Taking the Test of Life, Trusting Your Intuition, and Taking Leaps of Faith with Julie Hannon

*Transcript is unedited (for the most part)

Gianna Diggs 0:05
You are listening to the mompreneur mindset podcast, a space where we empower you to build an aligned business. So you can spend less time on the things you think you should be doing in your business, and more time with the people you love. I am your host, Gianna Diggs. Let’s get into it

Welcome back to the show. So in today’s episode, we are going to talk about how to take the test of life with my guest, Julie Hannon. A little bit about Julie. She is a mom, wife, shaman and teacher who is passionate about helping others discover their strengths and their gifts. She has a private healing practice and leads trips to Peru where she loves mentoring healers in their work and practices. Julie also teaches online and in person courses and offers a free live meditation every Sunday morning. So without further ado, let’s get into her interview. Hi, Julie, welcome to the show.

Julie Hannon 1:06
Thank you, Deanna. Thanks for having me. It’s so great to be here.

Gianna Diggs 1:09
Yes, I’m excited to have you on this show today, because we’re going to talk about something that I think a lot of mom entrepreneurs can identify with. And I feel like people in general can identify with and it’s really about how the universe can test us in very many ways. And I love how you use those tests to kind of help you do the work that you do. So we’re gonna dive into that topic today. So my first question is, like, what, what tests were you going through that kind of that led you to do the work that you do?

Julie Hannon 1:45
So I was 14, my kids were four and seven years old, two boys, and I was working a full time job and a part time schedule. I don’t know if anybody out there can relate to that. But four days, worked four days a week, full time. But you know, you know what I mean? I it was a lot, it was many long days, and I was seeing my kids like an hour and a half a day. And it just was really not working for me, I really, really loved my work. I was a human resources executive and a biotech company, a growing biotech company, sort of world famous company. And I’d been there for 10 years, and it just was not the life I wanted to be living. I wasn’t that I wanted to give up working so much. I love working and offering something into the world working outside the home. I mean, I just needed to be able to spend more time. And then the final straw that actually sent me into the like I have to do it now was that my nanny resigned. And I just had a nanny two days a week to help with my kids, because they were you know, when once they get school age, and there’s like kindergarten and kindergarten and one in nursery school, and like these weird schedules that have nothing to do with working women, right? They needed somebody who could just like be there really early in the morning and take them take one to nursery school and then went to kindergarten, and so on and so forth. So she resigned and I crumbled me crushed me actually, because I thought, I can’t go through hiring another nanny, and I and I, and it’s about to be summer, and what am I going to do with my kids for the summer. That’s, that was the test of, and I think of it like I think of tests both as like sometimes tests, they crush you, and you and you have to change in response, like, you know, big catastrophic life changes or losing your job by force or something like, or death or something like that, or an illness. But sometimes it’s like, you get messages along the way that’s like you could respond to them before they’re crashing. So and so in the crushing ones are like being thrown out of the nest. So and, and I’m in a place in my life where I teach people and I believe that you can really get thrown out of the nest and you either have ground to stand or wings to fly. Either way, can win. Oh, yeah. Like that question.

Gianna Diggs 3:54
Yeah, that answers it. I love that. The thing at the end, that’s, that’s a powerful, powerful thing. So what So what kind of what gave you the courage to actually like, take the leap and start your own business?

Julie Hannon 4:10
Um, well, I took the leap without thinking I’d start my own business. To be honest. I left my job because of the situation’s I described. And also because I had a health situation. So I had three different tests going on. And I had been I was four I mentioned earlier, I was 40 years old. And two different times in my career as an HR professional, I had done several years of HR consulting, so I knew even in leaving my job without a job, I left without a job. I could fall back on that HR consulting as a as a because I was very well known in Boston and had a big network and actually ended up doing that after a six month break to sort of recovering my health. I took a six month break to because I was having adrenal issues. And then I went back to part time HR consulting, and in that pass, and I knew I had part of the reason I have So left my job is because I knew for two years that I needed to leave my job, like, and I was looking and getting coaching and trying to find a way and I could not find a way out. Except getting out. I couldn’t I interviewed for other jobs that I really was interested in. And just it was nothing was coming like I had to. I had, I had 100% Yes to the job that I had, and 100% yes to my children, and I couldn’t make any more room in my life to make any other decisions. Right. So I had to make room to make other decisions and into that space that I created flowed all this information about energy healing and shamanic practice. And that ended up being part of my own personal healing journey, but also part of what opened me to being an entrepreneur.

