Episode 159

The human experience is to be able to have a foundation that keeps you from falling through the cracks. It’s finding our power from within. What about your boundaries? Yeah. What about your rest? What about the time we spend? And that’s when you know you’re in a space where no one will ever take your power cuz you have it from within. That becomes exceptional because no one can tell you better than you where you fit in your life.
Hey everybody and welcome to another episode of Finding Peaks. Your host truly and as passionately as ever, Christopher Michael Burns, president and founder here at Peaks Recovery. So grateful to be joined in our new studio for the third episode in the new studio. What we’re basically doing here is just running it back with all my favorite guests. So grateful to be joined by the founder of Sparkle Lindsay LLC, uh, friend, colleague, and alumni of Peaks Recovery Center, Sparkle. So grateful to have you. So happy to be back. I think it’s been about a year and a half since I I mean, I love what you’ve done with the place. We got the mountains out here. Normally, we got pipes right here, but it’s a little cloudy. Yeah, just a little. You know, we got Finally, we’re getting some rain, so we’re grateful for that. Rain in early March. Better than nothing. You know what I mean? So it’s uh over the last couple of weeks it’s been um on my mind just like grief in our field and um grief and early recovery and the sum total impact it has on us today as professionals as humans but most certainly the early stages of our recovery and professional career. Yes. Mhm. Um I was talking to a guest, a friend of mine who was in about 5 years ago last week and we had a uh an unfortunate event happen where somebody passed away a couple about 3 weeks ago and he was in his um millu of guests that were in the program with him. Then I text him. We’re like, “Hey man, just making sure you’re doing all right, lean leaning into this and you know, let me know if you need any support.” And he was like, “Let me know if you need any support.” He’s like, I was talking to another buddy and we thought to ourselves today, I wonder how many times this has happened. Yeah. With Chris Burns and I thought to myself like it is this very interesting thing that we walk through in our field is where I get to sit in front of you and I get to talk about a celebration that we had seven years ago just 100 feet away. Yeah. That was life-changing, altering not just for you and your family but for thousands of people now. And it’s um it’s something that I want to make sure that I sit with and talk about and connect with because it’s it’s very special. Yeah. And it’s unique. And to have you in my life as a human, as a colleague, a professional, and friend means the absolute world. And what you’re doing lighting this world on fire one day at a time. I’m just happy to bear witness to this. Well, we really didn’t take any any time here to know um grief. Mhm. Yeah. How many Chris Burns ises of the world and the grief we’ve been through. Um coming up on First Things First, thanks for having me back. Um Sparkle LLC is about five and a half years old. Um and it is been amazing. Um I am six years 10 months sober. So very close to that seven year mark. Um I’m feeling every piece of that um every piece of this this journey um the gratitude. Okay, gratitude on a different level. And you know I talked a lot about the layers, right? But what’s really come to me now is, you know, I’m getting ready to launch the coaches corner um with Sparkle LLC for coaches to come and let down their hair. It’s a lifetime fitness for coaches to figure out who they are, their mind, body, and spirit. And one of the reasons why is because during this journey, I’ve lost a lot of coaches along the way um due to not being able to take care of themselves. Um not understanding how important it is to take care of themselves, not realizing that they can’t give away something they don’t have. And sometimes you can have it at first, but it’s easy to lose it. Yeah. while you’re also helping all of these other people. And so in my classes, my classes have been growing and I’m forever grateful for it. But I’m not, this isn’t a game, okay? People’s lives are not a game to me. Um I had a friend actually who wrote me yesterday. So you know how we get into those spaces where we’re like, hm, why am I doing this? You know, sometimes we can get tired and we start moving and we’re doing all these different things and we start to realize like you’re tired and maybe something doesn’t go right and you’re like, why is this happening? What do we have going on? And I had to just kind of lay down yesterday. I had to lay down a little bit and I had this this exciting feeling about all these new things that are happening. But I’ve I also had a class of like 40 this weekend and I just had to take a step back and say, “Okay, what you doing, girl?” You know, what’s going on? What What are you feeling? How do you feel today? You know, and uh I said, “Man, I I feel tired and I’m asking myself, why am I doing this?” Right? So, I’m talking to my partner and and we’re quiet and everything else. And then I have a old friend from high school. He uh shared my post on Facebook for Sparkle LLC. And I wrote him and I said, “Hey, thank you. Thank you for sharing my post.”
And he said, “Absolutely. Keep bringing them home.”
