Design Your Life, On Purpose!

. . . an Unmuted conversation with Rachel Drunkenmiller. The confident, sing from the stage, highly-sought after person you see now is NOT how Rachel started out. She was a timid, reserved over-achiever who worked hard to meet people's expectations. As is often the case, living to gain the approval of others AND with a fear of being oneself often comes at a cost. In this interview you'll hear about how Rachel ended up physically ill while at the same time was getting accolades for teaching wellness. (The irony was not lost on her.) She also discovered that hiding (in this case her beautiful voice and a desire to sing) was adding insult to injury. This interview is packed with "let me rewind that and hear that again" moments. It's a little over an hour so put on your shoes and go for a long walk or clean out that cluttered closet while you take in every single nugget in this powerful podcast. To learn more or connect with Cheri Honeycutt for a consultation go to www.cherihoneycutt.com. To learn how to connect with Rachell or read the imperfect transcript go to https://www.cherihoneycutt.com/rachel-drunkenmiller Remember, you will not accidentally live your ideal life. It takes intentional thoughts, deliberate attention to your feelings and taking inspired action . . . what I call living your life On Purpose!

Are you one that quickly jumps to "good" feelings rather than sit in the uncomfortable "bad" feelings. Do you feel bad about yourself if you're not positive all of the time? Have you bought the line "thoughts become things" so much that you worry that an off day can cause your life to come crashing down? If you resonate with any of these questions, then this podcast for you. On it Cheri shares her ideas about our proclivity to spiritually by-pass the "hard" stuff and the cost of toxic positivity. She talks about how, when we do this, we are actually creating more of what we don't want. In fact, she proposes that embracing the truth of our emotions is the ticket to more of the good stuff we crave. She share ways to welcome the full experience of emotions and how to top just trying to feel good all of the time. She shares powerful yet simple technique she learned from one of her coaches Joy Kingsborough. Enjoy!

Have you ever had something happen in your life that brought you to your knees? Something that, if you'd been in a restaurant, you'd have sent it back saying, "Excuse me. This is not what I ordered!" In this episode, Cheri talks about a health "crisis" that rocked her world. Or rather, in the past it would have taken her out! But instead, she found that she was RESOURCED! What does that mean? She found that she had the tools to handle it WAYYYY better than ever before. How, you might ask? Because years of being coached! Listen in and discover why you need a coach and how it truly is an investment in yourself!

One of the biggest mistakes we can make in pursuit of our best lives is to be reasonable. In fact, letting our brains run the show will often have us stopping short of taking the inspired action that's necessary to have what we want. In the episode, Cheri helps you see where you might be short-changing yourself by letting reason take over. She's not advocating your throw reason out the window, rather realize that we often use reasons as an excuse to stay put and continue to live on default. To connect with Cheri Honeycutt for a consultation, click here or go to www.cherihoneycutt.com. Remember, you will not accidentally live your ideal life. It takes intentional thoughts, deliberate attention to your feelings and taking inspired action . . . what I call living your life On Purpose!

Is this you? Do you have anxiety you can't put your finger on? Are you procrastinating? Maybe you're drinking one too many glasses of wine every night? Are you too scared to look at your finances? Or maybe you're stuck in a job that's killing you one looooong day at a time? So, how do you find the inner mojo to get unstuck? In this podcast, Cheri helps you do just that. Using basic feng shui principles, she helps you focus on doing ONE THING that will shift your life immediately. She proposes you move some "stuff" in your external space so you can get things moving in your inner life. It's your inner self that's got to make the shift so you'll finally do what needs to be done or stop doing those behaviors that are bringing you down. But how do we shift our inner life? By shifting our outer life!

