Think about what phase of life you are in right now. Are you discovering who you are? Creating who you are? Or maybe even remembering who you are? How does that space feel for you? Are you content, or are you feeling resistance, thinking it’s time to transition to the next phase? But how do you make that shift, and more importantly, when do you know it’s time?
In this episode, Danielle shares her deep-rooted relationship with identity and how she has transitioned her identity from moment to moment, year to year, and decade to decade. From what the process looks like to how she knew it was time to who she continues to surround herself with, don’t miss this discussion on stepping into a new version of yourself and growing along with your dreams.
QUOTABLES
“The epitome of me feeling like ‘Oh, all right. I remember who I am,’ was when I walked in my door one day, and I had this thought of ‘I found my joy. It's here. It's within.’”
“When I looked at my plate, I asked myself, am I doing more things from a place of love, or from a place of obligation? I was doing way more out of a place of obligation. And I didn't feel fully expressed from moment to moment. So that's when I shifted my Northstar.”
KEY POINTS
RESOURCES
- Join Member Up - Get 14 days FREE
- Watch the Course From Scratch Masterclass
GO SUBSCRIBE to SINCE3000 on All Streaming Platforms
0:00Through creating the course business, there was a lot0:03of me in there, it was my way of expressing myself and also0:06creating who is Danielle, the owner of a business? Who is0:09Danielle, someone who presents, you know, on stages and teaches0:13people. So that was me really creating myself. That's when I0:16created the business and then created this dream life, having0:20run the business for a while and realizing, oh, there's this0:23question of who am I? Without the business? Who am I without0:27these relationships? Just who am I some of the practices I took0:31on, were asking that question of, How can I be in the pursuit0:34of pleasure? So what brings me pleasure, I think the epitome of0:38me feeling like Oh, all right. Like, I remember who I am, was,0:41I walked in my door one day, I had this thought of I found my0:45joy. It's, it's here like it's within. So if you're thinking0:48about what phase you're in, whether it's discovering and0:51creating or remembering who you are, I can share how I knew that0:55it was time for me to shift. Hello, and welcome back to0:58SINCE3000. I'm Danielle Leslie, and we are here to embody our1:02past, present and future selves. Now, today's a really special1:05episode, we are talking about identity, and what does that1:09process look like to shift your identity. And when do you know1:12it's time to do that. So I'm gonna walk you through how I've1:16done it. Let's get started.1:23I'm so excited to bring you today's episode. But before we1:26do, I need to make sure you've heard about member up. So1:30community driven products are the future. But Facebook groups1:33are a thing of the past. And after 10 plus years in the1:36online education space, I've taken all my learnings and I've1:39built this incredible platform member up. It's a customizable1:44easy to use all in one platform where you can build a premium1:47course community or membership site without the tech headache,1:52gone are the days of having to duct tape together, your1:55content, your community, your payments, all on different1:59platforms, I want you to do me a favor, do yourself a favor and2:02head over right now to member up.com Ford slash Danielle. And2:07you can get started for free today. I promise you, I can't2:11wait for you to see this platform. It's beautiful. Okay,2:13the design is amazing your community is going to feel at2:16home here and you are going to take pride in your online2:19business, it is the place to start, head over to member2:22of.com Ford slash Danielle. Now let's get into the episode. So2:27I'm really excited to speak with you about identity and my2:30relationship with identity. It runs long and deep it runs I2:33think under every project I've ever worked on, it's commonly2:37and overlapping points of intersection with good friends2:41of mine people I surround myself with. And what I want to share2:44with you is kind of how I see identity and how I have2:46transitioned my identity sometimes from moment to moment,2:49but at a macro level from year to year, decade to decade phase2:52of life to stage of life. And I'll get into a recent identity2:56shift I've undergone but first I'm going to lay kind of the2:59undercurrent of how I think about it. So when I was on the3:01sofa, and I was actually thinking about writing my book,3:04my first book, and I ended up thinking about you know, it's3:06not just gonna be one, it's gonna be three books. And then I3:09thought about artists. And then I ended up thinking about3:12identity and how I see my life. And what I realized is the three3:15books that I thought about writing were in alignment with3:18three different phases of my life. And I thought about the3:21first phase of our life being when we are discovering3:23ourselves the second phase when we are creating ourselves. And3:26the third and we are remembering ourselves. So when I think about3:30the first phase discovering myself, I think of me, you