by Julie Neale | Sep 9, 2017 | Reflections From My Quest
September 9, 2017 – Updated February 2020
I grew up the youngest of three sisters and have memories of sitting at the dinner table with my chin in my hands watching and listening to them talk. My oldest sister is very articulate and my middle sister so humorous. Between the two of them, I didn’t feel like I had anything worthwhile to add.
About fifteen years ago, I sat in my “Adult Reflection Circle” at Alternatives in Action where I worked and mentioned that I struggled with sharing what was on my mind. I felt confident I could express myself in writing, but when it came to speaking, I hesitated. A member of the circle said, “That’s amazing to hear. Because when you get ready to talk, I lean in to hear more. I know I’m going to hear something powerful. You’re one of the most articulate people I know.”
That moment, when someone in the circle could see me in ways I couldn’t see myself, changed me. I began opening my mouth to speak more often, imagining that I had something someone might need to hear.
Twelve years ago, my husband and I faced news that our oldest son Ryan, then a toddler, wasn’t developing typically and needed intensive intervention. I was angry, afraid and depleted. I reached out to some friends who had started their own personal reflection circle and said “I need in.” For the next five years, that circle supported and championed me, gave me the space to cry, laugh, and commit to action that was instrumental in Ryan thriving today.
In the year before launching Mother’s Quest, circles changed me again. I joined a Power Circle through Emerging Women, and shared out loud for the first time my vision for Mother’s Quest. The women in the circle reflected back the value in my ideas and the passion they saw in me to make it happen. Months later, I created my own “Founder’s Circle,” and convened a meeting to lay out my plans. The women, in the group asked me amazing questions, clarified my thinking, and helped me develop a strategy. They also let me test out my ideas for a Mother’s Quest Circle and allowed me to witness the connection among mothers possible through my vision.
Mother’s Quest Circles – A Signature Experience to Spark Your E.P.I.C. Life
In every example, being part of a circle helped me become a bigger, more confident version of myself and gave me support to get clear and connected to my goals so I could take more effective action. As a CTI-trained coach and facilitator of reflective circles in the non-profit field for over 10 years, I’ve seen this same transformative experience happen again and again for those sitting in the circle.
That’s why, when I launched Mother’s Quest, I knew that Circles would be my signature coaching offer, the key vehicle for helping mothers live their version of a more E.P.I.C. life.
After two successful pilots, I’m honored and excited to open applications again for a Virtual Mother’s Quest Circle for an intimate group of women who are ready to take intentional, purposeful action in their lives and want to do it “in community” instead of alone.
We’ll meet via Zoom for four sessions that will include the weaving in of E.P.I.C. skills training (based on skills I learned as a coach), personal introspection and sharing, and group coaching/reflection. Each member of the group will commit to one bold action step that they will complete before the end of our four-session cycle.
Along the way, we’ll build close relationships, hold one another accountable to our aspirations, and help one another see the greatness in ourselves, as mothers and also as leaders with a unique impact to make.
Next Steps – Apply Today!
Please click here for more information and join the wait list today if it feels like what YOU need to more fully live your E.P.I.C. life. Email me at julie@mothersquest.com if you have any questions I can answer. Not right for you, but may be for someone else? Please help spread the word.
I’m so grateful for the power of circles in my life and look forward to witnessing all the ways that being part of a Mother’s Quest Circle becomes a transformative experience for the women who say “yes” to this unique opportunity. If you’ve been wanting to invest in yourself and continually dismiss that desire…decide today to listen to that voice and see if this could support you!
Until then, seize the day, love your people, honor your gifts,
Julie
by Julie Neale | Jun 6, 2017 | Reflections From My Quest
I just came out the other side of an internal battle and wanted to share it here and invite any thoughts from your own experience…
I’ve been dragging my feet on “launching” my coaching programs for Mother’s Quest after getting my LLC in September and a successful podcast launch in December.
At the end of the day, I think it’s fear, of success and failure, in equal measure.
So, when I went to write a post to invite mothers on a quest of their own for a coffee chat/discovery session, I still had some uncertainty.
At first, my post started “I’m getting ready to launch my coaching programs…”
Then, I caught myself and changed it to “I’m ready to launch…”
Even then, there was this distance in my language between the preparation for and the doing of. I could feel it. And I just got tired of it. The pain of staying in this stuck place just felt so much greater than the discomfort of diving in.
So, without hesitation, I changed the language to “I’m launching…” (like literally right this moment) and felt a wave of relief. An opening to new possibility and to the connection and impact I know are on the other side of this resistance I’ve been clinging to.