. . . a Power-Full Conversation with Dr. Cynthia Ackrill Dr Cindi Ackrill found herself, as a young doctor and parent, knee deep in a stressful life, not knowing what to do or where to turn. She found herself improperly resources and knew that this WOULD NOT DO! As as result, she dove head first into the new and evolving data about stress and made it her mission to do her part to deal with the epidemic of stress, burnout and overwhelm. In this interview she shares insights that aren't too "science-y", but rather are down-to-earth and practical. She speaks of realistic expectations, cultivating self-compassion and so much more. No doubt, you will come away from listening to this with new insights about your stress and what you can do TODAY to deal with it. To connect with Cheri Honeycutt for a consultation, click here or go to www.cherihoneycutt.com. To learn how to connect with Dr Ackrill or read the imperfect transcript, click here go to https://www.cherihoneycutt.com/cynthia-ackrill. Remember, you will not accidentally live your ideal life. It takes intentional thoughts, deliberate attention to your feelings and taking inspired action . . . what I call living your life On Purpose!

. . .A Delicious Conversation with Betsy Crouch Sometimes designing your life begins by accepting that the life you're currently living NOT the one you want. In this interview with Leadership Expert Betsy Crouch, she shares her personal experience of coming to grips with the fact that she was not happy (despite living what others would call a successful life.) She shares the painful realization that she had to come out to herself and others and then make intentional changes to be truly happy. Her story is profound and an inspiration for all of us who desire to love ourselves and be deeply satisfied with our life. transcript of this interview at To connect with Cheri Honeycutt for a consultation, click here or go to www.cherihoneycutt.com. To learn how to connect with Betsy Crouch or read the imperfect transcript, click here go to https://www.cherihoneycutt.com/betsy-crouch. Remember, you will not accidentally live your ideal life. It takes intentional thoughts, deliberate attention to your feelings and taking inspired action . . . what I call living your life On Purpose!

Are you sticking your head in the sand trying hard NOT to see something that's begging for your attention? Are you denying part of yourself, your desires, your own happiness because you're afraid of change? Are you actually LYING to yourself, pretending you're happy and fulfilled when you know there is something better or more fulfilling out there for you if you could find the courage to step into it? This podcast is an invitation to stop ignoring the signs and nudges and hints we get that tell us SOMETHING needs to change. It validates that it's often hard to admit we're not happy. Most importantly, this episode but gives you the push you need to pay attention to the signs that change, be they small changes or big changes, need to happen for you to be in alignment with what you really want. Resources for you! Download the 90-Day Absolute Yes List. A simple but incredibly helpful to help you get clear on where to put your valuable energy. Join the "Design Your Life on Purpose" Facebook Group and hang out with others who are not settling but rather are designing their life On Purpose. Wanna go deeper and see how Cheri can help you? Schedule a no-cost Discovery session!

Why can't you design and live the life you truly want?  Why do you bury your desire, believing you can't “go for it”? In this podcast, I ask you probing questions to help you acknowledge and then tape over the negative, debilitating thoughts and feelings that play in the background of your mind to keep your desires at bay.  You'll learn techniques to reprogram yourself with new messages that reminds you that you can go for whatever the heck you want to!

Our beliefs are the root of our reality.  This is hard to believe some days because there is so much outside of ourselves which seems to have the final say in whether we are living the life we want.  But we can't let the weirdness that is all around us (and yes, it's mighty weird . . . even excruciatingly hard right now) run the show.  We still can be in the driver's seat.  No, we don't GET to be in the driver's seat, we MUST take that position. In this podcast, Cheri helps you get a handle on the amount of control you can and should have in creating the life you want.  Stop acquiescing to circumstances outside of yourself because they will ALWAYS be there.  Rather, step up RIGHT NOW so you can round out this crazy year on your terms!!!* Link to the "You are Safe" meditation.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if all we had to do to change was to wish it into being?  But that's not how it works.  Real change happens on the micro-level, as we make tiny shifts in our thoughts, feelings and behaviors.Because transformation happens so slowly, those of us who desire a change must navigate the tension between setting our sites on our goals and enduring the inevitable wait that must happen as we live our life on purpose. How do we stay focused and fired up when transformation takes so long?  Cheri offers four concrete strategies for staying the course.

