Melissa NicholsoN INTRO
MELISSA NICHOLSON: I will admit, I’m not a ‘woo-woo’ person by nature. I’m just not. But after what I’ve experienced during some of the toughest years of my life, I’m officially a convert. I have seen the magic that can happen when you put your intentions out into the universe. And I’ve tapped into the wisdom of some of the best
Introduction
INTRO: Welcome to Job Share Revolution. The show about job sharing—a partnership between two people to bring two minds and skill sets to one full-time position. I’m Melissa Nicholson, former job sharer turned founder of the first U.S. job share company. But it wasn’t long ago that I felt like an utter failure at work and as a new parent. Job sharing was my game-changer. I reclaimed four days a week to fully engage in my life while my capable partner handled everything. Together, we achieved more than I ever could solo. Fast forward to many lessons learned to bring you the training and support I wish I’d had to change lives and the modern-day workplace. Let’s live life and slay work.
Melissa NICHOLSON
MELISSA NICHOLSON: How ya doing, friend? It’s your friend Mel. It’s February. January was a tough year. But we made it. We made it! It’s officially February, the month when nearly 80% of folks abandon their New Year’s Resolutions altogether. But not you. Instead, you’ve taken a different approach to 2025. And I don’t mean by hiding under the covers, although that is really appealing right now, I can’t lie.
No, no. In this flood-the-zone time, you are not going to let anything throw you off being your best self in 2025, not even when the world feels like a giant dumpster fire. Know this friend, it’s a toxic patriarchal energy at the end of its dying day, thrashing about and screaming, throwing fireballs in every direction, afraid it is no longer relevant because it is no longer relevant. It’s not, that’s not the future.
Instead, you are approaching the New Year in a kinder, more thoughtful way, full of self-grace and self-love. You’re not buying into the B.S., rushing in to throw out competitive-based, perfection-based resolutions only to be left feeling powerless and like a complete failure because you didn’t achieve them by February 1st.
Instead, we are doing this together in community. You are embedding each decision you make about who you want to be this year by showing up, doing these exercises, and thinking through what they mean to your life. Writing them down, visualizing them, listening to this podcast, and coming back to them to actually manifest them. This brings us to our Final day of the challenge Day 5: How to Manifest and Decide Who You Want to BE in 2025.
Before we get started, can you do me a favor? If you have found any value in these exercises to approach 2025, share this episode with a friend. I have a feeling we are all going to need more of this for the year ahead. A self-care toolbox to lean into our inner strength with love and rebuke the fear being thrust upon us. These exercises have been life-changing for me and it’s my sincere hope it can be for you and your friends too.
Before we dive into Day 5, I want to take a moment to celebrate all of the progress you’ve made so far for Day 1 through Day 4 of our challenge.
You have:
- Decided what to leave behind that is no longer serving you.
You’ve made a conscious decision not to carry last year’s rocks into this year’s garden. You might even have written it not only in your challenge workbook—by the way, grab that if you haven’t yet at workmuse.com forward slash best self—but on a piece of paper you burned in a bonfire. Look, I’m an Aggie; you know our bonfire tradition, so I am all in favor of burning it and not looking back, friend. I shared that I was leaving behind trying to control the things outside of my control. Also, fighting with my family—but shame held me back from sharing it at first. The next week I felt brave enough to open up about it. Which is what I love about this social experiment. Personal growth work and laying the groundwork for achieving your goals—your big personal and professional goals — requires time, thought, and intention.
- Next, you chose your Word of the Year and who knows, maybe you even chose a personal and professional one like I did. Mine are surrender for my personal word and embrace for my professional word.
I thought it would be fun to share some words of the year from our community! Shelby shared her word of the year: ACTION. Mary Kaye chose UNBOTHERED. This one got me. How would you like to go through this entire year feeling unbothered? Like nothing outside of your control—not weather events, the political climate, or even work stuff could take take up the time of day for you, you were completely unbothered? Genius. Sarah chose three. Hey, you make the rules, it’s entirely personal to you. You do you. Her personal word is AGENCY. Isn’t that a good one? For her art show, she chose: APPLY and for her business: PROMOTE. One more because it just delights me so: Elizabeth’s personal words were PRESENCE and AUTHENTICITY and her work word was FOCUS. So good, right?!
- For Day 3 of the Be Your Best Self in 2025 challenge, you set 1-3 meaningful goals that you will actually achieve this year by applying the SMARTER framework and keeping the will—why the behavior change is important to you—and the way—the plan for how you will achieve the change—top of mind while avoiding the most common goal-setting mistakes.
- And last week for Day 4’s Action, you picked 1-3 habits you will adopt in 2025—habits that are obvious, attractive, easy, and satisfying for a lifestyle change. I shared how my husband became a runner and I became a vegetarian tying it to James Clear’s method for how to make a habit stick long term.
Woah, that is a lot, my friend. Think how overwhelming it would be to do this kind of personal work in one sitting without the time to let it sink in, to get into your bones, and sto olidify why you’ve made these decisions and choices in the first place. Now if you want to go back and listen to any of the episodes going through the exercises, they begin at episode 23. I’ll link to each of them in the show notes for you just in case you missed anything or you want a refresher.
I can’t believe how far we’ve come. Here’s a quick overview. So far, you have:
- Let go of what no longer serves you.
- Chosen your Word of the Year.
- Set 1-3 meaningful, achievable goals.
- And learned how to build habits that stick.
Today, we are shifting to what I like to call the ‘woo’—manifestation. Now, I will admit, I’m not a ‘woo-woo’ person by nature. I’m just not. But after what I’ve experienced during some of the toughest years of my life, I’m officially a convert. I have seen the magic that can happen when you put your intentions out into the universe. And I’ve tapped into the wisdom of some of the best, including Aunt Oprah’s favorite gurus, to bring you today’s challenge: How to Manifest and Decide Who You Want to Be in 2025.
