TRANSCRIPT
[00:00:00] Sheri: Sometimes we discover our purpose and our calling when we least expected. And our guest today started realizing her true purpose when she was in the middle of experiencing a tsunami. Yes, for most of us, it won't come in such life impacting circumstances, but I can't wait for you to hear Sarah's story.
[00:00:24] Sheri: But let me tell you a little a bit about our guests today before we get started. So Sarah Cross is a two-time international bestselling author with her books, 'Ignite Happiness' and 'Ignite Your Wisdom.' She is also a coach in the art of storytelling. She helps people become unforgettable and attract clients who fall in love with their message by crafting powerful, unique stories. Sarah is also the host of a new podcast, 'Stories That Wow' through inspiring stories, she reminds people of the awe and wonder in this world, and the possibilities that surround us all in overcoming challenges. And as we listen to this interview, you will hear how Sarah overcame one of the biggest challenges in her life. And that challenge helped her define her purpose and led her on the path to discovering her true calling.
[00:01:20] Sheri: Welcome to the Discovering Your Calling podcast. I'm your host, Sheri Miter. I'm here to help you unleash your strength and get clarity on your calling. I believe when you find your purpose in life, fulfillment, joy and success will follow. If you're ready, pop in those earbuds, hit that follow button, and join me on this journey toward discovering your calling.
[00:01:47] Sheri: Hey, friends, before we jump into today's episode, I wanted to make sure you knew some exciting news. The 2023 Winter/Spring Discovering Your Calling group program is now open for registration. Yes! Yay! I have been waiting for this, and I know some of you have been as well. So if you're ready to go from the 'ugh' of 2022 that may have left you feeling burnt out and confused and perhaps even a little depressed, and step into 2023 with me and get some excitement and hope back in your life. And you're looking for, as one of my clients said, "A comfortable and collaborative space for discovery and learning. The Discovering Your Calling program is for you." So in 90 days, in my exclusive program, I'll help you uncover your God-given superpowers. You'll get clarity on your true calling, you'll regain your confidence and create a life that's filled with purpose, fulfillment and joy. So if that all sounds exciting to you, then I want to invite you to hop on a 15-minute call with me to just learn more, get all of your questions answered with no pressure to join.
[00:03:01] Sheri: Now, on the other hand, if you know you're ready to join, you've been patiently waiting for this to begin, then just email me for the details. But here's the deal, space is going to be limited to just 12 women, 40 and over. Sorry, guys, this one's for the ladies. We do get started the third week of January. So get your call booked and let's see if this is the right fit for you.
[00:03:23] Sheri: So welcome back, friends, to the Discovering Your Calling Podcast. I keep wanting to say Navigating Your Leadership, which was our old podcast. I was just talking to Sarah about rebranding, so that got stuck in my head. But anyway, welcome back to Discovering Your Calling Podcast. We're excited that you're here and I am excited to have this conversation with Sarah because I know she has a very interesting story to share and she's a storyteller, so I know the conversation is just going to be insightful and fun and let's just jump into it. So welcome to the podcast, Sarah.
[00:04:00] Sarah: Thank you, Sheri. It is so nice to be here.
[00:04:03] Sheri: Well, thank you. And I love your accent and I'm sure everybody's probably like I do when I hear people's accents. Where is she from? So, if you want to share, let's start there. The easy question, where are you from? What's the accent?
[00:04:16] Sarah: So, I am originally from the UK, from the second biggest city called Birmingham, but I currently live in New Zealand because that's where my husband is from.
[00:04:28] Sheri: So you get a pull of both of those beautiful... yeah, the beautiful dialect there. So, on the podcast, we're talking to people about discovering their calling journeys and where they are today, living in their purpose and calling and living that beautiful life. But we all have a journey that gets us there and some journeys are longer than the others. And I would love for you to just kind of start... Let's start with where you are today, and then we'll go backwards to where you were and as far back as you want to go. And then we want to jump into the tsunami story. So we'll get into that, but share with the listeners a little bit about who you are today.
[00:05:14] Sarah: So today, I am a storytelling coach. I am a two-time international bestselling author. I also have a podcast called Stories That Wow, all about inspiring stories. So Stories is a big theme for me and I really love helping people carve out and create their unique stories.
[00:05:39] Sheri: Great. And was that something like you were always interested in? When you think back to childhood, were you into stories? Did you read a lot of books? Where did that show up for you?