You are the sum total of the people you hang out with the most.  On this podcast Cheri talks about the importance of cultivating your tribe because your tribe directly affects your vibe!  Who you hang out with the most will determine whether you have the results you want or not.  She helps you choose your tribe on purpose.

What does it take to live your life on purpose, rather than live your life by default?  In this podcast, Cheri begins to answer this important question and gives you powerful strategies for creating and living the life you most want to live. She shares three key characteristics of a person who lives on purpose; 1) they intentionally choose their thoughts, feelings and actions 2) they take 100% responsibility or everything in their life and 3) they know they always have a choice. Living the life you've always intended requires you pull out a map, consciously decide your desired destination, then firmly take the wheel!

What if what you need right now is right in front of you and you can't see it?  What if you leaned into and re-engaged with something in your life in a new way and found the mo-jo and moxie you're craving. What if, like Dorothy, you're wearing your magical slippers right now and all you have to do is notice them and start walking, baby?In this podcast, Cheri shares how fixing a broken bookshelf brought her face to face with exactly what she was looking for.  By finally doing something that needed to be done, she unearthed the energy and genius she was craving.  This podcast will ignite you to do the same thing!

To call this an intense time would be an understatement!  We are in the midst of a pandemic that has taken over 100,000 lives to date.  Add to that, people are vehemently calling out systemic racism and calling for equality. We are watching police violence, protest of that violence.  Emotional and intense times for sure! In this challenging time, we have the opportunity for immense change. . . much needed change.  So how do we allow that change to happen?In this podcast, Cheri doesn't speak to the specific issues, rather she speaks to a key ingredient for fostering and allowing any kind of permanent change.  This key step is to sit in the murkiness and the discomfort.  To be willing and able to be uncomfortable.  To resist the urge to reach for easy answers but rather remain in the difficult and awkward place between identifying the problem and finding lasting solutions.

In this podcast, Cheri talks about healthy detachment and equanimity; two strategies for staying calm when life comes unhinged, like during a pandemic! She discusses how to be intentionally untethered to things which happen you have no control over. Ways to remain unruffled and at peace in these crazy times.

What do we do when we're thrown a curve ball?  How to we stay in control when things blow up in our face? How do we stay in the driver's seat when a crisis grabs the wheel and takes us way off course?That's definitely what many of us are asking as the coronavirus sweeps around the globe, were are all sheltering in place and we're not sure when or if things will ever get back to normal.So, what DO we do?  That's the topic of this podcast, not the Covid-19 specifically, but rather about how to navigate a crisis.I share with you what I believe to be the key for staying in control when things are out of your control.

We all get confused from time to time and it can be MADDENING!  We want answers and we want ‘em now! But what do we do when the answers aren't coming?  What do we do when we don't know what to do???In this podcast, I share with you my own struggles with confusion and lack of clarity. I share what I've learned as a doer who can't “act” my way to new answers.  I talk about how to stop making lists and instead simply listen. How to stop forcing actions and instead try waiting.  How to stop forcing things to happen but rather allow them to unfold.

Do you ever put things off because they seem too hard, to scary, too mundane or not very sexy?  I do!  But I also know that living the life I want REQUIRES that sometimes I do those hard-to-do things!In this podcast I share with you a secret for tackling those pull-your-hair-out tasks so you can move on with the rest of your delicious life.  I call these Power Hours.Listen and learn how to lean into the power of your community and support one another to Get Sh*t Done!

We all make mistakes, am I right?  But are you someone who won't let your flub-ups go?  Do you continue to flog yourself and beat yourself up for your mistakes? In this podcast, I confess to some bone-headed moves I've made lately which reminded me of the need for and power of self-compassion.  I share with you some of the wisdom of self-compassion expert Dr. Kristen Neff and the power of clearing the mental clutter caused by holding onto mistakes you've made. Holding on to things that you've done in the past with criticism is definitely clutter, and this podcast will help you Let. It. Go!

