Meet Sandra Pelley | Inner Peace Mentor, Confidence Coach and Visionary of the Guide Academy

We had the good fortune of connecting with Sandra Pelley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Sandra, have there been any changes in how you think about work-life balance?
As I am sitting in my mom’s guest room, having woken at 5:45am to hop on a call, I love that, as an online entrepreneur, I can work almost anywhere and on my own timeline. My schedule between work and life had been evolving. I used to work every single day on ‘busy’ work. Adopting a three-day business week and using Google Calendar gave me room to adjust as needed with healthy boundaries. That was a shift in finding balance. The next step was obvious. A real vacation. November was an eyeopener for me on how I had neglected myself over the years. I discovered balance in a profound way.

Oh yes, I have had daily moments of self care as I have set the goal of walking 7500 steps daily. A few years ago, I had difficulty squatting. Even some steps into my home carrying a load were difficult. It was apparent I needed to make some changes. It started with 500 steps a day at the beginning of 2021 and has increased a bit at a time. This goal provided me with the opportunity to get away from my desk and outdoors regardless of the weather. You might laugh though as when the weather is really bad, I choose to walk up and down my house hallway. That is 57 steps return. There are days when “I walk the floor” a hundred times or more to get those steps in. Believe it or not, these steps are crucial to having balance in my life around my day-to-day work schedule. The sedentary life I had created was changing to motion and better health.

Many months ago, I jumped at the chance to book time to go to Sedona, Arizona for a retreat in November 2022. This would have three purposes. The first being the ability to get back to Sedona period. The second was the chance to meet my coach in-person, as she would guide myself and a small group of women, over four days, through many levels of self discovery. The third purpose was mountain biking with my husband in the Phoenix area for two weeks following the retreat.

I would be driving 1800 miles / 2800+ kms by myself and my husband flying down to meet me a week later. The mode of transportation was our 2000 Chevy van that we had gutted and transformed into a basic camper van. Essentially a bed on wheels for the time being. I knew I would be away from home for three weeks. What this in essence meant is that I would be away from secure internet likely for the entire time I was away.

That spurred me into action to schedule social media daily posts, to create the weekly calendar emails, the monthly calendar email and weekly call to action emails all in advance and they would stretch out past my arrival home to give me some breathing room. My two group programs were scheduled so I could have the time off and still maintain contact in other small ways. October was busy and I still managed my daily 7500 steps.

Thankfully I took that big action step to create and pre-post all those pieces. It enabled me to be able to enjoy the time away. During the three weeks of travelling the only real commitment I had made was to continue to post daily reels with one of my mantras on Instagram.

What was interesting was how I suddenly realized that this was completely new to me. That my laptop remained under the van bed for almost the entire trip. Never in the past six years had I really put aside my business and taken a real ‘fully engaged in me’ vacation. It was startling to come to that realization. Every other vacation I had continued to do my weekly group calls, daily posts and was in constant creation mode. In other words, I had not actually had a vacation for many years.

Previously people marveled at my ability to run my business while living out of our 14 foot travel trailer for two years. That was an adventure across western North America, running my business and mountain biking with my husband. I was proud to be ‘on’ top of things all the time. The reality though was that I needed a break. The mental stress was beginning to show as I became disheartened with where I was in my business.

The fact that I had chosen to set a goal with my steps back in January 2021 (starting with 500/day) was the doorway to find balance. It really wasn’t healthy to sit in front of the computer for hours and hours a day., eat, work some more and then go to bed. My eyesight and posture had suffered for it.

November opened my eyes to what I was doing to me, even though I had been preaching to my community the importance of self care. I thought I was taking care of me. I had found balance in my daily routine, between work and my personal life. Missing was the balance from year to year. People in 9 to 5 type jobs get at least two weeks off. Why is it that some of us who are self employed neglect this aspect?

These three weeks off the normal routine of my business totally changed how I want to move forward. Previous and current mentors and coaches have set a great example for me of what I wanted my work week to look like. Now I know what I want my work year to look like with regards to time off.

Having scheduled everything the way I did, being a solo entrepreneur, let me enjoy so much more of my three-week trip. The retreat in Sedona cracked me open. That is a whole other story about finding balance within myself around my masculine and feminine aspects. It set me up for what was to follow over the next two weeks of riding my mountain bike without worrying about my business. I realized how important it was to take care of me on a far deeper level.

Upon coming home and back to work, it has been amazing the opportunities that have been trickling in. My awareness of where I stand currently and the vision I hold for my business draw me towards the next tiny steps. Although my husband and I treat even an overnighter like a grand holiday, I look forward to the next truly big one. That may be a trip across Canada…. mountain biking included.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As an inner peace mentor, confidence coach and Visionary of the Guide Academy I see the Incredible U in you. Drawing out that part of yourself is where I come in. Over a 16 year span I have gone through my own trials and tribulations with multiple injuries overcoming expectations and limiting beliefs. It began with a dislocated pelvis and ended with a fractured pelvis and broken collar bone, with many injuries between. I discovered how my mindset and the way I was speaking to and about myself to others was holding me in a state of constant pain, mentally and physically. I made the decision to change all that and recreate myself.

I am really excited to work with spiritual entrepreneurs who are struggling, in different aspects of their lives. Using my intuition, listening ability and natural awareness as well as the steps I took to create my own change my clients and academics (students) are shifting their lives. Where once they were scared, struggling and unsure, they have now discovered happiness, confidence and a new outlook on life. This transformation has empowered them to discover their passions and have the ability to take action steps.

The most important thing I have learned along the way is that it is small simple steps that make the difference. To commit to doing these steps frequently. Knowing that there are no mistakes only lessons. And above all else that I am worth it.

My body of work includes working in the Quantum field, channeled meditations, the Medicine Wheel program, A Spiritual How-To (book and program), Pineal Chakra Activations, Vision Quests, mantra, breathwork and journeys. There is the power of working in a group setting or individual coaching. All of this is geared towards you living life on your terms, just like I do.

I have a personal commitment to change as many women’s lives as possible. The Million Women Project is in it’s infancy. The potential is within each of us to love ourselves as much as we love others. This is the missing puzzle piece. Let me show you how to love yourself. You are worth it too. I see the Incredible U in you, together let’s draw her out…

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
hmmm depends on the city. If we are talking about Phoenix / Scottsdale area I highly recommend Tom Thumb for a hike and the McDowell Mountain, on one side of the road and the entire Pima Dynamite to Fraesfield area on the other, for a mountain bike ride.

Camp Verde eating at La Casita’s where the best Mexican food is.

Jerome for its spectacular road and views with their eclectic stores.

Fountain Hill for its fantastic three day Art Festival near the fountain.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
OH I love this aspect… My coaches and mentors,
Marilyn Alauria of Next Level Living,
Leisa Peterson, the Mindful Millionaire and Wealth Clinic,
Dustin Riechmann of Simple Success Coaching
and Angela Anderson, of TheArtofSuccessForWomen.com
are powerful examples of how to live life in balance while growing your business.

Website: https://www.sandrapelley.com/

Instagram: https://www.youtube.com/c/SandraPelleyTheSandini

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sandra-pelley-the-sandini-53ab12117

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheSandini

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sandrapelley.thesandini/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SandraPelleyTheSandini

Other: Soulful Empowerment Facebook Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/soulfulempowerment https://www.sandrapelley.com/podcasts

Image Credits
Karen Davis – Sandra & drum / all other photos Sandra Pelley