And that would that showed me my why. I said, “Won’t he do it?” Soon as you start to uh soon as you start to ask yourself if this is even making sense. Someone who has known me all my life, but I barely talked to said, “Keep bringing them home.” That’s what we’re doing. We’re bringing people home, Chris. all the other stuff is just icing on the cake. Yeah. But to watch people come home, watch people come home to themselves, it’s powerful. And watching coaches advance and grow is powerful. And so we’re in this space now where um we’ve we have been doing this recovery coaching stuff for a while now. Mhm. And now there’s a space where we’ve got to take it to the next level. We’ve got to make sure coaches are taken care of, coaches understand grief, how to sit in that grief, how to lean on their supports, uh when grief does happen, when you first lose that recovery that you’ve worked oh so hard with. Um and then also remembering the people who worked with you and worked oh so hard with you as well. And it’s really taken us back to as coaches a sense of reflection. And it’s important that a lot of us that are out here that do have six years, seven years, and so much more hold on to those that are zero to three years sober right now. Just because a coach has been sober for a year or so does not mean that they have found their magic yet. Mhm. And we as leaders, we have to be able to help them continue to find their magic. And if we don’t do that, we’re losing them. We’re just adding to the chaos that’s already out there. We’ve got to give coaches a safe place to call home. And we’ve got to take care of them because happy coaches make happy people everywhere. Yeah. And we’ve got people who are building these agencies and they’re building all of these sober livingings and that’s fine. Do that. But when you start placing people in them, make sure there’s succession plans for them so that they have a plan. There’s advancement. They see growth outside of just being a coach. Are they growing into the person they deserve to be? And I will continue to say that because coming from a background of HR, if we don’t have our people, we don’t have [  ] Yeah. So we got to work through our people and with our people to get to a common goal. But if you have no people, where are you going? If there are no people to grow forward, to go through the hard grief, to go through the hard times because we’re so busy building everything. We’re leaving the main part to the recipe behind. What are we doing? Yeah. And this is the reason why the coach’s corner has come to my mind because I don’t want coaches just to live a life of only wanting to be coaches. I want them to know that advancement is out there. Growth and success can truly happen and that we will not let you go. We do not care what has happened in the past. Come back. Get some of that love. Continue to grow your magic and go kick ass. Yeah, that’s what we do every day as coaches. That’s what I do as a coach’s coach. My job is to make sure that these co coaches, 1,400 coaches, okay, in a year and a half now, we were at 800, that they are equipped for what is happening out here right now. Um, and in a lot of the podcast I’ve talked about, I talk about chaos. And a lot of that chaos we can’t go up with because it involves people’s lives. We have to be where our feet are and we have to understand there’s so much more to this than you’ve been a sobriety go coach, right? We can’t throw people out here to the wolves because it’s already hard enough to stay sober as it is, but now you’re bringing in all this other energy of people sick or people who need help. We can’t just throw them out there. And I refuse to do that. And it wouldn’t even sit right with me if I did. So if I have to build the biggest coaches hub I can across the world, then I will do so so that people have spaces to speak openly, to be honest, and to grow and to be honest with themselves and evolve into this beautiful butterfly. And I and you know, we talked about the butterfly and how it works the last time we were here. It’s still the same. Mhm. And the evolving of your transformation and and sitting in that uncomfortableness of ascension is needed. So if a coach doesn’t have a place to sit in the uncomfortable, what are we doing? Let’s let’s let’s grow some leaders. Let’s make it out here where we become the leaders in this industry as coaches and as therapists and as healers. All of the above. I’m not just talking to coaches now. I’m talking in the human in the human spirit here. We as leaders have to to pave the way and get these people ready to go to war. Not with a pencil, but with some damn armor. Yeah. And that’s where I’m at now in this space. I’ve learned a lot in my coaching career for six years. Six years I’ve been a coach. I started pretty early, but there were people who never let me go, and I’m forever grateful for it, and I will continue doing that for the rest of my life. I will not let people go as they continue to use the stair steps that they can to get on top and to and to open up spaces where people can be on top. Let’s let’s hold space for people to build everywhere. Yeah. There’s enough space in Colorado. There’s enough space in the United States for everybody to get a piece of the pie. So, hold space and open it up for everyone to grow forward. Yeah. We’ve got to be able to collaborate and partner together to help these coaches grow forward. And as we’re growing in it, we got to see that part, the big picture, the real picture. The more of us that are out here helping, the more people are getting what they need to keep moving forward. And this isn’t a time for us not to unite. This is the best time ever to unite together, take it to the next level as a community. Yeah. You know, and I think that’s the space I’m at. We don’t want to leave we don’t want people left behind because we we we want them to get something done here, but we’re not going to we’re not going to help them grow forward so that they don’t go back out in these streets and use or get caught by that thing called fentanyl or xylazine. We want them to push forward. So, let’s create a pathway that helps all of them grow forward. It’s okay. Yeah. You’re talking about something so beautiful. That was amazing. Um, but you’re talking about at a very like ground level of like doing really quality work. And you said this isn’t a game, but if it was a game, it would be the Super Bowl. Yeah. Right. But you’re talking about cultivating authentic, intimate, interconnectedness with the people you serve. So, the type of person, the coach that has to show up to do that work, to do it that way, interconnected and intimate, has to be about their mental health. Has to be able to show up in a way. has to be empowered. But to your point, a lot of people are just throwing people in there. They’re not thinking about the quality of care. They’re thinking about the mass total of the care that they’re doing. And they’re like, “Hey, we got 500 here doing this thing.” But if you can go in and train these coaches, cultivate a human to ascend to the top. Not only can we get them to where they want to be in their lives, but we’re being more impactful at the ground level in the community. Exactly. And the people that you’re facing every day, Sparks, and the ones that your coaches are facing. Yeah. This isn’t um PHP. No. You know what I’m saying? This is the often times the worst day of someone’s life. Yes. And they’re there for it. Yes. I love connecting with you because without you knowing it, like your mission is saving lives and disrupting the industry through quality of care just like us. It’s it’s and it’s it’s wild because the partnerships I’ve had with therapists and and big places like