Episode 98: Clear Your Space, Change Your Life | Nancy Eaton | KonMari Consultant & Entrepreneur
Nancy Eaton is a certified KonMari consultant, entrepreneur, and community leader who has built a life and business around what she loves most, helping others create intentional spaces that spark joy. She and her family live with a sense of purpose that radiates through everything they do, from their home and friendships to their impact in the community. Nancy shares how she turned her passion for organization and design into Nancy Eaton Inspired Living, a business dedicated to transforming homes and lives. We talk about her journey from corporate work to entrepreneurship, the link between decluttering and mental clarity, and why facing fear head-on can open the door to new opportunities. She also shares lessons from her leadership training with Landmark Education and how aligning your physical space with your values can shift your entire outlook.
“Be afraid and do it anyway! Just do it. Just sent the email. Just start.”
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Chapters
00:00 Meet Nancy Eaton
03:15 Discovering the Power of Intentional Living
07:40 From Corporate Career to Entrepreneurship
11:20 Becoming a Certified KonMari Consultant
15:00 How Decluttering Transforms Mindset and Energy
19:15 Building Nancy Eaton Inspired Living
23:30 Lessons from Landmark Education
27:45 Designing a Business Around What You Love
32:20 Overcoming Fear to Take Bold Action
36:50 The Connection Between Home, Joy, and Success
40:10 Community Impact and Building Meaningful Relationships
44:00 Advice for Living with Purpose and Intention
48:15 How to Connect with Nancy Eaton
You know, my husband and I have been married for 37 years and he is a leader in landmark education, and we really live a life of transformation and conversations every day. Like what are we up to? What are we committed to? What has integrity, what doesn't really bring in the distinctions that we've worked on for so many years to our everyday lives?
That's Nancy Eaton and this is The Powerful Ladies Podcast.
Hey guys, I'm your host, Kara Duffy, and this is The Powerful Ladies Podcast where I invite my favorite humans, the awesome, the up to something, and the extraordinary to come and share their story. I hope that you'll be left, entertained, inspired, and moved to take action towards living your most powerful life.
Nancy Eaton is one of my favorite humans. She and her family are so warm, inviting, supportive, and successful. The success they experience shows up across their lives as abundance in friendships, making an impact in business, and most of all. And curating a life that is filled with intention and purpose.
You meet them and instantly know something is different. They have this life thing figured out. On this episode, Nancy shares the hard work and steps she's put in place to create her charmed life. How you can have that too, and why? The parts for our life we often ignore are the parts that actually make all the difference for having everything.
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Well, Nancy, welcome to the Powerful Ladies Podcast. Hi Kara. Thanks for having me. You're welcome. So let's begin by telling everybody who you are and what you are up to in the world.
Well, first of all, I just wanna say thank you for, um, having me on the podcast. I love powerful ladies. I love what you're up to and it is such, um, a neat space to be able to go to and for resources for you, for making a difference and just all around extraordinary.
So I'm super happy to be here and talking with you about what I do and what I love, and, um, I'm just really thrilled. So thank you.
Um, my pleasure. Thank you for coming.
Um, I think, um, the way I would introduce myself would be to like really say I'm up to being a really powerful lady myself, and sharing what I know, what I love and what I do with others is just such a great expression of myself and I love what I do.
I love being with people. I love making a difference. And creating my company with you, Kara, has been a real joy for me. Um, Nancy Eaton inspired living came about last year, last fall when, um, I don't know. I was looking in my life what I was gonna do next and this, you know, the way I live my life is inspired the way people are and like to be with me.
And it just seemed to make sense and I was looking for why that was. And I knew there was this foundation of.
It was, I had a space in which I could create and have friends relationships and not only have that be great, but also have people in my home and have them experience the same thing. And I wanted give that away. What I found after I did the, uh, Marie Kondo certification class is that that is just such a gift.
Tidying home up is really about tidying one's life up. Um, and it just really gives people access to joy and a life that is transformed and through the process of going through your stuff, man. And it's crazy, but it really gives people a sense of who they are. They get choice back, they get back. Their life and what they're up to and they, you know, this whole empty like art, you could just create your whole life after you're done with the process and it's a great, great inspiring thing.
So that's where I started my business and mm-hmm Care has really helped me in formulating that and bringing it to people. I, I even forgot that question.
No, you answered it completely and fully. Um, you know, and for people who don't know what, what is the, what is Marie Kondo? What is the kaari process?
What is, what is all of that so people can have some foundation?
Um, Marie Kondo is a gal, she wrote a book several years ago, the Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. It is, I think it's sold over 9 million copies in every country in the world. Um, she developed a process of, um, decluttering really, of going through your items in a process.