know,3:32a little Danny and I'm trying different things I'm you know,3:35figuring out what do I like to do? We're in school, I'm trying3:38different hobbies and really trying to figure out okay, let3:41me try this on. Do I like it? No, let me try this on. Do I3:43like it? Yes, love it. So that's kind of the first phase of3:46discovering who I am. And that was high school that was college3:49getting involved in every club organization. And then it was3:53creating myself. So once I had that foundation of Alright, I3:56want to go into the startup world, I want to be a tech3:59founder, that was my interest. Then I said, Okay, now it's time4:02to create. And that was my phase with course from scratch, you4:05know, with with building this business, getting steeped into4:08the online education industry, and creating something for4:11myself, which was the course business. And through creating4:14the course business. There was a lot of me in there, it was my4:16way of expressing myself and also creating who is Danielle,4:20the owner of a business who is Danielle, someone who presents,4:23you know, on stages and teaches people. So that was me really4:26creating myself that's when I created the business and then4:29created this dream life figuring out where do I want to live,4:32started working with a stylist, you know, to start trying things4:35on creating who that knew Danielle was. So that was that4:38phase. And I would say that the last couple of years has been me4:42remembering who I am. And I think it probably coincided4:47with, you know, being indoors a lot, having run the business for4:50a while and realizing oh, there's this question of who am4:53I without the business? Who am I without these relationships?4:57Just who am I? And that was time when our Number fiance's The5:00Lion King, the gift soundtrack album came out. And there are if5:05you think about the story of The Lion King, it is his journey of5:08you know, remembering who he is, you know, you have this little5:11boy little cub, he grows up, and he's discovering who he is he's5:15learning from his father, you know, Mufasa is this like,5:17larger than life character?5:19So he's learning right from them.5:21He's learning from his family and everything, and he's5:24inheriting this, you know, this, this land. And that's him, you5:28know, discovering who he is. And he realized, you know, he has5:31that point where he runs away. And he's like, Oh, I don't this5:34is too much for me. A tragedy has happened, and he runs away.5:37And that's what he's creating himself when he meets Pumbaa5:40Timon. And they're like Hakuna Matata. And so he's like, let5:43me try that on.5:44You know, let me try this new philosophy on which is much5:46different from the philosophy I grew up with. So he tries it on5:49he's creating himself, he's eating different types of5:51things. He's eating a little insects hanging out with5:53different people playing in the jungle, not having a cure in the5:56world. And that was him figuring it out, right, like creating5:59himself who is Simba who is symbol without his family, who6:01is he if he has no quote, unquote, last name, so to speak,6:05no legacy to protect Who is he so that was his phase of6:07creating, and then you have that final phase where Nala now we6:10got an outlet in the picture where Nala comes in, he runs6:12into an artifact from his past, who is there to remind him of6:18who he is, who he was born to be, that he himself is legacy.6:22And he himself can remember who he is not necessarily, who his6:26family is, what the family name is, or anything like that. But6:29who is Simba as a leader who is similar as a son, and so she6:32comes in reminds him. So when I think of different people in my6:37life, one of the people, there are four kinds of people. And6:40I'll get to that in a second. But one of the people I put6:42myself in proximity with are catalysts. And catalysts have6:45the ability to let your life on fire without being consumed by6:48it. And a lot of times, they help you remember who you are.6:51So Nala collides with him literally in the jungle. And you6:55know, just like shakes him up, and she's holding her own, she's6:58not consumed by his new identity. She's like, This is7:01who I am. And I'm gonna stand here and who I am. And I'm going7:03to remind you, I'm gonna give you glimpses and nudges of the7:06past, you're trying to forget, and that you're you ran from.7:09And so that's when he decides to return to remember who he is. So7:13that arc, as it ties to that soundtrack. I remember, you7:17know, it was it evening, and I'm listening to the soundtrack. And7:20it's find your way back, right. But the song the track, is find7:23your way back. And it's all about finding your way back to7:26yourself. Because I believe our soul does come here with all the7:29answers like, you know, God is everywhere in everything. It's7:32in us. It's running through us if we allow, allow the Spirit7:35to. And so it was it's finding a way back to yourself. That's7:39what I mean by that phase of remembering who you are. And7:42there are people who when I think about those, you know,7:45there's three phases. Well, I'll go through my process of7:47remembering who I am, you know, some of the practices I took on7:50are asking that question