Go Deep or Rock The Boat?

Go Deep or Rock the Boat?
How to embrace or make a shift!
By Leslie Sturgeon, WIW Founder

When everything is moving and shifting, the only way to counteract chaos is stillness.
When things feel extraordinary, strive for ordinary.
When the surface is wavy, dive deeper for quieter waters.
— Kristin Armstrong

I think we can all agree that a global pandemic required us to all shift in a major way. Early on we were trying out new recipes and watching lots of TikTok videos, but when that novelty wore off, many of us went deep within.

Gaining clarity became my mission!

One of the blessings of the pandemic has been space and time to rediscover – perhaps even find – myself. It gave me the ability to press the pause button and put a spotlight on many areas of my life. It afforded me time to talk to a lot of people and to work through many things that weighed on my head and heart. But this time was not always filled with sunshine and sparkly unicorns . . . negative self-talk and insecurities crept in and took up residence, too. You know what I’m talking about . . . those uninvited guests who show up unannounced and don’t always know when it is time to leave. And instead of a nicely wrapped hostess gift, they bring a big bag of poop with them.

I talk to myself – A LOT

These are some of the questions I asked myself. Maybe they will ignite a “conversation” within you as well . . .

“Okay, girlfriend (that’s what I call myself) . . .”

• What do you really want in your life?
• Who should be or remain in your life?
• What should the environment around you be to make you immensely happy? I now have white lights all through my house and office because I realized they don’t have to be just for Christmas! And never under-estimate the “power” of new paint!
• What do you need to figure out in the big picture of life?
• What patterns do you need to eliminate and what new habits do you need to adopt? This can be a difficult question because you must get REALLY real with yourself. You might just realize you aren’t the box of chocolates you thought you were! And that’s okay – we are all a work in progress!

• What “sparks joy” within you? Marie Kondo’s “does this spark joy” isn’t just effective for decluttering. “Does this bring me joy?” has been a guiding question in my life, and even more so during the pandemic. I use some version of this as a tool for making career, business, relationship, and even lifestyle choices. Take it for a spin – it works. (While contemplating that, you can clean crap out a drawer. Who doesn’t like a two-fer?)

• Are there any hobbies you would enjoy? I don’t have traditional hobbies, and all those guys on Match.com ask about them. Is “hanging out” doing nothing with friends really a hobby? Does that statement make me appear lazy? But we laugh and have fun and they help me answer some of these deep life questions. (Why am I even on Match.com when I have my dogs and great girlfriends?)

See, so many questions I tried to answer during this pandemic! And this was just a snippet!

When the surface is wavy, dive deeper for quieter waters.

While I appreciate this advice from Kristin Armstrong, and I did dive deep on occasion, I also believe that it is okay to rock the f’ing boat from time to time. This can create a monumental shift, and the ripple effect from the rocking will surely piss a bunch of people off. Take the chance. This is your life and as we were reminded during Covid, it changes in an instant.

Sometimes going back to our roots gives us clarity.

 A career opportunity presented itself during Covid and allowed me to get back to engaging with people who were instrumental in the early years of my first business and my leadership development. While I appreciated the income and the experience, it became evident that entrepreneurism is in my blood (especially since I have been self-employed for 33 years). Sometimes “going home” is a different experience than you remember – and it’s okay to have outgrown something. Clarity!

 All roads lead to Women Inspiring Women!

The biggest shift for me personally was the absence of Women Inspiring Women events. For 13 years I was relentlessly planning events and programs, and knew I had many opportunities to get my burst of inspiration from the amazing women who attended. I was constantly surrounded by the positive energy of new and old friends while simultaneously learning!

Once I accepted the pandemic was a “thing” and wasn’t going away anytime soon, I had to also get clarity about what the organization would look and feel like during this time and would it be able to rally back when safe to do so. (If it folded, what would I do with all the pink decorations in my basement?!)

I gave myself permission to “sit with” the decision of bringing it back or not. I trusted the universe to give me a nudge when the time was right. And it did. The time is right – NOW! In fact, it is December 7^th!  Deciding what WIW will look like down the road is still up in the air because I am counting on all of you to lock arms with me and we will figure it out together. Like we have always done before. But first we will party, celebrate and have some conversations about shift! Come join me!

Leslie Sturgeon is the founder of Women Inspiring Women, and has been described as a reformed shy girl, a serial entrepreneur, a tireless leader of women in New Hampshire, a crazy dog lover and as someone who tackles life’s challenges head on with a positive attitude. She has spent her life learning about herself, taking massive action outside of her comfort zone and lived to talk about it. Leslie has “been there” and continues to transform into the best version of herself right along side you. She lives life without regret while embracing today and overflowing with excitement about what is yet to come. Leslie also likes girl talk and chocolate and laughing so hard she snorts or pees (sometimes both simultaneously).