Um, you learn to make choices. You choose what brings you joy, and you let go of the past. The rest of the items that are just cluttering your life, you let go of them. You start with, it's a, it's a basic formula of starting with clothing. You'll go through your clothes, then we'll move on to books and then paper, and then what she calls kimono, which is miscellaneous.
And then by the end of the process you'll come to what is called sentimental. And during the whole process of decluttering, a lot of things get recategorized into that process, into that category of sentimental. And then you have a lot of, uh, experience with letting go, and you'll go through your sentimental, sentimental items to finish it up.
Mm-hmm.
I think it's such a, a magical process. Um, I read the book when it came out ages ago, and, and having had my own organizing business many years ago, um, I really saw and experienced firsthand the impact of. What our stuff has on us, and not just our physical things, but then the space that those things take up or the energy that's being created in those spaces.
And I'm a big believer in just like you need to look at mind, body, spirit to optimize yourself. You also need to look at, you know, how. Your things are taking up space, physically, mentally, spiritually as well.
Yeah, and energy. Energy keeps going. It keeps going outflowing to things that you no longer are interested in.
It leaves no space for you to create something new. Something new to show up in your life. 'cause you're so busy holding onto the past or those. That no longer serve you. I was with a client in Texas a couple weeks ago, and one of the first things we did, um, I actually do, uh, joy at work also, which is mm-hmm.
Um, working with people in their offices. And now that we are all at home working in our offices, it's very important to have a space that really serves you. So, um, one of the processes we call Joy at Work, which is her new book, Marie Kondo's new book. We start with books because there's supposedly no clothes in your office unless it's in your bedroom, I guess.
But we started with books with this client and I, one of the things we do is we take the covers off of the books. As we go through them, and we were talking about the energy that those covers on a book. It's all marketing, it's all words, and it just grabs so much of your life from you. Mm-hmm. And that simple little cover, she goes, oh my gosh, I'm done.
This is it. This is, I like, this is, I got everything I need. She was so happy about it. But it's that what you're talking about, it's about you giving your energy to things that no longer serve you.
It's great. Well, and, and I love that for, for you, this business is more than, than the Tidying Festival, right?
Because it really is this whole transformation of who you get to be and what your household gets to be. Right? Like, um, we've started the process in, in our house and just little things. Like giving away books that I wasn't going to read and were making me feel guilty for not reading. Like you don't realize how you walk past these things every day and whether you pay attention to them or not, they're having an impact on you, just like people do in the world and to, you know, have clarity in your space.
You know, it, it really does free up, as you said, space to create whatever you want next or just to attract what you want back into your life. Um, I feel like it brings mindfulness
into that, Kara. Yes. It's really about being mindful and mindfully choosing what you have.
Mm-hmm.
You know that, and that's like this whole other level.
Like you got this foundation of having what you love in your life, but then conscientious and. Mindful in your new choices that you also make. And, and Nancy Eaton inspired living is just about having an inspired life. So I'm looking at 2021, like, what does that look like? Expanding, um, you know, what do you, okay, you like, you're out in the world.
You come home and your house is like this serene place that opens its arms and gives you a big bed hug. You walk in the door and you're home. You're like safe and you're, you know, it's like serving you. It gives you everything you need, but then you open your pantry. I, there's sugar, right? You know, everything that's not really serving you sitting there.
So it's also like, what are you eating? Um, you know, what are you doing physically? What are you doing? Mm-hmm. You know, in all these different areas. So your whole life becomes like this inspired, really elevated experience.
Well, and, and as someone who is all about optimizing, there's something really refreshing about knowing that there are just some simple steps to follow that don't require.
These, you know, I don't need to spend bajillion dollars to go to a Tony Robbins seminar to have my life changed. Right. I can, I can call you and we can tidy the house and tidy the, the refrigerator and tidy, basically tidy with intention. Mm-hmm. Some key areas of my life and things will shift. And there's a lot less discipline involved in that process, which to me is really refreshing.
'cause so often it feels like. To live the life you wanna have. It's gonna be about pain and suffering when none of that shows up in your business or your processes.
Yeah. Um, I do. I, I don't think there's pain in my process, but I think it becomes challenging for people. I do. Mm-hmm. I believe, you know, I've, I've had clients that have very large homes and they have an amazing amount of things in their homes.
Mm-hmm. And it can be somewhat overwhelming. And it's not painful, it's just overwhelming, and you kind of are swimming in it, which was really great that you have a consultant there. Mm-hmm. Because you hold their hand and you're there to keep them motivated, keep them, um, well, one of the first things we do in our process is we create this ideal life, how you would envision your life.
