Her dream was becoming an air traffic controller. Over the course of 6 years she had put in endless amounts of schooling, 6 hour long tests, and navigated setbacks to even have a chance at making that dream come true when she finally got accepted into the one and only air traffic school.
But after a rigorous training schedule over months of the academy, in the final hour of her final test, she failed.
No redo's. No coming back for another chance. It was over. Within minutes, the dream she had been planning her life around was completely gone.
As you can imagine, she was crushed. As what she lost began to sink in more and more, so did her anger, sadness and sense of purpose.
It was a rough patch that lasted years of feeling lost, uncertain and disappointed, but when you tune into this final interview episode of Season 2, you'll hear about how a mix of more closed doors and tenacity finally opened the one door that explained why all the other ones had been closed.
With everything that's happened this year, I thought Emilie's story was the perfect way to close this Season out as a reminder you're not alone or a failure if you've had your own closed doors and and rugs being pulled from under you. I think you'll also find it uplifting and hopeful that the story isn't over until it's over and there's plenty of opportunity to change the narrative along the way.
AND if you're at all interested in aviation, you're going to hear some interesting behind the scenes of what goes on when you step on your flights!
Be sure and connect with Emilie on Instagram and let her know what you most related to or enjoyed about her interview! https://www.instagram.com/emilieann10/
"Most of us have two lives. The life we live, and the unlived life within us. Between the two stands the Resistance."
Your worst enemy isn't who you think it is.
The enemy that does the most damage is the one inside your head that you lay down every night with and wake up to every morning.
If there's something you've been putting off - writing a book, a meditation practice, training for a marathon, getting back on the dating scene, starting a business, sharing your experiences and opinions more on social media, moving, a bedtime routine that could help you sleep better - you've most likely encountered what Steven Pressfield calls the Resistance.
It can't be seen, heard, or touched, but it can be felt.
It takes form as procrastination, fear, drama, excuses, victimhood, self-doubt, unhappiness, even love, logic, and healing. It's anything that stands between you and the person you are capable of becoming.
It's self-sabotage and sabotage by others who may even care for and love you, but are dealing with their own Resistance.
It's something that has to be managed every day. It never goes away.
And it's not always so obvious. Instead of encouraging you to never start, it will whisper that you're going to do it - starting tomorrow.
So the best way to combat Resistance is to start. As messy, imperfect, uninspired, and not ready as it might be - start anyway. Because otherwise you're cheating the world of your contribution and gift to the world.
Inside the Book of the Week, The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battle, you'll find 15 other ways to move through the Resistance so that whatever idea that's has been growing inside of you - the one (or more than one!) you've most likely been shoving down because it doesn't make sense or it's not the right time or you're not the one to do it - can finally be brought into existence for your own sake and for the benefit of the world around you.
Is this thing you've been thinking about (for week, months or maybe years!) what you were meant to do and be? The only way to find out it to sit down and do it.
I hope this week's BOTW inspires you to go out and not only add this one to your shelf, but to take that feeling seriously that's telling you to do or be something more. You don't have to knock it out of the park on your first try, or 10th try. The only thing that matters is that you sit down, put your time in, and give it all you've got. xoxo
>>> You can grab this week's book HERE: https://amzn.to/3gu2cNe
>>> If your have a business idea you're ready to bring to life based on your experience and expertise, but would like a little help getting it started or overcoming a specific roadblock, I'm hosting 1:1 Personal Brand Builder Power Hours between now and Christmas and would be honored to be a small part of your journey bringing it to life. If you like my style and are ready to get started, you can book yours HERE or reach out on Instagram with any questions (@sarahlynn.co).
Paul Rahn is the Founder and Owner of the ClassPass top studios SWEAT on State and Maple Leaf Crossfit in and around the Chicago-area.
Back in 2013 he was at the height of his career at Starbucks, leading a team of 50+ employees at the busiest store in Chicago and one of the top stores in the US. He had the best benefits, a big paycheck, and an impressive job title.
But yet, he knew he was capable of more.
Not more money or status, but more meaning.
Can you relate to things being good enough? But maybe there's a tug that won't go away for some crazy idea or you just know where you are right now isn't where your supposed to stay?
If so, you're going to love this episode that is one example of what's possible when you consciously choose a path of purpose and happiness, despite it being terrifying at many points along the way (including actually getting started).
AND since Paul is the owner of a fitness business, stay tuned at the end for some his best tips for getting into shape and feeling your best.
Get more doses of Paul's inspiration over on:
Paul books recommendations:
Declutter Your Mind: by SJ Scott
The title from this episode comes from my favorite cookbooks - Thug Kitchen (more cookbook recommendations at the end) and the Book of the Week is one that transformed how I eat forever.
