Podcast Episode 50: Chasing Rabbits? - Extraordinary Women Magazine

Welcome to Episode 50, I’m Sharri Harmel, Editor and Chief Creative of Extraordinary Women Magazine and Podcast.

I began working on this episode with a question. What part of us seeks balance? Is it our mind or something bigger like our soul?

I wasn’t sure at when I first asked myself that question, but I have a sense that yes, it is our soul that wants and even craves balance and here’s are my thoughts…

We’ve all been forever changed from our Covid experience.

We used to charge forward like good little soldiers – and did the work, stayed late, commuted to and from our jobs, signed up for classes, sat in hour long meetings, did long-range planning and on the car ride or subway home, we dreamed of finding balance.

This is a hard topic because many, many people have had more difficult lives due to Covid.

Yet for the lucky folks like me and maybe you, it wasn’t comfortable, but we got to experience a different way of living that has changed us. If you live alone like me, you had a lot of time with yourself. If you have children, they probably drove you a little nuts, but you spent more time with them than you had ever before. Our pets were happier. They liked our new way of living and working.

And if you’re like me, you tried out recipes just because no restaurants were open, so you got creative in your own kitchen. And you really, really got to know your home and even a few of your neighbors. Americans spent more money on their homes during Covid than ever before and it hasn’t really stopped because now, we’ve nested.

Life is different but now that things are easing up a little, we’re starting to think about making plans or the office is asking you to make plans. But here’s the catch, we’re not all that excited about any big plans anymore, are we?

We’ve learned to live with uncertainty and is it possible that we’re sort of liking it?

Personally, I sat down and tried to write my own life and business plan for the next two years – frankly any longer felt almost delusional. I had my Dream Life Atelier program planned out, I had my quiz planned out, I had my magazine that I recently launched planned out, I had a list of people I wanted on my podcast…

But as I worked on my quarterly and yearly plan, I started to get what in my family, we referred to as stiff legs. Remember back when you were a kid and you got really pissed off at something you were told you had to do but you couldn’t say anything or you’d get in big trouble, so you’d walk to your room with stiff legs – maybe a stomp or two just to communicate you weren’t happy? Well, I felt like that kid. All that planning was giving me stiff legs.

Why? I had stiff legs because my soul wasn’t the least bit excited over my plans. I was shocked at my reaction. I’m a planner. I’m a doer. I have loved goals and making plans my entire life. But suddenly my soul was pushing back. It didn’t want the big list of what I intended to accomplish over the next year. My soul wasn’t craving a big plan of what I wanted to accomplish. My soul didn’t care a hoot about my plans.

This was strange. So strange that I took myself and my stiff legs out for a long walk in Paris. I set my intention as I entered the Tuileries Gardens, tell me what you really want? What is the soul food that I am craving?

As I walked, I got answers.

My soul wanted to find someone who could take me truffle hunting in the Périgord region of France or at the very least, my soul wanted to go to the truffle festival and see what all the fuss was about.

Frankly, this sounded nuts, but I kept on walking.

My soul shared that I wanted to see Vienna and listen to beautiful music. My soul wanted to go to a little bookstore I found out about via an Instagram live called Books on the Hill in St. Alban’s, England. None of this made sense but I kept walking and listening.

My soul had a few more suggestions but what I learned from that walk is that yes, it is our souls that asks, craves, and even screams for balance.

But what is balance? And how do you know if you’re out of balance?

You have to get quiet. Doing something physical while you’re quiet is a great way for the brain to relax and send messages that can be heard.

First though, you have to pay really close attention to how you are feeling. Remember when I said I had stiff legs like I was a seven-year-old? We all get messages from our bodies; we just have to slow down and listen.

So, get quiet. Pay really close attention to how you are feeling as you start to make plans…. or try to come to a decision about something. Your body knows…

The elusive balance is what we all crave. But it doesn’t have to be elusive. If we stop and listen, we can make better choices, we don’t have to be on the treadmill going 5 miles/hour on an upward slope.