Like what does that look like? What does that feel like? What are you doing? What's in your home? Those kind of conversations. We create the story together. Um, and we're always referring back to that. So then when there is an overwhelm, there is like, oh my gosh, there's, I just can't like go. Mm-hmm. Um, we refer back to that.
We get what we said we were committed to, and we bring that to the table and we just keep on going. And it's amazing what people can do. You know, once they've got a partner.
Yeah. And, and, and what I think is so, uh, important about you specifically like hiring Nancy e Inspired living versus any other kaari consultant, is that you are so much more than a Kaari consultant.
Mm-hmm. Right? You have this background in. Running businesses in the, in the past and being entrepreneurial, you have this experience of being going through really high level leadership training at Landmark, where you understand the transformation process, you know, what it looks like to create a life based on intention and choice and to keep rebuilding it.
And there's just so many more parts of, of you both as an example of what it looks like to live an inspired life, but also really getting. How to help people not just tidy up, but truly have a transformation. Um, how do you see that, like helping your clients fully cross the finish line to experience what inspired means?
I think, um, I'm just thinking back to a few of my amazing clients. Um, the joy at work is like really fun for me because it's a very, it's a specific area. It's a specific thing we're doing and I have left clients and they're like, wow, I just got $4 million of business in since we my office and made it beautiful.
And, you know, um, we completed that process. Um. Somebody will tell me, you know, the complete change in how they're being in their own space. And that translates into how they're being with their clients. Uh, it's like, it's concrete, which I really like. Um mm-hmm to have that. Um, other people, uh, working in a tidy festival with this really large home, um, the gal was just like, you know, I wanna have, you know, a million dollars in my, um, retirement account.
By the time we're done. And you know, she's 60% of the way there and it's three months later. And I'm just like, how? Wow. That is great result to produce. But so everything is like, like there's a feeling component of it. There's a transformational, unpredictable thing that can happen in it. And there's all this concrete things that happen also results being produced in a way that's unpredictable.
Mm-hmm. And something. You know, once people have, they, you know, well, you'll always put your scissors back if you have those kind of results.
Yeah. It's easy to remember why you're doing it when you're seeing results showing up.
Mm-hmm.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Was, was your life always one of, of inspiration and transformation?
Like how did you get to both having the life that you have today, but also that being a priority for you to give to others?
Um, well. I kind of laugh because my dad was in the Navy. There was always ship shape at my house. You know, things were pretty put away and tidied and there were list to, um, accomplish and I thank my dad for that.
Um, but as far as, uh, transformation and the. Intentionality in that department. You know, my husband and I have been married for 37 years and he is a leader in landmark education. And really, we really live a life of transformation and conversations every day. Like, what are we up to? What are we committed to?
What, you know, what has integrity, what doesn't? Um, really bringing the distinctions that we've worked on for so many years to our everyday lives. So, um, yeah, I think that answered the question.
No, that was perfect. Yeah. Um, and then how, what is it about that work and how you've experienced it, your both for yourself and for people in your life where you're like, okay, this works and I wanna be spreading this to other people.
Um, I. Wow. Because I think, well, let me break that down a little bit. 'cause I think some of the things we're saying like transformation and living inspired, like some people listening might be like, I don't even know what you're talking about. I'm just trying to pay the bills and survive. Like, like how do I, how can I take baby steps into that?
And so for somebody that these are foreign concepts, do, um, how would you, how would you break it down or how would you give them some, a bridge to get to where they are today to what we're talking about?
Good question, Kara.
Um,
I would, um, I mean I think integrity probably is one conversation you could have with an individual that has never done any classes or work or personal, um, um, work for themselves.
Um, just the conversation integrity with, you know, something being whole and complete without, you know, Richard and I talk about the bicycle, um, a lot and when, if you think about a bicycle and a tire. If one of the spokes is bent, it's not gonna be, you can't ride the bike. It's the same thing in life when if your wheel is bent, if something's bent, you can't ride the, you know, you can't ride the bike the way you normally would.
It doesn't lack, it doesn't have integrity because it's not whole and complete. So I think, I think having conversations about integrity and what that allows for when I have integrity in my home and, um. I've gone through the process in my house and you know, from time to time it gets outta control and I put things back.
I have a little tidying session with myself and everything goes back and I bring integrity to my space. So I think that's something I can share with my clients that, um, is of real value and they can find themselves empowered in getting their space cleaned up and flat.
Yeah, and I, and I can speak from experience as well of.
When things in my life aren't working and it feels like I am, you know, fighting uphill and everything's just harder and more complicated and more emotional and every, like, there's just all the stuff, like you feel the weight of it. Mm-hmm. That to me is always a sign to go back to, um, you know, what's called the integrity checklist of, okay, what am I not handling that might seem so unrelated.