Peaks, right, has been beautiful because I hear a lot of therapists who say, “Man, we love we have coaches.” And I love that space. But I also get calls from my coaches where they’re they have to have guidance, you know, and I make it very clear to a lot of the coaches, a good coach has a great coach behind them. Don’t don’t make don’t get it twisted, right? because there’s you’ve got to have mentors that help you through this this thing called life period for the rest of our lives. But you just said it, the foundation to what you are building is so important. You know, my dad told me, he said, “Sparks, you know that your business can only go as fast or as slow as your recovery goes.” He said, “So why don’t you sit back, relax, and let divine timing shine through?” M here we are 5 and a half years later with a business that is slowly but surely climbing authentically with a foundation a foundation so strong with so many people around it to hold me up to hold it up that it couldn’t go any better than what it is right now because this is all we have is now but be intentional we have to be intentional with what we’re building my somebody told me I think it was you if you build it, they will come. Well, I’m building the hell out of it and I want to make sure it has a foundation. And this isn’t anything in life, you know, even just as the human, let’s just go there. The human experience is to be able to have a foundation that keeps you from falling through the cracks. So if each and every one of us could build a foundation that helps that, think about how strong businesses would be, how strong the recovery world would be, how strong just somebody who has to go to work every day and come home and they work for Walmart would be. So that’s the reason why I asked the question and I asked coaches this specifically. Do you have the legs to your table? And that’s why I wrote the book. That’s why the series is there is because everything that we need to do after we take these classes and after we get certified is where the real work starts. And you have to find that balance. And that practice isn’t happening. And that was that’s the motivation for the coach’s corner. And I’m not just setting up the coach’s corner for just recovery. Oh, no, no, no. I’m setting up the coach’s corner for every coach out there. I’ve had people come to me as coaches who are uh life coaches or you know trauma coaches and they’re like I’m getting wiped out out here and I don’t know where to start. Yeah. You know so there’s that space where well then selfcare is so punchy. Yeah. People are like yo do your self-care. It’s like what what are we talking about? Yeah. What does that mean? Do I got to go run a marathon? That doesn’t I don’t want to do that. Yeah. Or whatever. You know but like everybody you do your self-care. Do your self-care. Do your self-care. Make sure you do your self-care. I remember HR saying it here every time this field you’re going to want to do your self-care but there’s like no integration no and that was there’s the other part that series self-care is the best care level up that now is in schools in Aurora public schools for me I wrote it on a different level self-care that we’ve made it like it’s a job and I said you know what self-care is supposed to be fun it’s also supposed to go deeper than just go get your hair done or do whatever I mean we got to get our hair did but Still, the point of the matter is what about your boundaries? Yeah. What about your rest? What about the time we spend? I mean, it goes deep. I love what you’re saying. It reminds me of I I used to say this and you reminded me of it. What would it be like if you were number one in your own treatment plan? Yes. Like what if what if I came first? Yeah. For like Wednesday or whatever, you know, like because in all reality, someone asked me, “Sparkle, how do you do it?” But I said, “Well, you come first in this industry, everyone. Everyone that is in this, you can’t give away something you don’t have.” And and but we tried to do it. And I and I think it it takes me back to probably four years ago when I started talking. I called it uh the strong person syndrome. The strong person syndrome. Something tells me I’ve been there. You’re like, “Where’s she going with this?” I had my balls up. I didn’t think anybody saw, you know, oh [  ] So, you know, I talk about the fixer, but then there’s also this strong person where we feel like it’s on us to get it done. Yeah. And we feel like I have to make this happen and if I don’t make this happen, then this is going to happen and this, right? And then I’ll do this. Yes. And then I’ll do this. Yeah. And then we start to be everybody’s savior. we start to be everybody’s everything except for us and then that’s where we start to lose ourselves. And I remember having a conversation, I think it was with uh Tammy Romano and uh she said, “Do you trust yourself?” This was when I was a year sober, and I said, “Yeah, I trust my body.” And then we started talking about being so strong that we’re not able to drop that pride and take care of ourselves, right? We’re not able to do it because we have now done basically what society says, take care of everyone. Okay, that’s the way we see things where we’re now starting to rewire our mindset and our way of thinking. We still have this athletic, some of us have this athletic mentality. I’m going to win. We’re going to get it done. Mhm. But in all reality, the only thing you’re getting done is what everybody else is wanting while you’re being left behind. Mhm. So why can’t we all just walk across the finish line together? So hard to put down like that that intersection of pride and healing is like like you take yours, I’ll take mine, and we’ll walk across the finish line together. But why is it that I feel or some of us may feel jump on my back, right? I got this for a while. Yeah. So that then you could do it and then now I’m left behind. That’s not the way the world works anymore. Especially if you want to last in this industry, you know. You doing sematic work with Tammy? Uh-huh. Yeah, I did it first year. I was sitting here trying to think. K’s going to laugh. I was sitting here trying to think the whole time. I’m like, why does she seem so advanced for seven years in recovery? I’m like, when I was seven years in recovery, God, I couldn’t push a damn shopping cart. And then and then but like I felt like like my life and my recovery, my mental health really took off when I started doing sematic work, but I was like I forgot about that. So I did seatic work with Tammy Romano uh probably three or four year four months in and then you know I went with my father who has Lindsay quantum healing perfect transition into that. Yes. So the quantum healing I did you know sematic two years and then quantum healing I have done with my father for five and a half years. So I am in this space where everything I think about is outside of the box mentality. Yeah. Cuz I’m sitting here thinking like how do we how do we get more bright lights at seven years that show up like you? And then only that but the legs to the table. I have had a therapist, you know, for 5 years. She let me go, but um I also still have space to talk to her. Okay. You know, and then um I’ve got hate when that happens obviously. I know, right? Damn it. I know. I know. I’m like uh you kidding me? Are you sure? in the six month break. Are you positive? Cuz you do know we’re going to another level, right? You do want to come with me this only in a couple months or whatever. You know, I’m going to call you like next week. You can’t get rid of me that quick, you know, cuz you know, there’s spaces that we’re in now, right? But that part is real. And then on top of