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Women Who Went for It! is a bi-weekly podcast, hosted by Career Change Agent, Sara McArdle. The show features inspiring chats with successful industry changers who share how they found the clarity, courage and motivation to step into a deeper vocation and a life of meaning and fulfillment. We hope you'll see just how many before you have GONE for it—and they're eternally grateful that they took the risk!

Aug 5, 2018

Women Who Went for It Podcast Guest: Sharon Roemmel
 
In this episode, Sara talks with Sharon Roemmel, BSW, ACC, E-RYT, about her journey from social work to life purpose & holistic wellness coach. Sharon talks about several "pivot points" in her ever-evolving career path, and touches on what it's like to be nearing traditional retirement age and still be excited about her work. Sharon is a certified coach, a registered yoga teacher, a certified aromatherapist and a licensed massage therapist. Through her business, Practically Enlightened You, Sharon works with individuals, teaches classes, leads retreats and presents at events.
 
Sara and Sharon discuss:
  • How they got connected
  • Coach Training World in Portland
  • Sharon studying social work
  • Her early exposure to the book "What Color is Your Parachute?"
  • Working at a resident Girl Scout camp
  • Having a powerful nighttime dream that gave her direction
  • Being hired by the Girl Scouts and staying on for 7 years
  • Getting tired of uncertain funding for her position
  • Getting a "real" job for the state with Vocational Rehab
  • Feeling like a round peg in a square hole
  • Not knowing how to leave a job with benefits
  • Seeing a compelling flyer for a gathering of healers in Oregon
  • Meeting a massage therapist who filled her in about the field
  • Mapping out her future as a "holistic health practitioner" using Barbara Sher's "Wishcraft" book
  • Looking for holistic health programs and finding that none existed in the 80s
  • Learning one healing modality at a time: massage, yoga instruction, aromatherapy, coaching, etc.
  • Not feeling ready for retirement, despite her contemporaries preparing for it
  • The similarities between camps and retreats
  • The importance of following those "wild and crazy urges"
  • Yoga helping to heal Sharon's back
  • A delightfully sneaky way her yoga instructor got her to teach a class
  • Wanting to take yoga teacher training but not be seen as a yoga teacher
  • Being invited to teach at the massage school
  • Noticing that her massage students were going back to old work that they hated
  • Telling people, "Somebody needs to help these people"... then realizing that was her job
  • Mentoring massage students first, then others
  • Noticing common themes in her life and work: purpose and self-care
  • Wanting more skills to help people achieve lasting results
  • Researching, finding and getting certified at Coach Training World in Portland
  • Her fears of not making it, not getting a job, not liking massage, etc.
  • Working at the YMCA
  • Taking manageable risks that have worked out every time
  • Making a financial plan for her career transition
  • Working at Girl Scouts in Oregon during massage school
  • Loosening her grip on her vision of the future and then watching it all unfold
  • Saving money like crazy in the first year and burning out from working so much
  • Subsequent self-care practices keeping her in business for herself for 27+ years
  • Sharon's favorite self-care practices
  • Living your purpose as a form of self-care
  • The people who've supported Sharon along the way
  • Speaking "as if" with an accountability buddy buddy
  • Mastermind groups
  • Getting initial pushback from her parents about her career
  • Learning to share new ideas with different people at different times
  • How Sharon started leading retreats
  • What her retreats look like
  • Sharon's own mental blocks
  • Her upcoming 5 Day Challenge
  • Her upcoming "So, You Want to Be a Yoga Teacher?" workbook
  • Sharon's one piece of advice for people who want to change careers
  • ...and more!
Sharon's full bio:
Sharon Roemmel, BSW, ACC, E-RYT, helps women who are excited about their purpose become equally passionate about taking care of their number one asset—themselves. As a self-care expert, she draws on over 30 years of working in the wellness and empowerment field. Sharon’s experience includes being a certified coach, a registered yoga teacher, a certified aromatherapist and a licensed massage therapist. In addition to working with individuals, teaching classes and leading retreats, Sharon has presented at events and conferences. She has also been interviewed as an expert in national and local media, including "Natural Health Magazine" and the "Mindfulness Mode" podcast.