My French teacher, Karine Duffing – who is a fabulous French teacher by the way – all on zoom – and I’ll put her contact information in the show notes – shared a Russian proverb. “If you chase two rabbits, you will not catch either one.”

Well, how perfectly does that proverb describe being out of balance? When we run around chasing multiple ideas for our homes, our families, our careers, our businesses, we end up feeling out of balance and we accomplish very little of what’s really important to us.

Now many of you have much more complicated lives than I do. You are caring for elderly parents, or you have young children along with a career outside the home, but I think we can always stop, listen, and ask ourselves….

Am I chasing more than one rabbit?? What really matters to me? That’s your one rabbit.

What about me? I realized that my magazine included everything I love at this stage of my life but for it to grow, it needs my attention. Even more interesting, on my walk I realized the magazine is exactly what I want to do right now. This is where I want to put my attention now.

Do I love to coach women one to one and in groups? Absolutely, and I’m really good at it, but my soul is craving balance and I’m choosing to listen right now.

Sometimes we do have to put things we are good at aside, so we can find the one true thing we want now – that’s our single rabbit.

I love to write; I love to interview women who are doing or have done amazing things. But as I walked, I felt the name of the magazine just didn’t feel right.

So many of the women I interviewed had always been their real and true selves – so Be the Real You wasn’t feeling right. It didn’t describe them.

So, as I’m still walking and talking….and asked what did all these women share? What did they all have in common? They are extraordinary women.

Different ages, different life paths, some had raised children, some were currently raising children, some were artists, some owned a shop, others focused on health.

But what connected ALL of the women was they are hands down extraordinary.

And ladies, so are you. We are a tribe of extraordinary women … whether you own a business, or your one thing is your family. Whether you are retired or just starting your professional career.

So, if you hadn’t guessed it – the magazine’s new name is Extraordinary Women.

Going forward, my focus will be this podcast and the Extraordinary Women Magazine.

But this conversation began with the discussion around balance. I’m not convinced true balance is attainable…but we’ll be talking more about that next week.

I can’t wait and I hope you join me.

Outro:

It is my wish that you enjoyed this episode, and I can’t wait to hear if the idea of finding your one rabbit, or one thing has changed anything for you.

Now, my podcast and magazine will both have the same name. Nothing has changed except the name, so I hope you join me and share this podcast with anyone else who you think will like what we’re talking about.

As I said, I’m excited to announce that the name of my digital magazine has changed. It’s now called Extraordinary Women because so many of the women I interviewed are truly extraordinary.

I named this magazine Extraordinary Women because every issue has interviews with at least two extraordinary women. You’ll connect with these women, and some might even remind you of yourself.

This magazine is a dream supporting, dream inspiring magazine that I know you’ll love. It’s inspiring, it’s filled with hope and encouragement, which we all need more of today.

I always have a good read with tea, where I introduce a recent favorite book and there’s always a recipe or two. Plus, because I live half the year in Paris, there is also a section called my Parisian Attitude. So, if you’re a Francophile, you’ll especially love that section.

We now have two wonderful contributing writers – Michele LeMaitre who is a beautiful artist and she’ll be writing about the life and business of an artist.

And, Sara Griot, a lovely stylist who will be giving us all great style suggestions that help us to feel pretty and pulled together regardless of our ages, body types and lifestyles. I don’t know about you, but I want to feel pretty.

Married or solo, kids grown or still at home. Corporate careers, entrepreneurs, a stay-at-home mother or even retired, this magazine is meant to be like your best friend who appreciates you and every other extraordinary woman.

Join us by clicking the subscribe button HERE or check out my Instagram page where I’ll be announcing a special magazine offer very soon! Nothing complicated. Just good stories, a little inspiration, and a cup of hope.

Thank you and

As I often say to my friends in Paris…. A Bientôt!