Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Shannon Graham. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Shannon thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Alright, so one thing we think people don’t talk about nearly enough is investments – either time or money. What’s one of the best or worst investments you’ve made and what did you learned from the experience?
The ultimate and most beneficial investment anyone can make is investing in themselves! This becomes even more crucial as a business owner or leader. The greatest personal development experience in my life has been starting my own business. It is, in every way, equal parts “OMG” and “EEK!” One day you are hopping from one foot to the other with excitement and the next you are questioning your decision-making skills. When you are your own boss and forced to examine your self-discipline, your tenacity, and your capacity to persevere – you don’t have the luxury of taking your foot off the gas. You are really put to the test. But there is truly something satisfying about sitting back and saying, “Yes, I did that.”
Shannon, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a transformational life coach who helps people design and build a life they truly LOVE living! I have created a curriculum that incorporates spiritual principles and universal laws to empower my clients to identify what it is they truly want in their one and only life, what has been holding them back, and then support them to reach their goals faster and with more precision and clarity. The basis of my process is enriching self-awareness and self-love because in order to be the person we were created to be, we must build from a place of self-knowing and authenticity. This creates a ripple effect that enriches not only our lives and relationships but extends to the world.
I wrote a book entitled “Meditation for Beginners: And Even Some Skeptics” that is available on Amazon and Kindle. One of the greatest gifts that we can give ourselves is spending some time getting to know ourselves through meditation. Often in our busy lives, we don’t take the time to slow down and reflect. I believe that much of the discontent we feel can be traced back to this disconnect.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
The essence of my being is resilience and that has been my inspiration for becoming a coach and building this company. I have been sober for four and a half years now after struggling with addiction and self-sabotaging behaviors for over 25 years. I know what it’s like to not recognize my value and worth and to claw my way back from the brink of death. However, what I realized very quickly when I got sober is that the same thought processes that kept me in an endless vicious cycle are apparent in people who don’t necessarily struggle with substances. I recognized the same type of self-sabotage presented itself in some people as overspending, overworking, overeating, or even some that destroyed loving relationships for no apparent reason. I threw myself into all things personal development-related. I read books, studied neuroscience, and human behavior to see what the common link might be. For me personally, my behavior stemmed from internalized trauma from childhood. Trauma is often associated with events like wartime experiences or other extreme scenarios. And while that is certainly a form of trauma, something as seemingly insignificant as a haphazard comment uttered by an adult to (or about) a child can send that child down a very unintended road. Being exposed to adults arguing as a child can also cause a person to adopt some very unhelpful beliefs that can ultimately thwart the pursuit of their dreams…
Our minds are fascinating and can work for us or against us if we are not vigilant. The cornerstone of my coaching program is helping people identify any subconscious beliefs that may be holding them back, rewrite the narrative that runs through their heads daily, and accomplish their dreams. It’s my mission to help as many people as possible to see their own value and worth and help bring them back to life!
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
I love this question so much because it ties into the first one beautifully. Before I became an entrepreneur, I had no idea just how “deep” I would have to dig to become effective as a business owner or salesperson. I knew I would have to overcome my fear of rejection but I truly did not realize that “sales” really has nothing to do with the product or service you are exchanging. Sales and leadership force a person to examine every aspect of their being. You have to believe in the value of yourself and your product/service. Unless you are a sociopath, this can be a very confronting and uncomfortable process. The thing that helped me the most was reading as many books as possible written by people I admired. I recommend anything by Zig Ziglar, Tom Hopkins, Brian Tracey, John Maxwell, and Napoleon Hill. I also listened to hours of audiobooks and motivational YouTube videos while in the car. Some of my favorites are Les Brown, Ed Mylett, and Jim Kwik. The most effective strategy for me was to consume anything that motivated me, taught me, and kept my vibration high and enthusiastic.
Another huge choice that changed my life was hiring a coach. Once I worked on the “inner blocks”, the outside just seemed to fall into place. Coaches and mentors can recognize behaviors and help course correct, thus accelerating a person to greatness faster.
Contact Info:
- Website: bringmeback2life.com
- Instagram: @turboshannon
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/powercoachshan/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shannon-graham-a591515b/