[00:05:51] Sarah: I think it was something that becomes really clear. Now, I'm looking back because sometimes you can't see things at the time, but when you're actually looking with this formidable hindsight, you can suddenly see, "Oh, my goodness. I remember the stories that my old headmaster used to tell, how captivating they were and how they actually stood out from a lot of the lessons." But I was actually more of a mathematical mind. I love analytical things, and so that's the direction that I kind of assumed I would end up in.
[00:06:26] Sarah: So at the time, the fact that now I'm looking at stories and helping people with stories is actually surprising. But then I've also found that it's something that's hidden within me that I actually find quite easy to do, to pull out other people's stories. And so, I think I have traveled for many years, I have lived all over the world. And what I've realized, looking back, is that when you're doing that, you're connecting with people, you're hearing their stories. And you often hear deeper stories when you connect with people from all over that involve their culture, their background. And so you get this wide range of incredible, inspiring stories. And so this is now looking back, what I can see that I perhaps couldn't see at the time.
[00:07:15] Sheri: So when you graduated school with the mathematical thought, did you do something in that first or what did your journey look like?
[00:07:23] Sarah: No, I actually graduated in law, so the very analytical mindset. But I went off teaching because my biggest pull was travel. My biggest pull was to just explore this incredible world. And at the time, my purpose then was to just see new places, that sense of freedom, and to live somewhere by the sea.
[00:07:55] Sheri: So that's a good segue, living somewhere by the sea, because I know you have a big story about being in a tsunami, so let's jump into that because I'm dying to hear this story.
[00:08:07] Sarah: Yes. So that's pretty much where my path took me. I ended up for many years working on yachts, traveling around the world, being so close to the sea. I was actually on the sea, living, breathing on the sea. That's always been that special connection for me.
[00:08:25] Sarah: And then in 2004, we found ourselves in Malaysia. And there was one particular morning, and to me, looking back, you never know how the day is going to evolve. And that particular day, obviously, it was very clearly stuck in my mind because of the events that unfolded later that day. And I had got up very early that morning and gone shopping because I was the chef on board and I had to provision for guests coming on. And I was going from shop to shop, gathering all these different elements, these provisions from the market, the ingredients, and I had calls saying, "Hurry up, get back to the boat, we need to leave, we have the schedule." And I was saying, "I am going as quick as I possibly can."
[00:09:17] Sarah: And so I was rushing around, filling up the car with all this produce and eventually got back to the boat. And they had their engine started and everyone came out, gathered all the food, put it on the boat, and we were literally like everyone was waiting for me. So I was unpacking downstairs and then suddenly, this all process happened within a matter of minutes. The first mate said, "Be careful, there's going to be some big movement." And I'm, "What do you mean?" And literally, then he was gone. And so suddenly, the whole boat lunged up and down, and I reached out thinking, "Oh my goodness. I've got boxes stacked everywhere. Are they going to fall?" Grabbed for them. Fortunately, nothing fell. And then I had to quickly unpack. But in my mind, I'm like, "What's going on? What's happening?" All these questions, because I'm just alone in the galley, get everything safe, and then I head up to the bridge, where then you can see the whole arena.
[00:10:23] Sarah: And I remember just almost being frozen as I looked in front of me, because normally, there would be this entire arena of small vessels tied up to wooden pontoons, and it was just chaos. I described it like an orchestra because of clanging, of banging because what was happening was boats were bashing against the rocks on the side. They were sinking. The wooden pontoon had exploded apart. It was just this vision in front of me that I really couldn't comprehend because we really had no warning.
[00:11:04] Sarah: And what I figured out, obviously, like, "What is this? What's going on?" Then it was like there's been this huge wave. And slowly, it was like we figured out there'd been this tsunami because there was no message coming through to us. There was nothing. And within minutes, what I suddenly realized was is that if I had been back at the time I was meant to, if I'd been back even five minutes earlier from my shopping, our vessel would have had all our lines on board and we'd have been going out this narrow channel and we could have been right in the middle of all this chaos.
[00:11:44] Sarah: But because I arrived back at the timing I had, our boat had been in this perfect position where our lines that hold us to the dock had been slackened, which meant that we could absorb the big movement of this wave. And the motor was engaged, which meant that we had control. And so there were all these 'what ifs' going through my head. What if we had been... you know, and I just sat with that for such a long time. But the fact that everybody was safe, that's the first thing. We're all safe. We're all okay.
