Work Life Balance with Michelle Bourque

0:00
Welcome to beautifully bloomed, the podcast where we explore how to break you out of the box of rules and beliefs that are holding you back from the life you are meant to live. I'm your host, Rebecca Tervo.
Join me as I share mindset tools, coaching conversations and Human Design to help you uncover your unique gifts and create the life relationships in business you desire.

So for nearly 15 years, Michelle has worked for the world's largest medical device company Medtronic as a sales representative in the neuro modulation pain division. In 2017, she became a certified coach and now not only continues in our sales role, capacity at the highest level ever, but she also coaches women in the industry, who struggle finding the balance that works for them, between excelling in their career, but without the stress and overwhelm so they can do more of what they want. She especially loves helping people just getting started in the industry. So welcome, Michelle.

0:54
Thank you. I'm so excited to be here.

0:57
Before we get started, I want to talk about how you and I met. So when do you remember about us meeting,

1:05
I remember we met in Caryn’s group who you've previously had on also she had a retreat, I was not able to actually make it. It was a last minute, it was a death of a friend's family member. So I was not able to make that. But you were all so nice to make sure I had information sent back to me from that. And then it was shortly after that we met when we actually started in her mastermind.

1:31
Yeah, so I think it was like the end of 2019 is when we met. So we've kind of been connected through that group for a while. And so that's been fun. And so then, what I remember about you is there's so many times when you're you weren't able to come to calls. Why like, why is that tell us about your crazy job schedule? That's so interesting about you, when

1:55
exactly the reason why Yeah, so I never really know my schedule until the day before it happens. And oftentimes, I was either in a case because I'm in the operating room with the doctors and patients.
Or if we have night meetings or dinner, referral meetings, things of that nature, I wouldn't be able to make it but it was only so nice to go back on the weekends and to be able to watch the replay because I still felt like I was there with you guys. And I love watching especially you stood out from how you changed through that time frame on like kinds of things that you talked about in your energy, and then and then how much you seem to like really, like just get so energized, I guess is the word I think of.

2:41
I do get energized. There's a lot of energy going on over here. But it's what's fun is that we all have that we all bring our own type of energy, right. So I think that's kind of a fun thing in these kinds of groups.
Because we can feed off of that for each other and get some good lessons and transformations. But I'm like so this is something that's interesting. How many people does this kind of job work for right? Obviously, like you don't have any kids. I just don't know my schedule until a day ahead of time. That would not work for me. Like that's like, how do you make this work for you. Like in real life,

3:22
It really was probably my biggest learning curve with this job the first year I because I did not come from a clinical background. So I have my master's degree in public communication. Many times people who are used to this type of schedule are the doctors or the nurses or people that actually work in clinical capacity. But for me, it really was a lot of coaching.
Because back in 2017, when I went to get certified for coaching at that time, I was ready to leave because I thought I can't keep doing this. This is crazy. And I there's got to be something more to life. But then what happened was, I learned all the coaching tools, and instead of leaving, I implemented them.
And now I have a totally different mindset on how my schedule runs. It's also not doing as many things as I think I should be doing versus like, what is really important here and what is more of what I want to do. So now I feel like when I see people struggling in the industry, I'm like, let me help you.

4:23
And that's why you're doing the program you're doing now, right? Because I was reading that in the intro. It's like, Oh, she's helping other sales. What do you call yourselves? You

4:33
call yourself a salesperson where I divide Rep. One, and you know what I know, you know why I kind of clarify that because I think there are sales jobs that are just much more conducive to people's schedules. So when you're a device rep you know, like if you're stuck in the area late, it also comes down to really having a supportive family, right like, there are women who have kids but they have family members and help that really gets them. So I think it's just a matter of figuring out, yeah, how it's going to work for you.

5:06
Yeah. So I love what you said about going to, you found these coaching tools, because what you thought is I'm just gonna go be a certified coach, now, I'm just gonna leave my job because it's just not working anymore. And I'm just going to be a certified coach. And then when you found out how to use the tools in your life, you decided, actually, I really liked my job.

5:29
Everything changed, like so much change. Because I think for years, I just wanted to be a really good rep, fly under the radar and just stay quiet, play small and do my thing, help my patients help my doctors, then with coaching, I was like, Wait a second, I could actually step more into this and become more of a leader and then working with you.

And Human Design, like all of it started to come together. And now I have more leadership roles, like I've made more money than years past. And I put myself out there for promotional opportunities. Like it's so different.

6:06
That's crazy. So it's kind of like sometimes we have this idea of what success looks like. And it doesn't feel like we're on the path of what that is. Right? Yes, but just a change, just shift.

6:21
And it has also changed, right? Because back then I was like, I can't possibly do anything more, I don't have any time. And now, I still have the same job. I've stepped into more leadership opportunities. I have my coaching practice, and like, I've never felt more at peace.

