We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sarah Granahan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sarah below.
Alright, Sarah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
I feel like we are always taking risks in life, that is, if we want to evolve and experience real growth.
Some people definitely prefer to remain where they are, having consistent schedules and expectations and that is fine too. But if you don’t pursue a risk or change, how will you know what could have been? How will you grow? What new lessons will you miss along the way if you don’t try? If you ask me, I AM a RISK TAKER – are you?
Maybe you aren’t sure if you are someone who enjoys taking risks? I mean, how do you know if you are a true Risk Taker? Well, let’s start here – have you ever felt like a change needs to be made and it simply just can’t be ignored? It calls to this deeper part of you and as much as you try to ignore it, and you just can’t. It’s on your radar and it slowly begins chipping away at your current reality, just waiting to be explored. As much as you try and stuff it back down, you just can’t anymore.
What you may not realize is that it has always been there. You see, what you may not know is we all already have all the information inside each and everyone one of us. Every single person alive today. Take some time to think about that for a moment… Some people cover their stuff up with distractions, with busyness and some have experienced trauma, drama and abuse. We focus on our commitments and expectations because life can truly be distracting. But each of us already has all the answers we need deep inside. We don’t need to seek outside of us for the answers unless we want help and support to gently guide us in uncovering what’s already been there the whole time.
So when an urge to take a risk comes up, it’s actually speaking to a deeper and hidden part of us. It starts by saying “hello”…I’m here and I’m trying to tell you something. This is when we decide if we are going to give it a voice, a choice, an opportunity to tell us more about our reality and what’s waiting to be explored and uncovered. Each of us has the free-will to dig deeper, listen more and act on these urges or risks. And it’s our choice if we simply choose to do nothing at all.
But if you know me, and maybe you’re like this too – we are risk takers. We start to take small steps or sometimes leaps and bounds blindly toward reaching that goal, the vision we had or outcome we have picked up on. The change that needs to happen, the invention to visualize into reality, the idea we have or the new job we should try and interview for. The relationship we wish we had, the children we want to bring into this life…the list goes on and on. When this starts up, following the urges we have, it sometimes can feel like we are sitting in the fire, holding onto the trust we have that it will all be revealed and work out. Often the change and path can be difficult since our reality hasn’t mirrored our thoughts yet and our emotions can definitely get in the way. Other times, these risks feel easier to accomplish. We begin to visualize where we want to go or follow the hunches we sense about them. Know that the whole time, we are still uncovering what is already there, forcing us to explore more about who we are. Even if our results aren’t huge at first, if we keep visualizing the reward or light at the end of the tunnel, that’s when we begin manifesting it into reality. We put positive energy into what we want to achieve. And this is when we can begin to reach our goals or witness all our dreams coming true.
When it feels like too much, that’s when we wish we could just jump timelines to end up at our result and wish fulfillment. But when we find ourselves needing to go back, try again or re-learn some of the steps along the way, that’s when we gain more clarity, more wisdom. Some have to do this to explore details we may not have planned for or thought about during our risk-taking journey. Wait a minute… isn’t this actually what life is all about? Life forces us to feel, go through the motions, experience and explore? Can you relate to this? Isn’t this ALL of us? I know for sure that this has been my life, over and over again. Each time, uncovering more and taking me on a deeper journey toward realization, new experiences and at the end – growth, more love, gratitude and joy. With all the pitfalls, challenges and obstacles along the way, even when I am kicking and screaming, I can look back and see how far I have come. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. So the real question is – are you a timeline jumper, or do you prefer to remain where you are? But one thing is certain – we ALL ARE RISK TAKERS. And life can be “Risky Business…”
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
My name is Sarah Granahan and I am a Certifiable Risk Taker, Timeline Jumper, Life Lover and so much more….