that, like I now have, you know, um I lost I lost my recovery coach um last year six days before my six years. um she had been my coach for six years and I lost her. So I lost a very pertinent leg um to my table. Um and I had so many other mentors to help. But uh I can still hear her voice saying just remember Sparkle, don’t forget your why. Don’t forget why you did this. And she taught me everything I know. She created the uh the first program out here for the emergency room and then from there she took us to another level. Don Gillum. Um may she rest in peace. She was one of those people who she didn’t push us through anything. She sat with us. She was honest with us and she helped us grow forward. And then she taught me the steps. You know, I was she was holding our hands through it. Kathy plush as well. They both were there. they were holding our hands through it like we were almost babies. Um, and then she we evolved. We took things to a different level because we had that support and we were told when we were doing something wrong so that we could fix it and we learned how to take that constructive love, that constructive care that we needed to understand this wasn’t a game and it isn’t one. And so from there after I left, she helped me build my business. is Don Gillum. Uhuh. I um posted a quote this morning. I think it’s Don Gillum’s quote. It is example is not the main thing influencing others. It is the only thing. Mhm. Crazy, right? Because it sounds like not only what she spoke, but more so what she did and how she showed up in the way she moved. Yes. Yes. And her movement was, she always told me, just remember, everybody’s still sick in this industry. So, people don’t know what they don’t know. And everybody’s work is different. She said, “So, open your heart and open your mind to what it looks like when they truly have the tools to be at their full potential. Don’t look at where they’re at right now. Just meet them where they’re at, but give them the tools to go out there and do what they need to do. She said, “But at the same time, I also learned from her because as I was growing, she also was throwing a lot of stuff on her back. She’s not here anymore. Mhm. I learned a lot of lessons from the people who were there to guide me. And a lot of it was being so tired. Um and not having a boundary to say I need to take a step back and just take a take a rest, right? Um and I’ve really tried to be intentional with practicing that. um so that we can walk the talk and actually do the self-care and actually show people that it’s possible and that you come back swinging 10 times harder when you take the time you need off to focus on who you are. And the only way coaching or therap being a therapist or whatever can shine through you is if you consistently are doing work that shines on you. Yeah. Have to do that first and then take that light and give it to others. And there’s a space right now where everybody’s not doing that. They’re just giving away all of their light too soon and then sometimes they can’t get it back. And that’s a space where it’s it’s scary and it hurts. It hurts to lose great people, you know, because of that. Yeah. And it you’re you’re right. I think sometimes it does feel like a step back. Yeah. Um a colleague of mine once told me I’ve always said this since he told me it. It’s like it’s the old slingshot analogy. M mhm. Where you pull back and it feels like you’re taking a step back as you certainly are because you’re aiming to get the trajectory to launch to a spot that you’ve never been. Yes. And so it feels very and then you’re there you’re like whoa whoa. Exactly. Benefit of hindsight. Whatever you want to call it. It’s the coolest thing. But we h our mindset thinks that if we don’t go go because of that instant gratification that we’re not getting things done. But most of us, especially in the entrepreneur world, know that things happen in waves often. And sometimes that rest is needed for your next level, whatever that level looks like. That’s why I don’t [  ] around because like my head, I have the list, check marks are good. Yep. X’s are decline. Periods are not good. That means it’s in progress. But like, so then at the end of the day, this doesn’t get to lie to me. Yeah. Yeah, like I know I came in, I had attention to intention. I got done what I needed to get done and I’m going to fold it up. It’s so interesting now how I’m able to focus so much more on taking exceptional care of myself. Like I have this ring on this aura. I’ve talked about it before. Yeah. But like the goal is exceptional from like a resilience standpoint. That means you’re eating well, you’re sleeping well, you you have good sleep hygiene, you’re connecting, you’re lowering your stress levels, all this stuff. Yeah. And I remember thinking I was like, “Well, I’m going to get to exceptional. I’m going to hang out there.” And so there’s like an exceptional line and now there’s like this thing that goes above it. And I’m like, “I want to hang out to an inch above the exceptional line because guess what? Like I feel exceptional.” And the people that we get to serve quite frankly deserve nothing less on a daily basis. And for us not to have more intention than that in the field, call it self-care, call it what you will, show up at 100% because the people, yes, they need you in order to come home. Well, they need you order in order to come home and they also need to know that it’s possible, right? Like, show me show me what’s good for the love of God. I mean, you asking me to like it’s okay. You got to wake up early. Let’s [  ] it’s like 50/50. There’s a you know, and also like I said, be intentional with what you want for yourself. And and that’s that’s not selfish. That’s called doing the work. Okay. So, there’s a there’s a space here where we’ve got to lean in on am I okay? Am I doing well? Am I exceptional? Because I enjoy who I am and the people I serve, but more so how do I serve myself on a regular basis so others see that too. And the greatest part is consistently learning about us. The curiosities are a beautiful thing, but let’s even go deeper than that. the the it’s not even just about the curiosities of who we are as a person, but I I think I mentioned it at the symposium. It’s finding our power from within. That place is is past exceptional because at that point, you know, you feel good and it doesn’t matter what anyone thinks because you know what you think and now you know it’s you versus you. Mhm. So all you got to do is keep moving forward and then you start to realize that whatever else needs to happen around you will evolve as it may and you keep moving and I’ve noticed that in this close to seven years here I just been moving. I just keep moving and moving intentionally for myself and I’m in this world of like let’s get busy. Let’s do what we have to do. not even realizing how many people are around watching it and they’re doing the same thing and they’re implementing these new things for themselves and it’s you can feel it gaining and growing and that’s when you know you’re in a space where no one will ever take your power cuz you have it from within. That becomes exceptional because no one can tell you better than you where you fit in your life and what you want to do. Once that power comes in and once you keep working, creativity transpires. It goes everywhere. The point of the matter is is we get to people who are zero to three years sober, which is early sobriety, and they don’t realize the real light at the end of the tunnel. What this could look like. Yes. We’ve got to say that. We’ve got to speak so they know you’re not done yet. You’re just getting started. Let’s freaking go. Right. And that’s the space. When I’m in