Gianna Diggs 5:44
Right. And I love that you, it’s kind of like you found that middle ground, because you, it’s like you couldn’t stay at the job you were at, you had to make time for your kids, you kind of just found the thing that was able to just kind of bring the two dilemmas together, if that’s what you want to call it. And a lot of times, I feel like we’re, especially as moms and as entrepreneurs, whether you’re just getting started or you’re trying to grow your business, we’re often polled. Right? We have two polar opposites, like a lot of things that were we’re managing at one time, and we’re trying to figure out what am I if I do this, or if I do that, and there’s a whole bunch of decisions I have to make. So I love that you just found a way to just make a decision that would merge the two instead of trying to keep everything kind of compartmentalized.

Julie Hannon 6:36
Yes, and, you know, and, and I did it without a plan, I guess. That’s an interesting thing. You know, at the time, I had multimillion dollar projects that I was running with teams of 30 people, you know, so it was always with a plan. So it was really a leap of faith. And I think that’s somewhere in the, in the process of you life hands you tests and and then at some point, you have to lean in and trust your intuition, or spirit or whatever. But really, it’s trusting your intuition to or your Yes. So yes, I’m doing this and we’ll see somebody’s gonna catch me.

Gianna Diggs 7:12
Right. So how can others learn to really, because I feel like you’ve had a, like, there was clarity there, right? So how can others learn to be more clear, like, if they decide I’m going to take this leap of faith?

Julie Hannon 7:25
Well, some of it is, you know, some of it is John is having a plan that makes you feel safe and doing that. So you don’t want to take a leap of faith into fear, you want to take a leap of faith with with with? Well, it, certainly it takes courage, but you want to take a leap of faith with whatever it is that you need to have as a safety net. So if it’s a financial safety net of having certain amount of money saved up, or a transition plan in that way, or a backup job, or, or the support of a partner loving partner, or any of these things, or you know, just whatever it is, that will make you feel like I’m doing this, but I’m not taking putting my life at risk in some way. And I don’t mean literally, like it’s gonna kill me, although it could, I mean, more like, it’s generating so much anxiety and stress that I can’t function in the, in the, in the searching for possibilities. So, so you said at the beginning about perfection, I think before we were on, but the place of doing getting something right, and for you having the sound just right is really important in this in this process, and there’s other places where like, my hair doesn’t have to look exactly right, because I’m not on a podcast. So Right. So like, there’s places to be in the perfection and whatever gives you safety and being held and confidence and the places to let it go because somebody else will take care of that.

Gianna Diggs 8:44
Right? Yeah. That’s funny. I do love that. Because, um, you know, like you, we’ve talked about perfectionism before. And, you know, I mentioned something about my mic. That’s what, that’s what Julie’s referring to, and just kind of finding, like, some people are just carry energy, or perfectionism, and I’m one of those people, right? Like, it’s no, it’s no, like, I’m just gonna not be a perfectionist, I have that energy. And I’ve, I’ve learned to deal with it. And it’s like, okay, well, I know that if I can’t, I can be perfect in this thing. But that thing, you know, I don’t need to be perfect. And and just kind of like, finding that balance. And I think that’s kind of what we talked about being clear about your your Leap of Faith is just finding the balance in all the things. Right. And that’s kind of what gives us the courage to kind of move forward. So, so when times have gotten tough, right? And you talk about intuition, you do shamanic work, of course, that intuition is big, right? How has your intuition helped you?

