BY INVITATION ONLY
To register, please contact Debbie directly via FB Messenger or Text and share who referred you. Thank you!
Enrollment is open throughout the year depending on availability.
Our group meets on Wednesdays for one hour at 5pm Pacific / 7pm Central / 8pm Eastern.
As soon as you register, you’ll receive materials and instructions to get started. While YOU get to set your own pace, the members in our weekly group conversations will encourage you and cheer you on.
After 12 weeks of participating in our Wholehearted Networking community, you will be eligible to become an ongoing member.
Buy Now$300 (payment options are available)
This pays for 12 Weeks. After that, you can continue to share your support with a monthly subscription of your choice.
Having accountability and support for creating the most beautiful life you can – that’s WHY Joy-Based Living exists. It’s also the heartbeat of Wholehearted Networking.
Wholehearted Networking is an online course and community
where self-awareness meets business, leadership and bottom line results.
Networking should feel safe.
Authentic connections are life.
As we get to know each other, we will see who we resonate with most and we will support each other organically and we will become the biggest cheerleaders for each other – from a place of authenticity and joy. Not obligation or pressure or playing a role. OMG, while editing this paragraph, I just remembered that I wanted to try out for cheerleading in 8th grade, but my mom said no way, Jose. Well, I’m a cheerleader now! YEAH!
Within our Wholehearted Network, as each of us stretches and grows, faces challenges and overcomes them, as we set our sights on new horizons and go forward – we inspire each other.
It’s all about the journey. It’s supposed to be fun!
Here’s a podcast interview all about Wholehearted Networking.
And here’s a video interview!
WHO IS WHOLEHEARTED NETWORKING FOR?
– Badass women who need support to show up more authentically, powerfully, joyfully
* just for women business owners and side-hustlers, for now *
WHAT IT IS:
– A 12-week online course and community with live video conference meetings
WHEN:
– See the top of this page
– On Wednesday evenings 7pm Central/ 8pm Eastern, live video calls will be streamed. Recordings will be posted within 24 hours of each call
– To see LOGISTICS and TIME REQUIREMENTS, keep scrolling
SIDE MENU:
The 12-week course can be available for small, private leadership teams on a very limited basis
Registration details for Wholehearted Mastermind will be sent out via email:
Why SANCTUARY?
Because networking should feel safe.
Networking used to STRESS ME OUT. The underlying expectation was that we were all there to try to GET something. Or to prove ourselves. These attitudes can be exhausting, especially for people who are usually well-versed in GIVING and SERVING. Networking can – and should – feel joyful and fun. But that can only happen when we feel SAFE.
When we KNOW about what causes people to feel unsafe or stressed or even traumatized, then we can avoid these pitfalls. That’s not just a human resources job. That’s EVERYONE’s responsibility. It’s HOW we show up.
When we ALL create SANCTUARY, then we can easily share our authenticity including our challenges, our joys and our dreams and our goals. We can support each other authentically.
No longer willing to show up as a “suit”, all armored up, we Wholehearted Networkers are at the frontier of bringing humanness back to humanity.
About Me
My name is Debbie Happy Cohen. You can read my story below. Here are a few tidbits.
- Chief Strategist for Joy
- Life and business coach since 1998, Master’s in Counseling
- Founder of Joy-Based Living and Wholehearted Networking
- Author of multiple personal development books and courses
- Mission: I intend that EVERY SINGLE PERSON in the world who wants one will be surrounded by a community that actively encourages them to negotiate for joy every single day of their lives – and WIN
Testimonials
“Coach Debbie is my inspiration and my connection to my true self. She is honest and demands that you play full out. You need to be totally committed to your transformation… whatever it takes. Working with her is not for the weak of heart! The 12 practices of JBL are truly transformative. The next level is Whole Hearted Mastermind which will guide you to envision your life as you want it to be. I recommend Coach Debbie, without reservation, if you are serious about doing the work. She will change how you see yourself… then she will guide you to change your life!”
Amy Gregory, Educator/ Educational Technology Specialist/ Computer Programmer
“Debbie is a rock star in the field of coaching! She cuts right to the core of what you’re dealing with, but does it with a butter knife instead of a chainsaw! I’ve worked with her on multiple occasions over the past ten years and the content she provides and services she offers just keep getting better and better. Working with Debbie has changed my life for the better in countless ways, and I can’t recommend her highly enough!”
