Episode 29 - Second Act Success: How Shannon Russell Reinvented Her Career and Reclaimed Her Purpose
By Jessica Garrison
We’ve been paired with yet another incredible Podmatch guest, Shannon Russell. She showcases her positivity, ambitiousness, and adventurous side on her podcast, Second Act Success, and now she is here to share those traits with The F.E.E.L Podcast.
Shannon had a shift in her life after leaving her career of 16 years in TV to start a new business. Her passion is helping people, and she didn’t want anyone to be alone in their journey as she had been. It’s become the norm to hate your job, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Shannon wants to help people find what they can shift in their own lives to achieve their goals. The why and values piece means everything to Shannon. She says, “focus on the why and everything will fall into place.”
This also makes living out of your own expectations easier because you’re so focused on your why and your values that nothing else matters enough to deter you. Although there was initial shock from people in Shannon’s life, it wasn’t anything she wasn’t expecting. There’s no hesitation on her end when it comes to telling people what she does and what she wants. When you first hear this, it sounds a little jarring because who does that? Who just does what they want? It seems impossible, but it really isn’t. You can do whatever you want and live the life you want rather than what someone else expects of you—you just have to have the right attitude or headspace going into it.
Not everything may be right the first time you try it, and that’s okay, too. Shannon shares that she kept trying different things that didn’t feel quite right, but she wasn’t discouraged. She knew she would find the best fit for herself, so she kept working at it. Even something like stress can change for you when you get out of a job you hate into the job you love. We’ve discussed before that there are healthy stressors and unhealthy stressors, but Shannon found something that gives her a different kind of stress—a better kind of stress. It’s strange to think of “healthy stress,” but you’ll know it when you feel it.
Shannon is able to see her impact in the lives of others as well as in her own life. She may still be working on building her business further, but she is confident that she is in the right place. Things like this don’t happen overnight, but if you continue to work little by little, the results will appear eventually. The puzzle doesn’t come already built in the box. You have to find the pieces and fit them together yourself. Some are easy, some are difficult, and sometimes it takes a while, but the puzzle comes together eventually.
Listen to Shannon’s episode to hear more about the changes she’s made and how this has positively impacted her life. Allow her story to inspire you and remind you going into the new year that anything is possible. It’s your life, and it isn’t too late to start living it.
Ways to Engage: Use time you would be using to scroll on your phone to do something with more intention. If you’re watching a movie, don’t scroll on your phone and be present in the moment. If you’re out to dinner, leave your phone at home or in the car to really appreciate the time you have with yourself as well as with your loved ones.