Aside from that, I am the Founder of Color My Spirit, LLC, a business I created back in 2012 to help offer inspiration, motivation & self-healing to people by helping them explore the messages their bodies are sending them. In 2019, I Co-Founded Spirit’s Quest Center and then in 2020 grew my business and opened my own practice, where I reside today at – Color My Spirit Wellness in Raleigh, NC. At the healing center, I have the upmost pleasure of working with many other talented wellness professionals who support the community locally and worldwide. Over the years, I have seen clients for sleep disturbances, anxiety, pain, grief, wound healing, trauma release and fatigue, etc. Some clients come in who aren’t sure why they are feeling “off” and just want to clear old energy to support their general well-being. This is sometimes referred to as Shadow Work. Many come in to see me for chakra rebalancing and mentoring. No matter what the reason, my sessions enhance the energy fields, rebalance the chakras and leave people feeling more informed, renewed and restored. They can be more confident in facing the risks and goals they want to tackle to reinvent themselves or some part of their life one step at a time. Some jump timelines and others like to stop and smell the roses along the way. My most sought-after session is “Messages & Energy Healing” since clients turn to me to help them determine what is going on inside their bodies, minds and emotions on a deeper level. As an Integrative Health Coach, I can also create a customized plan to support clients as they plan for changes, risks and set intentions to feel better than they had before. And the work we do is always about empowering people to develop healthy behavior for their highest good so they can maintain real results.
Not only have I studied over the years, but I have a deep connection to the work I do. You see, I had to first heal myself to learn how to show up for others. And this forced me to take alot of risks along the way… In 2006, I became very ill with no traditional medical diagnosis in sight. I was stuck, blocked and hitting brick walls. To find relief, I leaned on my anthropological skills and training to work and research alternative healing modalities to try and help support my body. I took alot of risks – I challenged the bandaids I was given to support my health and wellness since I wanted root-cause and real results. And along the way, I realized that harmony was needed not only on the Physical Level, but Emotional, Mental and Spiritual Levels for ALL PEOPLE. This resulted in my improved comfort and increased happiness. I tuned into my own guidance, uncovering my own answers deep inside of me while at the same time discovering my true calling and mission in life – helping others on their life’s journey. You see, if I hadn’t taken the risk to think outside of the box and if I had just listened to what I was being told years ago, I would have never ended up where I am today.
I am also a Visionary and Creative – I often am shown creative ideas working and in existence before I have even begun to manifest them. I first started writing about the holistic work I would do before I saw myself actually training to work in the field and with clients. My first launch with Color My Spirit, LLC was actually my inspirational novel, “Koko’s Gift” (2012) and then I created the metaphysical comic book series, “Chakrula” (2012). Over the years, I have contributed content for the development of the ShadowMyth oracle decks by artist and creator Doug Hoppes (2019-2020) and created the vision for Tribe Vibe Fest, the festivals I have launched this year and visioned 3 years ago to help introduce the community to what is possible. You see, all risks in their own right, and during times when this type of work was still seen as cutting-edge. We are just starting to develop the technology needed to track and research how energy healing works and how it can support people on their journey toward wellness. I guess I am a Way-Shower too – I like to inform people of what they may not know is even possible or exists yet.
I have additional training and experience being a Graduate from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a Bachelor’s Degree in Anthropology (1998), I had Volunteered with Building A Global Community in South Africa as a Garden Builder & Concrete Foundation Expert to build sustainable chicken coops & gardens to feed two large orphanages housing children with HIV/AIDS (2009), I am a Wife, and Mother of two dynamic kids and two sweet comfort dogs (2010). I started more training in the energy healing world Volunteering at the Cancer Clinic at Alexian Brothers Hospital (now known as Ascension Alexian Brothers Hospital!? Don’t you love that name!?) in Elk Grove Village, IL providing Healing Touch to cancer patients (2010-2013) as I studied and built up my practice. I am an honorary WOW Gal Magazine’s February 2015 Award Winner and I continued my energy healing and intuitive development as a Practitioner at The Sagewood Center (2014 – 2019) after moving to Raleigh, NC. I was a Wellness Practitioner, Teacher & Co-Owner at Spirit’s Quest Center (2019-2020) during COVID where I was also an Essential Worker to support the community in Raleigh. I have seen the need for more mental and emotional support over the years and since I have trained as an energy healer, that is a big part of what that sort of modality does for people. Not in a talk therapy way, but it can rebalance those fields to lighten the load and add more clarity and relaxation to the mind and emotions. I am also a Youth Mental Health First Aid Responder with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing.
