Embracing My Journey ~ Living with passion & purpose!

Hilary Harwell, Professional Life Coach and Founder of An Inspired Mind LLC shares her words of inspiration, welcome Hilary!

Tell us about the path you traveled to arrive where you are today: I look at my current life as the culmination of all the trials, tribulations and experiences that I have lived through.   Up until just recently, I had always looked for something or someone outside of myself to show me the way to what I really wanted to do with my life.  I always expected this answer to come from some place outside of myself.  I graduated from the University of Colorado with a BA in Anthropology.  I spent some time banging on doors and finally landed at a major Investment Bank back in my home state of Connecticut.  Six years, one husband, two children and a cross-country move later I realized that I really had no fulfillment from my career.  At the end of the day what I did really meant very little to me.  That is not to discount the integrity I brought to my role – I have always been an over-achiever and high performer.  I just didn’t get any satisfaction out of crunching numbers.   My distaste continued to grow and then suddenly late last year, the markets crashed.  The economy went into a tailspin and to cut costs, the Bank began the layoffs.  I watched as my colleagues disappeared in droves.  Those that weren’t laid off watched as their roles were off-shored to India.  Rumors of the next round of layoffs usually started about a week or two in advance, and I would sit alone in my home in Atlanta wondering if I was going to have to face being jobless.  The thought of having to find another job just like the one I had, except outside of my house and away from my kids, was abhorrent.  In retrospect, that was my epiphany.  That was my wake up call, my sign that it was time to make something of myself.  I took a long hard look at myself, as objectively as I possibly could.  I aligned my passions (people, problem solving, creativity and big picture thinking) with my values and at the epicenter I discovered life coaching.  Through life coaching I am able to empower others to live their inspired vision.  Life can be anything you want it to be.  We limit ourselves by assuming that certain beliefs we hold are truths.  I help people recognize those beliefs and move beyond them to make life amazing and fulfilling.  Watching my clients transform themselves is inspiring and endlessly fulfilling.

What kept you moving forward on the days things were not going exactly the way you were hoping they would? My big picture vision of how I want my life to be.  I kept my focus on the end result of all my efforts and didn’t allow myself to get weighed down and discouraged with the inevitable setbacks.  I tried not to get too wrapped up in myself but instead chose to focus on bringing inspiration and purpose to all the people I would reach with my services and products.

What piece of advice would you give to someone who has decided they would like to live in a world of their own creation? Once you have made the decision to live life on your own terms have faith in yourself and your abilities.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help (from a mentor or coach) to help shorten your timeline to success.  Commit to your end result and discipline yourself – achieving success does not come to those of lazy mind.

What special things do you do for yourself daily to maintain your momentum and energy levels? Smile, laugh and practice not being attached to the outcome of any given situation.  Also, I don’t skimp on sleep – my body can only support me if it gets time to recharge mentally and physically.

If you could spend 3 days on a deserted island with two people of your choosing, who would they be and why? My husband and my best friend.  No matter what situation we are in we are able to laugh and have fun – constantly.  In my eyes, laughter truly is the best medicine.  It is so important not to take yourself or anything too seriously.

What is your favorite audio material and what do you enjoy most about this material? I’m a huge fan of Norah Jones and John Mayer (we went to high school together, lucky me….)  Norah mellows me out and makes me think.  John is just a damn good guitar player.

What is your favorite reading material and what gives it that special place in your heart? My favorite reading material is Anatomy of the Spirit by Caroline Myss.  The message this book delivers is extremely powerful.  I find myself drawn back to it when I need to reconnect with my own spiritual self.  I highly recommend it.

Who has inspired you and what is it about them that you found inspirational? My late grandfather has always been a source of inspiration to me as has my father.  My grandfather was the son of Swedish immigrants and built an immensely profitable business with his own hands.  He was the glue that held our family together and he was a big part of why we have such amazing lives today.  My father has made an amazing sacrifice in the name of his family.  He gave up a selfish addiction and chose his family over his crutch.  The power it took to make that type of decision and to truly commit to it and never go back is inspirational beyond words.  His ability to do that has been a source of empowerment for me over the years.  It serves as an example that you can accomplish anything you truly put your mind towards.

What do you see in your future? I see massive expansion of my services/products.  I see an internet empire.  I see myself reaching the masses and empowering them to live their inspired vision.  I want to help make the world a better place.  I’m a big-picture thinker.

Where is your favorite place in the world to spend time, what is special to you about this location? My favorite place in the world is Moab, Utah.  There is a spiritual connection that I have with this part of the country.  It’s unique beauty and quiet solitude are magnificently soothing to my soul.

Who has been your greatest support system and how have they shown you their support? My father has been my strongest supporter.  He has always allowed me room to be myself and never doubted my abilities.  My mother has always been there to catch me when I fall.  I know that no matter what happens to me, she will always be there.  I am truly grateful.

What / who are you most thankful for and why? I’m most thankful for my 2 children, Tanner & Mason.  They have given meaning to my life and are a constant source of humor and inspiration.

What is your favorite way to contribute or give back? My favorite way to contribute is by offering pro bono coaching on a select basis to people who have a strong desire to better their lives, but limited means by which to do so.

Please share the top three things you feel people would benefit from doing if they truly desire to create the life of their dreams? 1.  Raise awareness of your thought patterns and learn to recognize these patterns as they arise.  2.  Do not dwell solely in the realm of your thoughts.  Take action – don’t be afraid to fall on your face.  It is the times we fall the hardest that create the opportunities for greatest growth.  3.  Commit to your goals.  I do not mean this in a half-hearted way.  Discipline yourself mentally and fully commit yourself to the achievement of your goals.  Make no excuses.

What products and services do you offer to assist others on their journey? I offer coaching services and products specifically designed to help people live their ideal life.  My product line is called Your Inspired Vision™ and is a dynamic self-discovery tool that helps people to create and manifest their ideal life.  For more information on how you can create your ideal life and shorten the timeline to successfully living it please visit www.aninspiredmind.com.

Thank you Hilary for taking the time to share with us today.

In gratitude,

Caryn

Caryn FitzGerald is a motivational columnist, speaker and written, been featured in and published several books, including “Tulips in the Sand: A Riley Matthews Mystery.”  Read more from Caryn at her website CarynFitzgerald.com.

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This entry was posted on Wednesday, January 6th, 2010 at 6:00 am and is filed under Caryn's writing, Living the life of my dreams. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.