[00:12:19] Sarah: And then, of course, as news trickled in, you realized that, "Oh, my goodness, we were so lucky." So many millions of people along the coast, north and south of us were way more hit. Turned out that the wave actually split just outside of where we were. And so everywhere else, we were kind of protected, because as the wave split, it fractured. And it wasn't as big everywhere. South and north of us was much worse hit.
[00:12:47] Sarah: And so as we started to learn and then we were quite close to the epicenter, in actual fact of Banda Aceh, Indonesia and that so many people were not this is now going on. We're safe. Weeks later, we’re not getting the relief work that they needed because Indonesia was a no go zone for a lot of vessels, so they couldn't just go in and help. And then we were like, "We work on boats. What can we do?" And so all these ideas started to surface about how we could go and help people in Indonesia. Because the roads were down, on planes, you just couldn't get in, but you could get in by sea if you had permission and then take all these doctors, nurses or people that could go and help in the immediate after effect.
[00:13:32] Sarah: And so, the captain of the vessel I was on, he started to wring all these people. Turned out, we got permission and he started doing this kind of relief work. And at first, I was just straight after it was like, "You've got a job to do, get back on and do your job." But then I was like, "I can't just do this. I have to help, I have to do something. But what can I do? I'm the chef. I can't go out there and cook for these people." But we all have so many skill sets that sometimes we just forget.
[00:14:04] Sarah: And actually, how I talked at the beginning, math numbers always came easy to me. So I was like, "You know what, how about I just do all the accounts for you guys?" So then I was offered for this kind of charity we'd set up to do the accounts. And then from there it was like, "Well, you know what? I provision all the time." They've got this list. I'll go and I'll sort out the provisioning. And then because I'd worked on boats, when they did that, I was like, "Well, you know what? I can help do all the logistics."
[00:14:32] Sarah: And then suddenly, I found myself doing all these different things. And I remember the feeling of just waking up every morning so excited to get on with the day because there was this great sense of contribution, of helping other people of purpose. And that feeling never really left me because it was so different from waking up and doing a job that you're just paid to do every day.
[00:15:00] Sheri: Wow, that's such an amazing story. First of all, I'm glad everybody was safe. And it is amazing, isn't it? When you think back to things like I see that sometimes we're driving down the highway and there's an accident. It's like if we hadn't stopped, go to the bathroom, we could have been in that. There's so many times that it's just a blink of an eye. Sometimes it makes a difference of where we are and where we're not. And of course, I do believe God has it all figured out, but we don't know that plan. And he had it all orchestrated for you, so you weren't in the chaotic orchestra. I have to ask and doesn't mean anything to the conversation. It's just my husband and I are boaters. So I'm just curious, what kind of boat were you on?
[00:15:49] Sarah: We were on a 35 meters motor yacht. It was actually a Benetti. It was quite a beautiful boat, worth several million dollars at the time. But we were a big vessel, so if we'd have been most of the vessels in front of us were smaller, maybe 5 meters. A lot of them were damaged, but if we had gone against them, we would have crushed even more, caused even more damage. And you don't also know because as big as we were, the water has such immense force and power that no motor would have been able to control against that.
[00:16:38] Sheri: The fact, like you said, that you were still because you were still tied up but loosened. Is that where you were? Yeah, the motor is running up. So totally, totally understand that. I mean, never been in that situation, but I know from being a boater how that all can play out.
[00:16:53] Sheri: So I love where you ended here with feeling like what you were doing mattered. It was purpose driven, and at the same time, you were able to tap into your natural talents and strengths to pull back up and be reminded like, "Wait a minute, I'm good at math, I can do this. Wait a minute, I'm good at this, I can do this." And how did that when you realized all of that and you're doing that, and of course, this isn't an emergency situation, so it's a little different than real life, but how did that then flow over into the rest of your life after first of all, let me ask this. How long was that situation like that you were just helping people with the relief effort of the tsunami?
[00:17:37] Sarah: It was a while ago now, so I'm going to say it was a couple of months or so.
[00:17:41] Sheri: Okay.
