19. Shannon Miles - Taking Ownership Of Your Life

“You can have it all. You simply have to know what ALL is for you.”

The surname Miles may be familiar, and because Shannon’s husband, Bryan was my guest in episode 11.

Shannon and Bryan co-founded Belay Solutions seven years ago. It’s a virtual company that offers self-motivated people the chance to create work (and life) on their terms. Shannon is an amazing role model and an inspiring leader. Working alongside Bryan, she’s built an incredible company, raised two beautiful kids, and has mastered her schedule so she can live life on her terms.

And in this podcast episode we dig into the thinking, mindset shifts, and decisions that enabled her to do that.

“The Third Option is about doing your work, but also allowing you to prioritize your family and your personal life in a way that you can’t in a traditional office environment.”

In this episode Shannon shares how her own life and upbringing became the triggers that inspired her to ‘never settle’. She also reveals the backstory behind Belay and how an accidental, part-time gig at a job she loved became the entire foundation for the company she now runs with Bryan.

We also get deep into the power of gratitude and how it’s become an intentional tool that allows her to motivate herself and her team, and inspire her children.

I loved chatting with Shannon. I love her passion for service and her commitment to inspire others to create a life that works for them - because she knows it’s possible.

So if you’re feeling frustrated that work has resulted in far too many compromises for you, listen into Shannon’s episode and discover more about an option that many people don’t realize exist, but one which could be perfect for you. 

“Gratitude is mindfulness taking action.”

Some questions I ask:

• You work with your husband. How was it deciding roles and figuring out how to make everything work with your own lives? (2:50)
• How do you start your day? What routines or practices do you follow to keep yourself rocking and rolling? (4:37)
• Tell us more about the story behind your new book. (14:40)
• What is the Third Option? (18:49)
• How do you rewire your brain to make the 3rd choice feel possible - that you really can have everything you want? (21:08)
• How hard was it to start working virtually? How did you motivate yourself? (24:20)
• How do you balance work-related with your personal goals? (29:40)
• What do you think about sharing your intentions with others. How does that work as a practice? (33:20)
• How did you develop such a sense of ownership for your own life? (36:29)
• How do you stay grounded on a daily basis? (42:55)

In this episode, you will hear about:

• How Shannon started out with Belay. (0:56)
• The critical role gratitude plays in Shannon’s life - and the practice she pairs with it to help frame her day. (7:07)
• The 2-minute team email that transformed a stressful situation and showed leadership from Shannon. (12:27)
• Shannon’s new tactic for this year that’s inspiring her weekly planning, daily task management, and an ongoing feeling of accomplishment. (26:56)
• The value of transparency and how it influences her life and work. (33:30)
• How Shannon’s upbringing inspired ownership and helped her shaped her own path. (37:11)
• Shannon’s tip for not taking on other people’s challenges - so they can own them instead. (40:20)
• The backstory behind Shannon’s new book and why she’s inspired by the stories of other people’s third option choices.

How to contact Shannon

• Check out Shannon at www.mythirdoption.com
• Follow Shannon on Instagram - ShannonKMiles

And if you liked this episode of the Stay Grounded podcast, be sure to subscribe and leave a quick review. It would mean the world to hear your feedback and to help us spread the word. 

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