Design Yourself

Meaning-making is a very human endeavor. We are quite good at coming up with what we believe the unspoken clues and loud declarations mean. What are ways to challenge our assumptions? How can we stretch our understanding to see a situation with a fresh perspective? That’s what we get into in this Design Yourself episode on Seeing with New Eyes. Ideas Shared Prompts to See with New Eyes Resources and Links Get to know Sharon’s business besties, Catherine and Elena of StoryMine Living in the Question Links and Resources: For show notes: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/seeing-with-new-eyes To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify

Hope is a choice. It's about gifting your attention to the light. Perhaps a simple concept, but one that's not always easy to execute. Particularly in inevitable moments of intensity - whether in our culture, around the board room table, in family text chains, or our own inner life. How do you get grounded in the midst of it all? How do you resist joining the whirlwind? Even when facing a wave of turmoil, how do you tap into finding hope? In this episode Sharon dicusses the following practices and prompts to help you come back to your own light: Ideas Shared Practices for Finding Hope Reflection Prompts Links and Resources: For show notes: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/finding-hope/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify

When the world gets intense, it's important to take breaks. Join Sharon as she does that by reading three beloved and personally connected poems. We start with a beloved poem by Meditation at Lagunitas by Robert Hass, who Sharon had the opportunity to study under in Berlin. We then turn to Saskia Hamiton and her poem Then. Saskia was another great teacher in Sharon's life and the person who first introduced Sharon to Hass' poetry. We close things out with the physician and poet Willam Carlos Williams and his poem The Red Wheelbarrow. May you find grounding and a little inspiration in the words of these writers. Resources and Links Robert Hass | “Meditation at Lagunitas” Divide TheseWilliam Carlos Williams | “The Red Wheelbarrow” Links and Resources: For show notes: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/take-a-break-with-three-poems To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify

Our bodies are incredible sources of wisdom. They are an important resource for ushering our ideas, dreams, and impact into the world. What happens when our bodies signal distress? What insights might we glean from the unlikeliest of places? That’s what we get into in this Design Yourself podcast, Lessons from the Emergency Department. In this episode Sharon shares some of the insights that emerged during her own recent trip to the hospital, including: Lessons from the Emergency Department Own Your Value (and Put on Your Oxygen Mask First)Cherish Your Support NetworkAsk for HelpDemand the Attention You Need (with Neutral, Observable Facts)Delightful Surprises are Everywhere Links and Resources: For show notes: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/finding-joy/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify

Joy is a light-filled anecdote to volatility, grief, and complexity. What different flavors of joy do you experience? How might you invite more of that into your life? That's what we discuss in today's podcast on Finding Joy. Sharon shares 5 flavors of joy that she has been experiencing recently, including: Lighthearted JoyEmily Henry's booksJoyful ConnectionHeart-centered JoyJoyous Anticipation Cornell University did a cool study showing how we gain more happiness from anticipation experiences versus object.The Joy of Knowing Links and Resources: For show notes: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/finding-joy/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify

It’s easy to let momentum take hold. Our expectations drive us to continue without letting up. Our desire to please or gain approval might do the same. But at what cost? What are the different ways that we can step back and rejuvenate ourselves? And what happens when we do? In this episode of Design Yourself we invite you to give yourself a break. Links and Resources: For show notes: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/worst-job-ever/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify Ideas Shared What is my relationship with breaks? For myself? For others? What kind of break might I offer myself this week that could make all the difference? Resources and Links The Parents Aren’t Alright from the Daily Podcast

What is the worst job you’ve ever had? And why? What made it so? In today’s episode, Sharon discusses her answer to those questions along with some prompts to inspire you never again to have the worst job ever. Links and Resources: To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify

Big change rarely happens in an instant. Transitions are a natural part of the process. Transitions can feel uncomfortable. How do you build up resistance to stick with it? What supports you in building momentum toward a new destination? That’s what we get into in this Design Yourself episode on Sitting in the Messy Middle. Links and Resources: For show notes visit: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/sitting-in-the-messy-middle/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify Ideas Shared 3 Tips to Sit in Messy Middle Resources and Links Design Yourself podcast on Partnering