But because it's not taken care of, it's taking up, it's robbing space of what I'm trying to make happen. And so things that often end up on an integrity checklist are like, is your car wash? Is it clean? Um, you know, just basic tidy things. Are there, is there so many that you owe a phone call to or an email you haven't done?
Is there a bill you haven't paid? Like. All the things that we think don't matter. Right. Very much in life. I think that's one of the, the big secrets of people who are experiencing success and abundance is that those things, they don't matter from a significance perspective, but they do matter in, um, like death by a thousand paper cuts.
You have to like handle the little things in order to really have space to handle the big things. 'cause even though they're tiny. They'll suddenly add up and they're taking up all the room that you need for that new client. And, you know, um, it's so frustrating because they're dumb little things.
My kids will call me and they'll say, mom, blah, blah, blah, blah.
And I'll go, they're like, what's going on and what coaching? And I'll say, oh. I think you better write an integrity checklist. Something's off with you. You, if there's something, you're not handling something, something's incomplete, something and something you need to say to somebody. Um, something you're withholding, something's up.
And you know, lo and behold, they get off the phone. They'll call me back an hour later and go, oh, thank you mom. I, I handled my whole thing. Thanks a lot. And you know, whatever, with the problem is no longer a problem anymore. I really appreciate that about them. They're, they're awesome kids and they're really smart too.
They get their, get their integrity back in.
Mm-hmm. Um, yeah. So I guess people who are listening, you know, make your own integrity checklist. What are the things that you know you're supposed to handle
or avoiding and give
or avoiding? Yeah. And that could be people, things to do feelings. You name it. And if you have questions about this, please send me a note.
'cause this is actually a really profound, big thing that I want you guys to get, um, or bring it to the next, um, you know, workshop or thrive conversation too. Um, if we look back at 8-year-old, you, what did 8-year-old you imagine your life would be like and how far or close is it to what your life is like today?
Not sure eight, but I be Diana I on and
I happen Thanksgiving.
Um, yeah, so I, I was the kind of gal that loved the color. I loved art. I would color really hard, bright colors, and then I'd outline them in black and get 'em all like squared away, you know, so everything that was in its place. Um, so art, I really, really am creative and I find that in my life, I use my food, my wine, my entertaining.
Mm-hmm. Um, making it home. Um, being with people as that artistic expression for myself. Mm-hmm. And I color from time to time. Yeah. Yeah. And I'm always very social girl too. I always like, like the kids, I love to be with my brothers. I love, you know, the whole family aspect. So that is perfect for me.
Yes. And for anyone who's never had the pleasure, uh, an event at the Eaton's House is the best event you get to go to.
Oh, thank you. Um, it, it's true. I mean, the, it's the, you bring to life exactly what you're teaching others to do through inspired living of, you know, how to create a space that. Is really welcoming and encourages conversation and community and how can food do that and how can, um, the people you bring into that space add to that as well.
And I love that you, um, offer teaching people how to do that if they wanna add that on to how you're helping them. Like you get to bring, you have such a great eye as well. Mm-hmm. So. Like when we do my house, it's not like just kaari. I'm like, uh, we're gonna need help with everything. So what do you see that I don't see?
How do we, how do we make this look better now that all the things in here are things I want?
Yeah, it's great. You know, in the kaari process, a lot of times we'll find something that's been hidden away that is really important to somebody. They still have it. And they choose to keep it. It brings them joy and we bring those type of things outta the closet and we actually try to find a way to display them in which the joy is in an everyday experience rather than every 10 years you find it and go.
That was great. Um, I, um, did a lot of work with my own mom. Um, she had this silver set with these, um, oil and vinegar things in it, very antique. And, you know, there was a couple gone, but whatever. So I found it, it was in the laundry room above the weher and dryer, in this pla plastic basket. Oh, I gotta get rid of that.
I gotta get something or other. We brought it out, shined it up, and we put it in a little cabinet in her living room, and she sees it every day now, and it's really important for her. It, it was a family thing, you know, something's very sentimental and now she gets to enjoy it all the, all the time. So we do, do find those things that are important to people and bring them out.
Also, we just always leave things beautiful and create little vignettes and very, um, beautifully, you know, just like your, your, your every day becomes joyful because there's pretty things around you. And it says who you are reminds you like when you're off, like, oh, oh, that's who I'm, and you get to physically see it and it's beautiful.
Mm-hmm. So it's a really fun thing to do. That's a fun part of my job.
Well, another thing that I know you're very passionate about is Casa. Do you wanna tell people what CASA is and why that matters to you?
