Meet Shawn Russell | Author, Presenter, Tiny Habits Certified Coach

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

Hi Shawn, what do you attribute your success to?
I think there’s two things that contribute to the success of Be Still, Little Tree, Be Still: 1) Authenticity. I’m very open about the experiences I’ve been and that I may be going through and I believe people connect to that. Those experiences, particularly around anxiety, directly inform the brand and what the brand offers to people. 2) Being ‘user focused’. I take into account the feedback I get from readers or people reaching out to me for coaching and advice, then I adjust what I offer in return with a focus on making it as simple and easy for them to accomplish what they want to accomplish as possible.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
When I published Be Still, Little Tree, Be Still, I wanted to share what I was learning about dealing with anxiety. The book was aspirational for me, in that I didn’t feel like I was 100% the big tree who made it through every storm, but I was in the middle, still going through the storms but knowing what to do now. I wanted to be the big tree that helped other scared little trees. Fast forward 6 years and I know professionally coach people on how to get through their storms and do the things they want to do. I recently became a Tiny Habits Certified Coach, which is a highly effective method of behavior design applied to habits. I combine that with techniques and models I’ve learned and applied in my own life over the years. It’s been highly effective for people so far and it’s tremendously fulfilling to read messages from clients sharing their excitement about their progress! It’s been a long road to get here. I have treated myself like a case study, applying these techniques and ideas during times of great emotional distress so that I could find what worked, what didn’t, and how I could innovate and make it easier and more effective. I learned that feeling free in life, getting through the tough times, and achieving what your heart wants to achieve always comes back to being still, little tree, during those internal emotional storms so that we can grow from them and reach the heights we were meant to reach.

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.
Great question! If these were different times, I would first take them out to have some great tacos! Espi and T’s is a local favorite. The McAllen Food Truck park as well. They have some great taco trucks. We’d head out to Cine el Rey to catch a comedy show and experience their amazing vibe. We might head to the Santa Ana refuge for a nature walk or take a trip out to SPI and find a great hotel to stay at for the night so we can enjoy our time without having to rush back. We’d definitely hang out with Lamar and have some The Jank BBQ Sauce on a great meal. Finding a cool nook in the McAllen Public Library to read a bit might be cool, depending on how we’re feeling. And I think just relaxing here at the house, watching some good movies in the TV room and enjoying lounging on the swing bed in the back would be on the menu as well.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to shout out everyone who has stuck by my side when I was going through some really difficult times. Those times are what became the inspiration for Be Still, Little Tree, Be Still and all of the personal coaching work I’ve done. Lynn has been a God send, allowing me to take my time and believing in me. She’s held my hand during some of my most vulnerable moments and helped me to feel safe. Lamar is my brother, being an open ear and a shoulder to lean on. My parents who supported me when necessary and have always believed in whatever dream I was chasing. And then there were many people along the way that helped me and the book gain recognition, such as Mrs. Galvan, Katrina, and all of the counselors, librarians, and teachers at the school districts, just to name a few. I know I’m leaving out a ton of people, but they are in my hearts and if you’ve ever had a hand in sharing the story or my name with others, I thank you.

Website: www.bestilltree.com

Instagram: @BeStillLittleTree

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-elliot-russell-75900a47/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bestilllittletree

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