of, How can I be in the pursuit of7:53pleasure. So what brings me pleasure, so it could be having7:56an evening by myself putting my Galaxy light up having hookah8:00brainstorming, it could be hanging out with friends,8:03listening to music, traveling more in my ear, remembering it8:06was putting myself in proximity with different friends circles,8:10and getting to know the new me or the old me however, you want8:13to look at it through being in proximity with those friends. So8:16when you're in that transition of remembering who you are, a8:19lot of solitude helped me, I develop this muscle of listening8:22to myself. So I started the practice of Transcendental8:25Meditation that a friend introduced me to He's been8:28practicing forever. And I went and I started practicing it for8:31a few months. And that was my first foray into actually8:34creating what Deepak Chopra calls the gap. You know, it's8:37that moment in between the space and Dr. Joe Dispenza calls it8:40the space in between, right, but it's that gap of moment, moments8:44of stillness and silence. And that's what TM that transitional8:47meditation did for me, sitting in silence, you know, for 208:50minutes. And that was my first time being able to tune in and8:54just see, okay, what is the voice saying, and starting to8:57distinguish my voice from the ego from the voice of society,9:01from maybe parents, significant others friends, peers in your9:05space, realizing there's a difference between those voices9:09and just training that muscle of being able to decipher the9:12difference? Now, this is still a practice y'all. I will probably9:15this9:15is a lifelong, you know, attempt to master but it's like a muscle9:18that I'm trying to grow stronger.9:20But it is that practice of okay, what is my voice? What is my9:22desire? What brings me pleasure, because when you reach that9:25point, I remember, I think the epitome of me feeling like Oh,9:29all right, like, I remember who I am, was, I walked in my door9:33one day, and I remember I had this thought of I found my joy.9:37It's, it's here like it's within. And that was my first9:42moment really like having that like, like sitting in, oh, I9:46just need to pause and listen, be still hear the voice and also9:51like, enjoy and be because the joy is here. And it's a way of9:55being and it's a way of doing so that practice of remembering who9:58I was meant it helped me relinquish the expectations that10:03I had built in that phase of creating right when I was10:05creating who I was, it was alright Danielle Leslie is a10:08brand course from scratch as a brand. And you know any brand10:12brands have guidelines, they got brand colors, they have a vibe,10:15they have the three adjectives that describe it, they have a10:17motto, they have an audience an avatar, and I got really locked10:22into this brand I created. And me shifting into remembering who10:28I was, was me being like, Yo, like, I'm just gonna be like10:30from moment to moment like there is no brand to protect there is10:34no, these are the three words I need to show up as. So that's10:36been huge for me making that transition into this new phase.10:39Hey, this is Danielle Leslie and I have a question for you. If10:42you are a creative entrepreneur, and your business is unique, why10:46are you working with a generic accountant? One of the best10:49decisions I made was who I would partner with on my taxes and my10:53accounting. So if you're a creative entrepreneur, you are10:56growing your business you're scaling your business, I want to10:58introduce you to revel revel is a firm that can help you whether11:02you're looking to prepare your taxes or you're looking for that11:05year round support. They will tell you what's happening in11:09your business and why so if you're tired of being ignored,11:12talked down to or feeling like you are chasing around your11:16accountant and meeting to drive the relationship yourself. It's11:19time for change, head over to revel cpa.com Our EVL cpa.com11:25Head on over fill out their interest form and make sure you11:28look into working with them. Again that is Rebel cpa.com r e11:33ve l cpa.com. We all deserve the right firm to partner with. It's11:38been proven that procrastination can be one of our biggest11:41enemies to success. Now contrary to belief, procrastination is11:45not based on a lack of time management or organizational11:48skills. Procrastination is directly linked to to our11:51emotions. Now the reason I know this is because of Patti11:54Johnston. Patti Johnson is incredible. She's a course from11:57scratch member. But even more importantly, she's built11:59multiple multimillion dollar businesses once she learned how12:03to overcome procrastination, so she's created a program where12:06she shares her system on how to overcome procrastination. And12:10it's based on emotional intelligence, neuroscience and12:13accountability, she's going to show you step by step how to12:16overcome negative feelings. So you can start taking action and12:19start seeing a difference from day one. So text this number12:23right now to schedule an appointment with Patty and her12:26team to see if this is right for you, and what steps for you to12:29take to overcome your procrastination 813-789-1097.12:35And again, the