Design Yourself

Design Yourself 127: Money Hijacks

What money mindsets or limiting beliefs are getting in the way of what you really want? That's what we are cracking open in this week's episode. Sharon shares how to pull apart our money mindsets and simple ways we can all make small shifts about our approach to money today. Explore together the difference between "bad scary" when it comes to money (e.g. spending beyond your means) and "good scary" (e.g. changing your spending habits to align with your values). Investigate 6 money mindsets t...

126: Clarify Your Purpose

The idea of doing something on purpose carries with it a feeling of positive authority. I've chosen it. I've selected this option. It's mine. But how do you actually figure out what your purpose is? That answer is often elusive. In this week's episode, Sharon offers perspective and a framework to help you navigate your own path forward. On purpose. Learn how to figure out what matters most to you and a simple way to make thoughtful decisions to align with your values. This is a great episode...

125: Be The Observer of Your Actions

Radical self awareness is worth chasing. It is through expanding what we see that we expand our sense of what's possible. In today's episode, Sharon shares a simple and powerful practice to help you do just that: be the observer of your actions. Gain clarity on how to step back from being in the action to seeing yourself in the doing. Learn how to notice patterns and expand your perspective on you in action. And finally get some tools to help you interpret the data you are collecting. This i...

124: Love and Leadership

Happy Valentine's Day! And welcome to Design Yourself's new release day, Thursday! (If you are wondering why we moved from Mondays to Thursdays, go check out last week's episode where I dish on this shift.) This week's episode talks about two seemingly distinct topics: love and leadership. How many times have you considered the role of love at work? For many of us the topic is taboo. In today's episode, Sharon talks about the importance of leading with love. She shares vignettes of how she...

123: Write Your Money Story

We've talked on the podcast many times before about story - specifically that we are all writing our own stories every single day, usually unconsciously. The stories we tell impact how we lead at work and at home. Today we are going to zoom in on a particular story we tell that often massively influences our willingness to take risks, value our worth and grow our businesses or bank accounts - yes, my friends, we are talking about our Money Stories. In today's episode Sharon discusses the imp...

122: My Word of the Year + Monthly Intention Setting

This week’s episode is a little like grabbing coffee with an old friend. Sharon shares her word of the year – simplify! – and all the ways she’s holding this theme. How can she simplify her building/renovation project upstate? How can she simplify and slow down life at home? How can she help her clients simplify their approach to leadership? How can she simplify her own approach to scaling Point Road Studios. She also talks about why she stopped setting annual resolutions or intentions or wo...

121: Making Lemonade - Tips for Furloughed Government Workers and Others Who Are Unexpectedly Out of Work

As of publishing this episode, the US partial government shutdown is into its fifth week. If you or someone you know is expectedly out of work, this episode for you. While the inspiration for the 4 tips shared are the many individuals who are effected by the shutdown, these are lessons gleaned from coaching many individuals through various interruptions from work-as-planned. Sometimes the interruption is undesired, like a layoff or a furlough. Other times the interruption was sought after, l...

120: Design Myself Experiment - What I Learned

In 2018, Sharon conducted a little experiment - Design Myself. The Design Yourself method that she'd honed through personal reflection and lessons learned through her executive coaching work had taught her how to support individuals and organizations to get really clear on what they want and then move towards making that vision come to life. She'd podcasted for nearly 100 episodes on the topic to boot. But it had been awhile since she went inward and really asked herself those same questions...

119: Dreams and Vision for 2019

It’s the last day of 2018 and a perfect time to take stock. What has 2018 brought you and what are you really wishing for in the coming year. In this week’s episode Sharon shares common new year strategies (e.g. word of the year, intention setting, resolution making) and pairs those ideas up with whimsical and dreamy approaches to unleashing your own inner wisdom and vision. What do you really want in 2019? Let’s dive in!

118: Creating Family Traditions

December is a month filled with family traditions for so many of us. Hopefully these traditions are experiences that you enjoy and that are aligned with what matters most to you! But don’t worry if that’s not the case. For many of us our traditions carry with them a weight that can be downright burdensome. It’s what we’ve always done and therefore we keep on doing it – without really thinking about it. In this week’s episode, Sharon looks closely at family traditions. (And yes we mean family...

117: Finding Your Holiday Spirit, Take 3

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. Learn about everything from how slowing down is shifting Sharon's approach to the holidays to why she chose to post the podcast "late" this week. Get inspired to create happy new memories and celebrate old traditions! ...

116: Point Road Studios Turns 6 - Reflections and Lessons Learned

Point Road Studios is the business Sharon founded back in 2012. It is a coaching and leadership development business that focuses is on helping businesses and creatives bring intention and choice into their work and lives. As Point Road celebrates it's 6th birthday this month, Sharon reflects on the key business lessons she's learned over the last year. She also offers up simple questions for your own personal reflection as you crest over important milestones fo your own. This is a great epi...

115: Slow

December is here! It's both inevitable and always a little surprising. This week on the podcast Sharon introduces the final theme of her 2018 Design Myself challenge, Slow. This challenge has been all about finding a way to both achieve results AND feel good at the same time. You'll learn what appeals to Sharon about a slower pace of life, leadership and general way of being (pssst - it's because it's a good counter to her natural fast moving tendencies). Sharon discusses the connection be...

