SAMIA: That is so amazing, because you're so right... if you don't have the visibility then you can't make the difference that you want. And if you're struggling to get more visibility then, you know, business doesn't feel so fun and easy.

SAMIA: Yes. Oh my gosh, I thought one of the posts that you made on your Facebook profile talking about this, that when you first started out you were signing up for like five different webinar trainings, like, almost every day. And actually I don't think I did five a day, but I was in a similar situation where I was doing one or two new trainings every day and signing up for so many different things. And it can just feel so overwhelming. But you said really, something brilliant, about going... what that made you realize about just how we have a lot of choice and we get to choose. And it can be frightening, but it's also very empowering.

SARA: Yeah! Yeah it is. And I think everyone is unique, and what our preferences are should always come into our business. So as I say, if you like being visible and you're super confident on the camera then brilliant, use that as your method. But if you don't, then don’t not share your message because you don't feel confident… There is a way, there's always a way. And it starts with you and feeling that you've got that to share and having that confidence within yourself... because yeah, you can waste so many hours. And I did. I used to just consume content and assume that I'd find the answers. But actually the answers were always in me.

SAMIA: Yes. I do... I must say I'm a little bit nerdy. I love consuming content just for education. It's so fun to learn, but ultimately you have to stop at some point and just look within... like you said. Actually, the answers are right there.

SARA: They are... but yeah, no, you're right there's a line, isn’t there? Thought provoking, getting yourself into being imaginative, getting inspiration... that's all really, really, valuable. But just learning and not implementing, or just learning and not taking action, just learning and implementing actually what isn't yours as well… I think too many times when we go down that route of, “I'll follow this formula”... it's not you. And eventually you'll get a friction. And I've seen it and I've experienced it. As soon as there's a friction in how you're trying to turn up, whether it be the words you're using, the message you're using, you can't sustain it. And it doesn't look authentic, it doesn't look like you.

SAMIA: Yes. And it's not fun and easy. And if there's that friction and it's disturbing your inner peace, I don't want that. Say, can you talk a little bit more about when you started your own business, did it help you to find inner peace?

SARA: Wouldn't it be amazing to say "Yes, immediately!"... it was just, it was a no. So initially, no. So my journey into my own business wasn't one of those that some people harbor a desire they have that almost calling to start something themselves and they've always dreamt of being an entrepreneur... I didn't have any of that. I was a corporate employee, through and through and through, and loved it I have to say. But the time came for me to leave a particular employer and I didn't know what I was going to do after. I had no plans. I used to go to interviews, maybe hoping I'd get the job but then of course not getting the job because that wasn't intended for me. I truly believe that now. So coaching found me through a friend's suggestion. She pointed out and sort of shone that mirror to me to say, "Everything you loved doing in your previous roles was coaching, that was the piece you really, lit you up, that was what kind of drove you to enjoy your role. So why not do that as your career?" So it didn't immediately feel like a comfy pair of shoes to put on because it was so alien to me. I didn't have a clue how to start, where to find my clients, what niche to go into. So it wasn't... it certainly, I wouldn't have said at any point in those early days, “Yes, the inner peace came”... But as soon as I did find my place in the world and who I was supposed to serve and how I was helping them and started to see the results that those I was helping were getting, then yes... the peace came. Because there was a relief, yes I am supposed to do this... And then with the relief came just an absolute contentment and fulfillment. So yes that continues now, but not at first.

SAMIA: Aww... thank you for sharing that so honestly, because I know for so many of us, again it's like part of the way that marketing is done you know... all the emphasis is on sharing the success that the different gurus have had, and makes you... and when you don't immediately have that kind of success that they're projecting and saying, "Oh I made thirty thousand dollars in my first month and got hundreds of clients"... And well, that's not how it happened for me and I'm struggling a lot and so then I'm like, "Am I doing something wrong, you know? Do I need to go back to consuming more training? Like, what's up with that?" It's very, very, not nice... and so thank you for sharing so honestly.

SARA: And I think that continues throughout your journey. I truly believe and I live by this that wherever you are right now is where you're supposed to be. So if you're not having that immediate success... and I don't necessarily believe all of these overnight successes... there's something else happening that either they're not conscious of, or they're not sharing. And actually you're where you need to be. So it might be that there's more learning, it might be there's more self-awareness you have to go through, it might be that you haven't found your niche quite yet, or your method of being visible... You're where you need to be at that moment in time. And being in that place of gratitude for exactly that, is so powerful. Because I think impatience comes in a lot. And exactly like you say, you read those posts and you go, “well, why isn't that happening for me yet? Where's my ten thousand dollars in a nanosecond? I should be there now!" And as soon as that starts to drive your decisions... impatience and lack, and... you're coming from a totally incorrect energetic place... as opposed to being thankful, being calm, being patient and trusting that it's coming.

