Episode Transcript
[00:00:02] Speaker A: Welcome to the Business Miracles podcast. I'm Heather Dominick, founder of Businessmiracles.com. since 2010, I've been training highly sensitive entrepreneurs and leaders from around the globe to work less while making more impact and income by doing things differently. I'm so glad you've joined me. Listen in and get ready for a shift in the way you view yourself, your work, your life. A business Miracle.
[00:00:34] Speaker B: Welcome welcome to this special series of the Business Miracles podcast hatching the highly sensitive leadership revolution. You'll be hearing from select highly sensitive leader authors who contributed their real stories of creating more impact and more income to my book different as found at www.differentthebook.com. in today's episode, I am just delighted my heart is singing to connect with Macy Askari Robinson Macy is following her intuition to transition out of her business as a brow and permanent cosmetic artist to fulfill her purpose as an energy and mindfulness coach.
Macy, welcome.
[00:01:38] Speaker C: Thank you. Thank you so much for having me. I'm absolutely so excited and honored to be here.
[00:01:45] Speaker B: Likewise. Just really looking forward to sharing this conversation with you. And where I would like to start is actually by reading a section of your story in the book different the highly sensitive leadership revolution. There is a section of your story that states, in the past 18 months I have been using my strength of empathy to offer myself, my clients and everyone else compassion, while also creating healthy boundaries and taking care of my needs before the needs of others. I have been using my intuition and heart's guidance to stay aligned with my purpose and taking next steps even in the face of the unknown. I use my strength of deep spirituality to stay connected to myself and the universe, to be guided in every moment.
[00:02:48] Speaker C: Yes and yes and yes gives me.
[00:02:52] Speaker B: Chills every single time I read it and even a little emotional. It's so beautiful because I feel that this part of your story really encapsulates who we are as highly sensitives when we are truly willing to trust in our strengths. So I was wondering, with that passage in mind, if you would be willing to speak a little bit to next steps even in the face of the unknown. Because I have a sense that there are listeners who are highly sensitive who do feel a call to be of purpose and perhaps even make a transition like you are and have been making, whether it be from a previous business to a more heart aligned business or just into a business in general or something else. So if you would be willing to speak a little bit to what that process has been like for you when it comes to the unknown and following your heart.
[00:04:15] Speaker C: Yes.
When it came to following my heart in the midst of unknown, everything we knew fell apart. Everything that we could predict and could see fell apart. And I'm referring to the pandemic.
I'm referring to, you know, building a business for up teen years and thinking, this is it. This is going to take me, you know, to this place and that. And when. When all of that is taken away, what do you have?
It is your faith in the unknown.
It is that trust. And instead of kicking and screaming, I just connected in and flow, you know, flow with my heart's guidance and just taking one step in front of the other one. And that's what it's been for me and my business in the past 18 months. My business was my baby. My business was.
It became the path to my personal growth also.
And so there was a point in my business where I wasn't fulfilled, but I didn't know why I wasn't fulfilled. Then the pandemic hit. Then I wanted to grow it in a different way, and it just was not going where I wanted it to go. And it's like the universe would take away what I knew would sit me at home, and I had no choice but to go deep within and just trust. And the next step would just show itself and show itself and show itself. And here we are. Trust and faith is something that we can definitely rely on.
[00:06:13] Speaker B: Yes. Trust so much. In what you've shared, I sense it would be of value to just really highlight that in your previous business as a brow artist, you were really good at what you did.
I want to highlight that because sometimes there can be this misnomer that change or transition is only activated when you're in a misaligned position or doing something that you're doing because you feel like you have to versus something that you're very talented in. And that was not the case for you. Again, you are very, very talented. And yet, as you just spoke to, there started to be this sense of no longer being fulfilled. And again, worth highlighting because we can be good at something yet also meant to move beyond it. So if you would be able to speak to maybe how or certain aspects of your highly sensitive strengths or even aspects of the highly sensitive leadership training program that supported you in being able to follow the intuitive nudge that you're meant to be doing something different, even though, again, you were doing something that you excelled at.