[00:17:42] Sarah: But I do remember then, when we obviously, I had to get it back to my regular job, that it just felt so different, that we really didn't want or I didn't want to just carry on. And we actually ended up a few months after that feeling like it was totally time for us to have a change. And we left that vessel and then left the area as well. We did actually continue on, but I think that change was a good thing. I needed that change.
[00:18:19] Sheri: And what did that feel like for you, that you knew you needed that change? Do you remember?
[00:18:25] Sarah: I think because that distinction between having a job and doing something that you feel is kind of so much you, so much you're using your skills and you're doing something you enjoy. And I think it started that head idea of, "What could I do? What could I do? That is totally me." And I'm not saying like, ten years later, that was not like, "Oh, I found it next year and it's an ongoing process." But the idea didn't leave me of it's possible to have something that you really enjoy. You use your skill set and that can be your own business.
[00:19:10] Sheri: Yeah, and I was just talking to actually a mutual acquaintance of ours, we did an interview yesterday and we were talking about this, the fact that the whole process of finding your calling and that's one of the reasons why my podcast is called Discovering Your Calling. Because it's not a 'boom, I'm here.' It's a whole journey, it's a whole process.
[00:19:34] Sheri: And there's all these little steps and all these life events that happen that lead us there. And some are major like you experience, and some are minor. And it's easy as we've been sharing, it's easy to be now and look back and say, "Oh yeah, I can connect all the dots now." But we don't connect the dots as they're happening at all. But it's the little clues. And that's one of the things, like when I'm working with my clients, it's like everything in life leaves us clues, but we have to be open to find them and open minded enough to see them because they're there. They've been there all along. We just ignore them.
[00:20:16] Sarah: Yes. And that is exactly, actually what you're saying now reminds me of how I stepped into almost what I'm doing now because I was looking online, as I often do, and people are often say things they're struggling with. And I've seen lots of times where people have posted that they're struggling with something. And I'm like, "Oh, that's such a shame." I'm sure I could help them and I do nothing.
[00:20:39] Sarah: On one occasion, somebody was talking about the fact that they didn't like their voice. And I reached out to them and I said, "For a podcast?" And I said, "Honestly, I think we all don't like our voices. I think our voice just sounds different in our head to when it's recorded and we don't think it's us. And so it just doesn't feel right." I said, "I think that you're struggling with your podcast because you're trying to deliver lots of information and you're getting maybe a little bit bored with what you're delivering. And that actually you need to put more stories because the stories bring in the emotion, they bring in the excitement, and you're going to get more involved in what you're doing." And she was like, "Oh my goodness, what do you mean stories?" And I said, "Well, what stories?" And she's like, "I don't have any stories." And I was like, "Oh, but you do have stories."
[00:21:29] Sarah: And so we went down this whole conversation and I was like, "Well, I'll coach you. I'll show you how to do this." And we did that. And that's where it led from there. And after I had this first session with her, I literally shut down and I stood up and I did that little happy... I did a little happy dance because that's what I do when I'm really happy. And the first thing that I thought of when I'd done my little happy dance was like, "This was like that time in the tsunami afterwards when I felt like I was so me and I was doing something for me, and I loved it and I was fully engaged," and I was like, "Oh." And like you're just saying, how many times had I not reached out to help people in the past? How many times were things in front of me and I wasn't looking for them? But on this particular occasion, I did?
[00:22:19] Sheri: I love that. I love that. And it's so cool, isn't it? And I'm smiling here because I'm thinking back that first time I had a coaching session with somebody, and like you said, there was this like, "Wait, I knew exactly what to say. That was so easy, that was so darn fun." And no matter what it is you're doing, that's your calling. That's when you know or you're least heading towards your colleague, when you have that feeling of that and you're using your natural talents and strengths, that's what it feels like. It's like, "We're going to do that again." Whether you do the happy dance or you're like, "I think I figured this out. That was so fun!" And you're so energized by it, that's the huge clues in front of you that this is something to dive deeper into. This is where you're headed. This is what you're put on Earth to do. So how did you then once you did that and you had your happy dance, then what, Sarah?
[00:23:20] Sarah: So I think, exactly what you said earlier, it's just little steps. It's no big thing. So I found then actually, like exactly you just said as well, is that it came very easily and natural to me because I was drawing on something that I didn't realize was me, was my hidden skill set that I hadn't really maybe put a telescope on before, that I hadn't really examined. But then realizing, "Okay, I can do this," and then offering this to more people and finding out, to my surprise, that this is something listening to people's stories, like I said at the start, recrafting them, is something that was easy and fun for me and something that other people really struggled with.
