Mother's Day is almost here. And if you've lost someone, you already know what that means. The world goes pink and celebratory and you're just trying to get through Sunday.
This year, Mother's Day falls on the anniversary of my brother Dave's death. It's a layered day — grief and love sitting right next to each other, the way they always do.
And maybe that's you too, in your own way. Maybe you lost your mom. Maybe you lost someone else entirely, and this holiday just rubs it in. Maybe your relationship with your mom is painful or complicated, and celebration feels hollow. Grief comes in many shapes this time of year.
When Dave died, six months after losing my dad, I realized that so much of what we say about grief leaves people alone in the hardest parts. So I wrote Touching Two Worlds. Not as a perfect answer. More like a hand-drawn map for someone who found themselves in this landscape and didn't know where to go next.
That book has reached thousands of grieving people. And what I kept hearing was that they needed more. Because sometimes you can't read. Sometimes grief is in your chest, not your head. Sometimes you wake up at 3 AM and need something to reach for.
So I built the Touching Two Worlds Healing Bundle — the book, plus a workbook, body-based practices, guided meditations, a grief glossary, and a guide for the people around you who want to help but don't know how.
If you or someone you know is navigating grief right now, click on the link in bio to learn more. #grief #griefing #griefguide #griefjourney #griefsupport #griefandloss #griefandhealing #MothersDay #mothersdayweekend #touchingtwoworlds
Celebrating 26 years of marriage with @definitely.rob
Reflecting on what the current version of me would have told the young bride.
#marriage #happyanniversary❤️ #couples #couplesofinstagram #lovestory
What is the purpose of circus?
Not just to perform.
Not just to impress.
To feel.
To connect.
To remember who you are.
This is Circus With Purpose 🦄
Watch the full 5-minute mini documentary by @tonytobias.kame
Link in bio 🎬
We’re opening early access for our 2027 retreat
our 10 year anniversary 🥹🌱✨
Traincation is back in two waves:
☀️ Week 1: Jan 16–23
🍉 Week 2: Jan 25–Feb 1
Comment “2027” and we’ll send you the EARLY ACCESS link
Featuring beautiful thoughts of @dr.sherrywalling 💘
#circuswithpurpose #circusretreat #aerialretreat #nicaraguaretreat #aerialnation
Many of us have touched the shadows of addiction, mental illness, grief, and loneliness. We feel the suffering of those in our community. Those relegated to the margins. Without homes. Without belonging. Without the stability of a safe place to rest.
Mental illness is the pandemic of the shadows. Often unobservable. Pain privately held. Suffering unseen. Hearts shrouded in loneliness.
Yet, when we allow ourselves to see each other, even in our pain, life stirs. Grace in the sorrow. Beauty in the strength to keep going. A swirling dance with turmoil and anxiety. A quiet promise that darkness is part of the story. But not the entire story.
It was an honor to share our circus storytelling with the @mhaokla hosted by @tpcstudios@lylunny@bugeyed_kristen@brookshenry.circus@quinn.y_k@cloeoeo_@circusgigi
#circus #touchingtwoworlds #storytelling #aerialist #mentalhealth
Uncertainty isn’t just a "mind" problem—it’s a physical experience. You know the feeling: the shallow breath, the staccato heartbeat, that heavy pause between wanting to act and your body actually moving.
We try to solve it by thinking harder. We ruminate, we plan. But you can't always think your way out of a physical freeze. Planning is great, but over-thinking creates more hesitation.
The Secret? Embodied Preparation.
To close the gap between intention and action, you have to move from rumination to practice.
When you prepare for a big moment, don't just think about what you’ll say. Focus on how it will feel. Prime the Body. Use sensation to teach your nervous system what’s coming next.
Move out of your mind and into embodiment. The jump is easier when your body is ready for it.
#Mindset #EmbodiedPractice #entrepreneurmotivation #MentalHealth #drsherrywalling #embodiedleadership
Your posture is the "default setting" for your mood.
The science is clear: Slumping is a position of defeat. When you hunch over a laptop or phone:
❌ You make it easier for your brain to dwell on negative memories.
❌ You trigger a "defensive" nervous system state that kills abstract thinking.
❌ You signal that you are tired or disengaged.
The "Power Pose" isn't just a yoga concept. Shifting to an upright, expansive posture has been shown to increase testosterone (confidence) and decrease cortisol (stress). It can be the difference between navigating a challenging situation from a place of "threat" versus a place of "presence."
As entrepreneurs, we spend hours behind screens, often defaulting to "text neck" and shallow breathing. We become disembodied.
If you feel stuck or foggy, don't just "think" your way out of it. Lift your chest, drop your shoulders. Open your posture.
Remember, your body isn't just a vehicle for your head; it’s an active partner in how you think, feel, and lead.
#EmbodiedLeadership #Neuroscience #ExecutiveCoaching #DrSherryWalling #MindBodyConnection
A lot of leaders call this collaboration. But sometimes it’s anxiety.
You have an idea, a decision, a next move, and before you’ve really sat with your own thoughts, you start polling the room. Customers. Team. Friends. The internet. Everyone gets a vote before you do.