number to text right now is 813-789-1097. Let's12:41all overcome procrastination together. Now let's get back to12:44the episode. So in these three different phases, I've noticed12:48there are four types of people who I continue to put myself in12:52proximity to. And when I find myself off balance, maybe12:56feeling uninspired and not connecting to me, you know,12:59remembering who I am, I look at the folks around me. So one of13:04the people is a builder. And builders are people who help13:07ingrain my good habits, like they know what habits that I13:11have exercised in the past that have me show up as my best self.13:14And they're encouragers of that An example would be like my mom,13:17right? So she's someone who can she knows my good habits, and13:21she can nudge me and say, Hey, Danny, how about this, I noticed13:24you're a little sad, how about this, those are the builders,13:26then you have the profits, and the profits are the people who13:29interact with you, as if you are already your future self. So13:33this would be like my business manager who when we have13:35conversations, it's with the let's say my goal, the future me13:38is to have $100 million net worth, I want to be a13:41billionaire, then he would be talking to me and having13:43conversations with Danielle, the billionaire with Danielle $10013:46million net worth, or with Danielle, who is fully awakened,13:50enlightened and at peace, whatever that future state is,13:53and the highest version of me as the prophets interact with you13:55as if you're already there. And then the visionaries are those13:58in my life who have done things that I look up to. So they're 1014:02steps ahead in their journey. So this might be someone who is14:05maybe more spiritually experienced and advanced. And in14:08my case, I had a lot of business mentors who were ahead of me in14:11terms of, you know, when I had certain revenue metrics, they14:14had already done it, they were already living in the penthouse14:16in midtown Manhattan, those would be the visionaries, and14:18they let me know what's coming. They've already seen the future14:20and they're just telling me what they what they've seen, so I can14:22collapse time and get there quicker. And then the last one14:25are the catalysts. And these are the people who they live your14:27life on fire without being consumed by it. So in my case,14:31it would be girlfriends who would take me out and we would14:33go dancing. And as opposed to me being shy and I don't know, I14:38would be motivated and inspired to like wear my just biggest14:41fullest fully express outfit for the gems on my eyes. Go and14:44dance until 2am 4am Actually, and just have like a blast and14:48feel fully self expressed or go to the Lizzo concert and dress14:51up and matching animal print and be singing at the top of our14:53lungs. Those are the catalysts and they helped me get in motion14:57and remember who I am for you. It's a great time to ask14:59yourself Do I do identify with any of those avatars? Do you15:02have those kinds of people you're surrounded by? So I want15:04to share a story with you. Because I think it really speaks15:07to a practice, I try to exercise as much as possible of taking on15:12another identity when I have a new opportunity. And I'm finding15:16myself hitting a wall when it's time to like think that bigger,15:19big, and I can't quite do it. So we hosted a SEO retreat for our15:24course from scratch members right here in this living room15:27about a month ago, and we were in on the couches, doing an15:31exercise of creating your offer. So they're thinking about, okay,15:34what is my online course offer? What's the pricing? What are the15:37features? What are the benefits for the customers, so they're15:40working hard, and I saw getting real serious in here, and the15:42air was just getting real solid. And I was like, exactly, they15:45look real serious. And I knew that the next exercise, I needed15:50them to expand what they thought was possible. So I was like,15:53alright, this will be about to do, we're gonna show him how to15:55change identities. So I grabbed our head coach, I brought her15:58upstairs and she was like, Am I in trouble? I was like, no, no,16:01I need you to be located with me. So I'm like, put on this16:03blue wig. I'm gonna put on this blue wig. She was like, Wait a16:05minute. First of all, why do you have to Blue wigs? I was like,16:07that's a story for another day. Don't worry about it. Put the16:08blue wig on, she put on my blue fur coat. Although faux fur16:12coat. And then I put on like a clear rain coat jacket. We16:15turned on crush on you didn't. didn't, didn't? Didn't. We were16:21there at the top of the stairs. And we're like16:22y'all What's up, y'all. And then we busted down the staircase.16:25And we're just dancing coming in the room performing.16:28I know, you see me on the radio true, like just singing and16:31performing. Like we're looking. everybody stands up there16:34recording with their phones. They're like what is happening,16:38they didn't know what was happening. I didn't either I was16:41in the moment it was happening. And so at the end of that I said16:45Rhl. What I just did is I came in here because it's time low.16:48Kim is here because it's time for us to dream up