I’ve made some of the largest changes in my life over the last 1.5 years and Sarah’s insights and positive coaching have played a large supportive role in encouraging my personal growth and taking risks I didn’t think possible.
Here are the major areas in which she’s helped me:
Big Rocks and Small Rocks: Sarah’s analogy of a jar, big rocks, and small rocks helps me identify how to carve out time for passion projects alongside necessary work. She asked me to think of my life and time as a glass jar, and the things in my life as rocks. Big rocks represent things most important to me (writing, exercise, gardening, dating, friends + family), while small rocks represent all of the other stuff that is necessary but which I deem as less important (read: day job, chores + errands, etc). If I place big rocks in the jar, I’ve prioritized them and have room in the jar for small rocks. But if I fill the jar up first with lots of small rocks, I block myself from having room for the big rocks.
Reminding me to slow down and acknowledge every win - from the smallest to the largest. So often perfectionists/ Type As like me can blow right past their own accomplishments and achievements without pausing to soak them in, to recognize their own magnificence and progress. Taking time to acknowledge these wins has helped me amplify self-love, self-compassion and self-worth.
She’s informed me and coached me on tools like meditation, mindfulness and self compassion that have helped ground me when my anxiety was so rampant I felt like my heart was going to leap out of my chest. I recently left the dependability of the best paying job I’ve ever had to move in a new direction (starting all over in certain ways), and her insight about riding the wave of an emotion in all its discomfort (usually lasting 90 seconds or less) versus ruminating on it and “making a story”, has opened up ways in my life of how to manage anxiety and stress.
The importance of decreasing sugar from my diet.
Providing eye-opening information on how toxic sugar is to the body; she’s helped me limit sugar intake while still eating some fruits, enjoying good meals and even desserts. It’s all about smarter alternatives and being intentional when using sugar.
Coaching me how to advocate for myself at work and speak my truth in sensitive situations.
She’s emphasized to me that my worth, my value in this world is beyond and so much more than a number on a scale, my age, or the number of inches I’ve lost or gained.
Speaking of inches, she’s helped me implement a lower carb/ higher fat diet into my life, which resulted in me losing five pounds of fat. Not muscle, but fat, at a time when I’d plateaued even amidst working out consistently.