Feedback matters. Market data matters. Wise counsel matters. But if your first instinct is always to look outward, you may be skipping over something essential: your own discernment.
People-pleasing leadership often sounds like “I just want to make the best decision.”
But underneath that can be a deeper fear of disappointing people, getting it wrong publicly, or trusting your own internal authority.
This doesn’t mean ignoring other people; it means consulting yourself first.
Let your values, judgment, and experience have a seat at the table before the crowd takes over.
That’s not ego. That’s healthy leadership.
#DrSherryWalling #PeoplePleasingLeader #ConsciousLeadership #FounderPsychology #EmotionalLeadership #TrustYourInnerWisdom
"I felt a little presumptuous going [to the Exit Strategy talk] while my business is small, but I was happy that Sherry validated what I thought—it is never too early to think about your exit plan and start being strategic."
Entrepreneurs spend so much energy birthing their businesses that thinking about the end can feel like a betrayal. But as I shared with the group at EO Minnesota last week, a good exit strategy is actually an act of care—for your team, your co-founders, and your future self.
Ideally, you’ve been thinking about it since day one. A good exit strategy is like a prenup in a marriage. It’s the baseline of clarity you need, especially if you have a co-founder.
The reality is: Everyone exits.
If you don’t plan for it early enough, you’ll eventually find yourself in one of two painful positions:
THE STRUCTURAL TRAP: Your business isn't prepared to function without you when the day finally comes.
THE EMOTIONAL JAR: You find yourself staring at the wall wondering, "What's next?" because you haven't processed the identity shift that comes with leaving.
I want you to see an exit as a universal stage in the life cycle of any entrepreneur. People are depending on you to leave your business in good shape if you suddenly have to walk away.
My advice? Start an ongoing, open dialogue with yourself today. Even if it’s just a password-protected document where you jot down ideas, don’t wait until you're forced into it by burnout or a sudden offer.
You deserve to make these decisions with a clear head, not in the middle of a crisis.
Are you thinking about your "Day After"? My book, Exit Strategy, dives deep into the psychological and tactical shifts needed to transition well. Link in bio!
#ExitStrategy #EOMN #FounderMentalHealth #BusinessTransition #Entrepreneurship
The inner critic is often misunderstood. It’s not random negativity. It’s a survival strategy that learned its job was protecting you from rejection, risk, and loss.
The problem is that it’s still running old software in new environments.
For founders, creatives, and high-capacity humans, that voice gets loud exactly where growth lives: in visibility, intimacy, and ambition.
You don’t silence it by force. You retrain it by understanding it.
When you shift from fighting the critic to listening with discernment, your decisions become anchored in clarity — not fear.
If this resonates, save it. Come back to it before your next bold move.
#EntrepreneurPsychology #InnerCritic #NervousSystemWork #FounderMentalHealth #EmotionalResilience #DrSherryWalling
Founders are trained to optimize strategy. Rarely are they trained to care for the system that runs the strategy.
Your energy, focus, and decision-making aren’t just cognitive, they’re physiological. They’re shaped by sleep, movement, nourishment, and recovery.
And yet, many high-performing leaders treat their bodies like an afterthought. Something to push through.
But your body is not separate from your performance. It is the foundation of it.
Small, consistent practices don’t just support your health, they protect your clarity, your judgment, and your capacity to lead well over time.
If something feels off in your work, it may not be a business problem.
It may be a body problem.
#FounderHealth #NervousSystemCare #EntrepreneurPerformance #SustainableSuccess #HighPerformerHabits #DrSherryWalling
!["I felt a little presumptuous going [to the Exit Strategy talk] while my business is small, but I was happy that Sherry validated what I thought—it is never too early to think about your exit plan and start being strategic."Entrepreneurs spend so much energy birthing their businesses that thinking about the end can feel like a betrayal. But as I shared with the group at EO Minnesota last week, a good exit strategy is actually an act of care—for your team, your co-founders, and your future self.Ideally, you’ve been thinking about it since day one. A good exit strategy is like a prenup in a marriage. It’s the baseline of clarity you need, especially if you have a co-founder.The reality is: Everyone exits.If you don’t plan for it early enough, you’ll eventually find yourself in one of two painful positions:THE STRUCTURAL TRAP: Your business isn't prepared to function without you when the day finally comes.THE EMOTIONAL JAR: You find yourself staring at the wall wondering, "What's next?" because you haven't processed the identity shift that comes with leaving.I want you to see an exit as a universal stage in the life cycle of any entrepreneur. People are depending on you to leave your business in good shape if you suddenly have to walk away.My advice? Start an ongoing, open dialogue with yourself today. Even if it’s just a password-protected document where you jot down ideas, don’t wait until you're forced into it by burnout or a sudden offer.You deserve to make these decisions with a clear head, not in the middle of a crisis.Are you thinking about your "Day After"? My book, Exit Strategy, dives deep into the psychological and tactical shifts needed to transition well. Link in bio!#ExitStrategy #EOMN #FounderMentalHealth #BusinessTransition #Entrepreneurship](https://sp1.picnob.com/p/pt_6747476372674545171059_0_efb5a36a37aea1138bbf7311e2009147.jpg?o=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&h=d26f563a924058e038ff42276d7e3efb)