[00:24:07] Sarah: And now, of course, whether you're on a podcast or you're speaking, having a signature story or knowing your story is something that's becoming more and more popular and people want to hear about the origin of who someone is and what they've gone through and why they're doing what they're doing.
[00:24:24] Sarah: And so, really, it's just been little steps and now it's been into groups because I actually between... I mentioned before with the teaching, I loved the group aspect, so I've moved into group teaching and then the podcasting thing. Because again, I was that wide of that question. And now, it feels like a dream, like with you, that I get to sit down. I even said to my husband, Jett, it's so wonderful because they can't run away from me. I get to sit down and talk to people and have incredible conversations and ask all those questions that have always been inside me.
[00:25:00] Sarah: And so, that's when you know, like you're saying, just take that next step of what excites you, what lights you up, try it, see it, and then you know afterwards, "Oh, yes, this feels like me."
[00:25:12] Sheri: Right. And if it doesn't feel good, you've tried it. Okay, all right. It wasn't a mistake. It's part of the journey. It's all part of the journey of trial and error. The last three years have been all that. It's like, "No, that's not who I want to coach. Oh, yes, this feels good." And it's navigating that energy level of like, "Oh, yeah, this makes me do the happy dance. I need to go lay on the couch now," creating that energy. I love this.
[00:25:44] Sheri: Shoot, I didn't write it down. I had a question that popped up, and now it's gone. But if there's somebody listening right now, Sarah, and they're thinking, "Well, I haven't gone through something as traumatic as a tsunami and as powerful as the relief you did with people." I mean, that's amazing that you were in that position and able to step in and you chose to because you could have chose not to. You chose to step up and step into that and help with the relief. But maybe they think, "Okay, I haven't gone through all that, but I know what I'm doing now." Like you said, that feeling, they know the feeling you mentioned afterwards that, I can't keep doing this. This is not fulfilling me. This is not my purpose. This is not where I belong anymore. And they're looking for that calling. What would you say to them? What's the first step you would tell them to take? And I know that was a really long question.
[00:26:40] Sarah: I think what springs to mind is firstly, what I just described of what I did in terms of like you see someone who's struggling with someone, with something, maybe it's a friend, maybe it's someone online that you don't know. Because I didn't know this person I reached out to and just say, "Hey there, I think I can help you." Because at the end of the day, businesses are all about providing a solution to somebody else's problem, and that sometimes we think it's going to look bigger. Like literally, the start of this just started off as a conversation, and it doesn't.
[00:27:12] Sarah: I think, people sometimes expect a bolt of lightning or some great form of inspiration, but often these just start with a conversation, and that's what it started off with. So if you hear a friend or a family saying, "Oh, I can't do this." What if you just offer to help? What if you just say, "Hey, I think I can help you," and see how that feels? See if you have like you even said the words just came so easily.
[00:27:35] Sarah: You knew what to say when you started coaching. So you will know yourself if the woods come easily or if you're like, "Oh, exhausted." Again, I need to learn how to coach after this experience. Maybe it's not for you, but that could also be starting as a hobby. Maybe you've always thought about pottery and you keep looking and you see where your attention gets drawn to and like, "Oh, I wish I could do that." Well, rather than saying, "I wonder, I wish,” what if you just create that half an hour in a week to just go ahead and do that pottery session that you've been thinking about for the last few years and just see how you feel afterwards?
[00:28:14] Sarah: Because I think we try to think out too much in advance and that's the worst thing we can possibly do because it's from action and doing things that we actually learn at the most. And so, you may be dreaming of pottery and then you do it and you go, "Oh, my goodness, that was so boring." And then, you know, so that's just it.
[00:28:36] Sarah: But I also know that that takes a lot of courage because I'd seen so many people in the past that I could have possibly helped online for years and I never said anything. It sounds so simple sometimes, but that conversation can be the hardest thing we can possibly ever do.
[00:28:50] Sheri: Right. Especially the first one. Especially the first one. And then sometimes the second and third and fourth. But the more you do it, just like everything, the easier it gets. And the more you get that sense of like, "Okay, this is what I'm supposed to do, so why am I not sharing it?" And again, like you said, Sarah, it sounds so much easier. We can sit here and say how easy it is to do.
