you really feel called to do. In today's episode Sharon offers up tips and resources for just letting go of the excuses and going for it - whatever it might be for you. Learn 5 simple steps to move from where you are today to where you want to be. Ideas Shared: This week I had fun playing with Adam Kurtz's new book  Pick Me Up: A Pep Talk for Now...

Sharon comes to you today from the peaceful setting of the Hudson Valley to share some reflections and resources related to rest and stillness. Learn what's different about intentionally choosing to hold something (and not act) versus feeling stuck. Hear how we all need to take rest after we birth something new into the world - be it a new little baby or a brand new business. And get Point Road's...

I know, I know: Death, Grief and Chickens isn't, well, sexy. But this week Design Yourself foregoes sexy for a whole lot of getting real. With light hearted humor (hello, chickens!) and a deep well of grace, Sharon opens up about her own observations on the topics of death and grief. This is not a show designed to give you the answers on what's right or wrong when it comes to these gritty topics....

Think about it. When was the last time someone asked you how you were doing or how things were going at work and you leaned on this go to answer: Busy! In this episode Sharon shares what happens when we open ourselves up to the possibility of the spontaneous (for her it was a magical trip through Slovakia to discover the hometowns of her Great Grandparents!) as well as strategies for how to shift...

When we think of play, what usually emerges are signs of childhood: playgrounds, kids running around, perhaps a cape, lego or magic wand thrown in for good measure. But here's the thing, adults can - and need! - play, too. In this episode Sharon explores some of the research behind why play is important, leveraging the lessons of the great scientist and play advocate Stuart Brown. You will learn t...

Some events seem to call more naturally for a celebration - birthdays, graduations, major events in our lives. But there is a huge opportunity to bring the celebratory spirit to those things in our life that no one is measuring or observing. Today's episode looks at 4 simple tips for how to bring the spirit of celebration into the things you are working for in your life that might be unseen or unn...

"Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants." So says Epictetus. In this episode Sharon discusses money, money, money. Learn about the difference between operating from a sufficiency ("there is enough") vs. a scarcity ("there isn't enough") mindset and explore the 5 guiding steps to ensure that money isn't what holds you back from going after what you really want. Mon...

What's possible? What's next? We close out our 4-part miniseries on Storytelling by looking to the space of the future. Being able to set a future direction gives a sense of purpose in your here and now and draws you forward with intention. But this doesn't mean it comes naturally. In fact, even though research indicates that simply focusing on the future causes us to be perceived as "leaders," mo...