So I guess I am an Entrepreneur, Creative, Intuitive, Visionary, Medium & Humanitarian-based Community Outreach Leader? One thing is for sure – I get to help others learn how to do the work I do and guide them on how they can study to shine their Love & Light, take Risks and Explore more of who they are from the inside out. Isn’t that cool – I just love my job!!
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
Experience, experience, experience! You have to get out there and launch to learn. You can be trained and be as book smart as you can in ANY CAREER but once you get tossed out there in the real world, you get your “street cred.” Show up the way you want to, but there is still so much more to know! Over the years, I have gained more insight into Energetic patterns that Cancer Patients present with from all the clinical hours and sessions I have had. I can tell if someone has anxiety in their Energy Systems that they may not have told me about just by checking chakra patterns and I have learned how to work with the Inner Child aspects of people in sessions where and when it is needed. And this was all on the job training – all through years of sessions and experiences. If I had never launched, never started somewhere, then I wouldn’t have all this new knowledge and wisdom. If I had “Failure to Launch” – wait, isn’t that a movie too? I tell you, I keep tagging popular movies I guess but their titles are so true! “Failure to Launch,” “Risky Business…” Anyway, take that risk to get started and be open to learning what else there is… Because no one is a true know-it-all. You can think you are, but then you are shutting yourself down to what else life has to offer. And like everything else here, we are a constant evolution. That’s real “street cred,” and stuff you may not have received from your 300-page training text book. Or it may not have been the experience you teacher had in life, so it wasn’t taught to you. Listen up and always be curious. Life is our Greatest Teacher. Go out and get your experience and please Launch your Risky Business – the world needs you!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Of course I do! Many years ago when I began showing up to offer the work I do for people, I was so passionate because it actually changed my life and my perspective! I was so excited to launch and share what I had discovered with others and how it can help everyone on the planet. But instead of being met with true support and love, many looked at me like – why do I need that? I was often told, “I’m good, I’ll just go to my doctor…” And they are correct – you should always trust your health and wellness plan created by your medical team. But you should also be your own patient’s advocate for yourself, your family and friends. Each of us isn’t exact copies of each other and meant to fit inside the same box. We are customizable because our lives reflect that. Sure we have similarities with organs, body systems and are all humans, but our mental, emotional and spiritual experiences are unlimited and vary. Remember how I told you we already have all the answers inside of us? So if someone outside of us tells us one thing that doesn’t resonate, we should pay attention and take risks to uncover what else is there. One thing might work well for one person but not for the next. Back in the day, some people used to tell me that what I do doesn’t exist…but guess what? Now it does – I just took a seat at the table a little too early (laughing to myself so hard)!! This year, the CIA/government has released studies explaining how energy works and how we are all living in a holographic world – isn’t that so cool!? So this would explain how and why energy healing can help everyone and more about how it works. So I guess what my “street cred” actually taught me was to be strong and resilient when you are swimming up stream or against the current. Believe me, it can be exhausting, but to arrive at the destination is so rewarding. I learned to trust myself and my experiences. And guess what? My persistence paid off. I pray it is easier for many folks coming into the field now; I am already noticing referrals coming in from physician groups, etc., so I imagine it is. Remember, I wouldn’t be where I am if I didn’t believe in myself, what life was teaching me and didn’t launch my risky business! And from this interview forward, I promise I won’t refer to what I do as Risky Business anymore. It’s more and more accepted now. Remember, what we say we manifest, always keep an open mind, trust and work on uncovering your own answers. We are all life-long learners. I forgive those who may have judged me in the past – but thank them for their lessons of resiliency. If I had listened to the nay-sayers back when I started, I wouldn’t be doing this work today and helping so many. Grateful, thankful and blessed.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.colormyspirit.com
- Instagram: @colormyspiritwellness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ColorMySpiritLLC
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colormyspirit
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbuCjJWS_QlXBAHpkwzn1EA
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/color-my-spirit-wellness-raleigh
Image Credits
Sarah Granahan images and edits in Canva, etc.