Elisa Dolan, Client-minded, results-driven professional poised to take your business to the next level
“I have known Debbie Happy Cohen for about 12 years and participated in several life changing processes and self-exploration methodologies that have expanded my life and enabled me to accomplish many of my desires and goals. Her workshops and coaching sessions are personalized and her years of experience in guiding me toward a deeper understanding of myself is powerful. I am pleased to recommend Debbie for group or individual programs to support a life of well being and joy.”
Betsy Brannen, Marketing | Communications | Research | Website Content
ABOUT YOU
Wholehearted Networking might be just the right place for you if, on the daily, you experience some of these . . .
– Stressed out
– Constantly getting off track – not completing important tasks such as asking for that raise
– Not knowing where the track even IS – unsure what your most important tasks are
– Hard on yourself – too hard! (Perfectionist?)
– Spinning in circles – or swirlies
– Bored but not sure how to level-up (plateau)
– A little distracted – or A LOT
– Too shy when it comes to asking for what you need/ want
– People pleasing to the point of codependent
– Introverted, maybe even scared of social media
AND you’re NOT any of these:
– ADDICTED to alcohol/ hard drugs
– CLOSED-MINDED
– OFFENDED by f-bombs (maybe you even like them!)
– UNWILLING to seek therapy or other support if you find that you need it
AND you’re 100% WILLING to explore and grow in the following 5 ways:
1. You’re READY for transformation
– Willing to be COACH-ABLE, TEACH-ABLE, TRAIN-ABLE
– Willing to make JOY one of your top core values
– Willing to learn how to create a stable inner foundation
– Willing to learn to NEGOTIATE for what you want, including JOY and including bottom-line results
– Willing to look at your inner pain/ trauma/ fears
– Willing to admit to and promote your greatest strengths
– Willing to explore and (possibly change) your core values
– Willing to explore YOUR spirituality, which you get to define and sculpt for yourself
– Willing to upgrade your communication style, both inside your head and with others
– Willing to really stand for the best in yourself and others
– Willing to commit to improved time-management skills because YOU are important
2. You’re COMMITTED to self-awareness
– Willing to be kind and compassionate toward yourself as you learn and grow
– Willing to shape your future according to new skills, elevated desires and clearer boundaries
3. You’re NATURALLY kind and compassionate toward others
– Willing to make new friends
– Willing to be generous of heart
– Willing to be open-minded about other people’s spirituality
– Willing to be compassionate toward other people’s trauma
– Willing to encourage other people’s desires
– Willing to cheer other people on for their successes
– Willing to be flexible
– Willing to give others the benefit of the doubt
– Willing to ask for clarification or support if you’re struggling with something
4. You’re A BADASS
– Willing to take 100% total responsibility for your experiences
– Willing to do whatever it takes to make your happiness REAL
– Willing to be PATIENT
– Willing to be KIND
– Willing to engage whatever apps we use. We call ourselves tech wizards for basic abilities: download pdf’s, watch youtube videos, comment on posts, tune-in to a live video app.
– Willing to enjoy metaphors. Example: You’re ready to go from being “hungry dog” to Secretariat!
– Willing to feel the insecurity and GO FOR IT anyway!
– Willing to figure it out if you don’t YET know how
– Willing to aim for bottom line results – whatever that means for YOU
– Willing to deeply care about what’s at stake – whatever that is for YOU
– Willing to show up READY AND EXCITED TO LEARN AND GROW!
Honestly, if you can’t handle my enthusiasm in this description, it’s best to know now, eh?
5. You’re AVAILABLE to be present (see time requirements below)
– Willing and able to invest the time on YOU
– Willing to check in with yourself to make sure this is a good time in your life to join this community
TIME REQUIREMENTS
These habits will change your life. Don’t underestimate their power.
- 15 to 30 min per day for inward explorations (reading, journaling).
- 30 minutes per week to connect with our Wholehearted Network: share your insights and breakthroughs and encourage others as they share their insights and breakthroughs.
- Both of these practices within the context of social support are a gift that will keep on giving for the rest of your life. You will build a micro-habit of being accountable in an environment that is encouraging and empowering. You will get used to feeling supported for being YOU.
LOGISTICS
- 6 lessons will be delivered to your email at the rate of one every other week
- 12 LIVE video calls will be open for QA and discussion of the lesson at the rate of one per week
- I’ll lead the meetings for this round, but future groups might be self-study or led by a different facilitator
ABOUT ME
My backstory as it relates to Wholehearted Networking
Debbie Happy Cohen
Coaching Mission
I love helping people discover and be held accountable to their deepest truths, their core values and their most meaningful desires. Life/Biz coach since 1998.