Julie Hannon 9:48
Well, it’s interesting. Just recently, my husband said to me, How come you’re doing that? And I said, because I know I’m supposed to and he said, What do you mean? I said, Well, my intuition said to do it, and he said, You say that like it’s true. It’s And I said it is true. And so, but at the beginning, I wasn’t as Sure. So part of the way I have confidence in my intuition is because I practice using it. Okay, so like, you know, and, and we are taught to be very literal in school. And you know, here’s the thing, here’s all the information you’re supposed to memorize, and then you put it back on the test. And it’s not like intuitively, what do you think is the right answer to that question? It’s right, here’s the right answer. Like there’s only one. And so there’s lots of ways to practice your intuition. One of them is to go on guided practice it to like journey, it’s called journeying to go on a guided practice to leave your thinking state behind and go into visualization. Part of it is you can, there’s so many card decks now, like when I started, there wasn’t this like, you know, pull a card and get an intuitive answer from a guide, which is a card deck. And there’s also other ways of using, you know, pendulums or other things to say, to ask yes, or no questions that allow us to move. You know, like, I really feel like I should do this podcast with John, it feels really important. And really, and really, more in a way to support you and your work than me and my work so much, just like this is really important to connect moms, to their ability to dream about how they want to contribute to the world, right? Maybe beyond parenting, and, and that having that dream, or that wish is totally legit. And doesn’t make you bad mother. It makes you a better mother. Because you’re doing what you know, we lead by example, by doing what we love. Right? Right, we show them how to live life with love and passion by living our lives with love and passion that includes them and make space for them. And I think that was the biggest. That was the intuition that was so loud. When I left my job was like I and my heart’s desire, and my lung was like, I want to spend more time with my children. I’m not, I’m not, you know, it’s just I wanted to spend more time with my kids. I was my kids were only ever in daycare, or with a nanny two days a week. And that was enough for me. And having them do more felt like a big no. For me, it does. It’s not that was just me, it’s not I don’t have a judgment of people who kids spend five days a week with somebody else, loving them. Besides their parents, it’s there’s lots of love to go around. Right? So it’s really about leaning into making space to practice using your intuition. So intuitively, and then getting, then you get the more you do it, the more you say, like, oh, I always drive this way to work. But I’m gonna go around today. And you know, my kids will say, Mom, why are you going this way? I’m like, I have no idea. Seriously, Mom, you have no idea you’re going a whole other way to school. Something tells me to go. And then you get to school. And you see if there’s a car crash on this main street, that’s like, you know, it’s only a one mile drive to school, let me know, it’s like, not ideal. But I went around the block in the back way. And so the more you practice, following your intuition, the more you get feedback, or sometimes you say I have a clearer intuition. That’s the other thing I would say to women. Notice the places where you have a clear intuition or a hint that you should do something differently, or make something for dinner or ditch something or change the plan and you don’t do it, you don’t listen. And something happens. And you think, if I’d only listened to my intuition, right. So that’s the other thing is to start to notice, like, as soon as you put it into your consciousness to notice. I’m going to start practicing using my intuition, you’ll get lots of it will happen. If you set an intention, it’ll happen. The other practice that I like to teach people who are like who are listening to this, and they say, I don’t know what she’s talking about. Just ask for a sign every day that you’re making, you’re on the right track. Ask to be given a sign every day show me that I’m on the right track, or show me that I’ve made a good decision or show me a sign that you know, like when my my dad died, we all my all my sisters asked for sign me and my sisters asked for a sign that he was okay. And we all got three very different signs. And we talked about them. And they were completely unique to each of us. But we all completely 100% agree that that was our dad talking like there was no doubt. So you can ask for a sign that you’re on the right track, or that you’re moving in the right direction. Every day as a practice and you’ll see that see what shows up.

