Today we’d like to introduce you to Maureen Sweatman.
Maureen, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I am the Founder and Chief Joy Officer of Joyful Living Coaching, and I am on a mission to add more joy to the world!
I have been on the journey of seeking joy my whole life, not because I am a bubbly, Pollyanna type but as someone who thinks and cares deeply and who knew there must be more to life than the depression and darkness of the traumas I experienced as a child and young adult.
I’ve also always been a helper and “too sensitive”- willing to speak up for and support others in need, willing to sit with others and hold space for their pain and share the glimmers of joy in the midst of it all.
The lotus is a powerful symbol both for my journey and my work. Despite living in the nasty muck, the lotus grows the most beautiful bloom. So, it is with people. I live my own journey learning and leaning into the anchor that my joy provides. I have supported thousands of others in exploring and clarifying what joy means to them and growing their choice muscles for choosing that joy. The joy that sustains them and creates a deep root system in the muck and a beautiful bloom that radiates into the world.
By way of profession, I hold a Master of Divinity and Master of Business Administration from Emory University and am an International Coaching Federation PCC-level certified coach. I started my career in non-profit program administration, predominantly in higher education. I am a lifelong learner, and I love supporting others in their learning process. It became a running joke that I needed a couch in my office because students and staff came to me so often for life and career advice. After completing my Executive MBA in 2011, I began to explore a career pivot that would allow me to use my strengths and stay in alignment with my values (this alignment is my joy). In 2015, I launched Joyful Living Coaching as a part-time coaching practice and went full-time in 2020 when the world turned upside down and went virtual for us.
Now, I provide virtual coaching and training to individuals and teams at all levels of their career (entry-level through the C suite) on just about every life and professional development topic there is, including work/life balance, health goals, leadership development, time management, managing others, executive presence, perfectionism, emotional and positive intelligence, etc.
Regardless of the pain point they come to me for, we take a holistic approach to provide clarity and create accountability that allows them to take action to alleviate that pain and add more joy to their work and lives.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Life is not a smooth road for any of us, and I have had my share of dark times, including trauma experienced as a child and adult. As a result, I battled depression and suicidal ideation from my teen years until well into my 30s. I was about as negative as negative could be. I was consumed by the primal part of my brain that wanted to keep me safe but kept me stuck living in a state of fear, pain, and sabotaging inner dialog.
Despite the muck of all of that, I had glimmers of hope and joy along the way that kept me going, seeking the light. People and ideas came into my life at just the right moment to show me a different way. And somewhere along the way after much healing work and mental health resources, I got clear on who I really was, what my strengths were, and what I actually valued, letting go of the should placed upon me. I stopped carrying the weight of it all around, and I let myself be light. And I became determined to be a glimmer of hope for others, to give back what I had been so generously given.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I am known for my loving directness in my approach to supporting others with the challenges they face in life and work. I work with individuals and teams. I am most proud of the thousands of people I have supported in not only achieving their goals but in helping them get clear on who they are, what they value, and how they can live and work from a place of alignment (joy).
SERVICES:
1:1 Coaching
Group Training
Jumpstarts (30 mins, focused on 1 topic)
Special Events: Keynote Speaker,
Book Club Leader, Difficult Conversation
Facilitator & Vision Board Party Hosto
SPECIALITIES:
Addressing Limiting Beliefs
Advocating Equity, Inclusion & Social Justice
Articulating Purpose & Strengths
Creating New Habits for a Lifestyle Change
Developing Emotional Agility
Developing Leadership Skills
Embracing Being Perfectly Imperfect
Facilitating Difficult Conversations
Integrating Work & Life Priorities
Improving Communication
Navigating Workplace Change
Setting a Vision & Achieving Goals
Supporting Mindset Shifts
What matters most to you? Why?
I got a divorce and had a baby all in the same year, and it turned out to be a surprisingly powerful transition for me because it helped me see clearly what matters most to me. Parenting has been the most life-giving and joy-making thing I have ever done. It is very important to me to parent intentionally and to break unhealthy family cycles, as well as embrace the strengths of my ancestors that serve me well. This has been so life-giving to me and has even allowed me to reconnect with my own mother in very transformational ways. I always strive to be a mirror who reflects back the light I see in my daughter, as well as my friends and clients.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://joyfullivingcoaching.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maureensweatman/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joyfullivingcoaching/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maureensweatman/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVc1igYt0w-BuFnvqWzrmiQ
- Other: https://linktr.ee/joyfullivingcoaching