6:40
Yes, you and you. So this is funny, too, because I know you're a generator type. And, and we'll talk a little bit more about that later. But it's like, when you feel frustrated, this is your signal that something is off. So what I'm thinking happened for you is you were feeling frustrated. So you went to Life Coach School, you got certified, you're like I am going to quit this, I'm going to leave. And then you heard that he found out these mindset tools, you started using them on yourself and you didn't like you've you learned how to manage the frustration or to find other ways right of feeling successful, maybe

7:14
to something that you said early on was like, I feel best when I'm doing things that energize me, and that more important to me, and not dwelling on the negative parts of the job, like really finding all of the great aspects of it, and then incorporate into coaching just kind of piled on little by little. And then that gets me energized.

7:37
Yeah, like being in the energy of doing something that lights you up. So even if it's at a job, so it sounds to me like you have really been on that generator path of mastering this thing. And you really like it and you are really good at it. And you really it does let you up. But then when the roadblocks come in, is when you don't feel like you can manage your schedule or when you feel overwhelmed, right?

8:01
thoughts like I should be more productive things shouldn't be happening this way. Like, that's what I had to kind of drop and just really accept like, this is the way the schedule is and then start incorporating things that I could do if I was delayed or if I was the case was running late, like I would just bring in more work, I can do stuff from the coaching business and really be able to utilize so it didn't feel like I was just sitting around doing nothing. Because that drives me crazy.

8:27
Yeah, well that's that because as a generator to you have the sacred energy. So you have this energy and you want to keep using it. And so we get bored, literally ours, our sacred beans were like, I just don't want to sit around twiddling my thumbs, and like, quote, resting for me, I call it active

8:47
resting. That was so helpful when you said that to me, because people always tell me just relax, you need to relax, like relaxing is not relaxing. But when you just did like, no, sometimes I read or sometimes I draw or sometimes I and I was like, wait, that's okay.

9:04
Because this is what human design teaches us. It gives you permission and you said this in your farm gives you totally gives you permission to be yourself. I love that. Because there's so many things we judge about ourselves. So like you had all these ”shoulds” Oh, I must be failing. “I should be doing this”. I should be right. But guess what? So why do you have to do any of it?

9:25
Yeah. And to your point about the time management too, I think a lot of time is wasted, telling myself or was wasted. I should be doing something different. I should be doing this differently, as opposed to just accepting it. And being

9:38
Yeah, it takes up a lot of space in our brain. right that all of the thoughts that we think and we're judging the judgment and the most a lot of judgment on ourselves. What if this is literally how I'm designed to be and what if this is the way I bring my best gifts to the world? What like, wouldn't that be amazing? Like we could just live into that.

9:58
So I think that Part of that is like you taking that layer of judgment out. And then what can you bring in like, then you can tap into where your power and strength is. And that, for me when you started talking about that, I was like, Wait a second.
And I think one other thing that you had mentioned, really getting clear on who you are, where your human design is, a lot of times when you're in sales, people think, oh, you must be an extrovert.
You're so outgoing. You're in sales. But for me, I love to like, be by myself. I love to do my work in my office, maybe the dog can come in, but like, I am not, I think you use the example of Do you prefer going to Starbucks and sitting there and doing your work motor car? I sit in the parking lot of the Starbucks? Yeah, I'll take the coffee. Well, I don't want all of the stuff around me. So

10:48
yeah, that's okay. It is and what I am looking at in your chart right now, as we're talking like your single definition. So that's kind of what I, when I tell people, whether they're single or split, I think the people who aren't single definition, they have more of this wanting, they need that connection sometimes to connect their energy together their energy centers. So that's part of you is that your single definition, the other part of you is your six two line and your two line is like that hermit energy that like, Oh, I just want to be by this.

11:23
But I think the six is like a Tony Robbins right?

11:27
Tony Robbins is six, two? That's Yeah. Yeah. And, you know, I mean, there's the three phases of life with the six. So I think you're in the second phase, you're supposed to be up on the roof. It is an interesting thing to discuss. When we start getting into the personality profile part of Human Design. I'm

11:43
super fascinated with it. I feel like it's one of the basics we should all know about our Human Design, because it's so helpful. It's where you shine the brightest knowing that like when you say that it allowed me or when you said that it allowed me to step into being more of a leader at work also and saying to some of the younger people, like I can help you not, oh, this is what I should do. I should stay quiet. I should do this. I'm like, No, no, no, my human design is to share this.

12:13
And you probably in your life have felt this need to be bigger, but then you somehow shut it down with your brain like, No, just do

12:21
this. Right? Like, what I see I should be when I first started in this job. One of the reps who had been here for years said just fly under the radar just be a really good rep and fly under the radar. And so years, that's what I thought I should be helping my, my doctors and my patients keep the blinders on. But really what I prefer is like helping new people and training them and showing them new ways to do things. And that's that's what gets me jazzed up.