Rarely can our dreams be realized in isolation. Partnering with others is a natural consequence of ambition. That doesn't mean it's easy. What makes for effective working relationships? What are the conditions that steward us to powerful teamwork? How do mutual accountability and productive conflict fit in? We explore these questions and more in this episode focused on partnering and productive conflict. Links and Resources: For show notes visit: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/partnering-and-productive-conflict/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify Resources Shared Marie Kondo’s book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up”Patrick Lencioni’s model highlighting the conditions needed for effective teamwork: trust, conflict, commitment, accountability, results

Deep listening can change the world. Listening impacts so many things: Our understanding, our questions, and our connections to those around us. When we listen deeply, we light a spark for transformation. But listening isn't easy. There are habits and culturally accepted practices that hold us back from really listening to understand. The good news is that you can create simple shifts to improve the quality of your listening and inspire others to do the same. This Design Yourself episode highlights 12 habits that prevent us from listening – including rehearsing, daydreaming, and placating. We invite you to see with a fresh perspective where your listening gets derailed and to make simple shifts to bring your attention back to listening to understand. Links and Resources: For show notes visit: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/how-to-be-a-great-listener/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify Ideas Shared You can download a summary PDF of the Listening Blocks and tips for being a great listener here. 12 Listening Blocks Mind Reading – Assuming you know what the other person feels Rehearsing – Planning what you want to say next Filtering – Listening only for what’s relevant to you Judging – Evaluating the speaker and what they say Daydreaming – Getting lost in your own thoughts Identifying – Relating everything you hear in yourself Advising – Listening to solve or direct Sparring – Invalidating the speaker through argument or debate Being Right – Resisting all communication that suggests you are wrong Derailing – Changing the subject Comparing – Trying to figure out how you compare to the speaker Placating – Agreeing too quickly Source: Messages: The Communication Skills Book by Matthew McKay, Ph.D., Martha Davis, Ph.D., and Patrick Fanning Reflection Questions Resources and Links Messages: The Communication Skills Book by Matthew McKay, Ph.D., Martha Davis, Ph.D., and Patrick FanningOriginal Design Yourself episode on Listening Blocks

How we spend our days is how we spend our lives. Routine matters. It is a foundational building block that shapes what we do and how we do it. It seems simple enough: Make a choice each and every day to align with what matters. But it is not always that easy. How do you balance the short—and long-term priorities? How do you shift long-held routines that involve other people? We get into these questions and more as we discuss routines reimagined. Links and Resources: For show notes visit: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/routines-reimagined/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify Ideas Shared Reflection Questions Resources and Links “A New Chapter and Routines”Design Yourself: Preparing for the Camino with Aimee RoweDesign Yourself: On the Road with Aimee Rowe Design Yourself: Walking the Camino (while pregnant!)

Leadership is an embodied act. When we feel good, it shows. So it is perhaps not surprising that many executives are curious about personal style. Some people savor the act of dressing as an opportunity for individual expression. Others prioritize efficiency and ways to save time in the morning. No matter what the motivation, there is one person Sharon refers her clients to time and time again: Natalie Tincher and her team at BU Style. So in this season of back to school and the changing of seasonal wardrobes, we take you back to this throwback interview with Natalie from 2018. We discuss everything from fast fashion and personal styling tips to how love and empowerment fuel everything Natalie does. We also learn about what some of the investments Natalie has made to scale her business including hiring her first employee and rebranding her business. This episode is a great fit for anyone who has ever wondered how to put your whole self into a thriving entrepreneurial business. It’s also a must-listen for anyone curious about the power of self-love and failing forward. “I lead with my heart and love with everything in life. So I need everything I do with my clients to also feel that way.” – Natalie Tincher Summer Series 2024 | Curated guidance and resources to guide and support you in making this season – and what follows – just what you wish it to be. Stay Connected For show notes visit: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/style-from-the-i…-natalie-tincher/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify Resources and Links Style From the Inside OutOriginal Design Yourself show notes from Episode 88: Empowerment and Personal Style with Natalie Tincher of BU Style Time Out New York, Top Six Personal Shopping Services which highlights Buttoned Up Style (now BU Style) Marie Kondo’s Life-Changing Magic of Tidying UpThe website Sharon peruses for capsule wardrobe inspiration EssentialismAYR jeans