I used to think manifestation was all about wishful thinking. But then, during a particularly brutal season of my sandwich-generation dual caregiving life, I started to see things differently. A few years back when we started this challenge, I became my mom’s legal guardian and her only family caregiver. That’s heavy. That’s a lot of responsibility.
By doing this very challenge, that year some incredible things happened in my life despite caregiving, budget, and time constraints:
- My family reconnected during a slow-living week in Oaxaca, México.
- A friend gifted us their Airbnb in the Ozarks for a springtime nature escape.
- An angel offered us a beach oasis during high season—something we hadn’t done since before the pandemic.
- And my mom’s lifelong friends, well, they stepped in and stepped up to create new memories with her, giving our family the chance we needed to get away and recharge.
I don’t think any of that was a coincidence. It just wasn’t. It was the result of getting clear about what I wanted, putting it out into the universe, and trusting the process. It was this challenge. Manifestation isn’t just about hoping for the best. It’s about combining intention with action and opening yourself up to receive the unexpected.
Last week was Oprah’s birthday. In my early twenties, I became an Oprah devotee. I’d schedule my college classes around watching Oprah and I was so inspired by her work I could imagine nothing better than to have a cat, a little apartment and to work for Oprah in Chicago doing really anything at all, anything that Aunt Oprah would have me do. I would dream about Oprah. I still dream about Oprah. She’s my aunt in my dreams. She comes to me and gives me advice. I’m not even kidding. I wanted to work for her so much so that I had her HR manager Bernice Smith on speed dial and I would call her constantly. I hatched a plan to fly to Chicago, hire a plane to fly over with a banner saying, “Oprah, hire me.” And that plane was going to fly over just as she arrived to Harpo Studios for work where I would be waiting at the door. It was just a dream, but I’ve never stopped dreaming about it. One day, I believe it will come true. That I’ll meet Oprah for the impact my work has had and the lives it’s changed. I believe it with all my heart.
So when Oprah shared on her Level 71 birthday how living with her grandmother Vernita her first six years of life impacted her, it touched me. Her grandmother taught her she was God’s child and that all things were possible, and Oprah believed her. It was the foundation to what she learned much later on in life, that you don’t become what you want or even your greatest desires, you become what you believe.
That’s why I believe that all four of the challenges leading up to Day 5’s challenge: How to Manifest and Decide Who You Want to Be in 2025 cannot come to fruition without manifesting them.
I know you, friend. I know how earnest and sincere you are. I know how much you care about the people you love and the impact you have in this world. It’s why you’re here listening to a podcast on job sharing to live your best life, whether you ever job share or not. You want to live and work more intentionally.
Remember, you become what you believe. Manifestation doesn’t have to feel overwhelming or vague or all up in the ‘woo.’ Let’s break it down. There are six simple steps you can take to start manifesting the life you want in 2025:
- What are you a ‘Hell yes!’ for?
Start by getting crystal clear about what you want. When you say ‘yes’, a whole body yes with your whole heart, the universe listens. - Ask for what you want.
You can use prayer, meditation, visualization, vision boarding, or simply saying it out loud. Put your intention into the world in a way that feels authentic to you. - Be flexible and relinquish control of the outcome.
The hardest part of manifestation is letting go of how you think things should unfold. Trust that the universe will deliver what you need, even if it looks different than what you imagined. - Do the work with love, service, and faith.
Manifestation isn’t just about dreaming—it’s about taking aligned action. Show up with an open heart and a willingness to do the work. - Let go of limiting beliefs.
What stories are you telling yourself that are holding you back? It’s time to release them so you can step fully into your power. - Lean into joy and trust the process.
Manifestation thrives on positive energy. Celebrate the small wins, stay grateful, and trust that the pieces will fall into place.
Take a moment to reflect on these steps. What are you a ‘Hell yes!’ for in 2025? What’s one limiting belief you’re ready to let go of? Write it down in your challenge workbook and let it guide you.
Now, here’s the big question: Who is the type of person you want to BE in 2025?
When the New York Times bestselling author looked dead ahead and so seriously said this one thing, it resonated for me, ‘Every action you take is a vote for the type of person you want to be.’ Its simplicity is its power.
This isn’t about perfection. It’s about making small, intentional choices every day that align with your vision for your life. Maybe you want to be the type of person who prioritizes self-care, or someone who shows up courageously in their career, or someone who radiates kindness and compassion.
Take a moment to visualize that person. How do they act? What habits do they have? How do they respond to challenges? Write it down and commit to taking one action today that aligns with who you want to be this year. What do you want to lean into and lead with?
Alright, friend, it’s time to take action:
- Complete the ‘How to Manifest’ exercises in your workbook on pages 13-15.
- Write down what you want to manifest in your life this year.
- Decide who you want to BE in 2025.
And then, share it with our Facebook community or scroll down in the episode’s description until you see, “Send Melissa a Text Message. ” It’s right there if you just scroll down. I want to hear all about your dreams, your vision, and your commitments. Plus, you’ll be entered into our challenge contest for a work-life prize—so don’t miss out!
As we wrap up today’s episode, I want to remind you of this: You are capable of incredible things. You don’t have to have it all figured out right now. Just take one step, I call them micro-actions. Put your intention out there, and trust that the universe will meet you halfway.
Next week, we’re bringing it all together with our final episode in this series: the Bonus Challenge—Ikigai Your Career & Explore Job Sharing.
- Until then, keep manifesting, keep dreaming, and keep stepping into the remarkable person you’re becoming. If no one’s told you today. I believe in you. I see you. And I’m sending you so much love. I’ll see you next Tuesday, our new episode day, same time, same place. It’s all in you.