We want what we want.  I don't know about you, but I get frustrated when the things I want don't come to me in a timely manner.  Are you like me, and have times where you do "everything" you think you're supposed to do, but what you want alludes you?  Or are you also like me and sometimes just wish things would show up with little to no effort on your part?In this podcast, I talk about the frustration we can feel when our desires and/or our efforts don't produce the results we want in the time we think it should.  I talk about how to keep from giving up when your desired outcome is elusive.  More importantly, I talk about finding that sweet spot . . . the one where you enthusiastically show up to the task at hand while simultaneously understanding that the timing may not be in your control.  Like the Amish saying goes, this podcast is about how to Pray and Move Your Feet.

Wouldn't it be nice if there were a simple recipe that insured you got everything you wanted?  Unfortunately, there isn't. However, I think I've figured out seven ingredients, that when practiced and fully stepped into, bring you closer to your ideal life than you ever imagined. I've observed and learned through my own trial and error, that there are seven necessary actions and mindsets we have to take to live the life that is truly fulfilling.  To live a life that is More Happy and Less Crappy.In this follow-up to Episode 20 of "A Well-Designed Life", I give you the final three ingredients in my recipe for living your ideal life; #5: Being willing to let go of the things in your life that are not working, #6: deliberating creating tension to create the sweet spot and finally, #7: embracing the mysteries of life.

Wouldn't it be nice if there were a simple recipe that insured you got everything you wanted?  Unfortunately, there isn't. However, I think I've figured out seven ingredients, that when practiced and fully stepped into, bring you closer to your ideal life than you ever imagined. I've observed and learned through my own trial and error, that there are seven necessary actions and mindsets we have to take to live the life that is truly fulfilling.  To live a life that is More Happy and Less Crappy.In this episode of A Well-Designed Life I introduce you to the first four of the seven: To take 100% responsibility, to know what you want, to know why you want it and to declare without apology that you deserve it.

Do you squish together a lot of crumbs and pretend it's a whole cookie?  Do you continue to accept less than you want AND then lie about it . . . pretending that what you have is JUST FINE . . . never really getting what you want?In this podcast, Cheri talks about this phenomenon of accepting a life that doesn't make the mark.  She talks about how she finally realized this pattern in her own life when she could see all of the many time and situations where she was wiling to settle for far less than she wanted.  Worse yet, she would lie to herself.  She was squishing together those crumbs and hoping so much to make them into a cookie.    But when she finally uncovered and accepted this harmful pattern, her life turned around.Listen and see if Cheri can help you ferret out situations where you are accepting far less than you want and deserve.  Listen and realize you can have the whole cookie!

The holidays can be a stressful time.  For many it can be an over-stuffed calendar and a mega-to-do list.  For others the holidays it may be intense feeling of grief or loneliness that haunts us.  For most, we tend to raise the bar super-hero high which means we spend our time planning and doing and less time enjoying and savoring. So how do we stay present and not get hijacked by reliving the past or constantly thinking about the future.  How do we stay in the moment?  Better yet, how do we ENJOY that moment?In this podcast, Cheri gives you 5 tips you can use anytime to bring you into your body and into the present moment.  When you shift your thoughts and attention to the present, stress often simply fades away.  And isn't that the goal; to enjoy the holidays and create as many moments as possible that are stress-free and enjoyable.

Whenever we create anything . . . things are gonna get messy.  It's actually the creative process itself . . . giving birth to something new and exciting . . . that causes this wonderful and sometimes scary mess.  Like the saying goes, you have to break a few eggs if you want to eat an omelet.  And so it is with creating our ideal lives.  What does it mean to "create" your life?  It means you are deliberate and intentional about what you are, what you have and what you do.  It means you don't live by default, but rather intentionally creating how you spend your thoughts, your money, your time and your energy.  In this podcast, Cheri goes through what she feels are the five steps of the creative process.  You can apply these steps to anything, but she gives you countless examples of using them to create a beautiful life.  But perhaps just as important as the creative process, she give you three steps to navigate the chaos and messiness that will happen when you decide to step up and live a life that has more of what you truly want. She helps you embrace the messiness of deliberating being creative!