Gianna Diggs 14:23
Right. And I love it’s funny when you said that your husband is like can you like yeah, my intuition told me to and he’s like what? And I think that in our society there’s a lot of that and especially from the men in our lives, right? It’s like a mafia type of like, what what are you doing like even even today in our monthly own right he’s and I’m standing up and I’m swaying with the yes and and no, and he’s looking at me He’s like, he’s like, what, what weird stuff are you doing? It’s there’s there’s a lack of understanding. But I think that if whether you carry a lot of masculine or feminine energy, this thought process of learning how to really tap into your intuition because it never steered you wrong. Like, I can think of so many times where I was just like, that doesn’t feel right. And I listened to it. And I’m like, Okay, I’m glad I did. Or if I don’t listen to it, I’m like, shoot, you know, I should have listened to that. We talked about the test of life, right? Being taking a test every day, or taking a test at school, and knowing that their answer was right. And feeling like the answer was right, but going second guessing it, and then being like, dang, I got 85. I could have gotten 100 If I would have just trusted rice the answer. Right. Right. And so I love the different practices that you’ve given. And I will list those out in the show notes just so you can people can just see them. Because once we start trusting our intuition, I just feel like life is just it just changes.

Unknown Speaker 15:59
For sure. For sure. Because there’s so much guidance available to us. And we’re here for we’re here to create beauty and joy and have fun. And we think we think we’re here to work hard. And, you know, we forget that part. We forget that happiness is our birthright. Because and and some of the tests and trials are what get us to the place where we get to reclaim our power and say yeah, actually, I’m going to be happy, have fun. Do what I love. Get paid for it. Why not?

Gianna Diggs 16:33
Right. Right. And and I’m glad you said that about the test of life. Because I think we also think that the world is falling apart, right? You know, trying to pull ourselves up when the test is hard. Right? And it’s like, okay, this test, like, I must be doing something wrong, and the world is ending and all these different things and not seeing what that test could potentially what what’s at the end of that when that test is done.

Julie Hannon 17:00
Right? Well, and sometimes, you know, you didn’t ask this question. This. Okay. Last question. Just Gianna gave us Gianna gave me a list of questions. And so the question of when there’s too many trials, when there’s too much, it feels like too much what you just said, or it’s so hard, and you don’t want to keep going. That place of of first asking is this, you know, like, sometimes we make a plan to do something. And it was a plan that we made when we were 20. And now we’re 30. Or it was a plan that we dream that we had when we were 30. And now we’re 40. And so we don’t remember to update, or we’ve achieved what we’re going to achieve with that. Now it’s time to change course. So sometimes the tests aren’t assigned to change course, like on course or off course. But it’s the, the important part is to keep moving, moving in a direction. So when we get, you know, we get still to look for an answer or to hear to tune to our intuition. And then we take a next tiny step towards something out of stillness, because the universe rewards action. It’s just the way it is. Right? And sometimes, and that’s the other thing that I remember is that women were not men. I think this is you said, I think this is for mom entrepreneurs and that I assume that mostly moms Listen, in whatever body and even if you’re in even if you’re being a mom, in a different kind of body. That cyclical seasonal place is really, really important for women. We don’t our cycle isn’t one day, it’s a month long. Our soccer is a season long. And you know, and we want to honor the part where like, at the new moon, which we’re recording this right on the new moon practically is a time of going in and resting. The New Moon is a dark, and the full moon is full of light and energy and out there in the dark. And there’s everything in between. So we want to be in those allow those cycles also. Right and honor that, like sometimes it is too much and we need to stop and rest. Imagine.