In today's conversation, we're getting into the book, The China Study: Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health by T. Colin Campbell PhD and Thomas M. Campbell II.
It's filled with research, studies, and resources on the benefits of minimizing the meat and dairy we consume and the case for adding in more (real) plants.
You'll get a sneak peek of the wide-range of areas this book covers as we go through today, 13-fun and random facts that will give you something to chew on (cheesy pun intended) and might entice you to go and grab this book for yourself.
It is VERY "sciency" so if you like that kind of thing, ,you'll appreciate this. If you're not so much into that level of detail, there's plenty of charts and graphs to follow along and still get the point. Either way, once you get into it, I think you'll find it very eye-opening and maybe even binge-worthy as you learn more about how to live longer, be healthier, and prevent/reverse disease.
You'll hear how despite being a vegetarian since college, I wasn't that healthy (mostly because I didn't actually eat that many vegetables), and how this book significantly shifted my perspective on what I put into my body and what goes into the food I put into my body.
After committing to this transformation a little over 10 years ago, my acne and "backne" that I was still majorly struggling with in my mid-20s became almost non-existent, my skin also felt brighter, I rarely was ever constipated (I thought this could me TMI, but I know you can handle it), I lost weight, and I was able to complete a full marathon, 100% on a plant-based diet, in less than 4 hours (sharing this not to brag, but to highlight the strength and energy I had from this shift).
When you think about food, I always like the approach of how I can add in more healthy foods instead of focusing on all the will-power you're going to need to cut things out. I have found almost by default that will happen overtime by getting crowded out by all the food that's bringing you health and energy.
*I think we all already are aware of this but just in case - I am NOT a medical professional of any kind. The information I shared today is directly from this book or my own personal experience, which most likely will be different from yours. I know you're smart and will consult with your doctor on any major changes this book might inspire. xoxo.
Additional Resources:
"Everything you need to know to captivate, excite, and motivate an audience (turtleneck not included)."
Standing up and speaking out whether on stage for a presentation, a Facebook live, or even in a team meeting, can be one of the scariest things we do. It can be terrifying to think of having the spotlight on you and to know what others could be thinking about you.
But, without getting visible and sharing our thoughts, opinions, and what we know, it's hard to help others and it can be hard to move towards your goals.
Whether you are running your own business sharing your offers and products or are looking to apply for a new job or promotion, knowing how to captivate, excite and motivate the person or people in front of you can help you make those goals happen.
In this book, The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to Be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience by Carmine Gallo, you're going to learn how to:
I also share at the end about how to use what you learn from this episode and apply it to podcast guesting with another great resource coming up in December with my former business coach, Christine McAlister of Life with Passion. She's hosting a training called 100 Interviews in 90 Days that is going to teach you how to find and book shows, what to say when you're on a podcast, and how to be the best guest they've ever had with a follow up strategy very few people are doing.
You can sign up for the 100 Interview in 90 Days Masterclass through my affiliate link HERE or shoot me a message and I'll send you the link directly.
IG: @sarahlynn.co
email: hello@sarahlynnco.com
Natalie Williams has lived the "Liz Gilbert in the wild" life - traveling all over the world and experiencing all this planet has to offer. In this episode we get to not only hear her biggest life lessons learned while out in the "wild" that you're going to get so much from, but also what can unfold for you when you start getting your stories and opinions more visible and how to navigate when you're not your old self anymore but also not yet fully blasted off into your new self.
You'll also hear from Natalie on:
Natalie recommended 2 books that have helped her along this journey:
Be sure and follow along with Natalie for more inspiration and goodness over on Instagram at @natalieintheraw and let her know what you most enjoyed about this one!
This resource by Patrick Michael Ryan is a little different than the cover to cover reads I've recommended in past episodes, but still one for the bookshelf.
Understanding our own emotions and developing emotional intelligence towards others has been something that I've been exploring for the last couple of years, and this book was the gateway for a lot of that. It's also been a big help in better understanding how I feel beyond simply happy, sad, and mad.
While we may not always want to act on our emotions and say or do something we might regret (I know this from first hand experience...), there are benefits to feeling those emotions fully, however ugly or hard they might be.
In this episode, we get into that a little more along with:
You can grab Patrick's Dictionary of Emotions on Amazon here or at your local bookstore.
As always I'd love to hear from you about anything that resonated or what you got from the book when you read it - message me on Instagram @sarahlynn.co or email at hello@sarahlynnco.com. xoxo
Today's guest expert interview is private conversation we had inside the Season 2 of the paid group INSTABrand: A 21 Day Personal Branding Program that Leverages the Power of Instagram and I'm excited to pull it out and share it with you as a compliment to our Book of the Week from Monday: The Kickass Single Mommy (episode 089.).