[00:29:12] Sheri: It is hard to reach out to people, and it takes courage to do that, for sure. But the results and the feeling for both you and the recipient of your gifts is so rewarding. So rewarding.
[00:29:29] Sarah: Yes, because I think we often get stuck in that, "What if I can't help? What if I look silly?" But how about, "What if I'm able to transform this person's life? What if, by me reaching out, this person can really shift in whatever they're doing?" They have some great insights, and I think we get caught up in the what if about ourselves rather than the what if in terms of helping someone else.
[00:29:57] Sheri: Right. I also see, too, and I'd love to hear your perspective on this, Sarah, a lot of times. Some of the clients I've talked to have worked with that they think what their natural talents and strengths are, because it comes so easy for them. They don't recognize it as their gift. So they don't see that they have this special talent that can help somebody else because they think, "Well, everybody knows how to do that."
[00:30:29] Sheri: And you may feel that way with storytelling, or I have one client coming to mind that she is a gifted organizer. She could be the next Marie Kondo, whatever name the organizer person is, but she's not seeing it as a gift because it's so easy for her like, "No, that doesn't come easy for everybody else." So how would you if somebody's thinking that way? Because I see that over and over and over again. Sarah, any advice for them? Or have you struggled with that ever?
[00:30:59] Sarah: Yes, definitely. Because when people ask you to write down all the things that you're good at or you like or whatever, never did storytelling ever come up in any of them that I even knew about myself. But it was also the fact that this year, the story I just told you about the tsunami was released in a book, and it's the second book that I've been a part of.
[00:31:22] Sarah: And putting that story together, the process that I've gone through also taught me a lot. So it enhanced what I suppose I could do naturally as well. But I think it is sometimes challenging. And it was only because I actually reached out that I discovered that it was easy. So I would emphasize these things like, when someone else says, "And that's the key." Someone else says, "This is hard for me," and you're thinking, "Oh, but it's so easy for me." That response is the one when you're like, "Oh, if it's so easy for me, maybe I should offer because we don't recognize."
[00:31:57] Sarah: Another way that I've heard, I think, is to reach out to those closest to you and say, "What do you see that I can't see myself? What do you see? What are the top three things that you think I'm really good at?" Or, "Would you hire me to help you with all that?" Because I also think other people sometimes see us differently, and that can be a real great insight.
[00:32:21] Sheri: Absolutely. I love that exercise. That is actually something I have people do, is like, go ask your friends if you were to be of service to them for a day or an hour, what would they want you to do? They know what you're good at that you don't realize. That's your superpower, your zone of genius. So doing that exercise, I love that.
[00:32:44] Sheri: And I loved your question about if you see somebody saying, "This is so hard for me," and your immediate thought is, "Why? It's so easy, why is that hard?" That's not hard. Then that's your zone of genius. Reach out to them. I love that.
[00:32:59] Sheri: So, Sarah, as we kind of start to wrap things up here, anything else that is on your heart that you want to share about just finding your calling, being a storyteller, the power of being a storyteller, your books, your podcast, anything at all that's on your heart you want to share?
[00:33:16] Sarah: I think what just hit me when you said that is sometimes as well, we can make it bigger than what it is. We have to find our calling. We have to find our person. If we haven't, it's like we're seeking for this huge box of treasure that doesn't really exist. Because at the end of the day, our life shows up in a 24 hour cycle.
[00:33:38] Sarah: Every day we wake up and we embrace each day. And so I think the biggest thing is I did the happy dance. Have you got something in your day that makes you happy? And you might be that, you have a job that you don't love every day, but you know what? You do it and then you come home and you have nothing to do with it after you finish. And then you get to spend that quality time with your family where you laugh and you have games.
[00:34:02] Sarah: And maybe the fact that you've got that happy element is something that fills you up because you're a great mum. You are great at this whatever. And I honestly think just making sure that we have something because that, for the tsunami after me, is that I kind of felt this feeling of fullness and happiness.
[00:34:24] Sarah: And so, making sure that we have something. I love paddler boarding as well and doing all those different things. So have you got something on the calendar that makes you feel happy? Just something as simple as that sometimes and not overthinking that we need to be like the Dalai Lama, have this great flashing purpose above the head and found the box of treasure, and then we've made it like you highlighted it's, a journey. Every day is a journey. But just having something in your life that lights you up, I think makes a difference.