Whether you have dreams of building your own home, are in the process of moving through a life transition or are just curious about Sharon’s new life in the woods, this week’s episode is for you. Sharon begins by sharing a glimpse into the reality of life in her new two room cottage in the Catskill Mountains of New York and then shares the connection she sees between designing a physical space and designing a life and offers the 5 key lessons that she has learned through the design phase of her building process. We’ll explore everything from the power of welcoming change, how trust is a key priority in getting great results (with sanity in tact!) and how building something from scratch isn’t the secret to perfection. Summer Series 2024 | Curated guidance and resources to guide and support you in making this season – and what follows – just what you wish it to be. Stay Connected For show notes visit: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/building-a-home/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify Ideas Shared Designing a space and designing a life share these steps… SimplifyTake BreaksBe Free and BoldCultivate Courage and Get Comfortable with FearKeep Evolving 5 Lessons Learned Through the Design Process Embrace ImperfectionPrioritize TrustBe Clear on What MattersHold the Big Picture and Be Present NowChange Things Up Resources and Links “Where We Call Home” (Season 3, Episode 1 | Catskills Schoolhouse); now streaming on Max. Original Build Your Home show notesJonathan Adler and his first book My Prescription for Anti-Depressive LivingRobert HiteAbove the Fray exhibition that inspired the cover art for todayNew MinimalismMarie KondoYoung House Love Has A PodcastThe Speed of Trust

Sharon reflects this week on work-life balance – or imbalance. She shares the marriage advice that stuck with her as she nears her wedding anniversary: “Marriage takes 100% effort to be successful, but rarely is it split 50-50. Sometimes it’s 60-40. Sometimes it’s 90-10. But it always takes 100% effort to work.” She shares how this framework applies not just to a relationship with our spouse but to any time we work with others. Summer Series 2024 | Curated guidance and resources to guide and support you in making this season – and what follows – just what you wish it to be. Stay Connected For show notes visit: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/marriage-and-partnership/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify Ideas Shared The most inspirational advice I got leading up to my wedding: “Marriage requires 100% effort to work. But rarely is it split 50-50. Sometimes it’s 60-40. Sometimes it’s 90-10. But it ALWAYS takes 100% to work.” Mimi Barringer Taking the Lead is the series from the podcast Note to Self. Much of the series follows two Brooklyn moms with a tech idea that has the vision and ambition to change what it looks like to be a working mom. But of course, they are dealing with many of the same stresses they hope to solve.Later episodes in the series also check in with the dynamic working parenting duo Andrew Moravcsik and Anne-Marie Slaughter. “It’s not that I don’t want to work. I do want to work, but I want to work in a way that allows me to be home much more than a high-level government job would let me do right now.” Anne-Marie Slaughter “We started out like most couples start out, I think a little bit naive, thinking that we are a two-career couple and we will also split the parenting 50-50.” Andrew Moravcsik If you’ve never read Anne-Marie’s influential Atlantic article Why Women Still Can’t Have It All, wait no longer. Read it!This week marks the first time in our nation’s history that a major political party nominated a woman for the office of President. No matter your politics, this is a special moment. I loved watching this video overviewing her career narrated by Morgan Freeman. Finally, below are the two key distinctions that helped me see how I was good at adding things to my life and work and why I was struggling to let things go. I had to start strengthening my emotional muscles to get in shape for those changes. Intellectual Learning – Ability to take on new things (e.g. job, hobby, relationship, etc.) Emotional Learning – Helpful when you are processing how to put things down (e.g. making a move, a job transition, ending a friendship, etc.) Resources and Links Original podcast episode “There is No Such Thing as 50-50”

Every moment offers us a new choice. Will we be guided by the momentum of what has been or carve a new path forward? In this episode of Design Yourself Sharon discusses five tips for how to choose your own adventure and highlights what this guidance looks like in practice as she shares an adventure unfolding in her life right now. Stay Connected For show notes visit: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/choose-your-own-adventure-2/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify Ideas Shared 5 Tips for How to Choose Your Own Adventure Resources and Links What is a 46er?