Yeah. You know, I started doing fundraising for my kids' school. They approached me to do the do the gala thing and I was like going, what?
Whoa, okay. And it was like the first time I really stepped out and became like bigger, just like stepped into that shoes, those kind of bigger shoes. And um, it was interesting. I went into the front office and the director of the school goes. Sits down and she's, I chose these other two co-chairs and she says, well, we just need you to raise about anything over $50,000.
I'm like. I left that meeting going, holy crap. I mean, what gonna do? So we started planning and organizing people, which I love to do. I love to work with people for a good cause. And we, I mean we made like double that. It was an extremely good year for the, the school. And that started my, um, interest in nonprofits and making a difference through inviting people to use the money in a really powerful way intentionally.
It taught me a lot and I got very interested in this Casa and CASA stands for Court appointed Special Advocate, and they're an incredible organization, very well run by very neat people. They, um, what they do is they recruit, train, and manage volunteers from our community in Orange County, and they pair these volunteers.
Advocates for a child that's in foster care and these foster care kids, they're in trouble. They need, they need, they need a guiding, they need somebody to care about them for no reason other than they held up their hand and they know that person's there for no reason other than they said so. So there's this relationship you that they establish.
There's parameters, you're court appointed. You have to go through 30 hours of training the court. Uh, the judge comes in and, you know, blesses you and tells you you're good, you're in, in the, in the club. Um, and then you are paired with the child and they could be any age and you can ask them what age you wanna, you know, be paired with.
But um, at the end you go out into the community and you advocate for them if they need. Certain help in math, you find a tutor, you get their, you know, therapist involved. You get their social worker, you get to know everybody that's around them and you kind of grease the slide for them to be important and make a difference in the world and be somebody.
And I think the, one of the most important things that I can point to statistically is that if you have a casa, if you're a foster kid, you probably won't graduate from high school if you have a CASA 90, I dunno. Two, three. Will graduate from high school. It's incredible the difference it makes if you have a college, a high school diploma.
And, um, I was lucky enough to get a g um, that was just, uh, changed high schools and she's young and, you know, uh, she's out of the system now. She's 22 and she's very important to me and we really hit it off and she's just so coachable and so. She works two jobs. She's going to, you know, community college, she's on her own.
It was really remarkable person and really stepped up because I said, you know what, you're important.
Mm-hmm.
And that's what Casa does. It really gives a kid a chance. Mm-hmm. Most of foster kids will end up in, you know, uh, really bad, uh, uh, places, uh, either in jail or in sex trade. Um, you know, it's interesting, but.
Organization that can make or break a kid. I'm really, and this proud to be a part of that.
No, I, and I'm so proud of, of the work that you've done, uh, yourself as a casa, but also in. Helping, um, them fundraise every year to keep the organization going. Right? And to, to really be an advocate for Casa as much as for your own.
Um, you know, foster appointee.
Kara, I gotta tell you, people are so generous. Um, we've been, I, I've was, you know, fundraising with them for, uh, over the last 10. I don't know. Mm-hmm. And we've done galas, we've done everything. But when we go to the community and we say, these kids need help, we need you to help us, they would raise their hand with like buckets full of money.
And I just, I can't even thank them enough to have faith in the organization to get the job done because it really is a lot about trust and trusting organizations. Good. They spend their money wisely and they're doing a good job at the end of the day and mm-hmm. It's really, I also used to laugh, it's like the most bank of the book you could ever donate.
You know, you get, there's so much, if you think about putting money in for a kid, um, before they go to jail, how much we spend money we spend on people that go to jail. You get that kid stay, have that kid stay outta jail, you get a kid before they fail high school, how much money, what's gonna save the country?
I mean, it's, it's crazy. It's really good bargain.
Yeah. Well, and, and you know, it's, it's, there's a lot of controversy sometimes with different charity organizations. Mm-hmm. And to your point, like this is a great example to donate, to support people who. Want a way to support themselves. Yes. You know, this, this, this isn't a stay in the cycle and you never get out of the cycle type of a program.
This really is a, we're gonna get you out of the cycle program. Right. And, and make you not a statistic which. I know that anyone that's ever been involved in the CASA has been, has been moved and changed because of it, even people who have shown up to, to these, uh, events. Yeah. So, um, I think it's such a cool organization.
It is available nationwide in different places, so you can, anyone listening can find the CASA organization, um, in your local area. Um, and I'm just shocked at the statistics of how many people are in foster care.
We have about, I'd say about 2,500 kids in Orange County. And we have, I'm, these are estimates right now because I don't have the exact number, probably there's six advocates.