SAMIA: Yeah, yeah, oh my gosh! You know what you are sharing right now that's so soulful. And I think it's reflective of the fact that you have a soul-led business which is something I love about you. Can you talk more about this idea of being a soul-led business and the ripple effects that you're able to see by having a soul-led business. <

SARA: I could talk all day about this Samia but let's answer the question. So for me having a soul-led business means being led exactly by your intuition. Now, if you'd asked me when I first started my business about intuition and running a business from a soul-led perspective, I would have laughed. Because I was so in a masculine environment, in a very masculine world and energy most of the time, very much a to-do list person, an action taker, very quick, quick, quick, quick! And to think that I would step into a place of allowing, and peace and harmony and calm, and still be able to have a successful business... did not seem possible to me. I didn't think the two could exist in the same energetic space at all. And it was only through my own journey of exploring myself, my preferences, my desires, my spirituality, and uncovering what that truly means for me, that I can then really start to make an impact on those people who then go on to serve... So the ripple effect for me, and it's very tangible, and it's very easy for me to see, that I serve female entrepreneurs who then go on to serve many others. So each one that they then serve, they're impacting another life or another two lives or another three lives another four lives... And they're making those people more fulfilled, they're happier, they're, whatever their niche is, they're then making an impact on that person, on that family... And then of course that goes on and on and on, doesn't it? So I could literally sit, and it probably goes into hundreds right now because of the people I serve and then who they're serving. And it feels... I can almost feel that warm glow when I think about that. And I'm so proud to be able to now say that. And when I worked in a corporation, you can never get that, never. A business is very transactional, it's all about the profit, it's all about the bottom line, the numbers, and all of that. Yes! It's enabling some people to pay their mortgages and pay their bills, but you can't even come close to that, that soulful impact.

SAMIA: Yeah, yeah, oh my gosh! This is something that I'm also very passionate about talking in terms of being soul-led businesses... because, you know like, one of the problems with the traditional business model, like, especially the bigger corporations that are not soul-led... and the vast majority of them are not even close to being soul-led, is that... whatever good they're doing, there's also so much harm that they're doing in terms of that, you know... oftentimes people don't even realize the environmental harm that they're doing whether it's in terms of, I mean just the very, like, I don't know... there's all kinds of little big things... you know the way you use your energy and you're not cognizant of it, or how much packaging and paper you use, and the products that you produce, or the way that you know your office culture is and the impact that it has... the waste that you create, or you know like how socially responsible are you being in terms of, let's say, giving equal pay for equal work, or you know, providing, you know, friendly policies and environments for example, for women to work in, where there isn't sexual harassment, where, you know, they're able to get time off that they need to take care of their children if they have children... You know, all those kinds of things. There's like so much damage that's going on. And we don't want to talk about it. We don't want to face up to it. Because we're like, "Oh no! They're doing this one good thing where they're creating jobs that allow people to pay their bills". But there's so much more! I mean life is not... happiness is not about... Life’s about so much more than just being able to pay your bills. And what would you say to those who believe money does not equate to happiness and true fulfillment?

SARA: And isn't it an interesting one that I think there are some that almost feel you can only have one or the other? You can't... so like, you can't be spiritual and still desire wealth, money doesn't buy happiness, and all of these sort of phrases that we have. But actually, I truly believe that money enhances... So if someone's a good person they're still going to be a good person. If they've got plenty of money and they're going to be able to do good things with that money because they're motivated as a good person to be good. The same will be... the same for the reverse. If someone has a negative element to them then that's likely to get exaggerated. And I think the beautiful thing of being able to exchange money, is energy between lots of different ways, is that it adds... it adds a commitment to everything, and it amplifies us. So you know, I always say to my clients, if you're looking to work with somebody and they're into mind... always try and take even a really small deposit from that person. Because it means energetically they've made a commitment. And it doesn't matter whether that commitment ends up being fulfilled in a month, two months, even six months time... they've made a commitment. Like if I put down a deposit... this perhaps isn't the greatest example now with global travel being in a strange position... but if I was to put a deposit down on a holiday, I'm going on that holiday. I've energetically committed to that holiday unless, you know, something really dramatic happens. And I think we amplify our energy by using money. And if we're able to make a difference to others, and that might be because we're providing employment, we're giving people other opportunities... You know it's not all about just giving your money away by a very long way. I'm not for a minute saying we should all desire to be wealthy to give it all away. Money makes life easier on a day-to-day basis. And you know I'm able to have people come in and help me in my home and they then get paid for doing that. So I'm making a difference to their lives, they're helping me, I'm helping them. So it doesn't have to be one or the other. I think money makes life easier for sure. It removes... it can remove stress. It can remove that feeling of lack. And once you're in a place of abundance it will just grow and grow and grow in every sense of your life. So if you're abundant in money, you feel more easily abundant in happiness, in love, in the relationships that you have. As opposed to being in lack in money, it can end up leading to you struggle with your relationships and your work's not enjoyable for you and it bleeds into all areas.