[00:08:04] Speaker C: Well, see, it was. It was all very confusing for me because, yes, I was very good at what I did. I always liked to, you know, think I was an artist. And the society was, you know, constantly letting me know how good I was at what I was doing. And, you know, at the beginning, you're not really paying too much attention. But then as you start to kind of start, I started doing the inner work and I started to notice that misalignment. I started to no longer be able to agree with people when they were like, oh, my God, you're so lucky. You're the best at this. And I was like, yeah, I felt like I was lying when I was saying yes, I am so passionate about this. The thing is, the part of my business I was so passionate about, and I would do all day, every day for free, was that connection that I had with my clients one on one, that energy exchange. They would leave my place and say, macy, it's not just eyebrows we come to you for, you know, that. And before, I didn't know that, but then once I started to especially, you know, get into the business miracles community and started to be trained, you know, by you, my intuition and all that, I was like, oh, I know what you're talking about. And I was very much operating in over responsibility and people pleasing my shadows of highly sensitive. So I thought, how could I ever say I don't want to do this anymore?
Because people will be disappointed. How can you not love what you're so good at? How can I? You know, I needed to keep up that Persona. And also, it was like, oh, Macy, you can never stop doing eyebrows. Like, who's going to do our eyebrows? And every time I heard that, it was like another bone would be crushed. Another bone would be crushed. And I was like, I can't, I can't stop being a brow artist. I can't stop tattooing these people's faces because I'm responsible for that. And once I started to train my nervous system and go through your teachings, just the tools of self inquiry, you know, auto writing, you can't lie to yourself. You know, you can lie to others, you can't lie to yourself. And once, you know, as I, as I kept on training my intuition, I could discern, you know, what was really coming from fear, what was really my intuition. And I, it got to a point where I couldn't lie anymore because when I was sitting there tattooing my clients faces, they are so happy and excited to be there. And I'm really excited and happy to give to make that transformation. But I felt like I was in a tight suit that was getting tighter and tighter and tighter for me. And I no longer could sustain myself mentally, physically and spiritually.
So, yes, a lot of inner work inquiry, that's what it took. And I kicked and screamed coming into the business miracles community. What is all this inner work stuff?
[00:11:27] Speaker B: I already had.
[00:11:28] Speaker C: I'm already doing my inner work and, you know, give me, give me a template, give me a formula, let me create something else. And, and it was all of going in, you know, connecting in, then connecting with the higher self and the source, and then it's just, it's just all truth from that point on.
[00:11:52] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:11:53] Speaker C: Hide in your tight suit anymore?
[00:11:55] Speaker B: Yes. So, so gorgeously said, what would you say has been one of the most challenging aspects for you about managing the unknown and what has worked for you in being able to do that, to manage the unknown step by step? I ask because for so many highly sensitives, they feel their version of that tight suit that you just described. But the fear of the unknown kicks them into that shadow of overwhelm so deeply that there's just an experience of inertia, stuckness, and as if nothing can ever change without having the full map, right, versus that trust and faith in the next step. So again, what's been challenging for you about that and how have you managed that challenge?
[00:13:13] Speaker C: What's been, first of all, I'm going to answer the question in reverse. What helps me with that challenge is evidence, you know, and if you're really paying attention and if you're really doing the work, following the tools and trainings and whatnot, and you're keeping a log, you can always go back and see it for yourself. It doesn't lie. Self assessing and again, honestly, anchoring so deeply into my faith and spirituality and being surrounded by a community, you know, coaches, mentors who are like minded, who can just kind of give you a nudge. When you forget, when you kind of go into that, you know, ego, mind amnesia, it's just normal. You just need a little tap, you know, in the back, a little reminder. And if you're not committed, you know, to doing your inner work and documenting and staying a course, then it's, it's definitely, it's going to be so difficult. In the past, I would have coped in all kinds of unhealthy ways, you know, but now nothing gives me direction and fulfills my soul and keeps me in line more than being in aligned community and also being connected.
[00:14:49] Speaker B: Yes. I so appreciate that you spoke to the value of community and especially aligned community for those of us who are highly sensitive and, and truly what we have in the business miracles. Community is so unique and so special, sacred that we are a community of not only highly sensitives, but community of highly sensitives who are committed to empowerment.
I appreciate that you spoke to the value of the community because so often highly sensitives will associate the unknown with being alone.
Right. Versus as you so beautifully shared is that in those moments when the unknown starts to have you want to doubt yourself. Being surrounded by aligned community who are, again, committed to their empowerment, therefore committed to your empowerment, the coach team myself can give that little nudge, and then.
[00:16:01] Speaker A: It doesn't even have to be that.
