A Note from Michelle

Ooh, this is a good time to just stop for a moment and listen inward… Can you feel that energy in your chest or throat? Or throughout the core of your body? 

Maybe it tingles in your hands and makes your heart flutter. 

This is when you know that glimmer within you has turned up the volume on your calling. There’s a sense that “This is mine – this invitation to serve. This is mine to do, say, be…”

You aren’t asking yourself whether or not to answer that call anymore. You already know that you are on a path to live into this message or truth within you.

Yet, you may not know what the message, or the work is…  or what it’s going to look like, what form all of this will take.

This is perfect. This is what the Spark phase is all about.

During this time on your leadership journey, give yourself as much fuel and energy toward learning what it is you want to say, do and be. 

There are many resources, free and otherwise, they can help you start to get clear on your message and mission. 

In fact, if you don’t have it already, this is a great time to download my book Beyond Applause: Make a Meaningful Difference through Transformational Speaking. Even if you aren’t sure that you want to get on stages, you will find excellent guidance on clarifying your message and your mission inside the book. There is a free very short course that supports the book that you’ll have immediate access to as well. 

You may be filled with questions like:

          What should my message be?

          Who should I serve? 

          Am I really going to be able to do this?

         Who do I think I am?

If you’re having any of those thoughts, you are so not alone. I remember them well, and I hear them all the time in our membership, Made for This Collective.

These are good questions to ask, actually. Because some of the work of this phase is getting your brain on board. But don’t expect it to stay on board all the time :-), that’s just not how our brains work.

In my book and the course that comes with the free digital version, I share an exercise called Your Rooftop Message. It’s a great place to start answering the questions above.

As you move to the later part of the Spark stage, I highly recommend that you search for and find places you can show up and share your message while practicing and exploring the finer details of what you want to say. Guesting on podcasts, writing articles, creating your own blog,… These are all places that allow you to practice sharing your message that are fluid enough for you to learn and grow and refine the way you talk about your work in the world.

Don’t be afraid to take a stand at this stage. I just want you to also recognize that your stand may shift and evolve more than you wanted to, and that is a perfectly natural part of the spark face

And, of course, joining us inside my monthly membership Made for This Collective will give you lots of support and camaraderie. I’d love to help you clarify your mission, message and your audience inside of our collective – and we’d all love to cheer you on and support you as you show up and shine!