Even now, looking at the words, I’m certain there is another layer I could peel and I fully commit to shedding more.
What about you? Have you had a similar experience? Are you sitting in resistance right now? Where might you choose yourself and your gifts and cut through in this very moment?
Share in the comments. Would ❤️ to hear and learn…
And…if you are on the threshold of something important and need a coach and champion in your corner to support you, challenge you, and help hold you accountable to your aspirations, I’d love for you to be one of the five I’m holding space for a free discovery call with this week. Just email me and we’ll set up a time.
It’s time to bring my gifts, and all I’ve been learning from my journey and the Podcast, to others mothers on a quest, and ready to invest, in a truly E.P.I.C. life.
xoxo,
Julie
P.S. If you don’t need coaching, but know someone who might…I’d love if you hit forward and shared this invitation with a friend
by Julie Neale | Apr 12, 2017 | Reflections From My Quest
April 12, 2017
When I decided a year ago this week I was ready to live what I now call my E.P.I.C. life, and turn a long-held dream for Mother’s Quest into a reality, I had so many questions.
I purchased this “Create” journal and began capturing all my thoughts. And, one thing I wrote down I knew with certainty. I didn’t want to do it alone. I would need guides to help light my way.
A few months in, I found one of my most powerful guides in Amber Lilyestrom. A mother on a quest herself, Amber had a unique vision for supporting women like me to create their online ventures, a Soul-Fueled CEO Academy with a unique blend of business, branding, and life strategy and coaching.
In the last six months, as I laid a foundation for Mother’s Quest –filed for an LLC, created my branding and a website, grew a facebook group community, and launched and completed the first season of a podcast, the wise counsel from Amber, and the tight-knit community she built within the Academy, have guided me every step of the way.
Though I joined mid-year, I deep-dived into so much that the Academy had to offer: monthly coaching calls (which I always left with greater clarity and connection) guest expert offerings, access to Amber’s private heart-felt and honest facebook live shares, and a community where I could post my questions any time of the day and find the answers I needed.
My decision to join Amber’s Academy has been a saving grace during many uncertain moments. I’m so grateful I joined the Academy and have it as a forever home to provide guidance and support.
And, beginning next week, I will join a new cohort in completing ten soul-fueled modules that I’ve seen bring profound clarity and movement to other members of the Academy. I know I’ve only scratched the surface of all I can learn from Amber.
SOUL-FUELED MOTHER’S QUEST BONUS
As an affiliate of Amber’s program, I’m excited to invite women from the Mother’s Quest community, who could also benefit from a forever home to support their ventures, an opportunity to join the Academy and benefit from the value and support that it provides. Take a look here and see if the Academy fills your unmet needs as it did mine.
If the Academy is right for you and you decide to join through Mother’s Quest, a percentage of your fees will help Mother’s Quest continue to grow, and will also connect you to a Mother’s Quest bonus:
-One hour-long one-on-on coaching session with me to delve deeper into your E.P.I.C. life in whichever way would be most helpful to you.
-Three one hour facilitated “Mother’s Quest Reflection Circles”, via Zoom, with a group of no more than ten mothers on a quest like yourself. We’ll do one within the first few months of the Academy launch, one mid-way through and another closer to the end, to set intentions and gather learnings for connecting our experience as mothers and entrepreneurs. (note: need a minimum of six women to sign up for this part of the bonus)
There are a maximum of ten spots available for this bonus And, if you are one of the ten that this feels right for, I would be excited and honored to be alongside you on this journey.
NEXT STEPS
If you’re creating something of your own and don’t want to do it alone, take some time on Amber’s page to learn more about what she offers, post any questions in the Mother’s Quest page or group (where Amber is also a member), and/or message or email me with your thoughts. If you want the Mother’s Quest bonuses, make sure to let me know so you can sign up through the affiliate link.
I’ll also be doing a facebook live with Amber this week to talk about my experience and will post the link in these comments here.
Thank you for the opportunity to reflect on this last year, all the growth that has come, and the ways in which the Soul-Fueled CEO Academy has helped me along the way.
I join the live round of the Academy’s modules next week and I’m excited to see what new transformation is around the corner. Hope you’ll be right there with me!
xoxo,
Julie
P.S. If you haven’t yet listened to my interview with Amber on the Mother’s Quest Podcast, you can find it here and it would be a great way to learn more about her and hear her words of wisdom