What is a right-sized life? A life that's exhilarating and engaging and also a life that doesn't require you wear a super-hero cape and have an IV of caffeine pumped right into your veins.  When are you doing too much and when are you not doing enough?  In this podcast, Cheri talks about the sweet spot between these two space . . . something she's calling tension. She's observed that people who have just the right amount of tension . . .  the challenging stuff AND the comfortable stuff . . . are seemingly the most happy.  Listen and she can help you determine where you may be right now.  This podcast will help you find your ideal place in which to live your life.

"Out of sight, out of mind" might work for a little while, but eventually what you're avoiding will come back and demand your attention.Besides, all that stuff you're putting off is costing you dearly RIGHT NOW!  You think you're not thinking about it . . . but you are. You can never run faster than your clutter and undone tasks.  So why not just deal with them once and for all.Let Cheri help you.  In this podcast she gives you 4 steps to ACTUALLY get things done.  These are not your typical steps you've read a million times. Rather she shares with you a secret for working around the pesky part of you who wants to keep your head in the sand!

Did you know that NOT doing something uses a lot of your precious energy~that procrastinating, avoiding and putting off things costs you dearly.  You already know this I'm sure.So why do we do it?  Why do we continue to lie to ourselves and act as if we have magical elves which come in while we're sleeping and do all the hard stuff for us, freeing us from having to "adult" and do what needs to be done?In this podcast, Cheri helps you take stock in what you're putting off.  She helps you look at your own behaviors, identifying when you lie to yourself and when you allow yourself to stay stuck.  Better yet, she give you a simple process for "tweaking your thinking" so you can finally do the things you want and need to do!

Did you know you can change your thinking?  Some (maybe even many) of our thoughts are out-dated, worn out, or just plain wrong. In this podcast, Cheri takes you through 6 steps to permanently change your thinking.  She uses the same steps you would take to remodel your kitchen and applies them to remodeling your thinking.  Just like a physical remodel, these steps have a cost, can be messy and sometimes leave us exhausted.  But Cheri reminds us that in the end . . .  just like walking into your brand new, state-of-the-art kitchen, you will not regret the effort!

Disappointments are inevitable.  Darn it all!!! But how we deal with these disappointments can make all the difference in how much these bumps in the road affect us and our overall happiness. I this podcast, Cheri gives you four ways for dealing with life's disappointments (two which her son with autism taught her!).  Four strategies she has discovered on her own journey through the ups and downs in life.  Cheri has no illusions we can completely eliminate life's challenges but with these tips and a open, present mindset, we can make our life a lot sweeter.   Bonus:  In this episode, Cheri refers to a previous podcast on Downstream Thinking.  It is Episode 9 entitled "Go with the Flow"

Are you wasting or leaking valuable, life-force energy? Most of us are. We waste energy by tolerating ANYTHING, big or small, that brings us down, makes us unhappy or stays our to-do list for too long.  In this podcast, Cheri helps you uncover your hidden leaks. She teaches you how to unearth what you're tolerating and then make a plan to plug those leaks! She reminds you when you do the important work of confronting yourself and identifying what you're avoiding, you're gifted with your map to happiness!  Inspired by Cheryl Richardson seminal work and Cheri's 20 plus years helping people get unstuck, this podcast is sure to have you making changes TODAY to live a more beautiful life, inside and out!

Imagine you're in a canoe and trying with all your might to paddle upstream.  You are straining and striving to go against the current.  You'd probably have to work exceptionally to make any progress at all.  Conversely, if your canoe were going WITH the current, your efforts and your progress would be easy and practically guaranteed!The same is true in all aspects of our life.  When we choose "downstream" behaviors and thoughts life is easier and ultimately more satisfying.  In this episode of "A Well-Designed Life", Cheri describes the pitfalls of upstream living and the benefits of the easier and more satisfying downstream thoughts and actions.  She teaches you how to go with the flow and trust that everything you need is waiting for you downstream.