Wholehearted Networking Mission
I intend that EVERYONE in the world who wants one will be surrounded by a community that actively encourages them to negotiate for joy every single day of their lives – and WIN.
In 2016, I successfully created a Kickstarter campaign to achieve that mission. I called it Joy-Based Living. IT WORKED. It was messy. And gorgeous. And awesome. It took 3.5 years to create an outstanding prototype. Now, I want to find out what a group of badass women can accomplish in 3 MONTHS.
My Alter-Ego (superhero persona): LADY LIBERTY
I love shining a bright light.
I love standing strong.
I love breaking chains (as Lady Liberty is doing with her right foot).
I love doing the inner work required to beam brighter.
I love joining forces with other bright lights who aren’t afraid to do the inner work required.
CHILDHOOD
I was born in Brooklyn, NY to Jewish immigrant parents who were born in Israel and Iraq.
FACTOIDS ABOUT MY NAME
My middle name really is HAPPY, namesake of my great-grandmother. Please don’t write it in quotes.
My first name Debbie means “bee” in Hebrew. As in bumble bee. Networking is exactly what bees do in their hives!
My first coach nicknamed me “The Bee”. You’ll read about him in a min.
BACK TO CHILDHOOD
We moved to Miami when I was 3. That sucked. I loved New York and after we moved, I really missed all of my extended family members who lived right next door.
I was born a badass. I had to be one in order to survive a severely strict, traditional and patriarchal family. As a result, I became a misfit, a maverick and a miracle.
SELF AWARENESS, PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT AND MAKING FRIENDS
I’ve been obsessed with self-awareness since age 15 when my English teacher taught us how to auto-write. Same age, I read my first personal-development book: How to Start a Conversation and Make Friends.
Thankfully, I didn’t just read it. I implemented it. I was sooo shy! EXECUTION WAS REALLY SCARY. It FELT like execution at the time! “HOLY FUCK! Look how far I’ve come,” exclaims my 15-year-old-self. “I’m announcing a WHOLEHEARTED NETWORKING COMMUNITY NOW! WOOOHOOO!!!!”
I’m extremely compassionate and giving.
BOUNDARIES AND WALLS
It took a long time for me to learn set firm boundaries and learn to not give a fuck (see blog post: I care and I don’t care – TRULY). One of my biggest achievements was learning the difference between setting boundaries versus putting up walls. I would NOT have been able to share this with you while I was defending myself with walls.
I adore seeing people learn and stretch and grow their wings and fly.
Obsessed since forever.
IMMIGRANTS AND LANGUAGE
I love my relatives who are immigrants. I loved watching them learn to speak English as each one of them crossed the Atlantic to live in Miami with us or nearby. I loved teasing them as they made the funniest language mistakes. Their language was usually a smorgasbord mashup of Hebrew-Arabic-English. They taught me to LOVE LEARNING AND LAUGHING AND GROWING.
Yes I understand Hebrew. No I don’t understand Arabic – except for the cuss words. I know those quite well. Apparently, swear words are the first thing people pick up when learning a new language. I sure did.
CAREER DREAM AND LIFE PURPOSE
Growing up, my biggest dream was to be a teacher. That lasted until I majored in Education. During my first public school internship in Miami, FL, I witnessed a 4th grade teacher in a trailer with 40 students. She spent half her time being a disciplinarian and the other half attempting classroom-management. She was nice. This wasn’t her failure and it wasn’t her fault.
I love kids. My idea of teaching was to create a fun learning environment which included connection and joy. “Fuck that shit,” said my 19-year-old self. I quickly switched majors to psychology. I taught Hebrew school classes as a side job. THAT was fun.
COACHING AND NETWORKING
As a 20-something, my biggest dream was to write books and coach. After getting a graduate degree in counseling, my life/biz coach Alfonso taught me the ropes of business coaching. He also taught me how to network like a badass.
In less than a year, his wife told him that he should invite me to be his business partner because my networking had tripled his business-coaching biz. My networking skills helped me build my own coaching practice.
SUCCESS SEMINARS FOR SCHOOLS
Later, my biggest achievement was reaching thousands of kids. Corporate sponsors supported me in bringing many REACH YOUR STARS seminars to public school kids and teachers.