Summer is a season of rapid growth – in our gardens, our home lives, and at work. What is your relationship to this season? What transformation might you like to spark in the weeks ahead? Join Sharon as she shares five prompts and personal reflections inspired by this season. Summer Series 2024 | Curated guidance and resources to guide and support you in making this season - and what follows - just what you wish it to be. Stay Connected For show notes visit: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/bottling-up-summer-2024/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify Ideas Shared Reflection Questions

Hitting goals is not enough. Don't get me wrong: I love to run after a bold and audacious goal. But goal achievement can't be the end aim. Goals naturally come and go. They are a way to focus our energy and attention on something. This episode of Design Yourself explores the guiding question: "For the sake of what?" For the sake of what are you working hard to hit those goals? For the sake of what are you running your business? Sometimes work gets us so heads down that we forget to look at the big picture and ask if our energy is driving towards the kind of success that we want. Using the lens of running a business, Sharon offers up questions to ground you in your for the sake of what and then offers how you can cascade this foundation into the way you run your business. This episode is a great fit for anyone who runs a small business or dreams of starting one. It will also speak to those who seek more alignment between your actions and your dreams. Summer Series 2024 | Curated guidance and resources to guide and support you in making this season - and what follows - just what you wish it to be. Stay Connected For show notes visit: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/for-the-sake-of-what/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify Ideas Shared Things to Consider for Your For the Sake of What What is it that you are after in this life?What are your values?What is your deepest held conviction?What do you want to offer into the world? What is your unique contribution that you and only you can make?What do you want? Resources and Links Guided vision meditation in Episode 5 of Design YourselfOriginal Episode Show Notes with photos from family hike

Have you ever found yourself in a place where your head keeps spinning on the same question (or set of questions)? But no matter how much energy you expend thinking about it, you can’t seem to come to a confident conclusion? You are not alone. We often get stuck on “unanswerable questions” because they are rooted in a way of seeing the problem limiting our ability to move forward. In today’s episode, Sharon shares a simple process for moving from question to action. Learn what it means to “live in the question” and why this practice is powerful for helping us shift from stuck to transformation. Summer Series 2024 | Curated guidance and resources to guide and support you in making this season - and what follows - just what you wish it to be. Stay Connected For show notes visit: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/living-in-the-question/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify Ideas Shared: Let us all remember to be in the practice of resilience together. resilience, noun: 1. the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; 2. the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness Process for Living in the Question Write down the unknowable questionsCapture the questions underneath each question Insights on why this process works It makes big, important questions more accessibleIt promotes a growth mindsetIt empowers you with actionable steps Resources and Links: Podcast on grief that I reference in today’s show. Here is the Jimmy Kimmel clip that brings a spirit of humor to the grief that half of the country is feeling in the wake of the election.

To lead a life of intention asks us to connect to what we desire. Simple in concept, but often hard in execution. Many things will grab our attention: Competing priorities; jampacked schedules; and people-pleasing habits - to name just a few. Many of us will falter on this path because we have been trained to act. When something is missing, we feel compelled to do something - anything! - to find a new way forward. Today's podcast offers an antidote to that restless pacing. Learn to listen to yourself. What is it that you really want? In this episode, you will be guided to think about: What kind of a vision is meaningful to you right now? What type of vision? What time horizon?What parts of your story are you proud of? What parts do you want to keep holding? What parts are you ready to release?What do you look like when at play?When you imagine yourself in your desired future, what do you sense? Feel into the details.What steps could you take today to start moving you on this path? Summer Series 2024 | Curated guidance and resources to guide and support you in making this season - and what follows - just what you wish it to be. Stay Connected For show notes visit: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/where-am-i-now/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify

We are halfway through the calendar year and officially into the summer season. It’s a natural time to take stock of how your year is going. What’s working? What’s getting in your way? What do you wish for? Do your answers inspire you to make any shifts as you head into the second half of this year? Let’s explore these questions in “Where Am I Now?” Stay Connected For show notes visit: https://pointroadstudios.com/podcast/where-am-i-now/ To connect on Linked In: @Sharon Lipovsky @Point Road Studios To connect on Instagram: @pointroadstudios Rate, Review & Subscribe to the podcast on Apple & Spotify Ideas Shared Taking Stock: 5 Prompts to Cozy Up to Where You Are Right Now? What’s True: What’s WorkingWhat’s Missing: Lessons Learned:Taking Action: