Meet Life Coach and Author... Shannon Wooten
Jul 29, 2019
I had the absolutely joy of interviewing one of the strongest, forthright, and interesting women this week; the incredible Shannon Wooten.
About Shannon:
Shannon Wooten is a life coach, writer, and author of the book, Infertility Sucks, You Don’t!
The following is our interview. My Questions in BOLD her answers to follow.
What kind of work do you do?
- I am an advocate for your healed struggle, and a visionary that will help you lead your life in a way that allows you to stop feeling held back and start living liberated. It is my focus is to bring the power of you to the surface. It is to reunite you with and help you access the natural energy, your innate power, that is inside and begging to get out.
- I help the high powered, yet highly sensitive, and creative person, push through thoughts of fear and confusion to access their potential, find focus, and get shit done.
What inspired you to get started?
- In a word, Ella. Ella is my niece. After struggling through an infertility depression for 4+ years, and navigating thoughts of suicide and self-deprecation, I had lost myself. I went from being a Free Spirit to utterly isolated and completely lost. Initially, I blamed losing myself on infertility, but through Coaching, and self-development, I realized that it was years of unresolved anger; resentment, loneliness and lack of confidence that had compounded overtime and were undeniably triggered by this 1 event. I decided to speak out on struggle. I felt a need to normalize the human experience. I was compelled to use who I knew myself to be at my core – a strong, opinionated, learned, loving, and excited about life woman – to pull down the veil of ‘normalcy’ or the trend of ‘positive vibes only’ to illustrate the truth of life. That sometimes life isn’t a bouquet of fucking roses. I did it not only for me, and the liberation of the parts of me that felt neglected and wrong, but for Ella and people everywhere. I did it because I don’t want her or anyone who struggles or has a life altering experience to feel alone, wrong, or like a leper. I did it because struggle can lead to growth and to experience it isn’t negative or taboo. I did it to change the stigma that we need to hide in the hard moments and shine in the great ones. I did it, because during our struggle, it’s what I needed and I couldn’t seem to find it. I did it because if I needed to. I did it because it felt like I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least do something to make different for others what I had wanted for myself.
What was your biggest struggle to get things going?
- Self Confidence. I judged myself before anyone had the opportunity to judge me. Before I did anything, mentally, I was always 10-steps ahead criticizing and trying to predict the outcome. My lack of self-confidence was a hindrance not only to my self-esteem but my creativity, and as a result, productivity.
- I had to make amends with who I had been up to that point in my life, to create space for the woman who would take my purpose to the next level. It took a lot of work and many years to come to terms with the woman I was destine to be, and I am is unashamed to share that while working towards that, I lived in the gutter of struggle, felt the pain of a dying self-confidence, and nearly lost who I was. Through commitment to myself, my purpose, and life, I have rediscovered joy and emerged again, a dedicated and empowered woman who believes you are not lost and that you can find you, and your joy, again, too.
Was there a time you thought about giving up? What kept you from quitting?
- Of course. I’ll never forget the 1st Facebook LIVE I did sharing our story of infertility. Following the LIVE, I received a derogatory review about my opinions, how I talked, and what the viewer thought I wasn’t doing to help myself. I was shattered.
- I didn’t give up because at the time I was going through Life Coaching School, which was encouraging me and showing me how to take ownership of myself. I allowed the negative feedback to impact me for a few days, but during that time I was also giving thought to my larger purpose, which I discovered is helping humans own their voice. Through that discovery, I remember thinking, “How am I modeling my purpose if in receiving someone else owning their voice I turn-off mine?” In that moment, I learned the tremendous importance autonomy plays, not only in harnessing self-confidence, but also in honoring purpose.
What have you learned since beginning?
- We are all born with self-confidence, but it is up to each of us to understand what supports it foundationally from within. It is a process of growth, plus trial and error, that leads us to loving who we are and standing for it. It’s not in pretending or convincing. It is in being full on, without limitation, YOU. It is not contrived in any way. It’s not given to you or from validation. Confidence isn’t something you ‘get’. It is something you groom. It is something that is grown. Something that is fostered and requires love and courage, because it is rooted so deeply within each of us. To garner confidence, we must 1st understand who we are at our core.
- Some people will love you and others will hate you. Don’t let either of those things go to your head.
- May those who love us, love us, and those who don't, may God turn their hearts, and if He doesn't turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles so we'll know them by their limping. – Irish Blessing
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
- Say what you mean and mean what you say.
- Don’t be a punk.
What advice would you give someone just starting out?
- It’s NOT about you. It’s about heart (your heart connecting to another).
- Don’t Compare Yourself to Anyone. Keep your eyes on your own paper & let you heart lead you.
What’s the professional win you’re most proud of?
- Currently, it is publishing my 1st book!
Is there a book you’d recommend to help with success and personal development?
- As an author this is hard, but “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” - Stephen Covey
Do you have a routine that you attest to your success? If yes, what is it?
- As a writer and communicator, my routine is ALWAYS BE WRITING.
- I find that when we are creative and communicative beings, that it’s important to remember to build your craft needs. Think of it like working-out, you break muscle to build muscle. Meaning, you workout to stay fit, lean, cut, built, etc.
- I am always writing. If it’s not writing for purpose, than it is journaling to be introspective, integrative, & constantly exploring my thoughts and feelings. In order to Coach and write, I need to be able to listen and learn, as well as articulate what I am experiencing or privy to. Therefore, writing for myself or for self-discovery does both those things. It allows me to not only share, but internally investigate, hear, and connect to myself, so that I can continue to do what I love as a writer and Coach, which is connect to other people.
How has social media played a factor in your success?
- Either you’re speaking or writing on social media, and it works out for me, because doing both helps me to continue to refine my craft as a Coach and writer.
- It has granted me much more exposure than I would have ever had sitting at home. It has allowed me to work with, connect to, and form relationships with people I don’t think I would have had the opportunity to before. Social Media has opened a universal doorway that allows me to work and connect to people on a massive scale.
What are the biggest social media mistakes you see commonly made?
- Fake it till you make it. Underestimating the intellect and perceptivity of your audience is a gross mistake.
- It does NOT matter if you’re running a business online. Salesy behavior and scare tactics are not sustainable. Plus, they suck the life out of you. Stay true to yourself. Operate from your own moral code. Show-up in ways that look and feel like you, because faking it while it seems like it is only exhausting to you, is also tiresome for other people to watch and thus, becomes very difficult to connect to.
- Be Yourself!
What is the business tool that’s been most helpful?
- PayPal – having a platform with which to easily set-up 1x payments, as well as ongoing subscriptions, is AMAZING and EASY!
- Thank you, PayPal!
Is there something you wish everyone knew?
- You do not need to spend your ENTIRE LIFE on Social Media to be successful.
What’s coming up for you in the next few months?
- I’m co-authoring a book about Infertility.
- I will launch new ways for all incomes to work with me.
- I’ve created new program bundles.
- I’m a guest Coach in the SHE Summt.
- I will launch NEW Coach collaboration programs.
What has being successful taught you?
- Gratitude can bring you to tears. Gratitude can teach you empathy and compassion. Gratitude can reinforce courage and confidence. Gratitude is a doorway to integration. Gratitude is the key to my creativity.
What are some fun facts about you?
- Tinkerbell is my home girl.
- I’m an adrenaline junky.
- Eating is my favorite activity.
- I cry all the time and am a highly sensitive person.
- Staying focused is something I work at everyday – shiny object!
- I am a proficient and successful Project Manager and have been for over 6+ years. Yes. I am a successful Entrepreneur with a FT J-O-B.
- I’m a natural red head.
- I am TERRIFIED of bugs.
- I used to think people with tattoo’s were scary and in a gang.
- I have OCD music listening behavior – meaning I’ll listen to a song ½ way through & change it, unless I know all the words. In which case, I’ll sing my behind off.
*Some clickable media, usually the book recommendations, are affiliate links, and should you choose to buy through using those links then The Infinite Power of You Inc. may earn an affiliate payout commission. This is at no additional expense to you, and helps keep this blog going.
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