We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Shelby Hall a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Shelby thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

One of the most beautiful lessons that I have learned along my journey of entrepreneurship is the value of taking risks. The importance of the leap into the unknown as an absolute necessity to create something real in your life. I would be nowhere without all the beautiful “risks” I have taken.

My first big risk was quitting the corporate world. I was a real estate agent for years working 7 days a week. No purpose in life. No true fulfillment. Completely disconnected from myself and low confidence. Paycheck to paycheck living in an expensive apartment alone in the city. This acted as fuel for chronic anxiety, stress, and health issues until I landed at a crossroads.

Option 1 is take the big promotion that my company was pushing me towards- the “safe”, predictable, road to nowhere.
Option 2 was quit. All of it. To follow my intuition whispering towards a new calling to help others and pursue something I’ve never done before. To go ALL IN on myself and my newfound audacity to begin to believe that my voice has value and that the many challenges I have overcome, were given to me for the purpose of walking others through them as well.

Despite the extensive hardships that came with this journey, I would do it a million times over.
Take the risk. Watch where it will lead you.

Shelby, 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 do not claim to have all the answers, but I cannot help but ask why. This questioning was always something built into me. It came from 28 years of trying to fit into the system. I did all the things, I went to school, got a degree, I tried to put in my time at a soul sucking career doing the things that society deems to be right.. just accepting that feeling of chronic stress, low self esteem, and disconnection. Accepting that this feeling was okay. Every time I searched for answers, what I received, was to just fall back in line. I began to see a different reality where we don’t try to put ourselves into a box. We don’t keep doing things even when they don’t feel right. And if things feel off in your own life right now, I wish you this very same boldness to question it all.

Who I am now, was forged from all the challenges I have overcome in my life. Growing up within a “broken” family, my brother and I bouncing back and forth from household to household, I never truly felt like I belonged anywhere. Emotional abuse. Sexual assault. I felt often times that I was the one who had to take care of me, alone to manage my feelings and challenges within my family. This led my nervous system 24/7 on high alert to contort myself to be whatever I needed to be to keep peace in the house. I have always been a big feeler and extremely empathetic soul. This was not something that felt valued growing up and that I always had to hide away who I truly was.

This manifested as an adult who people pleased, had no clue who she truly was, a girl who was completely disconnected, and had a hard time expressing emotions. I did not truly believe I was capable of something meaningful. Unlearning this as an adult, recognizing that how I feel matters and finding safety within my body, has been the most healing thing. I no longer blame anyone for the pain.. which felt necessary for me to release resentment and anger. If I was going to blame someone for all my struggles, in the same breath, I also thank them for who I am. As an adult, you have the beautiful opportunity to be the hand that you always needed to hold. All the love and acceptance you searched for externally, has always existed within- in an endless supply.

I began my work as a coach to show others that they are safe to be who they truly are. They have value here on this earth. They were born with gifts to share. One of the core principles in my program is that all your challenges in life are your soul’s curriculum for the exact medicine that you were meant to share on this earth. Your soul’s purpose. The highest liberation is transmuting your pain into something that can serve others. You set yourself freer that you can ever imagine in the process.

The women I guide through my program, essential self, are women who want to turn their pain into something beautiful. Their freedom. They are creative women who want to step into sharing their voice, overcoming fear, and create abundance and impact by being who they truly are. I hold a safe space through my 4 month 1:1 container where they are guided back to their true confidence, powerful voice, and purpose. They leave with a deep rooted connection within themselves and a clear path forward on their offer, program, or even also begin coaching themselves. Nothing makes me happier than to support women to be able to express themselves and bring to life any desire on their heart.

The thing I would want any beautiful soul who comes across my page to know is, they are extremely valuable, capable of more than they could ever imagine, and that there are people out there right now who are just waiting for them to share their beautiful gifts. You have no idea the life you can create if you give yourself permission to start. The fact that you have a dream on your heart means you are the PERFECT person to do it. You would not have been gifted any desire if you were not capable of bringing it to life. You are too special to ever settle for anything less than ALL. OF. IT.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Before starting my coaching business, I actually first owned a credit repair company where I helped people raise their credit scores to qualify for loans, a new car, purchase their first home, etc. What I found so fulfilling about that business was leading someone to freedom financially but overall I could feel my heart was not fully in it.

Give yourself grace to pivot within your business as many times as you need to! Your job on this journey is never to have it all figured out and know exactly where it will lead to but rather your focus being to follow your curiosity and have the boldness to act on what you are called to. You are an ever changing, evolving human. Give yourself grace to play and explore! It all doesn’t need to be so serious that we fear making the “wrong” decision on where to begin and never allow ourselves the chance to start anything.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

One of the most powerful books that changed my life as well as also being perfectly timed at the start of my entrepreneurial journey was the Power of Now by Eckart Tolle. As someone who found herself stuck for so long in immense fear and anxiety, this book finally allowed me to create space from my mind. It allowed me to realize that I am NOT my mind. I am not my fears. This alone, is a major key not only as an entrepreneur- but as a human who truly wants to create a fulfilling and peaceful life.

This book has a powerful way of unlocking a deep knowing that we always had within, but seemed to have forgotten about somewhere along the way. The Creative Act by Rick Rubin in another very worthy mention!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shelbyjanesoul.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelbyjaynesoul/