Hi! I'm Shannon

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A powerful lesson I learned during my coach certification training was how difficult it is for us to listen to the problems of someone we care about and not give advice and offer solutions.

 

It is uncomfortable for us to not help “fix” a struggling friend's problem.  Afterall, honourable friends help each other. 

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At Trust Your Own Wisdom we use the art of Creative Inquiry as an alternative way to help the people we care about. Whether it be in our One-to-One Coaching Sessions or Trust Your Own Wisdom Learning Circles, we believe you are the expert of your own life and allow you to stay centered as you move through and resolve your challenges.

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I learned about creative inquiry at work back in 2012, and I was blown away at the positive impact it had on me. What also stood out for me was the realization that this form of connection is rare in day-to-day life. Very seldom do we listen to our loved ones share an issue they have in their life, and follow up with a question. The truth is, creating a pause and asking a question, rather than launching into our own thoughts and advice, is a hard shift to make even when we are aware of it. This reality convinced me that this process was worth moving out of the boardroom and into our personal gatherings.

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So why now?  In 2020, I was diagnosed with hormone positive breast cancer.  I had emotional and social support from an incredible circle of professionals, family, friends, and colleagues. In addition, my gorgeous and powerful Mother-in-Law was going through a similar journey.  We were blessed to have one another to share the journey and be one another’s sounding boards.  But despite all this, I still experienced bouts of deep loneliness.

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In my journey, there were difficult decisions to consider at every turn and I longed for a circle grounded in trust and safety, to help me sort through it all. It was a lonely road sifting and sorting through information, while managing my emotions.  I wished that some of my loved ones knew the structure and process of a circle to hold space for me while I figured out my next right step.  But they couldn't, they don't know how.  

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If the people we cared about knew there was a different way to "help” us, I think they would want to learn it. This is my purpose at Trust Your Own Wisdom. I want to help you learn and practice the art of creative inquiry.

 

My experience says we have room to create more meaningful connection and purposeful presence together.  My offering is to convene and facilitate learning circles for you and your closest friends and family, and help you practice together.  My dream is that these practices will become common in our day to day lives. So, when you are going through a tough spot, you can call your inner circle together and, through creative inquiry, sort it out in a trusting supportive space.