there talking and we’re doing these classes, a lot of these coaches, you know, they come in and they’re like, I’m we’re going to have a book and we’ll be fine. And I’m like, “All right, let’s start talking about some topics. Let’s get real. Let’s get raw. Let’s get uncut. There’s tears that vulnerability. We are a vulnerable party of people who are expanding and showing our lived experience to all of these people. So, come on. Let’s this class is yours. Let’s get busy.” And if you can feel this, you can feel the room moving and you can feel them moving. You can feel their energy saying, “I’m ready to do this.” Yeah. And you also can feel some of that nervousness and and a little heartache and a little bit of being scared like what if I do mess up unethical wise? What if I don’t have the right boundaries? Who do I call on? I said, so who are your people? Who are your legs? It’s time to get busy for ourselves so we can illuminate that light to others and have some left for ourselves as well. Yeah. Not just helping people just to help people. Like it’s changing the game for real. Yes. like and I I remember back in Alcoholics Anonymous too, it’s always like if you want what we have, you’ll do what we do. Yeah. But that in a more like uh you know broad bonafide and enthusiastic way. And I love the way you approach it too because the the way that people can be the best versions of themselves is to see themselves within their recovery program. And so like a one-sizefits-all doesn’t really work for those Yeah. people because people are diverse connected and not disconnected. and you see the space. I I did I did AA for a little bit, but I did recovery dharma. Yeah. Um obviously now quantum energy, I mean obviously being very spiritual um and understanding spiritual gifts for myself. Um and things that helped me holistically from my lupus going into remission to autoimmune and being able to work out and walk and feel great. I had to do more than just one thing because that that’s that don’t work for me. It has never worked for me because I’ve always been someone who said, “Let’s try it all and see where it sticks and if it doesn’t stick, go back and try something else and then if you get bored, throw something else in the mix.” You have to be able to work with yourself. You got to have like one of those craftsman with like the 16 pockets or whatever, right? Tools, tools, tools, tools, tools. Yeah. And if I don’t want to use that, then bring this leg in and I’m going to use this today. You got to be able to be ready to rock, especially as a coach, cuz you got to pull from everywhere sometimes. Even when you don’t know what space you’re in with this person and you’re meeting them where they’re at, got to bring them tools out, right? So that I mean it’s it’s being a part of your own recovery program, understanding multiple pathways to recovery, being non-judgmental about people’s growth, whether it’s recovery, whether it’s mental health, whether it’s gambling, whether it’s not even addiction, maybe codependency, all of the above. Whatever you’re doing as a human, think about where you’re going in your life and that you know you better than anyone. Mhm. So, if anybody’s trying to tell you how you should do you, Mhm. I can’t really make that make sense. Yeah. You have to do the work to know what it is you want. Take yourself out on dates. Go do things you’ve never done before with you so you can fall in love with you. Then you’ll start to attract those that love you, too, and they’re doing their work. But if we’re not doing this this stuff, we’re not attracting anything that can help us. oftent times we get stuck, we get stagnant and we don’t evolve and remember the only thing that uh is inevitable is change. Yeah. Everything is constantly changing. You know, people need to hear that too. And I, you know, I’m um it’ll be 18 years in recovery in July, almost 18 years in the field, and I’ve had to I’ve had to fall back in love with that person on occasion. Um, and I was going to say this to you because it was so impactful to me and Cass had always said it to me, but a couple years ago I would tell myself stories as a professional is like, you know, we’ve met a bunch of times. Yeah. Um, I would tell myself stories as professionals like I didn’t I didn’t necessarily want to build it this big and it wasn’t going to look like this and it wasn’t necessarily my plan and I don’t know if I’m like the right person for it. And Cass would always look at me and she would be like, and what I know today to be true is she would look at me with this look to say like, I know who and what you are and somehow you’ve lost sight of that. Yeah. Like you are Chris Burns. I have been with you for 16 years. I know exactly who you are and I know exactly what peaks recovery and the people need. It’s you. And I remember sitting there like arguing with her and being like, “No, you don’t understand because it’s this other thing and I want to try this other thing.” And I came back in a year ago and um yeah, I fell back in love with this thing we call the Super Bowl and the humans that we have the opportunity to transform and connect with and it has been the most beautiful thing. I could not be more in love with what I get to do on a daily basis. But it’s back to your point too of ensuring I have those legs to my table because Cass has always been a huge leg. Well, and and what you get to pick your legs and you get to move them and groove move with them. move with them, right? Mine’s evolved. I have Jason Tracy. He’s been with me for a long time as an entrepreneur coach. And here we are going into this coach’s corner and he’s like, “Let’s ride. Let’s rock Sparks.” He has watched me when I was like, “Is there something on my face? Is this how we do podcast right six years in But one thing is I talked to him this morning and he said, “Let’s go. Let’s go to work.” And there’s a space where I know he’s he exists. I know my father exists. And I know that there’s spaces when sometimes they move and then somebody else has to come in. But you got to work, right? And when you start to do this, it’s it’s to me it’s like playing a basketball game. You got to have these five players on the court so you can score and then you’ve also got to have some time to take a break and let somebody fill in. And so I remember I remember you. I was a part of your program when it was you and I came and met you and I remember how wonderful you were with working with the people and through the people. So when you said I’m coming back to be a part of what Peaks has always been, I got chills because it’s always been in the center of you. And so it’s a place where you had to come back to you and just remember that why and then see things and have conversations like we’re having. I came from your program. Yeah. So clearly you were doing something right. You had the right people in the right places. Why stop now? It’s so funny you say that Sparks cuz anytime I tell anybody I would be like, “Yeah, I’m back at peaks.” Any alumni is always like I don’t know what you were doing there. Like that’s silly. We were wondering funny joke. What did you want to take a break or something? Cuz we were all wondering pretty sure, you know. So, when that came back, it gave me chills because I’m like, “Okay, let’s let’s [  ] go.” You know? And not only that, but like we talked you and I just talked what, three weeks ago, talking about this new era, right? And our age. Yep. This is this is our this is our time. Let’s go. next decade, next space to really just fall in love with ourselves again and again, but also to help pave the way. Pave the way and keep things unified. And I think that’s the space we really have to be in right now. Not that