114: Own Your Voice

To speak with ease, authenticity and full command of your personal power and beliefs. This is what it looks like to own your voice. In this week’s podcast episode Sharon discusses how to overcome common pitfalls and step into the practice of discovering and owning your voice. From deepening your own self awareness to tapping into someone else’s perspective to clarifying what you want and more. This is a great episode for anyone who wants to speak up and out in a way that feels perfectly you....

113: Write the Story of You

We are all writing our stories every day - but how many of us are conscious of it? I'm a hard worker. (Story.) I'm a rules follower. (Story.) It is what it is. (Story.) There is nothing stopping you. (Story.) In this week's episode Sharon shines a light on our unique roles as storytellers. She discusses the importance of getting clear on our stories so that we can let go of what's holding us back and amplify what's working. She shares questions for reflection and framing to guide you through...

112: Let Us Give Thanks, Take 3

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 the Thanksgiving season (and beyond!) in an intentional way. She also offers up her own personal reflections for each question, just as she did in the original Let Us Give Thanks episodes (episodes 22 and 70). In additional to having space for your own reflections, you will also learn about the power of repetition and sitti...

111: Savor

Love the podcast? Join the conversation! Don’t miss out on this free webinar series, Design Your Work.  * This week on the podcast Sharon dishes about lessons learned throughout this year’s Design Myself approach where she sets a theme each month. She also shares why she chose “savor” as the theme for November. No it’s not just because delicious Thanksgiving awaits those of us in the US at the end of this month. It’s also because she sees the benefit and power of delighting in each prese...

110: Creative (vs. Reactive) Leadership

Love the podcast? Join the conversation! Don't miss out on this free webinar series, Design Your Work.  This week’s show reflects on what it means to lead with purpose and alignment. Sharon discusses the differences between creative and reactive leadership borrowing from a favorite 360 tool (The Leadership Circle Profile). She also notices the pull to the proactive vs. reactive framing and why she prefers the creative/reactive interplay. We then get into how to tell and own your own story ...

109: Compassion and Love

This week Sharon talks about the power of compassion and love - for ourselves, our colleagues and our communities. Inspired by a recent gathering of colleagues focused on compassionate coaching, Sharon shares her reflections from the day. Hear about the importance of beginning this process with yourself, ways to play with shifting the mood of your team and how love can positively shift the workplace conversations you are having. This is a great episode for anyone needing a healthy dose or po...

108: How To Ask For Help

107: Care

This week Sharon shares why her October Design Myself theme is “Care.” You’ll hear about the importance of taking care of what needs attention, pausing for self care and how you can still scratch your Type A itch by bringing an active approach to caring. Learning about the seasonal connection Sharon attaches to this theme now that autumn is in full effect in upstate New York, the place she’s felt most stuck through her recent relocation and the reason she likes to “do care” more than be care...

106: Art of Allowing

Driving to get to the goal, pushing for results and taking action towards your objective all have pretty good track records in getting to a desired outcome. But this week host Sharon shares what some of the downsides are to always efforting your way to the finish line and how the art of allowing has challenged her belief that if you work hard, you will get good results. What happens, she ponders, if you just let things be? What happens if you take action that feels more like inspired choices...

105: Building A Home - Lessons Learned Through the Design Process

104: Create Your Learning Game Plan

September is here and we are all about the back to school vibe around here. This week Sharon invites you to create your own school of learning and shares just how you can do so. Hear about the difference between a growth and fixed-mindset and why being open to learning is key to leading a well-designed life. Explore what content, format and budget will fit your Learning Game Plan and get intentional about what you will choose to take on this year. This is a great episode for anyone itching t...

103: Listen

This week Sharon introduces September's theme of Listen. She shares updates on her move upstate, how the design myself approach to 2018 has facilitated this transition and why Listen best captures what is serving her this month. She also shares 5 reflection questions to prompt you to listen to your own inner wisdom and her own honest and off-the-cuff responses to these questions. This is a great episode for anyone looking to tap into your intuition and see what magic can be found on the othe...

102: Growing Your Business and Your Family with Catherine Orr and Elena Rue of StoryMine

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 welcomin...

101: Move

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...

100: Celebrating 100 Episodes and 11 Years of Marriage

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...

99: Settle Down Without Settling

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 dow...

98: How to Make the Leap

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....

97: Moving On

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. Af...

96: Trust and a Mid-Year Update

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...

95: Design Your Own Retreat

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 Sharo...

94: Choiceful

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 a...

93: Truth (& Personal Update)

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 que...

92: How to Say What You Want

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 ...

Design Yourself Encore: Ask For Help

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 “Bu...

91: Vision

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 (springti...

Design Yourself Encore: To Do Lists

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 pr...

90: Getting Sh*t Done

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. ...

89: Stop Worrying About Money & Try This

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 le...

88: Empowerment and Personal Style with Natalie Tincher of BU Style

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...

87: Magic

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 ga...

86: Mindfulness and Meditation

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 ...

85: Things I'm Afraid To Tell You with Bethany Dufour

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 worr...

84: Solving A Wicked Problem & Other Things I Learned at Alt Summit

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...

83: Center

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 t...

82: Systems for Support

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 t...

Encore Episode: Death, Grief and Chickens

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 reflec...

81: How to Set and Achieve (Big!) Goals

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 b...