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 th...
Aug 27, 2018•50 min
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 mon...
Aug 20, 2018•39 min
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 the...
Aug 06, 2018•48 min
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 an...
Jul 31, 2018•31 min
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. Sha...
Jul 23, 2018•35 min
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 ...
Jul 10, 2018•32 min
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 ...
Jul 02, 2018•46 min
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 ...
Jun 25, 2018•42 min
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 l...
Jun 18, 2018•46 min
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 questio...
Jun 04, 2018•31 min
It’s one thing to see what you want, but it’s quite another thing to be able to communicate that vision to others. When we know how to say what we want, others can help support us on that path and we can more clearly direct ourselves to the future we desire. This weeks episode looks at common roadblocks to saying what you want like fear, lack of clarity, wordiness and concern for what others think. Sharon then shares ways to overcome that resistance like being direct, getting specific about what...
May 21, 2018•32 min
Today Sharon explores the topic of asking for help. You will learn about why flexing this skill is a critical component of successful leadership and sane living, what holds us back from asking for help, and why we’ve got to push forth and ask anyway. Finally, Sharon offers 5 Rules of the Road for how to get past your own discomfort or habit of not asking for help and move into the practice of doing it anyway. Ideas Shared Why Don’t We Ask For Help: We don’t know what to ask for The “Busy-ness Cy...
May 15, 2018•34 min
Vision, if we’re lucky, is what propels us forward. We set our sights on what we want and then choose to move in that direction. It’s rare that our visionary paths are linear but the sightline helps keep our actions aligned with our values, our choice. This month’s “Design Myself” theme is vision. You will hear about how vision fits into Sharon’s larger 2018 path, receive a few questions to prompt your own visionary reflection, learn about the connection between vision and seasonal (springtime!)...
May 07, 2018•31 min
This week’s episode is all about the simplest of tools for getting stuff done: The To Do List. This week Sharon geeks out on the best times to tap into this tool, her favorite 4 variations on the To Do List, and 4 tactics to make sure that you leverage this resource to best effect. Here’s the basic theory, one size fit all solutions simply don’t work. But that doesn’t mean you have to begin every solution from scratch. Sharon offers these templates and strategies to arm you with some best practi...
Apr 30, 2018•42 min
It feels good to step out of winter hibernation and embrace the energy of spring. This week’s podcast episode is all about shifting into a space of action to get stuff done. But not just any things - the things that matter. Sharon frames this week’s conversation around how to know that you are ready to move to action by highlighting both potential red flags and readiness signals. She then offers up her tried and true resources for shifting from being ready for action to being in the action. Her ...
Apr 23, 2018•31 min
When we are on the midst of realizing something close to our heart, money worries often show up. It might be about fear of change or a concern about being vulnerable. No matter the circumstances, when we are on the cusp of a transition money worries are a common road block. This week’s episode highlights some of the reasons the two are so linked up and then shares strategies for how to buck this unhelpful trend. You’ll hear about how you less the fear and move into inspired action. You’ll learn ...
Apr 16, 2018•38 min
Do you have one of those friends who you freaking love to hang out with and who kind of blows your mind when it comes to what she has created professionally? Natalie Tincher is just like that. She’s about as down to earth as they come and super impressive. Time Out Magazine named her business one of New York’s top personal shopping services. In today’s episode we learn all about Natalie’s journey from freelance copy editor to thriving entrepreneur. We discuss everything from fast fashion and per...
Apr 09, 2018•57 min
Have you ever had the feeling that things just seemed to fall into place without any effort at all? The feeling that just by wishing for something that of course it would be so? April’s “Design Myself” theme is inspired by just such a feeling – the feeling of magic. In this week’s episode, Sharon shares some of her resistance to the idea of magic and the 5 spaces she’s exploring this month to play with the wild possibility of making things happen – with ease. From getting out into her own garden...
Apr 02, 2018•33 min
What if I told you that you could actually increase your brain function in just 8 weeks and all you have to do is meditate? Scientific studies have shown the meditating can improve things like your memory, compassion and sense of self relevance. At the same time it can decrease your anxiety, fear and stress. In this week’s episode, Sharon shares her own journey into mindfulness and meditation and how she has come to understand these two practices. She then offers up 5 simple ways for how to brin...