12:50
All right. And that's the thing, you're not in your energy when you're not feeling lit, lit up. So when you are trying to stay in your lane, and Nope, I'm just supposed to be doing it this way.
Then you had this feeling inside that it was like, Oh, I need to find a different profession. I think I'll go be a life coach. Right? Isn't that how it goes? Like, sometimes you're in the right place, but you're with the maybe the wrong thoughts wrong or or for you like the thoughts are not working? Right? The beliefs aren't working. You're out of alignment with your energy.

13:24
That's the only thing so people listening, they really need to pay attention to that when there's that little thing in the back of your head. That's like questioning my attention to that.

13:33
Exactly. Why do we ignore this? So Human Design is a perfect example of teaching us how to listen to our body. Because we all have the different ways of knowing and for you, you have sacral authority, which is the gut response, right? So do you now after you went through Human Design and you understand who you are? Do you feel that that response now more?

13:55
I feel it more, but I think it's still an area that I need to work on? Because there's a lot I did not when you said something about trusting your gut, I was like, What? Is that what I'm supposed to do? Yes. Others had so many opinions, right? Like what I should do for approval. When you say in your gut.

14:15
Yeah. And so that gut thing was probably part of the thing that was rising up in you to like, hey, something is off here. Like I don't feel good here. Right? But then you just kind of ignore it. And your brain says, Yeah, but so and so said, I should be doing this. And so I am doing the “should” stuff, right, that's our brain. Can we get out of our brain and into our body? Like that's the question for all of us.

14:40
Right? The words. So when I first started and they talked about getting your niche, and I listened to what some of the teachers said, I should do what would be a good idea. It didn't feel right. And it really wasn't until my work with Amanda and Corrine was really the one who said what about your work at Medtronic?
Like why are you Having them as your largest client, and I was like, What? Wait, well, I'm not sure. Is that really a possibility? And that's when that started shifting. So again, it was not what I thought I should do. But it really is where I love to place my energy.

15:18
And you Yeah, so you found the coaching within the job you already were in, like, you're like, Oh, I could marry these two together.

15:28
And I thought I had to keep these two separate. And, and you can see for years how I first started and it was very, like, on weekends, I'm a coach. And during the week, I'm not trying now like, come on in everybody that is so such a great takeaway lesson from this conversation, too, is both you and I have and I think so many women do this, we get stuck in boxes, right? And we're trying to create the success from an external source that told us the way it's supposed to be, regardless of who it is, right, all the coaches and programs and they have their system and we try to follow the system.

16:05
And as you see that it makes me think about your interview with Tracy Bianco and a checklist life? And is that also in part when you talk about boxes? Like we're so used to checking the boxes in our life? And like,

16:18
yeah,

16:20
yeah. And and we do that just like I think as women wanting to be successful, right, where, okay, well, this is how it is to be successful in a lot of us are trying to follow this masculine model over there, this male, masculine, nothing wrong with the masculine energy, but we need to bring in some of that feminine, how can we bring those together in a way that works for us as women, you know, it's, it's a different way of looking at it for sure, because I am totally left brain totally logical left brain a lot of masculine qualities in the way my brain works.
However, what I've recognized is, I am better off when I'm actually in the flow of my energy. And so the boxes are that masculine structure. That's what the boxes are, yeah, masculine structure. We need some of that, but we need to also make it our way, like how do we make it our way, not just go with the masculine?

17:22
In my women's employee resource group that we're part of, we talk about how oftentimes women will not step up to go for a promotion until they think they check all the boxes, where the men are like, yeah, sure, put me in Wait, what? opportunity?

17:38
So before we go, because I love that we had this whole This was so fun about the Human Design conversation. Also, I wanted to ask you, so why did you come into the Bloom group? Like what were you curious about?

17:50
I think it was your transformation, like watching you and seeing the difference in your energy. I was like, there's something really when you get into talking about how you were loving all the things that you were doing, and I could just see it, like, I couldn't see it, I could feel it. And I thought I should really check this out. And I was totally into, like, years ago, I have been into astrology and psychics and different things. Something to this idea of learning, like really what you're meant to be doing here as what you should be doing,

18:29
and what Yeah, what you've been taught. The other thing I want to talk about before we leave is where can people find you if they are somebody who's interested in your work, which is about teaching people about women to balance their life, right? It's about

18:42
where I can, I'm on the socials Michelle Bourque coaching and also Michelle Bourque coaching dot com. and Bourque is b o u r, q ue. So it's not exactly spelled the way it sounds,

18:56
right. And I'll put the link to that in the show notes too, so everybody can get there. Thank you so much for coming. This was super fun.

19:04
Thank you. It’s always such a pleasure.

19:08
You enjoy listening to this podcast, please go subscribe so that you get notified of all the future goodies that are coming along. While you're there. Please leave me a review and let me know what you think. So excited to share this with you and can't wait to talk to you next time. Bye.