Welcome!
Do you frequently experience self-doubts, discouragement, and overwhelm?
Do you often feel stuck?
As an ordinary woman and life coach entering the evening years of my life, (see info below). I can readily answer “yes” to the above questions.
I know these feelings well and have learned they are common to most of us. Feeling discouraged and stuck often subtly hijacks our joy and keeps us spinning a spiderweb of conflicting emotions.
In fact, due to some falls, fractures and surgeries that have compromised my time and energy, I am pleased to announce I am coming out from under feeling stuck! I have missed being in touch with my TSJ friends. I am excited about refreshing The Shared Journey blog site. As I age, my emphasis will still be on shepherding but less directed specifically for parents and more for caring for each others’ hearts and minds.
Many of you know me already. I am very grateful for you. But if this is your first glance at The Shared Journey (TSJ). I joyfully welcome you and invite you to feel free to join us in receiving my informal letters. This style helps me feel connected with you more personally as I imagine you sitting across from me.
The blogs are free for family, friends, and subscribers and free from advertisements.. My goal is to provide stories and reflections to comfort, encourage and inspire you. I hope you will also find wisdom — both practical and spiritual — to enrich your hearts and minds.
As you scroll down you will learn some basic facts about me. You will also meet my muse, Solomon, who specializes in stories and metaphors – often revealing wit, wonder, and some downright “wooly” wisdom from the grit and grime of life in the pastures!
Finally, whether whimsical or quizzical or wise and profound, I hope to cast new light on familiar life journey challenges and equip you with tools and truths to restore your soul and renew your vigor. Finally, may we celebrate together as we reach for and achieve things we never thought possible!
Meet Me
My name is Margaret (or “Margie”) and I am a life coach, I like to call myself an “encouragement coach.”
How I Became a Life Coach
Perplexed about my calling and purpose as I pondered retiring from school psychology, (scroll down to see professional history), I knew I was still filled with a passion for encouraging people, especially parents and teachers.
Then one morning while pondering my next steps, I “happened” to read a magazine article that captured my imagination.
I remember well it was the story of a man who developed a coaching practice. And it became the catalyst for me to imagine doing something similar. His story inspired, informed, and empowered me to become a life coach. And The Shared Journey life coaching practice was midwifed about a year later.
This is the power of story! We humans are designed to share stories. Like bread, they feed us. The Shared Journey is about shared stories to encourage us to practice kindness while quenching our thirst for the Spirit of hope, wonder and wisdom.
A Glimpse of Professional History
Simply put, I began my career as a school teacher for elementary through middle school years. I then became a full time mom and later served as a mental health counselor in a community clinic setting. I also had a small part-time private practice. In my middle years, I became a school psychologist (MS/CAS) for middle and high schoolers and pursued coaching after retirement. After earning my certification as a Life Coach through the Institute for Life Coach Training, I established The Shared Journey coating practice.
Personal History
I grew up on a large farm surrounded by beautiful hills. I often felt hugged by those hills when life was tough. Ours was a family blessed with good food, hard work, and Christian faith. And yet I was often hungry and afraid due to my mom’s emotional volatility at the time. With wise spiritual and psychological counseling for help recovering from early childhood traumas, I have grown to deeply value the “both-and” nature of life, love, being human and vulnerable.
Along with farming (cows and chickens) where nature and animals bring out the best (and sometimes the worst) in us, my greatest teachers have been children. I am a seasoned mom with four delightful adult children (an adopted son, a biological son, a stepson, and a stepdaughter). My five grandchildren are also teachers of life and a great blessing. The “training wheels” for my parenting adventure came from being the oldest sister with three younger siblings who loved me unconditionally. And having an older brother (by two years) was another of God’s gifts that helped me feel loved.
A Few Fun Facts About Me
I love God, family, people, and nature in all forms. I love to laugh and be playful, occasionally at inappropriate moments.. Things that delight me are reading, dark chocolate, cheese, soft ice cream, long walks, open-hearted conversations, and journaling.
Now it is time for you to meet my muse, Solomon. He is part of my playful side and helps in my own search for practical and spiritual wisdom for our shared journeys.
Meet My Muse - Solomon
To be clear, Solomon is a stuffed sheep with a sewn-on smile and eyes that glisten in the light. He sits in my office and makes many people smile. He frequently turns frowns upside down! He shows up in my blog letters frequently.
Solomon was midwifed from my imagination. He represents the “stuff” of ordinary life and practical, “wooly wisdom.” Remember, wool while valuable, can be weighty! And sheep have to contend with all kinds of grit and grime that gets stuck in their wool. Though unpleasant, shearing is very important to their well being. They need a shepherd to shelter, shield and shear their thick fleece covering from time to time.
One “weighty” day in my life, “Solomon” arrived in the mail. My late and fun loving husband, Tom, had ordered him online after he head my squeal with delight when I “found the perfect sheep” to represent my Shared Journey parent/coaching or “shepherding” practice.
Tom always embraced play and humor and encouraged me to write blogs. This sheep was the only thing he ever ordered online, which qualifies him as a special muse at TSJ. So when this immediately huggable sheep arrived, I named him Solomon after King Solomon of biblical fame who was the son of King David. Both were shepherds before becoming kings. Can you hear a shepherding theme coming through?
So Solomon, sits in my office reminding me about Psalm 23, a song written by King David “The Lord is my Shepherd….”
,
Come take a walk with me!
My vision for TSJ coaching is to shepherd hearts and minds to become encouraged, empowered, and equipped for travels through our valleys of hurts to vistas of hope.
Remember to sign up to receive free blog letters in your email. I hope they will inspire, guide, and empower you to carry on with faith and hope amid life’s challenges. I also hope you enjoy gleaning some “Wooly Wisdom” from them. A sheep’s wool has value but can get messy.
Wednesday'Wisdom
Solomon and I warmly invite you to become a TSJ subscriber. As a subscriber, you will receive blog posts – usually about once a month – as a Wednesday Wisdom or “Wooly Wisdom,” (especially if Solomon is in a light-hearted mood.) But remember, Solomon does not come without being invited. Wisdom seeks respect…not coercion or intrusion. And remember you can always unsubscribe with ease.