“Momma, I don’t want to be you when I grow up. You’re never happy.”
At 41, I was an executive at one of the largest beauty companies in the world.
Despite my professional reputation and success, I was personally –
- Navigating divorce
- Repairing a household
- Raising two young children
- Combatting recurring illnesses
- Helping my mom support my ailing father
- Rationalizing the unexpected death of two friends
– all while working 60+ hours per week catering to the unrealistic demands of my corporate job.
I didn’t realize I was burned out and suffocating.
Even though I questioned myself, it wasn’t enough to make me stop.
Then again, neither was my –
- Imploding marriage.
- My father’s plea, “You’re not even living, Alyson.”
- 35 doctor’s visits in 1 year to figure out why I was always sick.
One evening, my then 6-year-old daughter said to me,
“Momma, I don’t want to have your life when I grow up. You are never happy.”
That not only stopped me in my tracks, it knocked me to my knees.
Here’s 2 things I learned about change:
1 You won’t change until the pain of NOT changing is greater than the pain from staying the same.
2 All it takes is 1 step to change the trajectory of your life.
At 41, I broke free from burnout.
At 45, I left the corporate world.
At 49, I am leading an entirely new life.
This has been a long-game for me.
But, the long-game is where I found life-long success.
Eight years later, I am leading a life I believed wasn’t possible.
These are the exact steps I took to lead an entirely new life:
1 – I took a lateral position that was less demanding.
It raised a few eyebrows. I didn’t care. It gave me the space I needed in my life to get well.
2 – I made my health my #1 priority without ANY exceptions.
With more space and less stress in my day, I hired a therapist to help me solve my recurring patterns of burnout. I dove into the world of wellness by reading books, changing my diet, adding exercise, and learning how to meditate.
3 – I followed my interests.
Feeling more relaxed, my curiosity and desire to learn resurfaced. First, I wanted to become a better leader and parent. Then, I studied psychology, human behavior, and energy healing. I completed a variety of certifications and actively applied what I learned to my life. I turned to hobbies like dancing, hiking, mountain biking and cabin life. Life felt interesting, again!
4 – I made new connections.
My new interests led to new connections. My new connections brought new perspectives. My new perspectives shifted my mindset. I started to imagine what a different career could look like. I found the people who were already doing it and I connected with them to learn more.
5 – I became a mentor.
I had a newfound perspective and empathy for others. I brought this version of myself to my team and to others. I coached exceptional professionals to lead a more holistic life. With each new mentee, my purpose unfolded.
6 – I advocated for myself.
I finally had a solid grasp of my values, my health and my purpose. Knowing what I stood for made it easier to ask for what I needed. That included more time, more flexibility, more money, more respect. When those needs were not met, I felt more confident to let go. After a 25 year corporate career, I decided it was time to move on.
7 – I addressed my money fears.
My decision to leave my job didn’t come without worry. Money was a powerful trap that kept me stuck. So, I hired a financial advisor. We built a financial blueprint for the next three years. I reduced my expenses, leveraged my savings, and adhered to a strict household budget. Once I saw on paper what was possible, it gave me the courage to make the move.
8 – I started my own business.
I turned my leadership insight, certifications, and lessons from my wellness & spiritual journey into an executive program. With a mission to help others reclaim their power, purpose and well-being, Raising Beauty LLC was born. Three years later, I’ve reached over 16,000 professionals, world-wide, with messages of conscious living.
9 – I made learning a priority.
Each year, I made one big investment of time or money into personal development. I chose subjects and experiences that lit my heart. From business courses like Entrepreneurship & Marketing to creative courses like storytelling and writing to metaphysical studies like Reiki & intuitive healing, I kept expanding my world.
10 – I promoted myself to CEO of my life.
Today, I balance my life the same way a CEO balances their business. I used to plan my life around the priorities of my work. Today, I plan EVERYTHING around the priorities of my life. To keep me accountable, I surround myself with people who subscribe to the same way of living.
I prioritized my health, walked away from my corporate career, started my own business, and took the reins on living.
Your path to freedom might be different for you.
What’s the same for all of us is this…
It’s not too late to reclaim your joy, rewrite your success, and become CEO of your life. ?
When you live with real joy and success, you not only elevate yourself, you become so powerful that you elevate the world.
Imagine the success in that.
Xo,
Alyson
p.s. When you feel ready, here are 2 more ways you can drastically increase the power, purpose, and well-being in your life…
PowerPath to Joy to become CEO of your life. This private coaching partnership will help you powerfully live the life you only thought possible in another lifetime.
Joyless to Joyous to reclaim time, energy, and joy you’ve been sacrificing for your work. Our 6-week virtual masterclass runs twice per year.