SAMIA: That is so true, that is so true. So how do you believe we can all play our part in making the world a happier place?

SARA: I think really, really recognizing that we do all have a part to play in that... that we're not, we're not isolated beings, are we? We are all connected, we are all energetically aligned in one way or another. And if we can... we can't influence everybody else and we can do what we can. So being there to support those around us... But actually being a 100 percent responsible for our own happiness, it has to start with us. And all too often you hear about things happening to someone and then something else happens, then something else happens. And we've all got those people in our lives that they seem to just attract like magnets kind of bad luck. And they've always got a dramatic story to tell you... Well, they've created that position for themselves. And then the reverse of that is those people that one must self-generate and radiate happiness and they seem to have more abundance in everything than they can possibly deal with themselves. Well, they've created that themselves as well. So starting... we can only start with ourselves. So if we start with ourselves we maintain our own... It was World Mental Health day recently, you know, doing what we need to do to maintain our own happiness, our own mental health, being open and available to talk with others about their mental health. As opposed to "Oh No, we don't talk about that", and shying away from it. It starts with us. And then again it's that ripple effect, you know... finding a way to share your happiness and knowing that it's not finite, you know. It's not going to run out. If you give away your happiness and share it, there is more. It's not my... I've got two boys, seven and nine. And they often ask me, "Who do you love more mommy?... Well, what if the love runs out?” And I'll say it's totally infinite. The love of God is just continuous, it's never going to run out, it doesn't disappear. And our happiness needs to be the same, doesn't it?

SAMIA: Yes! You just reminded me of the saying... I don't know if it's an English saying, or if I'm just translating it in my head from all the times I have heard it in my language... but it's this notion that sharing love, happiness... positive emotions of this sort... it multiplies them. And when you share your grief, or sadness, or anytime you're in difficulty and you share that with others, it actually reduces it.

SARA: Yes! I don't think there is a phrase. I can't think of a phrase in English like that. But I love that concept. And it's true, isn't it? You know, I think what we say in English is, "A problem shared is a problem halved". So that works. And there might be an extension to that beyond which leads into the happiness... But definitely a problem shared is a problem halved. It's very true, isn't it? I think we can create more of something the more we bottle it in. And whether or not it's finding a solution to a problem, another sort of thought is great for it. Or whether it is just sharing for getting it off your chest, then yeah, it's absolutely true. But then the same with the happiness you know. Now that we're not wearing masks nearly as often, we can smile at one another again. And I've really missed that. You know I'm a smiler and I love the challenge of how many people can I get to smile back at me today. And I don't travel very often on public transport. But you know if you do that, particularly in the UK in somewhere like London, nobody looks up… they all look down and they're very iced, you know, they're very blinkered. And I wasn't brought up like that. I smile and say hello to everybody. And I think they think I'm slightly strange by doing that, but it's sharing that happiness.

SAMIA: Yeah!

SARA: But if you smile at someone, most of the time they will smile back at you.

SAMIA: Yeah! That's so true, that is so true. You know, I must say, like, for a long time I didn't smile. I actually forgot how to smile... because I'm a trauma survivor and in the aftermath of the trauma I experienced I literally forgot to smile. And then when I started to find my happiness again and find my smile back, I was just so excited to be smiling all the time.

SARA: Yeah!

SAMIA: And yeah, sometimes people do give you, like, these weird looks... "Why are you so happy? You have to have a reason to be happy." And I'm like, “No, I'm just happy!"

SARA: Yeah, yeah. And that's the beautiful thing, isn't it? You know, it's almost childlike...if what, you know, they say... to worry is mostly concerned about something that hasn't happened and isn't going to happen and yet we consume ourselves with all these scenarios of well, this might happen, and then this, and then this... and we create this big thing around worry. And actually, the majority of the time, whatever it was, wasn't going to happen anyway. So centering yourself in this very moment and living in a very present state of mind can just mean that now most of us have got so much to smile about. And worrying about that they want this and then this and then this -- in that very moment if you're standing, you're breathing, you've got something to smile about in every situation if you're in that very, very, now mentality.