our $100,00016:51offer, like we're about to create a six figure offer. And I16:55know I know that some of us think that this this body we're16:58in right now this identity we're in the accomplishments we've had17:02this person, this this version of us, we can't think past the17:05five figure offer let alone six figures. So I invited them to17:08identify a new identity, they could pick any identity that17:12would help them think that bigger, big. So I asked each17:15person I said who's an identity one of our body. The first woman17:18said, Alright, Beyonce, so I'm Beyonce. Because Beyonce, she17:22would have no like, she probably it'd be 100k to spend probably17:2560 seconds with her, right? So she's like, Oh, we bout to dream17:29up this six figure offer. And that's what she did. And so she17:32was like, and she's like, it would have this, this, this is17:36the result they would have. And I was like, wow, look at how17:39seamless that was, it spilled out of her mouth as she embodied17:42this other identity. So that's a practice, I lean on time and17:46time again, where I find myself feeling like, you know, I think17:49there's a higher version of this, that I'm not quite able to17:53tap into this, this ceiling I'm hitting is what I think this17:56version of me is limited to let me let me just step on into a17:59different identity real quick, and be in a bigger, a bigger18:03space where there is no ceiling. And maybe it starts with a18:06slightly higher ceiling. But ideally, there is none. And we18:09can really dream that bigger bit. So that's been a practice18:13that's been so helpful for me and why I believe identity18:16really helps us think bigger, expand, what I would hope for18:19you to take away is for you to think about what phase are you18:23in right now in your life? Are you discovering who you are? Are18:26you creating who you are? Are you remembering who you are? And18:30how does that space feel for you? Because all three are18:33beautiful spaces where you can feel amazing in them? Or are you18:36feeling some resistance? And thinking, you know, I think I've18:40stayed I've stayed my time here and it's time to transition into18:43that next phase. And then looking around, who do you have18:46in your proximity? Who's helping you in that phase or in helping18:50you be the best highest version of yourself? So I hope listening18:53to this was helpful for you. You know, I would love for you to18:57identify what space you're in. Are you in a season of19:00discovering who you are creating who you are, or remembering who19:03you are? And all three are equally beautiful spaces? And19:07how are you feeling in that space you're in? Maybe you feel19:10you have overstayed their welcome there. And it's you're19:13feeling that nudge to transition into the next one. So think19:16about where you are and then look around and see who are the19:20people you're putting yourself in proximity to to help you in19:23that season. Help you show up as the highest version of yourself19:27in that season. Thank you so much for joining me and I can't19:30wait to see you in the next episode. Listen, sometimes life19:33be life in and we do not know what's coming down that road19:37next. Well, that's what happened to me in 2016 when I was19:40unexpectedly laid off from my job. And I was six figures in19:43student loan debt. I had no savings, and I didn't know what19:47was going to happen next. Now luckily, I had this little voice19:50inside of me at that time that I couldn't ignore, and it was19:53telling me to take the leap. It was saying use this as your19:57opportunity to build your business. Use this as your20:00opportunity to create your dream life. And so I believe that life20:03happens for us, not to us and that nudge in my spirit, I20:06should listen to it. Luckily I did. Fast forward to today I20:10have a business that's made over $20 million. And I've helped20:13over 10,000 people create their online businesses and their20:16dream lives. So do you want to learn how to turn your story20:20into an online product and launch in 30 days, head on over20:23to coursefromscratch.com/since 3000. I want you to join us on20:26this journey so you can listen to that little voice inside of20:30you too. So go now Do yourself a favor20:32coursefromscratch.com/since 3000.EnglishAllFrom Danielle LeslieRelatedListenableLiveRecently uploaded
Not an exaggeration. This woman prioritizes her clients and is committed to success. Thank you Danielle!
This episode has such good energy, and I love the dynamic between Danielle and Robert. “The secret desires of your heart and going all in are a few gems” I took away from this episode.
I"ve been following Danielle awhile and in a sea of podcast conformity it's refreshing to see a podcast that leverages time (which she understands doesn't really exist and our desired future is already here now!) Kudos Danielle
This woman is exactly who she is in person as well as who she is in person. She truly lives in the future and is committed to sharing it with us. You can tell if you commit to listening to this show it will truly help you evolve your current consciousness!
Make an impact with your voice and message by applying to become an EPYC Creator to start and launch your podcast with our team.
Launch a podcast