Mar 26, 2018•38 min
What are you afraid to say out loud? What places do you feel stuck? Sharon is joined by her dear friend and fellow executive coach Bethany Dufour in this week’s episode to explore these questions and more. You’ll get an honest and unfiltered look into the places where Sharon gets stuck and also get to observe a coaching conversation in action. Sharon talks about getting her chakras read, being in the middle of a transition but also feeling stuck, her fear of disappointing people and her worries ...
Mar 19, 2018•1 hr
Altitude Summit is a conference for creative entrepreneurs and social media influencers. It’s bright colors, fashionable attire, gorgeous location and - best of all - a fantastic community gathered to learn and grow together. Sharon attended this year for the first time and was blown away by the experience. She gets why 85% of attendees have come back more than once. In today’s episode, Sharon shares a glimpse into the experience of Alt Summit 2018 with headlines from talks that inspired her, id...
Mar 12, 2018•44 min
This week’s episode introduces our March theme, Center. After a hard-driving February, Sharon was ready to return to her own center. If you’ve ever found yourself working hard to achieve a goal that your own sense of wellbeing takes a backseat, perhaps you can relate. Learn how the Altitude Summit, a conference for creatives in Palm Springs, helped kickstart Sharon’s own centering practice and 5 simple ways that you can find your own center every day. Sharon shares her favorite meditations tools...
Mar 05, 2018•35 min
Things don’t have to be complicated. Ease is possible. And this week’s episode embraces this possibility. Sharon shares why more is available to us when we scale our potential through systems for support – more impact, more joy, more peace, more! She also discusses her favorite tools for bringing beauty and ease into her life and her business. From productivity management to video chat platforms to delegating to a virtual assistant, you will hear about tons of resources that you may choose to ad...
Feb 26, 2018•43 min
This week Sharon’s very special Grandma passed away peacefully while sleeping in her own home. In honor of her legacy, we decided to interrupt our regularly planned scheduling with this encore episode. 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. Instead it’s one person’s reflection...
Feb 19, 2018•39 min
Goals, goals, and more goals ya’ll. Having a great idea is one thing, but figuring out how to make that idea come to life takes a whole other skills set. This week’s episode dives into the practical side of how to set big and audacious goals and then execute the follow through to achieve success. Learn about the difference between lag and lead measures, why focusing on inflection points is so critical, operating with the Pareto principle and more. Plus Sharon explains how setting goals for busin...
Feb 12, 2018•40 min
This week’s episode introduces our February theme, Focus. You’ll learn how Sharon chose this theme despite some initial resistance as well as tools and frameworks for sharpening your own focus. You will hear how to bucket out your own areas of focus, practical tools for rethinking your schedule, how to shape your own goal setting retreat and more. This week’s episode is great for anyone who is feeling lost for where to put down roots or who is overwhelmed from trying to do many things at once. “...
Feb 05, 2018•38 min
The idea of leading slower, less cluttered lives is a deeply resonant concept right now. With good reason. With the barrage of information and stuff at our fingertips, minimalism holds a calming appeal. The shadow side of this trend is that it can leave us paralyzing to pick anything up. The episode addresses this conundrum head on. Host Sharon talks through a few core concepts that unpin her “Picking Up Philosophy” and then offers up a How To Guide for Picking Up. From learning how to say yes w...
Jan 29, 2018•36 min
Letting go is a critical process to clear the path to whatever it is that you really want. In this week's episode, Sharon shares 6 steps you can take to ease you through the act of letting go. You will learn how to tap into the power of the present, honor your emotions (especially the tough ones that like to show up and tell you to hold on!), make room for what you want, see things with a different perspective, and find your inner compassion and gratitude. Sharon also shares some of the common r...
Jan 22, 2018•39 min
There’s something about the start of the new year that makes you want to start with a blank slate, right? Cue the queen of decluttering, Marie Kondo, the Japanese organizational consultant behind The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. In this week’s episode, Sharon takes Kondo’s framework for decluttering your home and talks about how it can be adapted to living the life you really want. She reviews why it can be hard to keep your life in order in the first place and offers up tools and resource...
Jan 16, 2018•37 min
This week’s episode introduces our January theme, Rituals. These are the actions and behaviors that we do regularly, invariably, without having to think about it. You will learn about why Sharon is introducing themes in 2018 (sneak peek: to avoid the end of year burn out and blues), why rituals is our starting point this year, and how to see, evaluate and simplify your own rituals this year - and beyond! You’ll get tips on how to bring your current rituals into focus, how to determine what needs...
Jan 08, 2018•41 min