[00:16:03] Speaker B: Big of a nudge, right. Because of the power of being surrounded. So it helps you to stay on that path of assessing and gathering evidence and then being able to continue to the next step, as you shared. So, again, really appreciate that.
[00:16:24] Speaker C: Sorry. Which reminds me, the challenge would definitely be isolation because as a highly sensitive, you know, more empaths, highly conscientious, you know, we don't want to make mistakes. We don't want anyone to judge us. We don't want to put our, you know, problems or burdens on others. So automatically, one of my tendencies is to just.
Just retract in. And that is not a very good place to be in by yourself during intense times, no matter how much mindfulness or, you know, nervous system work you do, you know, when. When times are intense and tough, it's not a good idea to stay in there alone. So I'm so grateful that I'm so past that and I still, you know, find myself, like, wiggling in there and then it's. It's out, you know?
[00:17:16] Speaker B: Absolutely.
Yeah. I've really, really seen you evolve in that way and your willingness to be in visibility and vulnerability, to ask for support and the way that that's translated into your business, into your work, and to ways that you're showing up in the world in the midst of some, you know, global difficulties and personal difficult conversations. It's very powerful, very, very impressive. Another aspect about you that is powerful and impressive is your commitment to following your heart.
And I've really seen you just dive deep and commit fiercely to that process of listening to your heart, paying attention to your heart, taking action on the guidance of your heart, which ultimately, really is that strength that we possess is highly sensitive, of utilizing our intuition.
In what ways would you say using your intuition supports you in being able to be a leader in your life in any way? And always, how is that really beneficial for you?
[00:18:52] Speaker C: Oh, my God. Well, first of all, ever since I was a little girl, I mean, despite all the adversities and things that I've been through, a lot of cataclysmic things, a lot of people, you know, not keeping their promises or things not turning out the way they said it would. My heart, I always believed in it. There was something so I always was aware of, you know, that. That thing, they called it a thing. Oh, she's got a thing. It's. It's a. It was my intuition. And once I realized I was a highly sensitive, and that's one of my gifts. And the, you know, the fact that that, that's. That's the training that, that you do also, I really. I really grabbed on to that, and it's led my husband and I, you know, to a beautiful life that we were only dreaming of, you know, before there were things my heart told me to do where I was scared crapless and, you know, and my husband trusting in me and the power of my heart. And together following that, I mean, it hasn't let us anywhere, but, you know, following our dreams and just being a lot more at peace than we could have been.
[00:20:23] Speaker B: Yes.
[00:20:24] Speaker C: Yeah. My heart always makes me feel good.
The feeling, I feel it in my body. Anything else, it's like, no, you know, if it's my heart and it. It feels good, I know that it's the right thing to do.
[00:20:43] Speaker B: Yes. I really want to emphasize the piece that you shared about that following your heart has led you to different depths of connection with your husband and being able to co create a lifestyle together that, you know, even just a few years ago, when you and I first connected, was not the lifestyle that you're living now. And why I want to really emphasize that is because I often hear untrained, highly sensitive, speaking about intuition, speaking about heart, as a way of defending, not taking action, as a way of defending remaining in a space of fear or coping mechanisms or shadow behavior. And what you're describing is actually the exact opposite, right, of really going to places that have required courage, whether that be internally for yourself or interrelationally with your husband or externally in regards to the lifestyle that you've created. So what would you say to someone who's listening, who's still trying to defend against being out in the world as a highly sensitive, in the name of intuition or in the name of heart guidance, what would you say to that listener to give them a little taste of the courage that you've been able to access?
[00:22:38] Speaker C: First of all, I would say, is it working for you?
The protecting of not getting out there is it giving you the results that you dream of? Or is it just keeping you stuck where you are? And if it's keeping you stuck where you are, then that's the answer. And there's nothing to protect.
There's nothing to protect. Your heart is your gps.
It's the other stuff. It's the other garbage that we need to pull apart and heal so that we can hear and follow the heart's guidance better. There's absolutely nothing to protect. And if you don't leave your home, if you don't have leave your comfort zone, you can sit there and manifest all you want, but it's not going to happen. You know, I always say, you know, if you get a whisper, you just follow that whisper. And once you follow that whisper and you get out of your comfort zone and you go and meet other people, God speaks through other people.
[00:23:56] Speaker B: I really, really agree. Absolutely.
Why is being a highly sensitive leader important to you?
