Sharon Kirstin is the bestselling author of “The Answers Within: Find Your Soul Purpose and Ignite Your Hidden Superpowers”, success coach and a speaker. She built and lead the website and mobile usability department for one of the world’s most successful startups ranking #5 in the wall street Journal’s “Billion Dollar Startup Club” 2014.
What was your childhood like?
I was a debilitatingly shy kid. When I was little I’d hide behind my mother when strangers talked to me. I had friends in school, but was never one of the popular kids. I never quite felt like I fit in, rather like a unicorn in this small town setting in Germany. It seemed like I had been born in the wrong location – it should’ve been California! For whatever reason my heart always pulled me there. I had a few close friends that I would spend my time with. But what I did a lot was listen to music and let my mind wander into the future. To everything that could be, dreaming up experiences in beautiful places. In hindsight, I know that I was extremely sensitive to other people’s energy, an empath, and it was difficult for me to be around people sometimes because I would internalize their emotions. It would feel uncomfortable and I wouldn’t know why. Often I’d just feel more at ease being by myself.
My parents got divorced when I was 7 years old and my Dad embarked upon his personal development journey. He wondered what had happened that he had it all – success, house, cars, family – and then lost it all. I loved what he shared about spirituality, purpose, life, belief systems and empowerment. I started reading books by Osho when I was eight years old. He planted many seeds within me that have sprouted into a full-blown mission to awaken people to their full potential so that they remember who they really are and use their superpowers and the metaphysical laws to create authentic lives of abundance and fulfillment.
What prompted your decision to leave the corporate world?
I had spent years in a key role building the most successful e-commerce company in Europe. I invested all of my time and energy into this job. I made it my purpose. Although I had always been interested in spirituality, personal development and deciphering the mysteries of life, I ended up being a workaholic in the pursuit of significance. I found it. And once I did, the thought started surfacing, “Is this it? Is this all there is to life?” I started doubting the purpose of my job. This question reconnected me to a deep desire within me: to help people and make their life better. I kept having the idea that when I die people would speak about how I touched their lives and made it better. That, because I was around, their life was transformed.
I didn’t see how corporate could get any better than building one of the most successful companies in a key role from 100 to 5000 employees. It was a wild ride of build-up and expansion that had inspired me. I felt called to take some time off work and reconnect with my soul. I didn’t want any vacation, but a deep reconnection with my true self. I needed answers about my next chapter in life. Through divine guidance a yoga teacher training in the Indian Himalayas found me. In those 5 weeks away from civilization, surrounded by pristine nature and immersed in ancient teachings, I found new meaning and guidance. One morning in meditation, all of a sudden all sounds around me got quiet and I could feel myself being pulled out of my body. I had visions and heard the clear guidance: “You created this life. You can create differently.” I realized that no matter how much energy, time, or resources I had spent creating the life at home, I can choose differently. I can build a new life based on authentic values following my true soul’s purpose.
Why did you start your own business?
Why did you start your own business?I started my business because I desired to empower people to live authentic lives of freedom, purpose and abundance. I believe that the limiting beliefs we learn from society, parents, and social groups early on create barriers to our authentic expression. Our natural state is to be in full alignment with what is right for us and to express ourselves freely. Instead we are taught to believe in lack, fear, limitation and conditionality. My mission is to help release these inner limitations so that my clients can create a life in full alignment with what is true to them and contribute their gifts back to the planet. The more people wake up to the truth of their infinite power the more the consciousness on the planet increases and our world can transform.
My biggest challenge in the beginning was my identity. I drew a lot of significance from my identity as the businesswoman and the impact I had made, and was still in high demand for by competitors. I fought a battle within me about what people would think if I call myself spiritual or a coach. “Corporate suicide” was a term I heard a lot and I had to make a choice whether I’d stay safe in a career that didn’t excite me anymore, or take the risk and actually try to make a bigger impact in the world, no matter what people would label me. Everything is a choice. When we can infuse consciousness into a situation we can see different perspectives. I realized that playing small and safe would not be me. I made a vow to myself long ago that I would not make choices based on fear and I stuck with my credo.
