After my powerful conversation with my guest, Carol Look on The Sharon Fitzmaurice Podcast, I found myself deeply moved and reflective. We explored the ways in which we often sabotage our own success, whether in our careers, relationships, or simply in allowing ourselves to thrive. Carol spoke with such clarity and compassion about how unresolved trauma and limiting beliefs can keep us stuck in patterns of fear, self-doubt, and self-sabotage.

As I listened to her, I couldn't help but reflect on my own journey.

There were many moments in my past where I didn’t allow myself to even imagine what could be possible. I was so entrenched in survival mode - caught in the aftershocks of trauma, that I couldn’t see beyond the pain. It was as if I was living in a small, dimly lit room, unaware that there was a door leading out into the light. I see now that I wasn't broken; I was simply trying to stay safe in the only way I knew how.

But healing has taught me something beautiful: we are allowed to choose ourselves. In fact, that choice is the beginning of everything.

When we make the decision to no longer stay small, when we stop dimming our light to fit into places that no longer serve us - we begin to reclaim our power. That first step is often the hardest, because it requires us to believe in something we may not yet fully see: the possibility of transformation.

As Carol and I spoke, I felt an energy within me ignite - sparks of something familiar and sacred. It was that deep knowing, the quiet but powerful affirmation that this work - helping others to heal, to rise, and to reconnect with their truth - is not only purposeful, but vital.

We often get lost in trying to protect ourselves, constructing walls so high that no one, not even our true selves, can get in. And while those walls may have once felt like safety, over time, they become our cages. Instead of feeling secure, we feel more isolated, more disconnected from the world - and from our own potential.

But here’s the truth I want to share with you, from one soul to another:

There is hope.

You are not alone in feeling stuck or unsure. You are not the only one who has questioned your worth or shrunk yourself to fit into someone else's version of safety. But the beauty of this journey is that we can always choose again. We can choose to soften, to open, to trust. We can choose to remember who we are beneath the pain.

Healing isn’t about becoming someone new - it’s about coming home to yourself.

So, if you find yourself sabotaging the very things you desire, pause. Breathe. Be gentle with yourself. And know that every small act of self-love, every boundary you set, every time you say yes to your own growth, is a step toward the life you were always meant to live.

You are worthy. You are powerful. And you are never too far gone to begin again.

With love,

Sharon Fitzmaurice

Author, Holistic Wellness Coach & Podcast Host

Rings of Time

Last week, I had the privilege of sitting down with Byddi Lee – Author, Playwright, and Screenwriter on my podcast - after reading her profoundly moving book Barren. It tells the story of a grieving woman who connects with the spirit of her miscarried child, unveiling the story of an ancient Irish woman navigating a climate catastrophe. As I turned the pages of Byddi’s story, I found myself deeply touched, not only by her beautiful writing but also by the tenderness with which she brought the unseen into the light.

Her story stirred something within me. It opened a quiet space in my heart where I reflected on my own journey through baby loss and miscarriage - two precious souls who came briefly into my life and who now live on in Spirit. I feel their presence with me every day. Though not here in the physical world, they are part of my story - woven into the fabric of my past and my present, guiding me in gentle ways I cannot always explain but deeply feel. They remind me daily of the love that never leaves and the connections that transcend form.

As Byddi and I spoke, our conversation flowed into the wisdom of trees and the stories they hold in their rings. We explored how the natural world mirrors our inner landscapes -how each tree ring, like each experience, tells a chapter of growth, struggle, resilience, and renewal.

When I reflect on the inner rings of a tree, I see the echoes of my own life. Each ring, a year lived. Each ring, a layer of who I’ve become. There are wide rings, representing times of flourishing, times when I stood rooted in purpose, sharing my heart’s work as a wellness coach, Reiki master, and clinical hypnotherapist. These were the seasons when healing felt expansive, and I witnessed both myself and others blossom.

And there are the narrower rings - those tender, more difficult years shaped by grief, uncertainty, and personal healing. The times when I had to pause, listen deeply, and gather strength from within. Losing those babies, moving through that silent grief, was part of those rings. Yet, even in sorrow, growth found a way. Like the tree that keeps reaching for light despite harsh seasons, I, too, found resilience I didn’t know I possessed. These sacred, quiet rings became the soil of my deepest empathy and the foundation of the support I now offer others on their healing paths.

The passage of time becomes visible in the rings of a tree, and in the same way, I see how the unfolding of my life has shaped me. Healing is not linear, it spirals, circles, and returns, just like those rings. And in each return, I gain new understanding, not only of myself but of the strength that comes from loving deeply, even when that love is carried in Spirit rather than in arms.

As I continue to reflect, I honour the stories of those I’ve worked with and walked beside. Their journeys, their trust, and their healing are woven into my own rings, just as mine are woven into theirs. We are all part of a greater forest, each tree individual, yet deeply interconnected. Our roots meet beneath the surface, where compassion and shared experience grow.

The resilience of the tree through storm and drought reminds me of the strength within all of us. Every challenge, every joy, every soul we’ve loved and lost adds to the layers of who we are. And just as the tree stands tall, its story etched in every ring, I, too, stand with my story - proud, grounded, and ever-growing.

In the end, I hope that my journey, my words, and the love I carry will encourage others to honour their own rings, to recognise the beauty in their growth, the sacredness of their pain, and the unbreakable bonds that endure beyond time. Like the tree, may we all leave behind a legacy of resilience, wisdom, and love.

You can watch my beautiful conversation with Byddi HERE on YouTube

Sharon Fitzmaurice

Author, Wellness Coach & Podcast Host