[00:24:08] Speaker C: Honestly, I don't know. It's a calling. It's not a choice. It's a calling. I feel like, again, I have had so many difficult emotions to work through and to jump through, but I always knew that there was a reason for it, you know, as a, as a young little girl.
And I feel like there were times that I was so alone in, in those thoughts and emotions and limiting beliefs that I, so painful. I did not think that, you know, it was possible to jump over them or heal them. And the fact that I have been able to, and I continue to, if I, then everyone can, and I want to, I want to help them cultivate, you know, cultivate everything that I've cultivated for myself. And there's a little thing that I want to share with you. You know, the first time I came on a podcast with you, and then I co authored in the book, and I thought to myself, oh, my God, I wish this was like a series that we could just keep updating because this is so important to share.
All the years, 20 years of owning my own business and doing browse and people constantly saying, oh, my God, you do such great work. And people seeing the success in me, I didn't, I never felt successful enough. I never felt busy enough. Even though I couldn't take another client, people had to wait months to get in to see me. It was just, you know, I would take a photo before and after photo of a client's eyebrows. I couldn't look at it at the same day. I had to look at it two, three days later in order to recognize, wow. Oh, who did that because if I looked at it right away, I would be picking it apart. And, you know, and I was tired, I was unfulfilled. There was all of these things I felt like giving up at times, but I just kept on going forward, and I kept on doing my inner work. And when I finally decided to close the doors at the end of the pandemic and follow our heart to Mexico with my husband, I remember that last two months when I was just, you know, transitioning, finishing up with clients.
Every single day, I was vibrating with so much joy.
I'm gonna get through this without getting emotional.
Every single day, every single client, even the clients that used to stress me out, I was like, oh, my God, I love you. Oh, my God. This is the best day ever. Oh, damn, those eyebrows look good. Who did that? You know? And I was just like, now that I finally feel successful, that I see how abundant I am, I see how actually, you know, yes, I'm a great artist. Now I'm closing. But it was the best feeling on earth because I got to hang my jersey up at my best rather than if I had just gave up and thought, oh, this is just too hard. We're not doing this. I'm just going to do something else. I stuck with it and I used it. And I'm so grateful for all the inner work because there was nothing wrong with anybody. There was nothing wrong with my business. There was nothing wrong with how much money I was making. There was nothing wrong with my talent.
I was just sleeping.
[00:28:01] Speaker B: Yes. So, so inspiring and so appreciate that. You really highlighted that you still followed your heart, even in the midst of all the external looking as if all the ducks had come into a row, all the dots had lined up. That's true, true connection to heart guidance, to our strength of intuition, and to the path of highly sensitive leadership. Absolutely. So at this point in your transition, in your journey, Macy, where can listeners find out more about you?
[00:28:52] Speaker C: Well, my ig, that was for my brow artistry. It was called Macy's brow Artistry, and I changed it to Macy's mind artistry because it had nothing to do with eyebrows. But you can sort of see the transition, you know, where I was and where I'm going. But I have recently dedicated a whole page to what I do, which is intuitive energy coaching and energy work. It is. Macy, underline. Ascari, underline, Robinson.
[00:29:24] Speaker B: Beautiful. And we'll make sure that's in the show notes. Thank you so much for this conversation today. Thank you so much for your contributing authorship to the book different. Thank you so much for continuing to show up and do the real work and to following your heart and being such an inspiration for so many in the community and so many beyond the community.
I appreciate every aspect of being on the path with you.
[00:30:07] Speaker C: Thank you so much. Heather, I really want to thank you for always seeing a few steps ahead for me right from the start, creating the space for whatever healing and growth was about to come that I had no idea about, and also giving me the opportunity to participate in the book. I don't even know why I said yes, but my heart was like yes.
And you know. And thank you for continuously guiding and supporting me in this journey.
[00:30:39] Speaker B: Absolutely, absolutely. And to the listeners, thank you for listening. Until next time.
[00:30:52] Speaker A: Thank you for being a part of this business miracles podcast episode and for beginning to dip your toe into the journey of highly sensitive leadership training. If you are ready to truly use your sensitivities as strengths in all parts of your work and life, I invite you to connect for a one on one chat. You will experience being deeply listened to, and together we'll get a sense of whether the highly sensitive leadership training programs are the best next step for you and your highly sensitive journey. At this time. Just go to www.claritycall.com to schedule a conversation. We so look forward to connecting with you. Talk to you soon.