[00:35:00] Sheri: I love that so much. And I'm thinking of and I hope to have him on the podcast. One of my husband's cousin is a runner, and I don't know, one day I posted something about who thinks they're living in their calling or something. It was very interesting to read the answers, but he posted something that he has a job, but running is his calling, because when he runs, he runs in honor of someone. It's beautiful. What he does is so amazing. And he always carries the American flag. He's found his purpose and his calling and his running.
So I'm so glad that you shared that, because sometimes your calling isn't going to be your career. It may not be, and that's okay. But find that joy and happiness. We all deserve that every day and every week. Find that little bit of something.
[00:35:52] Sheri: Well, Sarah, this has been a true delight, and I can't wait to hear more of your stories. And if people want to follow you and hear your stories, can you remind them again? What's your podcast name and what are the two books that you have out?
[00:36:09] Sarah: Yes. Thank you so much. So my podcast is about inspiring stories. It's called 'Stories That Wow' and it's on all the main platforms. Apple, Spotify. The two books that I have out, the one released this year, was called 'Ignite Your Wisdom,' a collection of really incredible stories that blew me away as much as anyone else. And the first one was called 'Ignite Happiness.' Both of those are available on Amazon. And also, I tend to hang out a lot on Facebook, so if you look up Sarah Cross, that's where I am.
[00:36:46] Sheri: All right, great. And we'll have all the links in the show notes. And I know before we got on this, I asked sometimes I asked my guests, remember, to ask them this. Do you have a favorite quote or book that inspired you? And I know you mentioned before a book that inspired you, the 'Third Door.' What is that book about?
[00:37:05] Sarah: Yes. I've only just read that, actually. And interestingly enough, I read it because someone who came on my podcast talked about it. I love hearing people's recommendations, and when I read it, I was so blown away. It's about a guy, Alex Banayan, who set out on a mission to try and interview some of the most successful people in the world. And obviously, trying to get to them was not easy if you're a 19 year old and you don't know anybody.
[00:37:36] Sarah: And so this whole process, but I found myself so inspired by it, particularly relevant for my podcast because it's about possibilities and what we really can achieve. And here was him achieving these dreams that he set out to. And also, straight after reading the book, I thought, "Who do I want on my podcast? Who's my dream list that I would like to reach out to?"
[00:38:00] Sarah: And interestingly enough, within a matter of hours, I'd reached out to the first woman who ran the Boston Marathon, Kathrine Switzer, and she's going to be on my podcast because she ran when it was an all male race. Her story is just so inspiring as well. And I love that. I love how you can take a book and it actually inspires you to do something. And so, yeah, brilliant book. Totally recommended it.
[00:38:30] Sheri: Great. So now, listeners, you have three books to go out and grab if you're a reader, like I am. So thank you for that. Thank you. And Sarah, again, I appreciate your time. I appreciate you for being here and sharing your story and motivating us and be an example of how to tell a great story, too, as you shared your story. So thank you again for being on the Discovery Your Calling podcast.
[00:39:00] Sarah: Thank you so much. It was such a pleasure to be here.
[00:39:03] Sheri: I truly hope you enjoyed today's conversation as much as I did recording it for you. And if you're ready to discover your calling now, after hearing this exciting interview, then I invite you again to hop on a 15-minute question and answer call about the new discovery and your calling group program. Just head over to calendly.com/sherimiterco/D-Y-C-claritycall. So Calendly, C-A-L-E-N-D-L-Y.com/sherimiterco/D-Y-C-C-L-A-R-I-T-Y-C-A-L-L. All right. I'll look forward to talking with you.
[00:40:00] Sheri: Thank you, friends, for spending this time with me. My hope is something you heard today inspires you to take action toward discovering your calling. But before you sign off, just two more quick things. One, if you found value and enjoyed this episode, can you do me a huge favor and leave a review or share this with a friend? Help us grow the podcast to make a bigger impact on the world.
[00:40:21] Sheri: And second of all, if you haven't yet, don't forget to check the show notes to grab your Five to Thrive guide. It's my gift to you. It's a guide to help you intentionally invest in your natural talents so you can turn them into strength. Think of it as your personal navigational guide on your journey to a fulfilling life. And until next episode, remember, you've been created to live a life of fulfillment, purpose, success and joy.