We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ali Sweeney. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ali below.
Ali, we’re thrilled to have you on our platform and we think there is so much folks can learn from you and your story. Something that matters deeply to us is living a life and leading a career filled with purpose and so let’s start by chatting about how you found your purpose.
I am 47, and my purpose is completely different now than when I was 27. Every step of my life has led me to my purpose, and I expect it to continue to evolve and refine as I age. The most significant sign is HOW I feel when I am working in my purpose. I feel incredible, powerful, and connected. Throughout my life, sometimes I found my purpose by doing things that were not my purpose, and sometimes it was by listening to my heart and following. My purpose is to shine light in this world; to be a healer and of service, specifically as an energy healer, a mom, and community member. But I have an engineering degree from an Ivy League school – that was one of those not my purpose moments. I can also trace pieces of my purpose to significant events in my life. These weren’t events that I found, they were events that I couldn’t miss. An example would be that my brother died when he was 23 and I was 22. That event and all that followed made me realize that working as an engineer was not my purpose. So, I changed careers, and in doing so came closer and closer to my purpose. Another significant event was when I chose to become a mom. The unconditional love of parenthood rocked me to my purpose. There was no escape from the idea that we are all one, and my actions in this world matter. Although significant events happened to help me find my purpose, it was also every step of every day that solidified it. It was my family and friends who said yes – that sounds like you!! It was the teachers and mentors who blazed the trail before me so I could more easily find my way. There are so many tiny moments that also mattered in helping me to feel and know my purpose in this world. How you feel when you are doing whatever you do is a sign pointing to your purpose.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I am a psychic. I can see energy from your higher self and interpret that energy for clients. What is exciting about what I do is that I love it, and it helps me to connect to spirit every time I give a reading. What’s special about being a psychic is that clients hear these messages and their experience is seen and validated and often that is healing. It is special because there is a love in what I do that helps people to hear uncomfortable things, and receive the compassion they have so desperately wanted. People don’t feel as alone in their life and troubles. They feel better after a reading, even if the topic is a tough one. A reading is liberating, and clients feel lighter, calmer, or more like themselves. It is my absolute pleasure to bring this service to the world. It is an honor to sit with someone, hear their story, and bring them messages that are what they most need to hear. My intention is spiritual growth, awareness, understanding, and amusement through the vibration of love.
I also teach meditation and just received a teacher certification in TSD (Tame, Soothe, Dwell) Mindfulness. Classes in TSD mindfulness work with the mind, gut, and heart to create a full body and spirit experience. These classes are my newest offering, and I am really excited because TSD has changed my life in so many positive ways!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I think one of the most important skills of our time is emotional intelligence – being able to know how or what you feel and what the source of that emotion is. It not only helps you understand yourself better, but also increases your capacity for empathy and compassion for all the people that you will work with whether they are supervisors, coworkers, or clients. Having excellent relationships with those you work with is essential for a joyful journey. There are all kinds of ways you can become more self aware and compassionate – mindfulness courses, podcasts, therapy, or books.
As an entrepreneur, time management has always served me well. Being realistic about the amount of time something takes, stopping when something is good enough (but maybe not perfect), and setting priorities for who and what gets my time. Being able to motivate myself and be gentle with myself has always been a balancing act. I’ve worked with coaches, read books, and online articles to improve on this skill.
Living in America it can start to feel like you have to work all the time if you want to get anywhere. I understand that pressure, but I strongly suggest also finding your fun. I love my work and am passionate about it, but life is full of all kinds of things and focusing on just one aspect doesn’t work for me. Make sure work isn’t all you do. I’ve set a new goal for myself to be a wanderer of wonder. I want to find all kinds of things that bring wonder into my life and let myself wander among the wonder – whether it is a hike in the mountains, connecting with my higher self, or creating art.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
When I am overwhelmed, I stop. This is my advice, stop and sit with yourself. Spend 4 minutes staying focused on the sounds around you – whatever they are – the fridge, the heater, the birds, your breath. When your attention shifts to something else, go back to the sound around you. After that 4 minutes, get curious about your experience. Check in with your body. Are you tired, do you need to rest? Are you overextending yourself? Why? Are you emotionally overwhelmed? That’s understandable, its hard to be a human on this planet. Do you need help? The first step is the stop. Yes, sitting and focusing on sounds is a form of meditation, and it is essential to get out of the mental field, and give yourself that break.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.alightinsight.com
- Instagram: alightinsight
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alightinsight
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-goulstone-sweeney-63ab743/
Image Credits:
Dawn Shearer