This was such an empowering conversation with Eirin that busts through unhelpful stories women and society have about their investing abilities and how to become truly wealthy through a well-researched investing plan. You'll also hear from Eirin on:
Once you have a chance to listen, be sure and drop @eirin.holmeide a quick note over on Instagram (here) and let her know a top takeaway for you! I know it always means so much to hear from how you helped someone.
You can also find her over on LinkedIn here.
She'll be running another program soon so be on the look out when you follow her on social media!
"May you always have the freedom and courage to create the family that you want and need." - Emma Johnson
Certain stats out there about single mothers would have you believe that you are doomed to a life of welfare, struggle and your children are destined for trouble and probably prison. While some of those stats might be true, that doesn't have to be true for your single mom journey.
This week's Book of the Week is a helpful resource for any single mom or mom that is considering decisions that would put her in that situation in the future.
The Kickass Single Mom: Be Financially Independent, Discover Your Sexiest Self, and Raise Fabulous, Happy Children by Emma Johnson is a book I read a few years ago that had a huge impact on how I saw myself as a single mom and inspired me to take full responsibility for my situation and creating the best life possible for my son and me.
In this episode you'll hear about several of the topics covered in Emma's book - some inspiring and others that might be triggering at first - but all will make you think and give you hope how you can not just survive single motherhood, but really thrive in it.
The book is broken out into 4 main sections:
Within each section, I share some of the specific chapters that stood out to me and lessons learned from my own experience as a single mom, including how I become one, finally detaching from the child support chase, letting go of anger and bitterness, the experience of having an involved father figure for my son from a past relationship, getting over my selfish need to be the only one my son could have fun with, the self-sabotaging strategy of being a mom martyr, allowing for help, what I learned from dating single dads and seeing the "other side," and intentionally seeking fulfillment outside of motherhood and work.
Other chapters that are touched on but Emma gets more into the juicy details on inside the book itself include:
If you have any questions about single motherhood that you want to ask me don't hesitate to reach out and message me over on IG at @sarahlynn.co or email at hello@sarahlynnco.com! xoxo
Below are the Single Mom Tribe resources I mentioned at the beginning of the episode:
Add The Kickass Single Mom to your own bookshelf here (affiliate link)
BOOK OF THE WEEK
My friend Katie Taylor (IG: @_katietaylor) changed my life a little when she sent me this book as a gift earlier this Spring.
Simple Abundance is a daily devotion type of book that shares messages of creativity, spiritual practices, and reflections for a living a more authentic self.
I don't just have books on a shelf - I have book children so it's hard to pick a favorite, but the fact this one rarely is sitting on a shelf and instead, in whatever room I was last in tells you how much I love and how often I read this one.
Sarah starts each day with a short title and a quote dating back from the 1600s or all the way up to Lady Gaga, so if you're at all a quote person, you'll love it just for that.
If the size of the book intimidates you - don't let it. Each "chapter" ranges 1 -3 pages, so totally do-able to read daily while your coffee brews or while you let the dog out.
At the end of each month, she shares practical ideas for implementing the topics from the month. For example - November she had themes of following the Light, so one of her "Try This at Home" tips was to create a Caution Closet that had a portable light and other items needed in an emergency situation.
Right after those, she shares a list of "Simple Abundance" ideas to make your life easier or better in some way - like having a battery drawer that's fully stocked so you never get frustrated because you don't have a battery for the TV remote or your child's favorite toy.
Listen to episode 88 on the podcast today to get the details on why you might want to pick this book up for yourself (or as a gift!) and one of my favorite exerts about How to Start Over.
Grab your own copy*: https://amzn.to/3oOMiAJ
The Panteger Ceremonial Matcha Green Tea* I mentioned I was drinking: https://amzn.to/2HVKfu0
*these are affiliate links so you will be adding to my book fund if you purchase through one of these links. Another option is to support your local bookstore!
"Being a witch isn’t about what you do, its not spells, rituals, and ceremonies. It’s the stance you take in life."
I realize the topic of this Book of the Week, might not be of interest to everyone and for others might even be offensive. One of the reasons I liked this book so much though is because it's not just about what you think it's going to be about.
Yes, Witch: Unleashed. Untamed. Unapologetic by Lisa Lister, a gypsy witch, is a book about:
And it's also an empowering personal development book focused on:
I think we can get into a lot of trouble when we only seek out resources that feed our narrative of how the world works, and when we allow ourselves to see it in black and white, good or bad, their way and my way. That's why I picked up this book and why as the same time I was reading a book about Christianity called, Jesus Is ____ by Judah Smith.