I think, but I know. Um, and that space is kindness and understanding, love for one another, and and also holding each other up if we have to. And then reminding ourselves, you know, my mission statement, helping people help themselves one step at a time through positive transformation. Let people do for them. They have it in them. Help them find their magic. Yeah. And when you see that and you know you’ve even been a part of just a little, you let them know that you’re honored. They picked you cuz they could have picked some [  ] body else, right? But they chose you. Now go out there and walk with them and let them grow and allow them to know that you value who they are and that every piece of what they have to offer in this coaching space, in the therapy space, in the human space means a lot, you know, no matter what. And you just get to be along for the ride. It reminded me of um I said it to a guest this morning and um Lisa Smith I think said it on the show. Uhhuh. Lisa. Yeah. I should have her back on. Wonder how she’s doing. But she said to me on the show and she does a lot of family work. Mhm. The way that you’re talking today, the way that you’re encapsulating not just the coach’s corner, but the way that you show up, the way that you empower people, the people that you meet in the hospitals, on the streets sometimes in the worst days of their lives. It’s like we have this moment and we need to be there in the best form possible for that moment. But Lisa asks a question in regards to families usually, but I ask it just on a daily basis now because it was very heavy when she asked me it. But she always says, “If the last thing you said to the person or your loved one was the last thing you ever got to say, would you be okay with what you said?” I love that question. And I think we need to ask ourselves that not just as humans, as families and connected souls, but as professionals. Oh yeah. Right. Because that matters a lot. It it matters a lot. And let me tell you why that hit me so hard right there is because in the space of being this recovery coach and everything else, I never knew if I was going to get back with my family, I never knew. Um, and that was when I was, you know, zero to 3 years in and, you know, therapy and I didn’t know how things were going to go. And, uh, every time I think about it, you know, I’ve created an entire class that involves all of their gifts and the things that happen. But I bring them on the platform to help because there was a space where I stopped. I kept working on me and then they kept seeing that and then they started working on them and then all of a sudden we all started coming back together and then they said, “How can we be a part of it?” And that space right there was so powerful because a lot of them said, “Sparkle, you think you were a role model when you were get had your degree and you played ball and everything else, but they said you’re more of a role model now because you took yourself out of the deep dark depths of a cave and into this.” And then you said, “Come on y’all, let’s roll.” And they didn’t even think twice. They have jumped on with me. They have supported me. They have been a part of my life. We have grown stronger, but it took a village. It took all of us to realize that family dynamic and to let everybody heal on their own time. And now here we are. Here I am almost seven years in. And it’s been just amazing watching family growth as well. M and then also watching my family begin and continue to trust that I’m taking care of my stuff. Um and that they are they’re willing to be a part of it and that a lot of people they don’t think that that’s possible and that’s why I bring it on the platform. I said, “My family is your family, and I want to share them with the world because there’s a way for all of us to work together and get to a common goal that’s powerful for all of us, you know.” And I I Lisa Smith, I love it because I’ve had an opportunity to work hand inand with her when she called me to work with families and do it more of an intervention, I guess I would say. And uh it was just magical having such great conversations with her on that level as well. and knowing that she was in Denver and everything else and making moves, but she never ever thought twice about calling me and telling me, “I need you to talk to some of these parents. Let’s get this going.” Um, so just that part of partnership and working through and working with each other and then really getting into the depths of how family members feel. The classes are really good for allies as well. That’s what we say. Allies come into the classes. I have sometimes more allies in the classes now that’s cool than I ever thought because they want to learn about recovery and mental health too. Um and also a lot of them start to really unravel who they are. So that part is beautiful. You got all the walks of life in there going on here. Didn’t really think it it was a me thing. Yeah. What? What? Exactly. Sparkle. I think I’m codependent. Oh, you do? Yep. Okay. What are you going to do about it? Is there a KOD class or Absolutely. There is. Right. Yeah. I love that. It opens the doors for a lot. And I think um mental health is mental healthy. And you you bring up something really cool with your family. Yeah. And it wasn’t your goal. It’s not like you’re going to therapy to be like one day they will follow me. You know, it’s like no, you have no it’s not even in your field. You’re like, I’m just trying to survive and figure this thing out and whatever. And then one day your family’s by your side. And I do agree like family recovery is the best. Yes. But that wasn’t your intention. I think I think I’ve talked to you about this book before, but it’s called greatness. Yeah, I have. Right. Yes, you have. That’s selfless exceptionalism. That’s you taking taking what God gave you and making the world around you a better place. Yes. And that’s that space where you can’t think about anyone else but you. And I had to remember this. great therapist once again both of them um is the space for me that was like as long as you take care of what sparkle can take care of everything else will evolve as it may and that’s the why as long as you are doing your work go ahead talk say whatever you want but I know that I’m moving and I know that the only thing I can do is control what’s over here right and then the wisdom to know the difference when it’s not my [  ] okay the wisdom them to know the difference when it’s not ours to hold because everybody’s going to grow in their own time. The only thing we can hold is us at the time to continue growing forward and walk the talk. And that’s for anything we do in life. It’s not ours. Somebody else’s is not ours. But it is our place to hold space for them to find that out. Yeah. And if we’re holding space for ourselves and we have our our supports, they’re going to do the same. So, what are you doing? Who are your people as professionals? Can you look at yourself every day in the morning? Meet yourself where you’re at. Check in with yourself and go out there and help people help themselves. And make sure that you also give yourself some of that, too. Right? Filling your cup. We say all these things and they’re very cliche, but get underneath the concept of it, please. If you’re going to do the work, if you want to do the superficial [  ] go ahead, do that. But that’s not where I came from. Get underneath it and work through it. And as we continue to work through it, you’ll start to see things get better for us. And you’ll also see the changes in your coaching or your therapy or whatever you’re doing because you’re getting underneath the real things that need worked through. We can’t be afraid