Mm-hmm. Um, and, you know, we, we can always use more advocates and we have a 30 hour training online, um, training session that you can do now through Zoom. Mm-hmm. So that's really great. It's a little more difficult with, uh, COVID and the rules of seeing your kid at this time, but you can still advocate for them.
You know, you still can, you know, talk to people and make a difference. Mm-hmm. And you can zoom with them too.
Yeah. And I'm sure a big thing is just making sure right now that they have a laptop and they have internet.
Yeah.
Right.
Like, yeah. How many
foster kids don't. Um,
yeah. I'm really proud, uh, Kendra's, my, my daughter's, um.
Friends, a lot of them have taken on being casas and being advocates, which is really neat. Uh, I just, a lot of people in, in, in our world have just really raised up their hand and making a difference. So I invite all of y'all to find out about them. Casa org, casa oc org for here. But anywhere you can find it nationwide, like Care said.
Mm-hmm. So thank you for letting share about that, Kara. It's really important to me. Um, you're
welcome. Love
those guys.
Well, when you think about powerful ladies as individual words and together, what does it mean to you and um, how does it change your life? Thinking about yourself as a powerful lady?
Um, wow, that's a really great question because I really, I noticed this is a breakthrough I've had in the last couple weeks, just to tell you the truth.
And I noticed that a lot of times that when people, um, pay a compliment to me. Have this thought in the back of my head, like, oh, they really dunno. Or they dunno what they're talking about, or they're just, they're just trying be nice or something when they're telling me personally. And I was like, wow, what is that?
I mean, what, what, who am I like to listen to people in that way and I started really doing a little investigation, a little transformation work for myself after all these years. And I'm, and I look to see that I was not being responsible for who I'm as a powerful woman. That it lacked integrity to disregard people's, um, acknowledgements.
And really, I have a lot to, um, contribute. I have, I'm a powerful person and really being responsible for that is something I've just had a breakthrough in recently. Mm-hmm. I'm really excited about it. So when I look around and I see powerful ladies, I'm just like, wow. I wanna be like that. And I like check out what they're doing.
I read about them. I find out, you know, where they've been, what was their, what were the struggles? How did they get where they are? Mm-hmm. How can I learn from them? Uh, yeah. I dunno if that answered your question, but There you go.
Well, what is, how would you define powerful, powerful ladies?
Um, wow. Uh, that's a good question.
So when somebody is a powerful lady, I think they're being responsible for who they're, and contributing that to other people. Contributing what they have powerfully in a way that makes a difference and makes a difference in the for themselves and for the people around them and for our community.
Mm-hmm. When you look back at your life, what are moments when you have realized the power that you actually have and had probably always had?
Um, I think being really successful fundraiser and being part of the organization that had, you know, had that happen. Um, being a mom of two amazing kids, um. And being somebody that raised their hand for a foster kid.
Mm-hmm. And, you know, taking a stand for her as a person who makes a difference.
Mm-hmm.
And for her successes
and just saying, I'm, I am a business owner and I have something that is of value and trust me. I'm gonna give this to you and I'm gonna light your world up. I'm gonna make sure you have an inspired life and I wanna contribute. Mm-hmm. Yeah, that, I think that's it.
No, I, I, I love that. And for everyone who is listening, right?
'cause they can't see us right now. We'll have video someday. Um. It's, it's emotional, right? To talk about what, when we feel powerful and like, I, I feel it right now as you've been sharing, and I can see like the impact it's having on your face and what, what is it, what is there that maybe can guide people when they're trying to discover their power?
What's that link between how you feel emotionally and, and where you find your power or the impact your power has back on you?
Do you think? I think leaning into the emotion, actually. Like you feel it, you're feeling something, there's something there that is calling to you. There's something there that wants out and, you know, needs exploration.
It's like your mood touched and inspired, girlfriend, get it on. Let's do it. You know? I, yeah. When you notice something.
And not to be afraid. Right. If it, if it is making you no, be afraid and do it anyway.
Mm-hmm. Great book. I used to write these emails. I used to read them over and I used read them over, should I send that? Oh my gosh, is it right? Blah, blah, blah. My text, everything. I'm like, rereading. And then now I'm just like, I'm not sure if that's right and I send it.
Instead of writing it back, you just do it. Just
send it, whatever. Mm-hmm. Yeah. And being emotional isn't bad. Right. If something moves you to the point where you get teary eyed, good, that means it's deeper.
Yeah. Which has happened a lot this last week during Thanksgiving. Mm-hmm. I notice I start talking and I'm like, Ooh, I have to catch myself.
You know, what's heck going on? You know, there's a lot of emotions here. This last, yeah, well, six months, but, um, this last week I just noticed a lot of, uh, lot of right under the surface, heartfelt stuff.
