Hello, I’m Sarah, life coach.

I always wished I could spend my days doing what I love, coaching others, I just didn’t have the guts to do it.

It is by doing the work, deep thinking, and uncovering my true purpose that Sarah Brownell Coaching exists. I spent my first career in corporate human resources and marketing. I coached individuals stepping into their career all the way to c-suite executives.

I  have 20 years of experience in corporate human resources. I have always said I like being on the human side of business, and have come to realize it isn’t the business, but the human that is my true passion.  For most of my career, I worked as a human resources business partner - where not surprising - my favorite aspect of the job was coaching individuals. Now, as a coach, I get to do what I love without being distracted by all the other cr.. stuff that I had to spend my time on in corporate America.

I am an Advisor with the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute, coaching and mentoring high school girls. The first group of leaders (love you all A, E, K & M) I was an advisor with is on to their next adventure in college and while I like to think I taught them a lot, they taught me more.

I have an awesome family (they made me say awesome); a supportive husband, two fur babies and my most important role is as a mom to two extremely active, social, and amazing kids. At this stage in life, my main role is chauffeur, and sometimes helping them become the best versions of themselves. To keep involved in their lives, I coach them in some of their sports activities.

In essence, coaching is my purpose, and my day, everyday, and I couldn’t be happier.

My Journey

It’s weird for me to be putting this all out there. I am an extremely open person with friends and peers, but hesitant about sharing out in the open. Why? Because sometimes it’s scary to be seen and heard. I am and will continue to be a work-in-progress. I (try to) put into practice everyday the learnings I have accumulated through my life experiences and through my own personal work with a life coach.

I didn’t have the awareness until later in life that I am an anxious person. Once I did the work to understand this, I could look back and see how being anxious dictated so much of my behavior. Through my life and career and genuine interests I have realized how much I benefit from being vulnerable. I use to bottle and keep so much inside and sometimes (frequently) that meant those closest to me got the worst of me. I thought I would look weak if I shared my true thoughts. I was afraid. Only by moving through the discomfort of sharing my true self was I able to actually feel less anxious. Now I may be an oversharer, but better that then bottling it all up :)

I held onto everything, I had really negative self-talk. I worried that I said too much, that I didn’t say enough, that what I said might have resonated with someone in a way I didn’t intend. And then I got real. I can’t control how people respond to me. I can only control how I feel about what I put out there. And I want that to be the best version of me. When I am gentle with myself, I am a better mom, wife, sister, daughter, coach. I can be open, free, bold, fun, intentional and grounded. To be gentle with myself I have learned to let go, and let people in - it is a daily practice!