to do those things in this day and age. You got to figure out who we are and give yourself grace while you do it. Yeah, absolutely. Love that. It It’s interesting because I used to say this thing when I did um in my first five years of recovery, I’d be like, if I could take a snapshot of my life and tell you it was going to be your life, you would do it anyway. But really, really like I’m 40 now. Uhhuh. You know, and I’ve been at this a little while and you’ve been at this a little while and there’s this thing happening. There’s this healing. Yeah. Oh, yeah. And and I I never for the life of me thought that was possible. Oh. And it’s this constant evolution of one day at a time, but it’s this getting underneath and doing this really, really deep and entrenched and sustainable work that elevates a human in the human experience and the people that are connected with that experience in this really powerful way. It drops you to your knees. And the space that drop I would say the space that drops me to my knees was the five years. I remember it cuz you and I were on and I remember these these voices, you know, they come to me and it’s like you don’t want to miss this part, right? But there’s this space now for me. I I did a um a talk. It was called when we heal, we rise. Uh repairing your legacy of for generations to come. Huh? And I, oh my god, I’m I’m sitting in there and it came to me, this this whole thing came to me probably 3 days before because, you know, the person said, “Can you go in and just speak about legacy?” And and I said, “Yeah, you know, you’re okay giving me three days.” And I was sitting there with my dad and h I got crazy emotional and I was like, “Dad, do you realize how much
I am healing?” And then he broke he broke down. He said, “Sparks, do you realize how much I am healing?” M that’s dad right there. We hit that space together and we’re doing this energy work together and I’m like I have so much gratitude for moments like this. The moment of healing the walls being taken off of your your emotional centers, those chakras, right? we have and being able to realize like this is me and I’m not going anywhere. And I think the space is like you really start to feel yourself in this that whole exceptional piece, right? And then above it where you’re rising and raising your vibration and when you raise that vibration, you feel this amplifying in you that says we are really just getting started. And every time you keep going, it just keeps rearing up that way. And I think there’s a space for me that’s like I can feel that. And when you feel that, you’re like, I don’t know where this is taking me, but I know I’d rather be here anytime, any day to see where it’s going. And I can feel it evolving. And there’s those nerves and there’s those feelings that are going on. And then in my mind, I have Don Gillum say, “Don’t forget your why.” And then yesterday, I get a complete text from someone I barely know that says, “Absolutely. Thank you for bringing them home. Let’s [  ] go.” Bing, bang, boom. Let’s go. 2026, here we come. 2026, here we come. And so forth, you know? So when you feel that and you feel the universe or whatever you believe in higher power working with you, you know, it’s you just got to let it work with you and you got to let yourself work and you just got to believe. And I’m not going to say believe, you know, in believe there’s the word lie. Yeah. But you know what? You just got to know you just got to know that it is written. Yeah. And you can’t second guess it. You just got to go. I love that. Don’t get in the way of it. Don’t get in the way of the things that happen. But I’ll tell you, coming into this seven years, real easy to get in your way because you’re like, “Wait a minute. This is this is happening. Are we sure we What do you mean? You guys are all ready?” Yeah. People are here. Dang. So, we’re going to do this. Yeah. Got new tires, windshield. I guess I’m a driver. Yeah, we we are. You What? Do you have a double car in the back? Okay. So, we did break down. We are coming extra prepared. and I’m looking at you and you’re like, I’m in the next car next to you. Spons and it really was that was it was it was gosh, it’s always so nice connecting with you. It really was just so cool just to like wrap it all up being at the symposium. I’m introducing somebody and I can’t come to your talk, but it’s literally right right next door. Yeah. But then they they had to move you and all the stuff and it just is um it is such a gift. And I know I say it all the time, but just to watch you move and groove. Oh my god. Uh the the place So I didn’t I didn’t know they had to move move me and I didn’t know any of that, right? And so I’m in the space I’m supposed to be in and the lady’s like, “Oh yeah, sparkle.” And I was like, “Yeah.” She’s like, “Yeah, we had to move your room.” And I was like, “Was it too hot or what? Is everything okay? We’re good.” She goes, “We don’t have enough seating.” Perfect. Oh my gosh. So, right before I’m going getting ready to go on, I look over at Kayla and I’m like and she’s like, “What?” I was like, “There’s going to be a lot of people here and I’m so grateful.” Yeah. And she said, “Well, could you hold it till you get up there cuz we know you’re going to shed some tears. We know Sparkle. Just make sure you put your hands down when you get up there, then go.” I was I mean, and so then I was like, “Okay, well, are we ready?” So we had our little 50 photo folders, but there was about a hundred people in there. So, so to me, I was like, “Okay, we had a little PowerPoint going and I mean the whole experience because it was a dream come true for me. I never thought I’d be speaking at a symposium or doing anything.” And I just remember uh really just having the nerves, but like it was like a lock in, you know, when you just snap in, right? Well, you came in. I know my aunt my aunt Bonita came in. She was sitting in the front with her number one fan. Yeah. You know, but she didn’t have one of those big head things, one of the big the big and then I also, you know, Tammy Romano came up and then I said, “Okay, let’s [  ] go.” And then I just know I hit the ground running. You know, you just hit the ground running. You know, you have that love in the space. You know where you’re at and you know what you’re feeling and what you’re talking about. And it’s just one of those experiences afterwards I had to sit there and I just all I could do was just say this is this is one of the most amazing experiences. Mhm. I wouldn’t change it for the world. I was there with people I love, people who love me. M and uh there wasn’t anything else I could think of whether whether it would been late, we started late or we didn’t. The looks on their faces, it was so beautiful. And I said this, I’ll do it again and again and again. And I could see them. They rushed to the front, you know, afterwards. And it was it was just a beautiful experience. And being able to hear them tell me their stories. And there was a lot of past coaches in there as well and how great they were doing and the different companies they were with and then being able to see some great companies out there. Um, you know, I it it just was it was a wonderful experience, you know, and I don’t think enough of us, you and I talked about it, don’t think enough of us take the time to sit in the happiness. Mhm. I love that you said that cuz we had a conversation a few weeks ago and I was talking about this, but I was telling Sparkle, so there’s these moments like we, you know, I start my career, I’m 22 years old, you’re young, you’re early in recovery, you’re like, who do I call? I said, here’s a card. Try and text them or whatever, you know, see what they got