Well, I noticed for myself for a long time, I wouldn't talk about things that really mattered to me with a lot of people because.
I didn't wanna get emotional. I didn't want the, like, you know, I was one of those people who was like, crying is so stupid. And so like, I would avoid those things. And now I like, I know it's a sign that like, it really matters to me. Like even if I'm talking to Jesse about something. If I get teary eyed, it's because, no, this is real.
This is actually really important to me, or it really means something to me. Mm-hmm. Um, it has nothing to do with being weak or being too girly or any of those things. It's just like, no, this is real. Like this is, this is something of significance to me, even if it seems silly to somebody else.
Right, right.
And I think leaning into those times is like, that's where you find yourself. That's where the
alive. It's getting up every day. Mm-hmm. There.
Mm-hmm. Yeah. There's so many people that I, um, have come across, especially in this past year, who either. Um, our recent graduates are young people that are really trying to find what that purpose is for them.
Yeah.
Or it's people who have been kind of knocked off what they thought their game plan was and are, are trying to reconnect with what their purpose is.
Um, it's also why we started as our first month in Thrive membership with Clarity. Um, but having, you know, you are someone who has such wisdom for people who are trying to reconnect with their purpose, what advice would you give them? Wow, that's
great. Um, I think like asking yourself, what, as an 8-year-old, what did you love to do?
Mm-hmm. Because oftentimes it's the same thing. It might be packaged a little different, but I think it's very similar. There's some dream that that kid had that wants to get lived, right? Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. And like going there, doing a little exploration, writing journals, drawing pictures. I, you know, I know what it is, but there's, there's some.
Some way that that manifests itself. Mm-hmm. And the, the authenticity's right there. I think,
I think so too. And even for people who maybe when they were a kid wasn't a good time. Like they didn't, it didn't just occur to them as a hopeful period of their life. I, I still think that there is, whatever you felt in that moment will give you insight into what your calling is.
So whether your 8-year-old you was happy or 8-year-old, you was struggling. Mm-hmm. There's something in that space that's going to point you. It's like a flashlight. Mm-hmm. It's gonna shine on something that you're, that, that is going to call to you.
Mm-hmm. Yeah. You know, um, I was just talking to my son who, um, you know, when he goes through things and, you know, he'll come and we'll have a conversation about things and I said, you know, maybe that you have to get through this stuff.
That's not so great. I get to where you're going. So it's not like bad, bad stuff. It's like good, bad stuff because it's gonna get you where you gotta go.
Mm-hmm.
And pressing in, uh, and finding your purpose and finding what's up and what's so for yourself.
Yeah. Well, I know from my own experience, finding your purpose doesn't mean that things get easy.
Yeah. But it's not like a, not that it gets bad, but it's more. Finding your purpose isn't, uh, the same thing as ha having like the good life. Like, they're not, they're not one and the same. They can be eventually. Um, but I feel like sometimes there's a lot of, there's still a lot of stuff in that space when you especially start on that path of things to work through, things to grow into challenges that you need so that you can really be the leader that you're going to be on the other side.
Yeah. I mean, being the leader and like actually just saying yes to things. Mm-hmm. Just pushing the button and sending it, you know, just do it. Is that what they, you know, Nike says, just do it.
Yes. Yeah, a hundred percent. Um, so we ask everyone on the podcast where you put yourself in the powerful ladies scale.
Zero being average everyday human, and 10 being the most powerful lady possible. Where would you rank yourself today and where do you think you rank yourself on average?
Hmm. Let's see. Let's see. I would say like an eight. Like I'm like, but I have like, there's so many plans that I have for my company and what I wanna do and what I wanna accomplish.
Mm-hmm. So I think I'm just. I'm an eight for the, the scale that I'm at now, but then I'm getting a new scale as soon as possible, you know, because I'm, I'm gonna do, you know, I'm gonna invent a new scale, um, for myself. And I, I love that. Um, not being able to, not stopping, just being able to invent something new and get on another scale.
It's great.
Yeah. No, I love that. I love the putting the new scale into effect. Yeah. Um, you are an avid reader as I am. We, we are a little bit obsessed with the books that we get to have in our lives. Um, you recommended, um, where the Crude Sing and Educated, which have been two of my favorite books this year.
Um, how have books changed your life and is there a book that you recommend to everyone that's listening?
So I love, love, love to read. And um, I think, I think I shared this with you, but I'm taking a wine education class level three. Um. Learn about wine. Wine and it's, it's all encompassing. It's all I read right now, so I'd say Argentina right now.