Tell us about your book a ‘The Answers Within’
This book was within me for a long time, I felt called to write a book for quite a while but didn’t take action. When I finally decided to go for it the words flew from my soul straight onto paper within two short and intense weeks of writing my heart out. Customers on Amazon have attested in the reviews what a high frequency the book holds and how it transformed their energy simply by reading it. It definitely has its own energy. It’s a channeled work that finds you when you are ready to experience its transformational guidance.
“The Answers Within – Find Your Soul Purpose and Ignite Your Hidden Superpowers” is for everyone who has been looking for happiness in all the wrong places – material things, career success, relationships, kids, adventure, whatever it may be. It is an insightful and practical book that gives you answers to your burning questions about life and safely navigates you to find meaning and fulfillment in life. All teachings are backed up with practical exercises that activate your true inner power and help you harness your inner guidance system to create a life beyond your wildest dreams. It will take you on a journey to transcend your current circumstances, ditch the ordinary, embrace your full potential and open you up to a whole new perspective on life. Over and over in my life I’ve experienced that a shift in perspective is all it takes to create lasting change. It takes away the resistance and allows the magic of the universe to manifest the right people, circumstances and opportunities to create everything you desire.
From your experience what holds people back from greatness?
Limiting belief systems. When we set a goal, may it be to be our best self or to achieve something specific within a certain period of time, it is not our conscious mind that guides us to the result. It is our subconscious that carries out the command. If your subconscious is not aligned with what you consciously want it will keep sabotaging you. Until age 7 our brains operate in theta brainwave. Theta is the brain state of trance. This means that whatever we’ve been told and whatever we experienced is accepted as true. During this time we cannot reject an idea, thought or belief. Once we turn 8 years old all of that drops into our subconscious and steers us remotely for the rest of our life. I’m sure you’ve heard that our subconscious takes up 95% of our behavior and only 5% is truly conscious choice. Greatness means to me to be your best self in all areas of life. This can only be achieved if we become aware of the limiting beliefs that create barriers to our full expression, reprogram them in our subconscious and take new, consistent action to allow our goals to manifest in life.
What drives you?
My number one value in life is connection. I believe we are all one. What we do for another, we do for ourselves. I have seen the power that lies in self-actualization and what magic can unfold when we step back in alignment with our true self. I’m on this path of self-actualization and I’m passionate about taking others with me. My mission is to awaken those who are ready to live their full creator potential so that they can utilize their superpowers and harness the power of the metaphysical laws to create powerful lives that contribute to the ascension of planetary consciousness. This creates a ripple effect of awakening and rapid human evolution. Together we can make a true difference.
What’s the most rewarding experience you had?
Reading the beautiful testimonials of my book and how the wisdom in it has changed people’s lives. It is my intention to create content that will outlive me and will keep on giving in many years to come. To see the first manifestations of this was truly touching and rewarding because I could see that I’m on track with my mission.
How do you unwind from the demands of running your business?
I have clear scheduled time for what I do. I take daily time to reconnect with myself and my inner guidance. It’s easy to lose sight of the big picture when you’re caught up in daily tasks. I’m in constant connection with my higher guidance so that I stay on purpose. I treat myself with support. I have a business coach and spiritual coach. I create regular time-outs where I recharge and spend quality time with friends and family. Travel also infuses me with energy and new perspectives. We can get very caught up in the same routines when we are in one place. Travel breaks my habits and opens my mind to new perspectives that energize me in life and business. I’ve also learned to be selfish to a certain extend. “Selfish” in the sense that I know I have nothing to give unless I have filled my own well, first. I now say “no” to other people’s demands on my time and energy more than I used to because I know that otherwise it will compromise my energy, joy and the impact I can make. I always pass any demands through the test of how this will impact my goals now and long-term, and if saying “yes” supports my mission or not. It’s hard to say “no”, but it’s necessary if I want to create the life I envision.
What is next for you?
I’m currently creating a powerful personal development method with the intention for it to be the most effective one on the planet. I’m also creating a consciousness movement where I guide awake leaders into their fuller power and impact. The only “thing” holding us back from making an impact is ourselves. There is no power outside of ourselves that keeps us from living extraordinary lives. That’s why I believe all the answers and power is already within ourselves. We just need to unlock it. Apart from that I’ll be focusing on my next book and speaking on stages to share my message and awaken into higher consciousness.
