Today we’d like to introduce you to Debra Sunderland.
Hi Debra, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Growing up, believing that I had to be the best at whatever I did-from academics, to being a violinist, running track, international sales manager, starting a business and selling it-to being a competitive cyclist while homeschooling my children-
My life was always about winning, achieving, and never failing-this meant I didn’t rest much. -the anxiety would hit if I rested because I wasn’t doing something to achieve. This caused stomach aches and headaches, and the cost of not being present to my children and friends. I didn’t know who I was except an ultimate achiever.
My life and how I lived it was turned upside down and everything changed —June 1, 2013 I was in a competitive race and was hit by another cyclist. I don’t remember any of it. My entire body was crushed on the right and I had a severe brain injury that was supposed to take my life.
But I woke up out of a coma and into a new life!
I was released from over a month of being in a coma in the hospital to learning to walk, talk and cut my food again. It was the only thing that could slow me down and face myself— a near death experience.
I realize that my life was more than winning and achieving and even helping others, win. I asked God to show me why am here.-and he did through the words of my daughter!
My work now is living being present and conscious around my thoughts, feelings and behaviors— because that’s the only thing I can change to create peace and lasting results. I now coach the most successful people -CEOs-and founders in the world who are also about winning and achieving and have lost who they’re called to be and what they’re here to do. In the world .I help them achieve outcomes. they seek by doing less and shifting perspectives— instead of doing the same thing over and over again expecting a new outcome— which leads them frustrated, anxious, and unfulfilled.. I helped them see their thinking and behaviorpatterns that keep them in a box and how to break free of them by shifting perspectives. . Teaching anTeaching and emotional intelligence by allowing them to feel their feelings and get the wisdom from them —enables them to create the greatest life and business they ever thought possible. Shutting up the inner critic and dreaming big -An implementing the action steps from a state of enoughness changes what they’ve been unable to transform until we meet!
Three questions I ask CEOs -do you believe you are enough? Do you believe you have enough? And do you know how to love yourself? Not one of these questions has been answered yes by anyone.
Everything in life is built on relationships. First to ourselves. How we show up to lead ourselves and how we treat ourselves is how we will show up in the world and treat others. Mastering what we want to believe is our superpower. This is what we focus on rewiring the mind that brings new emotions, behaviors, and outcomes.
I believe I’m here to help the most successful people discover who they’re called to become and what they’re here to do— my life was spared to wake them up to theirs!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Meeting the client who knows that there is more than just winning and those who are brave to face themselves-and really willing to do their inner work —to bring the outcomes they desire personally and professionally —those who are really willing to get into the inner mess to reestablish a new way of being in the world-this takes a courageous person who is willing to really invest in themselves and move past the anxiety of not keeping the same old routine!
I am newer to Nashville after coming from Chicago -I wish to get more engaged and meet more business owners and CEOs-
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Sunderland Coaching.?
My work is transformational .-we are not just about reaching goals-we are learning how to take responsibility for the inside of our being-the practice in our coaching is looking at outcomes we don’t want and how do we learn from them instead of doing more of the same expecting a new outcome! We can’t change outcomes—We can only change how we created them.
We work on how our unconscious mind is extremely defensive and fearful and only looks at maybe two options for outcomes. And of course we know there are many options. Breaking free of looking at just black and white right and wrong and getting a team to look too leaves many possibilities -creates fun, collaboration, and the best outcomes, AND-this isn’t how we are wired naturally. We each must do our work and as a team. We break away from false identities, using the Enneagram to understand our motivation that puts us in a box and how to break free. Basically people feel empowered when they get an outcome and they know how to shift inside them themselves to quickly create a new path and result that they do want !
This is the only way we can create sustainable growth and revenue.
Over the years-leaders have been so transformed that they teach this work to their children and spouses. I also teach this work at universities like Belmont and Vanderbilt. They are tools we have not been given at school. It’s getting out of the victim mentality to be the creator of something greater than ourself. by getting out of limiting beliefs.
Creating a life of peace and joy-building businesses of trust and love— getting out of fear and control is the only way.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Take one minute at a time and do the best you can with joy in your heart and check your thoughts. Do not look towards tomorrow because there will always be issues. Plan for a state of abundance, not frarv(scarcity) because you cannot get abundance from scarcity thinking.
Take three deep inhales and allow three longer exhales -at least 3 to 4 times a day when you are not triggered. So when you do experience, fear and frustration, you remember to come back to your breath. The breath is always present, and it actually rewires the blood chemistry from cortisol to serotonin.
Always look at results as your greatest opportunity to become more self-aware! Especially the results you don’t want.
Have a learners mindset instead of a blamer of self and others-around on what outcomes..
98% of the time all of us are running in defense and unable to see a new path. It’s teaching people how to get out of this that is transformational so learning this is possible and I highly recommend it. It’s the only way to grow a business quickly for the long haul. It’s the only way to change the culture and bring engaging teams. It’s the only way to support individual and collective purpose.-so make being self-aware as a leader, your top priority.
We must know ourselves-if we don’t have joy and peace inside of our ourselves, it’s because of the fearful stories we are believing.
Learning to question how the opposite of the limiting thoughts could be even more true and three ways of how it is-writing it out because the unconscious mind does not want to see new ways.
The unconscious mind wants to keep you right where you’re at and that’s why it’s uncomfortable to grow and change. Growth requires discomfort. -comfort is safety and that is the opposite of growth-so get really uncomfortable!
We are more than the fearful mind! Use all the tools you have in your body.
Listen to your heart because it always wants to expand. The mind wants to constrict and stay where you are. This is the fight inside!
We all have blind spots and we can’t see them of course-find people you trust to tell you the truth in love around your patterns that are blind to you.
Finally, when you are at odds with yourself and/or others— ask yourself what would unconditional love tell you or have you know?
Contact Info:
- Website: www.SunderlandCoaching.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debrasunderland
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnN-PLOR0ORajvSEywstx-g
