Sessions With Sheryl

How often do you experience moments when you are too tired to think? How often do you experience any of these signs that you need to take a mental break? Check out the latest Substack exploring how to take time to mentally rest. (link in comments)

"You are allowed to take up space. You are allowed to stretch your arms out and feel no shame in existing."

Do you allow yourself to take up space?
Society has made it difficult for many of us to take up space.
The many isms of race, s*x, age, economic class have attempted to dictate personal space.
A larger society often tries to keep one's space small.
As we've been forced to be small, often our desire is to stay small.

We can forget we have every right to take up as much space as someone else.

At exactly Five Feet tall, I I've lived with others easily ignoring me by reaching over me, around me and often pushing in front of me.
These events have helped me learn to claim my space in a world that could easily over look me. (Most people want to argue with me that I'm taller than I am.)

Throughout my career I've worked with women who:
-Acknowledged they slumped because they had been made fun of for being taller than everyone else and all they wanted to do was "fit in."
- Attempted to fade into the crowd and not be noticed because they were told they took up too much space due to their weight.
-Kept silent as they lived in a family where they couldn't be heard amongst the other voices.
- Were regularly overlooked because of their petite stature.
-Were afraid to speak up around others as they felt they did not know as much as others.

Many of us are shrinking and staying small due to our own personal thoughts and fears and we can forget we have every right to take up as much space as someone else.

Today I encourage you to consider if you are truly taking up your space in this world.

Begin to test how it feels to claim the space in your life that belongs to you.
- Stand Up
- Speak Out
- Show Up and Remind The World You Are Here.

For more on this post, check out my latest Substack article, link in comments.

We speak to ourselves all of the time and are likely not aware of our thoughts.

Affirmations are not magic statements but when focused upon, they can assist in rewiring our negative thoughts.

How we think is a skill and it IS possible to change our thought patterns. My most popular recorded online class is 50% using the code TALK. Link in comments.

Which affirmation do you need most today?

Have you felt any of these lately?

Our sensory system is continuously taking in information, even when we are not aware of it. Our bodies inform us when we are sensory fatigued but we must become aware of the signs.

Next time you experience one of these symptoms take a step back and consider how you might be overwhelmed from a sensory perspective.

This week I'm talking about the importance of sensory rest in our lives. Follow along and read my latest substack for more information. (link in comments)

Take a moment to consider the last time you felt calm, grounded, and peaceful.

From the moment we wake up, our nervous systems are on over drive. We are overwhelmed. And most of us don't even realize how much.

In today's Substack, I'm exploring how to know you have sensory fatigue and easy ways to begin allowing yourself to rest. (Link in comments).

Not to brag, but I've always done well with my outdoor flowers. I know which ones thrive where, and what they need to flourish.

That is... until this year.

I planted extra marigolds in a pot next to my Stella day lilies. Bright blooms, beautiful pairing. And it worked... at first.

Then the blooms disappeared. The plants stayed green and healthy, but no new buds came. I figured they'd bloom again eventually. (I waited way longer than I should have.)

Turns out our tree had grown enough to keep them in the shade. Enough light to survive, not enough to grow.

When I finally repotted them, their roots were healthy — they just hadn't grown much since I first planted them. I found them a new spot with real sunshine, and within weeks, tiny buds started coming back.

It struck me how much we're like those flowers.

We stay in jobs, relationships, routines that keep us existing but not flourishing. We stay out of obligation, or because it's familiar, or because change feels like too much.

Repotting yourself takes courage.

So today: look at the container of your life. Are you getting what you need? Do you have room to grow?

If you're not blooming, don't be too quick to blame yourself.

Sometimes it's not the flower.
Sometimes it's the container.

PS: As a reminder that renewal takes time, it has been two weeks since the plants were repotted and the buds are slowly appearing. (Don't give up on yourself.)

Yes, It's Tuesday - but
Do you feel like you make t to Wednesday... barely?

You're not alone. Wednesday is where the week either clicks into place or completely unravels — and most of us are white-knuckling it by noon.

That's why I created The Renovation Minute.

Every Wednesday I land in your inbox with one small reframe to help you breathe, reset, and keep going. No fluff. Just a minute that actually helps.

Want in? Link in the comments to subscribe.

One day.

That's all it takes.
One conversation.�
One phone call.�
One diagnosis.�
One opportunity.�
One loss.�
One decision.

Today reminds me that a single day can change the trajectory of our lives forever.

Some changes are ones we celebrate.
Others are ones we never would have chosen.

Years ago, today became one of those life-changing days for me.

I've learned that while we don't get to choose every moment that changes us, we do get to choose what we do with it.

Our hardest days don't have to define us by our pain.
They can shape us through our purpose.

Because sometimes the day that changes everything... also becomes the day that leads you exactly where you were meant to go.

History reminds us that one day can change a nation.
Life reminds us that one day can change a person

We can't always choose the moments that change our lives.�But we can choose what we allow those moments to create within us.

The hardest chapters don't have to become the whole story.

Happy Fourth of July. May today remind you to appreciate the journey that has brought you here.

**My out-of-office message is more than an auto-reply—it's a reminder.**

A reminder that rest isn't something we have to earn.

That taking a break doesn't mean we're falling behind.

That stepping away allows us to return with more clarity, creativity, and energy.

Whether it's a long weekend, a vacation, or simply an evening when you silence your notifications, giving yourself permission to disconnect is one of the healthiest boundaries you can set.

You don't have to apologize for taking time off.

You don't have to explain why you're unavailable.

You simply get to be human.

As someone who talks often about burnout, I believe our out-of-office messages can model something important: that caring for ourselves isn't a luxury—it's part of living well.

So here's your gentle reminder:
Take the trip.
Close the laptop.
Silence the notifications.
Be fully present with the people and moments that matter most.

Your work will be there when you return.

Which of these would work for you?

Halfway through 2026.

It’s easy to focus on everything you haven’t done yet this year.

Instead, take a moment to notice how you’ve grown.

Maybe you’ve learned to set boundaries.
Maybe you’ve found the courage to let something go.
Maybe you’ve chosen rest over constantly pushing yourself.
Maybe you’ve simply made it through a season you never expected to face.

Growth isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s quiet, steady, and deeply personal.

The halfway point of the year isn’t a deadline—it’s an invitation to pause, reflect, and realign with what matters most.

So instead of asking, “Am I behind?” ask yourself, “Who am I becoming?”

I’d love to hear from you: What’s one thing the first half of 2026 has taught you?