But that's my, my reading list is just, this textbook is just this, uh, unbelievable. But, uh, I love the two books that you re, that I recommended to you. Those were really great. Mm-hmm. Um, there is, um, there's another book that I read right before that. It's called The Choice. It's a story of a, um, Holocaust survivor and it's phenomenal, incredibly moving and the struggle and the, the, the talk about she got a new scale.
Boy, this lady is unbelievable. Um, she's still alive. She lives down, I think in La Jolla now, and I've been on a podcast with her. She's just the bomb, badass. Mm-hmm. Lady. And, um, what she went through and her story is incredible. You have to read that. I would highly recommend that. Okay. Awesome. Great for this season too.
Yeah.
Um, and I know that you are a woman who has lots of other powerful and inspiring women in your life. How have the women and your circle of girlfriends impacted your life and. Um, you know, either supported you or guided you to who you are today.
Wow. I, um. I have this, uh, one friend, and I call her my person.
She's my person. And you know, if I'm ever off or if something something's up with me, I get on the phone immediately. I call her, I say, blah, blah, blah. So going on, I get coached and I get back on my bike and I ride, I get going again. Mm-hmm. And I think that's one of the most important things in life is mm-hmm.
Friends, you know, especially through, um, this last few months, you know, you really circle your wagon and you find out who's important and you know mm-hmm. You have that connection. And it's just been phenomenal who's in my circle right now. I'm blessed to have incredible people that have support me in all ways, and I'm, I'm just, I know I have no words for the girlfriend, um, conversation.
Yeah. Um, so now that I'm sure you have lots of admirers after, um, today's episode, um, what are your final words of wisdom or encouragement to everyone that's listening who is hungry to take on a life bigger than their maybe dare to dream and really wanna step into living their life with intention?
Wow.
Ah, call me. Let's do it together. I mean, I wanna be a witness, man. I just love what I do. I wanna be there for people. I want 'em to be successful and I want 'em to have a life they love and be inspired and have a home that reflects who they are. And when they come home, they get reminded of who they are every day and what they're up to.
And they just get empowered. Like they have this amazing life. Uh, that's what I wish for everybody and in to. Start that process. You know, get, get the book, get Marie Kondo's book. Read it.
Mm-hmm.
Read it. See what's possible outta just like decluttering. It's just phenomenal. You gotta do it. Start the process.
Well, thank you for spending your Sunday with me. It's been such a pleasure as always. Thank you for finally being a yes and uh, being a guest. I am sure I'll have you on again in the future since we have so many things that, uh, we find important and would love to talk about and share with people. Um, but you really are still lovely and so special to me, so thank you so much,
Kara.
I can't thank you enough. I can't thank you enough for your friendship, your coaching. Unbelievable. You just are so empowering to me, and I just super appreciate who you are, not only for me, but for the entire powerful ladies Thrive community, of which I'm a new member by the way. Um, um, so I'm super excited to participate in that with you.
But you are, uh, shining light in this world right now. Every entrepreneur needs you and with you by their side, just like there's nothing that can't happen. So. You know, shout out to you. Love you. Thank you for having me. Thank you so much.
I hope you all got something out of today's episode. Nancy is one of those magical humans. If you're ready to take on transforming your life into the life of your dreams, definitely book a consultation with her to see what's possible for you. Completing the Con Maria process with the professional and even more so with Nancy is a totally different experience than doing it on your own.
Things are revealed when you're doing it with her. Things move and you really feel a new space and a new life coming into existence. To connect, support, follow and schedule an appointment with Nancy, you can visit Nancy Eaton inspire living.com. Or find her on Instagram at Nancy Eaton Inspired Living All the links plus more notes you can find@thepowerfulladies.com slash podcast and see it all in this episode, show notes.
Thank you so much for listening. I hope you've enjoyed this episode of The Powerful Ladies Podcast. There are so many ways you can get involved and get supported with fellow powerful ladies. First, subscribe to this podcast anywhere you listen to podcast. Give us a five star rating and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.
Follow us on Instagram at Powerful Ladies. Join the Powerful Ladies Thrive Collective. This is the place where powerful ladies connect, level up, and learn how to thrive in business and life. Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube page, and of course, visit our website, the powerful ladies.com. I had like to thank our producer, composer, and audio engineer Jordan Duffy.
Without her, this wouldn't be possible. You can follow her on Instagram at Jordan K. Duffy. We'll be back next week with a brand new episode. Until then, I hope you're taking on being powerful in your life. Go be awesome and up to something you love.
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Created and hosted by Kara Duffy
Audio Engineering & Editing by Jordan Duffy
Production by Amanda Kass
Graphic design by Anna Olinova
Music by Joakim Karud
