Today we’d like to introduce you to Christy Sanborn.
Hi Christy, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started out as a young girl in the suburbs of Philadelphia. I always knew I was infatuated with people and their stories. I loved listening to adults talk when I was a child, hearing about their problems and quietly trying to figure out solutions to them in my mind.
I was raised by my Italian grandmother, who loved me unconditionally. Growing up, I had a difficult time living in a house that never truly felt like a home. My mother and father were around often, but they were never fully present. They were physically there, but not emotionally available.
As a deep-feeling young girl, I had many needs that went unmet. I found myself looking outside the home for other adults to help fill those emotional gaps, and I was lucky to find them. When I was a teenager, I befriended a woman in her 40s who took me under her wing. She made me feel important and validated my feelings. I was also fortunate to have aunts and uncles nearby who I could rely on whenever I needed help.
At 17, I moved out of my family home into my own apartment to start my life. I worked three jobs consecutively to pay the bills and learned a lot about life in those early years. I spent much of that time working in restaurants and bars, where I developed a strong work ethic and an even stronger sense of connection to people.
When I was 24, I met a man I deeply connected with and soon became pregnant with my daughter. We married the year after she was born and stayed together for four years. We did our best to make the marriage work, but ultimately, we just were not meant to be. After we divorced, I spent eight years as a single mother.
During that time, my daughter and I lived in different places before finally settling into a two-bedroom condo that we loved and truly called home. I was always a very present mother, intentional and conscious about how I raised her.
After many years of online dating, I met a wonderful man from New Jersey. We dated long-distance for two years before my daughter and I moved in with him. Shortly after that, I became pregnant with our son, and after his birth, we got married. We have been together ever since and recently celebrated our ninth wedding anniversary.
We have created a beautiful life together as husband and wife, and as mother and father to our two children. I have spent most of my life helping people in different ways, through both barbering and coaching. I still cut hair a few times a week , and I’m focused on my live parenting radio show that I host every Friday here in Savannah Georgia.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has not been smooth until about 10 years ago. I consider this to be a blessing. I believe that God chooses some of us to go through a lot of trauma in our early years so that we can develop resilience and use our unique experiences to help others later in life.
One of the biggest struggles I have faced in life, I believe, was unlearning how to be a people pleaser. I was always praised for being a giver and for putting others’ needs ahead of my own. I believe this was my identity for most of my life. A few years ago, I learned the importance of making myself a priority, saying no, and setting very healthy boundaries. These practices changed everything, and now my life is healthy, happy, and balanced.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As far as my work goes, I do what I have always done. I help people. I try to be an active listener and give my best to everything I show up to do. I specialize in helping people develop healthy boundaries in their lives. I also focus on identifying people’s unique talents and helping them showcase those gifts. Additionally, I help people communicate better with each other.
What I am most proud of is being a mother. I am proud of my kids every day, and I am so thankful that I get to be their mother. I believe that they chose me in this life to be their mother, and I value that more than anything.
I am also very proud of my marriage. It means everything to me. I feel so grateful to have someone who chooses me every day in the ways that matter most.
I believe that we all have unique talents that we can share with the world. I think it is selfish not to share these gifts. It is up to each of us to determine what makes us shine and to share that as often as possible.
Playing the harp is my new favorite hobby. The harp is an instrument that has been calling to me ever since I was a young child. I finally have a place in my home to keep it, and, the time to devote to learning how to play it.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
My favorite childhood memory was waking up at my grandparents’ house on Saturday mornings in a comfortable bed with clean, crisp sheets. I loved having the whole day in front of me to relax and let my nervous system reset, to play outside without shoes on, and to enjoy a home-cooked meal for dinner. The days that I spent with my grandparents will always be my fondest memories.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://christysanborn.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrive_coachingllc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/17PqXM5soz/