We're all guilty of being a martyr or feeling like a victim from time to time.  But sadly, for some us, this becomes a way of life.  Many people blame others and refuse to take responsibility for what they do, say and have.  Not taking responsibility for one's life is the BEST way to stay stuck and unhappy. In the podcast, Cheri shines a light on some of the classic characteristics of a martyr to help you identify them in yourself and in others.  She empowers you to find your power from within and avoid the pitfalls of being a victim.  She helps you take responsibility for your own life!

Good stuff is all around us all the time.  So why do we humans often miss it?  Why do we march through life waiting for the other shoe to fall instead of joyfully expecting goodness?In this podcast, Cheri doesn't answer this question?  Rather, she gives you three strategies for turning that behavior around.  She knows that understanding WHY something happens isn't really necessary to make a change. Instead, making changes RIGHT NOW is how we get more of what we want and need.Listen to gain tips for shifting your perspective from one where you miss the good stuff to one where you EXPECT to see the good stuff and it shows up!

We humans hold onto things.  From old, out-of-date clothes that used to fit to that hand-me-down furniture that's well passed it's prime.  We know these things should go . . . but we hold on to them for reasons that often puzzle and frustrate us.  We do the same thing with the stories and thoughts we have about ourselves and our life.  We hold on to those negative, hurtful, derailing stories that keep us playing small and being miserable. In this episode of A Well-Designed Life, Cheri helps you understand the power and long term consequences of holding on to these limiting beliefs.  She validates why and how they occur but more importantly, she empowers you to release them!  She offers tips and inspiration to help you find your inner mojo to let them go for good and find the ease and freedom you desire.

"We either live with intention or exist by default."  Kristin ArmstrongAll of us are given gifts, drive, ideas, desires, passions, etc. but sadly, many of us never declare them.  We never stake our claim to the life we really and truly want.  Rather we live our life by default; either squandering the gifts we've been given or never really pushing through the fear and resistance of real and lasting change.  Many of us never do what's necessary to live a beautiful lifeIn this podcast, Cheri Honeycutt gives you two concrete ways to stop buckling under to the power of fear, to stop squandering the gifts you've been given and to stop living from that all-too-comfortable, unproductive place she like to call "the velvet rut."  She helps you STOP living by default.

Cheri's mission for Life by Design is to encourage people to design their best life. But not just to design it, live it. Right Now. Today!See how a picture of discount roses stuck in a used tequila bottle can help you to clear your mind, clear your clutter and clear a path to the life you always intended.

Sometimes we don't get what we ask for  . . . that is  . . . until we do.  We all get stuck from time to time, wondering about what's next or trying to figure out what to do.  But in this podcast, your host Cheri Honeycutt talks about being professionally stuck for four years.  Yes, FOUR YEARS.  The irony is, she was motivational speaker and coach who helped people gt unstuck!  But stuck she was until the day she got the clarity she needed.  In this podcast she discusses the lengths she went to find those answers and how, like Dorothy's red shoes, many of the answers she craved were there all along.    In the very first episode of A Well-Designed Life Cheri talks about her new venture Life by Design.  But more importantly she talks about listening to inspiration when it shows up. About allowing ourselves to change our minds and change directions and how important it is to sometimes re-calibrate and head into a new direction when our life isn't working.Enjoy!

Are you ready to clear a path to the life you always intended?   Explore what's working in your life and what needs to be shifted in this guided visualization with Cheri Honeycutt.  Cheri has also created a simple handout to accompany this mediation . . . a way to capture your insights.  To get your copy, go to www.cherihoneycutt.com and join the Life by Design Community.  You'll then receive a link to your "Ideal Life Starter Kit."