Gianna Diggs 19:07
Right? All right. And that that goes to the advice. You know, everyone knows we listen to my show, I always asked, What’s your piece of advice? And that’s why she said Oh, you didn’t ask me that yet. But I’m glad it flowed. There was no need for me to ask the question because it just intuitively flowed out of you. So that’s perfect. So before we go, is oh, can I

Julie Hannon 19:29
can I can I can I actually add a piece of advice. Yes, your writing answered it but but really my advice. You know, like there’s there’s the place if if you if you’re having a really hard time that’s the question I answered before she asked it but but in terms of advice, make time for your intuition. That would be my advice, which could be five minutes it doesn’t have to be and what the more you make time and if you could make time for checking in with yourself at the beginning of the day. In the first five minutes. Give it to yourself as a gift. I’m just going to tune into my And my intuition and feel what’s happening or pull a card or. Or ask for a sign in the first five minutes when I’m getting up to brush my teeth or pee or whatever, then then see what happens how your life changes. And I’d love to know, I don’t know, if you do you know, like how people could get in touch with me or like in your show notes check. But I’d love to know like what changes in your life when you make time for yourself and your intuition? Really your intuition make five minutes a day for your intuition.

Gianna Diggs 20:27
Right now me though there’s a group, we have a mompreneur mindset, no community, so I can put that as a question that people can answer who are in the group. So I would love to have the answer to that as well. Because I think that we always going back to perfectionism, right? We always want something to be perfect and how we’re doing it. It’s like, No, it has to happen this way. It has to happen that way. But just that five minutes is just, it’s perfect. And doesn’t, you know, it doesn’t even have to be when you first wake up it could be when you just get some quiet time. Right? Right. There’s, there’s no perfect way to do it. So I love that you say that. So yes. So Julie, tell the listeners how they can get in touch with you online.

Julie Hannon 21:17
So you can find me on my website, inner peace and wellness, inner peace, AMD wellness.com. And I am on social. I should just put them on my website. Actually. It’s funny that I don’t think I have them on. But I have a YouTube channel, also where you can get lots of meditation guided meditations with me a whole library of them and I do a live stream. Live Stream meditation guided practice every Sunday morning on Facebook, on Julie Hannon, shamanic healing. So I’m Julianne ha N and O N so you can find me on Facebook with the initial a or Instagram that way. And it will be great to see you wherever I see you and have come enjoy it like part of the sacred Sunday. The Sunday meditation is about tuning into tuition for the week and really like taking that time to make a sacred moment for yourself. And connect and it’s often connected to the moon or this week, when this is being recorded as is was right around the new moon as I mentioned and Memorial Day. So it was about remembrance this practice last Sunday was about setting an intention for the new moon and what’s your what do you want to be what who wants to be remembered for and how do we fight for our lives. And it wasn’t just about the people who have given their lives in service. Although those they were certainly included. It was also about people fighting for their lives all the time. Sometimes, in being a mom, sometimes in fighting for their kids lives. There’s lots of ways to fight for freedom and love. So that’s what this week’s meditation was about. So check it out. It’s on the on my YouTube channel, you can subscribe to my youtube channel at Julia Hannon. Or you can find me at the inner peace and wellness.com.

Gianna Diggs 22:53
All right, Julie, thank you so much for being on the show today.

Julie Hannon 22:56
It was so great to be here. Thanks for having me. Tiana, have great luck with everybody you entrepreneurs.

Gianna Diggs 23:02
Thank you. So that wraps up Season Two of the mompreneur mindset Podcast. I’m so grateful for the guests that I had on the show this season. We had some really great conversations. I left every single interview in awe of all of the guests. And I hope that you did too. I hope that you got a lot of value out of every episode. And yeah, thank you so much for supporting the show. And I hope to see you in season three.

Thank you for listening to the mompreneur mindset podcast. I hope you found today’s episode valuable. If you enjoyed listening to today’s episode, I would love it if you could subscribe rate or review the show your support, it really means the world to me. Also, if you want to join in on a discussion about today’s topic, and seek guidance, assistance and advice from fellow mompreneurs I invite you to join the mompreneur mindset community. You’ll find a warm and supportive group of women who are eager to help you achieve your business goals. So head to www dot Gianna diggs.com backslash community for more information

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