On the flipside, in 2001, my biggest career disappointment was never receiving the $100,000 grant promised to me by one of my most loyal, cheer-leading corporate sponsors. JPMORGAN had set aside this money to fund the REACH YOUR STARS school seminars. I had a great track record. A waiting list of 200 teachers who wanted me to visit their classrooms and principals who wanted me to train their teachers. It didn’t happen because of 9-11. REACH YOUR STARS lost its meaning as I watched the twin towers go down along with my dreams to reach thousands of kids. Ooof, that was fucking hard.
I mourned for all of our losses. My loss was NOTHING in comparison to other people’s. I wish I had had the trauma-awareness and healing processes that I have now because I would have felt more empowered to contribute something meaningful. I FROZE. I was in shock. I think we’re culturally still dealing with the post traumatic stress from that moment in time.
Dr. Brené Brown, a popular social researcher, started studying Americans 6 months prior to 9-11. She describes a dramatic shift in our our collective attitudes since that day. Brené calls it “scarcity” consciousness. She observed we became less generous with each other. We became less patient and more fearful. We are SO MUCH bigger than our fear. And it’s time that we heal. I believe that we can and we will.
SELF-AWARENESS AFTER BURNOUT
Unfortunately, in my early career, although the outer was winning, the inner was churning. I didn’t realize how much emotional trauma I was holding inside. I didn’t have the self-awareness to know just how much of an introvert I really was. I also didn’t know how to keep networking without exhausting myself. By 2008, I burned out.
THE BLUE SUIT LADY
My biggest career and personal failure was becoming “coachdebbie.” I wore my career persona a little too hard. I felt kind of like a bobblehead doll. Although I helped people generate AMAZING results, I lost my true self in the process of trying to be this persona who I later named: “the blue suit lady.”
I’m proud of how much I’ve changed since then. I learned to adore “blue suit lady” after a lot of therapy. My biggest career transformation was giving away all of my biz suits in 2008 and leaving the coaching field. That was HARD.
While I’m at it, my other biggest personal life failure was dating someone who was severely emotionally abusive. UGHHHH. My biggest self-honesty was realizing that I was the one who had attracted the dude due to my own self-abusive and self-denial habits. That’s when I hit rock bottom. That’s when I turned my ship around.
My biggest life transformation was moving to a tiny town on Lookout Mountain in NE Alabama in 2008. My one task was to come home to my authentic self. I did.
KICKSTARTER
In 2016, I successfully Kickstarted a campaign to create an on-going, self-perpetuating, personal growth community. It’s called Joy-Based Living. IT WORKED. IT’S STILL WORKING!!!
The development process was messy. And gorgeous. And awesome. It took 3.5 years to create an outstanding prototype. Now it’s time to expand. I wonder what a new group can accomplish in 3 months. That’s WHOLEHEARTED NETWORKING.
CHILDREN’S BOOK
One of my biggest career joys was writing and illustrating and publishing I DON’T THINK SO! in 2009. A close friend recorded the video. It’s awesome.
I loved reading I DON’T THINK SO! aloud to groups of kids at festivals and classrooms and things like that. I’d make 25-cent bets with them by GUARANTEEING that they would smile by the time we got to the end of the book. I only lost one bet.
And I swear to you – the kid was FAKING IT! You could tell!! His father tried to make him give up his quarter to me but I told the little stinker to keep it. I like arguing with 6-year-olds.
BIG WISH – MAKE A MILLION KIDS SMILE
One of my biggest dreams is for Dolly Parton to publish I DON’T THINK SO for her Imagination Library. OOOH LALA!!! It would reach millions of kids! GUARANTEED TO MAKE THEM SMILE!!! I sent her a HUGE card making this request. I’m not sure if she’s seen it. If anyone knows her, please share the link with her!!
THESE DAYS . . .
I adore my coaching clients. And I adore coaching my clients.
I equally love learning from them and being inspired by them.
I love that so many of us are friends!
We stretch each other. We grow together. We honor each other.
It’s a co-creative thing!
I love showing up authentically as we support each other and cheer each other on, in difficult times and in success. Witnessing these relationships AND being part of a group of people who deeply care about each other – this excites me, thrills me and brings me endless joy.
I wish this for EVERYONE who wants it and is willing to do the inner work it takes in order to generate it for yourself.
That’s WHOLEHEARTED NETWORKING!
I’ll be sending out registration details soon.
Be sure to subscribe if you want to be in the KNOW!
Wait for it…
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