Occasionally in life destiny steps in and brings extraordinary people into our lives and that’s how I met Sarah, the universe introduced us through the medium of facebook . Once I read her story I was so moved and inspired and knew straight away I had to have her as one of my #WOW’s . I know that her story will inspire and motivate you to take action and create change in your life . As she really is an outstanding woman.
Tell me a little about you , your lifestyle and what you are passionate about? I am a single mom of 3. My Identical twin girls are 4 and my son is 9. I’m a writer, I just finished the first draft of my memoir entitled Thoughts.Stories.Life. based on my blog by the same name. I also work full-time in the corporate world as a director of sales for a software consulting firm and do life coaching for athletes and the law of attraction as a “side-hobby” as well as a motivational speaker. I’m a busy woman!
I am very passionate about teaching people how to use the law of attraction to effectively and quickly change their life. I believe that anyone can become anything they chose with a vision, determination, faith and hard work nothing is impossible. I love being a mom, love watching sports with my son, and of course writing. My life is crazy at times, but I like it that way, keeps me entertained and focused.
So tell me about your business/how you express your passion, what is Thoughts.Stories.Life all about? My blog started as my own personal outlet for my thoughts, stories and personal journey after my husband left me and my then very small children 3 years ago in 2008. It was a way for me to not feel so isolated. It really became my personal support system! When he left we had nothing, and I soon found myself with no one to talk to or confide in, so I began writing as a form of release. I posted to the blog but totally anonymously for almost 2 years. I never told anyone I wrote it and so very few people had ever read it, it was simply my personal savior.
Then about a year ago a story from it was published where I accidently included my full name. That story kinda went crazy on the internet and it was then I decided to “out” myself and take my blog public. Since then it’s reached a worldwide audience and it’s my hope that it inspires people of all backgrounds in all parts of the world that no matter what they are going through they can achieve their dreams. I want to be the “living proof example” so I live my life pretty publicly online so that people can see me practice what I preach.
The blog has since evolved past just my own personal story to include a section for reader response and questions, kind of like an advice column for people looking to change their lives. I get a lot of questions on how to apply the Law of Attraction for all types of situations, and a lot of people who just need hope or something to believe in. So it’s tips and tools for “regular people” to teach them how to have an extraordinary life. It’s my personal stories and life as an example the good, bad and the ugly. It’s raw and authentically me. I like to call it the “story of nothin to something” and the “urban take” on the law ofattraction. My hope is that it’s inspiring.
What lead you to making the decision of creating your own path? I think it was really just out of necessity. I think I knew that if I didn’t get what I was going through out somehow I would shrivel up and die. The blog really saved my life and gave me the strength I needed to go get my dreams. It’s become such a huge part of my life since and it’s my goal that in a few years it will be my full time career, my plan is to get my book published and continue with a motivational speaking, and my life coaching career.
Has there always been a burning desire inside you to create this or did it your evolve because of circumstances ? I have wanted to write my memoir for something like 15 years! It’s something I have always had in the back of my mind… but interestingly enough I always expected it to be a much different story. I thought it would be the story of my childhood, and overcoming all the adversity I faced then. I didn’t ever think it would be this current story. My book is basically about the past three years with some flashbacks but mostly about my current story. So I think it’s the circumstances of the past 3 years that gave me the courage and inspiration to start actually writing and finding my voice.
What did/do you find to be the most challenging part for you on your journey ? It’s definitely more challenging now to be raw and open then it was a year ago when no one knew it was ME. That has been an adjustment. It’s also a lot of work, time and effort that goes into keeping up a good online presence that keeps your storyrelevant; it’s like a second job! But the rewards are amazing. Daily I get emails from people who have such a strong connection to my story and the blog, who feel like it was written for them. That’s amazing and so touching and is the best side effect of the blog! I say that because again I still write it for ME… the fact that anyone reads and responds to it is still an amazing bonus to me.
But I made a promise to myself after it went “public” that I would always write it as I had before, as if no one but me was reading it. That I would keep it authentic and that I would do it for my own sanity because it had really become my way to work through whatever I was facing. I knew that I didn’t want to lose that.