SAMIA: Yes! And you know, one thing that I have found, I was sharing this I think with you earlier and some other people earlier also... for our listeners, they will be aware... Or they, if you go on my actual podcast page where all my episodes are listed, you'll see this is actually a pretty new podcast. So I started just a few weeks ago. And my intention was that, you know, eventually, I would like... My goal was that I would invite other coaches, trainers and healers to do interviews. But just to get things going, get the bar rolling, I did the first few episodes on my own. And in the meantime, with lots and lots of enthusiasm, I started sending out literally hundreds of messages, sometimes hundreds of messages in a day to everyone that I could think of... that I could find any kind of connection with, and be like "Hey! Would you like to be on my show?" And I wasn't sure about, you know, what kind of a response I would get because most of those messages were going out to people that I didn't already have a relationship with. And by the grace of God, you know, I've been having such a positive response... like so many amazing coaches, trainers and healers have been getting back to me and we have been having a fabulous time. And I give a lot of that credit to just the fact that I'm in such a happy positive energy.

SARA: Yeah! I think there's a lot, there's a lot to be said for that. I think I've noticed that when I take care of myself and my energy, and I don't go slipping back into my old ways of just doing, doing, doing, and being very masculine dominated of getting things done… if I allow and I'm more peaceful with myself, that's when I can attract more and it feels much more... just comfortable. I know that these processes I can put in place in my business and I can work really hard and always do the hustle. But actually the clients that come through that route just haven't felt quite as aligned as the ones who find me because I know that my vibration is right and it matches with theirs.

SAMIA: Yes, I love that. So when we're talking about making change more fun and easy, talking about making business more fun and easy, serving people more fun and easy, it's so important to be in this higher vibration and find other people and work... prioritize... like really maybe even say, "You know what? I'm going to just choose to work with the people who help me, who are in synergy with me, and who are able to help me stay in this higher vibration and maybe grow even higher. And I won't work with the people who are pulling me down, even if they can give me some money in the moment, it's not, it's not worth it."

SARA: No! It's really not. And I've absolutely made that mistake in my past. And I think many will, if they're honest with themselves, say the same... that I've worked with people that actually now I would maybe even explore that conversation a little bit more. It's not to say they didn't get benefit because I'm not that kind of merciless. But it just didn't... there was... it was just something not right. And I think we should listen to that. And again it's that being very tuned in, being led by your soul, tuning into your intuition and acting on it without fear of... well, how can you even say that. I've actually been able to, even more, step into my power and listen to that over recent months by actually refusing to work with someone who approached me, asked to work with me... There wasn't any almost sort of sales process involved in the conversation at all. It was a no. She knew... she'd been following me, she absolutely wants to work with me. And it was clear that, as the conversation progressed, she'd worked with lots and lots of coaches in the past. And lots of them had in her view some quite serious shortcomings. They hadn't helped to do this and that person didn't do this for me and then I blamed this person for this... And I felt very, very, sort of blame victim energy from this person. And I was very honest and said, if though all of those people, some of which I knew were very respected coaches, if they can't help you then I can't either. It's not something that an external person can... And I just said "No, it's not for me". And as much as I want to help those that come, I want to be honest if I think I can or not. And like exactly like you say, I get so much from my clients in terms of the energy exchange, the learning, the way that I'm not lifted by the end of a session... It's a very emotional connection. And when they go it's like, they're proud parents and off they go and we celebrate and it's amazing. So, I want that to be right. And I've always said if it, you know, if I wouldn't spend time with somebody on a personal level, it's not right that I serve you because we need to connect.

SAMIA: Yeah, yeah. And, you know, I think on that note, I'm going to move us to wrap up the session for today. I loved so much talking with you Sara and I loved everything that you had to share and yeah... I will just encourage all of our listeners that please, if there's one takeaway that you're going to take away from today, heed this last bit of advice that Sara was giving about... make sure you're a good energetic match with the coaches, trainers, healers, or anyone... when you reach out for help, make sure you're a good energetic match with that person. And if you feel yourself in a good energetic match with Sara right now, reach out to her, she's so brilliant.

SARA: Yeah, I’m more than open to that.

SAMIA: Yeah! And if you feel you're in a good energetic match with me, reach out to me. I'll be also so happy to help and serve. And so with that Sara, any other last words that you have for us right now?

SARA: No... just for everybody to keep shining their light and doing their thing in as big a way as possible. If you have a purpose, if you're, if you feel you have a gift, you owe it to the world to share it, not to hide it. So be visible, be bigger, be seen and make your impact on the world.