going on. And you build and you build and you fight and you’re passionate and you connect and you lose and you grieve and you fight and you’re more passionate and then there’s this moment where if you allow yourself to be present. Yep. It’s one of those aha moments to look there and just say and we were setting up the booth. I was sitting with Cass and I was thinking of you and I was like, “We made it.” Yeah. It’s right here. You and sitting in there and you you look up your PowerPoints up on the thing and you’re like, I wrote those right. We That was exact that was exactly I was like, “Oh, we doing this.” And then, you know, those are full sentences. Then it remind me of like playing ball, you know, and like the tip the tip off and you know and I and then I was like, man, I never realized how much adrenaline I would have. You’re the point guard doing this as a point guard. We’re on the thing and I’m giving people the mic and move. I mean, you would have thought you would have thought that it was like I had just done it forever. And then that was another space where I was like, this growth is wild. like I watched, you know, a lot of it. It was recorded. Okay. I I recommend whenever you’re talking, whenever you’re doing something, please listen to yourself. It actually scared me because I happened to be hearing it in my ears, you know? I was just kind of listening to something and all of a sudden I was like, “Wait, this sounds like me. It’s violent.” I was like, “This this is good shit.” Then I was like, “Oh, wait. This is this is me.” And so I looked at the video and I was like, “Oh my god.” You know, just that feeling that’s like, “Where did you go, Miss Lindsay?” Cuz I went somewhere, Chris, I don’t know where I went. Damn, that was good. I came back and I said, “Okay.” And I had a lady who said, “So, are we just going on break and we’re coming back?” This all day. This is all day back. Like, no, it’s over. I said, “It’s over.” But when you’re connected with your passion and you’re in alignment with that like that healing that that that spot that spot that you get in it’s like getting in like a jet boat, you know, and boom and this thing jumps waves, you know, like you said this thing jumps w
that’s exactly how I felt. I came back and Kayla said, “You okay?” I said, “Damn, girl. I I think I was I just got to go lay down. I think I was flying. This is This is the bomb. Let’s go. life, man. Let’s go. Let’s go. Just like, man, that feels really good. It was. And then afterwards, the responses and being able to communicate, you know, people who you don’t even realize how many people actually know who you are. And I’m forever grateful for that. Hearing people say, “Oh, we know who you are. Hey, Sparkle. How you doing?” And just that feeling of love. I was like, “This is what it is. This is what it’s about.” out and then watching different coaches who have now implemented themselves and become ops managers for a lot of these companies and stuff. This is where it’s at. And I I think that’s the space like now push and tread move that forward. We got to move the needle forward. So we see more people advancing and feeling this. There’s no way people should not around the world feel this. This is a great space to be in. And it’s a space to be in in the now. Yep. And if we feel this [  ] and if we’re here for it, we can change this thing overnight. Yes. Overnight. Change this thing overnight. Just overnight. So, it’s it’s this has been like I’m not even going to say that it’s a dream come true. I want to say that it’s just I’m so happy to find find me again. Yeah. To find the new me again. And also I just find new circles of people and and old circles of people that have came around and have grown forward. Um and just being able to see things in a different light. You know, just I always say this, use me, Lord, as a vessel. Yeah. God, use me. Use us both. Use us. The whole point is to stretch forward and watch people find their light and uh you know go to the next person and that is enough. Yeah. You know people say you know we talked about it um I’m not we’re not enough or we think that space but what is enough right? When is enough enough? And if you have and have found or are working to find your happiness from within, you have more than enough. So go seek to find that first. You know, seek to find that first. I love that. The moment is enough. Well, it’s uh always just an incredible experience connecting with you. I think this is presence, Chris. Um you know, I’m nervous about this next step. Mhm. I’m okay with, you know, saying how I truly feel cuz if I I’d just be pretending and [  ] So that doesn’t make much sense. But the point I don’t believe in pretending. Yeah. I do believe in uh divine timing. Um and I’m going to keep listening to, you know, my higher power and my guides and all of that. They said build it, they will come. And so here we are. Coach’s corner. um right around the corner. Right. Right around the corner. Um we’re getting ready to roll it out. Membership based um for those that are ready to take their life to the next level along with learning to coach and have community. Um live events, all of the above. Um you know, 500 hours of hands-on experience support for coaches to work towards their CPFS and or their national certifications. and the 25 hours of supervision to support. So, a lot of the coaches um that I have right now, they’ve been going through the courses, but they need something more. Um and I want to make sure they have that platform to be able to get more, get their hours, and be in a full-blown university that truly does not let them go, you know? So, um do I know where it’s going? Hell no. But it’s that’s that’s it, though. But it’s it’s just right here, right now. Yeah. And that’s what’s up. Yeah. But I keep saying this. What I was doing two years ago was like, “Yeah, you know, when it comes and when it comes and when the coach’s corner starts.” And then uh my coach is like, “Yes, so we’re going to nip that in the butt.” He’s like, “Cuz it’s here.” Yep. He’s like, “You’ve been doing it all along.” Mhm. He’s like, “Now you need to put it into existence. Let’s name this thing.” So, we’re gonna keep naming it and keep naming it. I love that. All y’all name it. You know, it’s coming out. Let’s go. Purchase. We’re going to bring her on here in about six weeks and be like, “Hey, how’s that going? Hey, we better be launched and ready to go.” As you guys hear, my mentor right now. So, you got that going? Yep. We’ll be on next week. All right. So, how’s it going? End of March. It is. He’s always giving these dates, by the way. Right. It’s I was talking to someone the other day. They were telling me, “Yeah, so I think in 90 days I’m going to be able to do all that for my mental health.” And I said, “Well, we so 30.” Yeah. So 30 days. We’re good. He’s like this. So you’re launching it tomorrow, right? I’m like, “Okay, see Chris.” And then, you know, he goes into you go into the the lunatic thing as an entrepreneur. And I’m like, “Well, he’s kind of right. Let me call him next week and tell him what I got going on.” So, but either way, I’m I’m excited to know you excited for what’s to come in 2026 today and moving forward. um grateful to have you on the show. We’re going to have you back here in the next 90 days or so to talk about the coach’s corner. Okay. And give us all get give us all a proper update. See how things are going. See how that cement is foundationalizing. But again, just an absolute pleasure to know you be connected with the sparks. Thank you so much. Love you so much. Love you too. Let’s go. Let’s go. Until next time, my beautiful people. Stay breezy. Peace. I love you. Yeah. Let’s go. I love you.
It’s free.