I don't want my view of the world, other people different than me, and my beliefs to have unconsciously been created, accepted as truth, and then never allowed to be shifted or changed.
If you're open to it, this book will absolutely give more to think about when it comes to witchcraft and maybe more importantly, about other ways of looking at the world, at other people, and at yourself.
“Don’t trust this book. Or me. Trust yourself.”
"Too many of us don't know how to treat ourselves well, almost as if we feel like we don't deserve to, don't have time to, don't want to feel guilty about doing so." -Dominque Browning, American Writer and Editor
The book of the week episode on Monday was an overview of the relationship book, Conscious Loving (my new favorite! You can find out why here in Episode 84), so in this one we're continuing the theme on relationships, but today, focusing on the one you have with yourself.
And not just the relationship you have with yourself, but how you can still enjoy a full life even when you're not in a relationship.
One of the biggest lessons I have learned in all the dating over the last couple of decades is to focus less on who I want that "special person" to be and more on how I want to feel when I'm with them.
What would be on your list? I have written things like I want to feel fun, adventurous, flirty, calm, etc. and then at one point reflecting on my list when I've met my dream guy, I asked myself why do I have to wait to feel and do those things? Is there a way to feel them now?
The answer of course is, yes and you can start practicing as soon as today.
Would it be nice to have a special someone to experience with all the things in life you want to do? Of course! But that part is out of your hands, so why do you have to wait around to do and have the life you want?
You don't, and in this episode, to help you get the wheels turning for your own list, you'll hear some of the ideas I've implemented to help ignite some of those feelings and live more fully, without waiting or putting that responsibility on someone else.
Resources:
Listen to Monday's Book of the Week episode, Conscious Loving: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/083-7-steps-to-take-love-off-the-default-mode/id1494532397?i=1000495292543
Simple Abundance book: https://amzn.to/2FTJ8dp
The Book of the Week is our first book talking about relationships called Conscious Loving The Journey to Co-Commitment: A Way to Be Fully Together Without Giving Up Yourself by Gay Hendricks and Kathlyn Hendricks.
I heard about this one on a recent episode of True Sex, Wild Love with Whitney Miller who I love and follow over on Instagram (@whitnlove), so when she said this book was her go-to relationship book that she's read multiple times, I immediately headed over to Audible to download it.
However, about halfway through listening to it, I ended up ordering the hardcopy because there were so many things I wanted to highlight and come back to. Plus, Part II of the book is all practical application and strategies to implement so I would recommend grabbing the hardcopy as well so you'll have as a reference to come back to.
I've read a lot of really good relationship books over the years, mostly when I've been single (because I wanted to be "ready" :) ) and this is the best one I've read to date.
My favorite things about it are it's focus on coming to a relationship has a whole person, ideas for how to actually be "whole," getting out of victim mode regardless of what is going on, the importance of self-love, and the amazing relationship that can emerge when you're building one another up vs. tearing each other down.
The book is packed full of helpful lists, perspective shifts, examples, and exercises. In this episode, you'll hear the 7 Steps to a Conscious, Co-Commitmented Relationship that I know you'll get something from regardless if you pick this book up or not (but I highly recommend you do!).
Resources:
Amy Mae is a librarian by day, Human Design Love Expert everyday, and proud plus-sized babe who's a fellow Manifesting Generator going through a transition in her business that she's fully embracing.
We met at a James Wedmore event last year when she bravely stood up and shared a vulnerable moment in her then-business and ever since, I've been so impressed and girl crushing on how fully she shows up to her community in the most genuine and loving way.
In this episode 82 we get into a few topics you might be able to relate to:
Get connected with Amy and let her know what you loved most from this interview!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theamymae/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007895448053
Join her FB Group, Love by Design to get in on her free masterclass on attracting your soulmate: https://www.facebook.com/groups/lovingbydesign
This week's Book of the Week is A Book of Beautiful Questions: The Powerful Questions That Will Help You DECIDE, CREATE, CONNECT and LEAD by Warren Berger.
If you are looking for help with a big decision or to have more meaningful conversations you're going to get so much from this book and catch some helpful highlights in this episode.
I read this book almost two years ago, and to this day continue to go back and reference it. Because of that, if you feel compelled to add it to your own bookshelf, I would definitely recommend the hardcopy. This way, you can easily refer back to it as needed for inspiration and reminders.
The powerful questions in this book can help you:
Whether you end up reading this one or not, you will catch some of my favorite questions from each category and start to uplevel your career, decision making, relationships and life in general by simply upleveling the questions you ask yourself.