What have you learned about yourself during this process ? Oh god! So much! Daily I’m learning things about myself. Honestly it teaches me so much, it’s my therapy session. So many times I will write something in response to a reader question, and realize that I gave myself the answer I have been looking for. It’s a constant evolution. I’m a hot-mess, work in progress!
But I learned that when you truly find your passion, that is when you start to find happiness and that’swhere you start to see rewards. This whole experience has been what I’ve looked for all my life. I just didn’t know it. It’s what I’m most passionate about and could never consider it work, even though it’s a lot of work! I respond to every email and every Facebook message and every reader question. I try to make myself as accessible and available to my readers as I can. It does take a lot out of me sometimes because some of the stories and letters I get are very heartbreaking. But I always give them my full attention and try to give them some hope and tools to effect change in their lives.
What advice would you give someone considering starting on their own path of discovery? Dooooo it! 100% find your passion and then LIVE it. Don’t just dream it or talk about it, put a plan in place, have a vision, work your but off “hustle” and believe in yourself. Results will ALWAYS follow with that formula. Always. Just remember that they come on their own time schedule and many times we are tested to the core before we start to see the results, just never give up when the going gets unbearable… push through.
What products and services do you provide? My blog has nothing to sell. I’m not selling anything! I give all my tips and tools away free in my posts and Youtube videos. I never want anyone to think that I’m in this for the money or to profit. The reward I have gotten from it already in the form of moral support and love from my readers is what is the backbone of who I am now. I needed that support and love so desperately in my life and my readers have filled that hole and it’s an amazing thing, I’d not trade that for selling or hawking anything on the site. I do get proposals all the time from people who want me to pitch their products ect and I always say no. I want it to be what it set out to be… just me telling my story. I am however, like I said working on my first book, and hope to get it published the traditional way this year, so everyone will be able to purchase it at their local book store.. that is the goal
What is the greatest success story for your business/ Journey ? Wow there have been so many wins, being asked by the Red Cross to be their motivational speaker for their annual staff retreat. Having Oprah’s producers as my Facebook friends and follow me on Twitter… I count every little win.
But the greatest by far are all the people from all corners of the globe who confide their stories to me and ask for inspiration, motivation or hope on how they can change their life too. And then when they do having them write back and tell me their wins. ..that’s AMAZING!
Blog: www.thoughtsstorieslife.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thoughtsstorieslife
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/sarahcentrella?feature=mhee
About Sarah
Writer | Motivational Speaker | Life Coach Ms. Centrella is a writer and author of the motivational blog Thoughts.Stories.Life. And the soon to be published memoir by the same name.
She writes about her personal journey as a suddenly single mom starting life over at 33 with 3 small children, jobless, and broke. In 2 years she managed to work her way up the corporate latter to a VP/Director role for a legal software company in her home town of Portland Oregon. In the role she began travelling regularly to New York, speaking at industry events, consulting Fortune 500 companies and Partners at the world’s largest law firms. In a very short time she had gone from a struggling single-mom to a women realizing her dream.
She now consults clients individually as a Life Coach for the Law of Attraction, relationships and success. She also Life Coaches professional athletes preparing them for the transition from College into Professional and from Professional into retirement.
Ms. Centrella is a single mother of three small children, juggling the duties of full-time mom, with her role in the corporate world as Director of Business Development in Seattle WA. She continues to write, both the blog and her2nd memoir Little Princess SugarKane. She is also a Motivational Speaker, sharing her passion for helping others achieve their goals, dreams and the life they envision. Her style is real, sometimes raw, open, honest, humorous and remains true to her own journey. Her passion for inspiring others to believe that anything is possible, is her life goal.
Thank you so much Sarah for sharing your inspiration stories with me and look forward to reading your book once its launched. Next week I’ll be interviewing Astrologer Jennifer L Shelton who’s also a webmaster, editor and main writer for FemCentral ( also one of my colleagues at its all about Yes ). She also teaches online, undergraduate courses in global cultures for Franklin University.
