Bloom Where You’re Planted, with Sharon Davis

Sharon Davis—former First Lady of California and lifelong advocate—shares her remarkable journey of public service, personal growth and unwavering commitment to making a difference. At 70, Sharon reflects on her decades of experience, offering timeless lessons on leadership, aging well, and thriving through life’s challenges.

She reveals how her early career as a flight attendant taught her to master people skills, handle crises, and excel under pressure—qualities that shaped her future roles in politics and business. She emphasizes the lost art of listening as a transformative tool for bridging divides and fostering collaboration in today’s polarized world.

From working across political divides to advocating for children’s health and literacy, Sharon’s experiences highlight the enduring value of perseverance, curiosity, and humility. Her mother-in-law’s mantra, “bloom where you’re planted,” encourages us all to thrive wherever life takes us and to bring our best selves to every opportunity. 

Sharon’s stories of resilience, from weathering political storms to finding joy in everyday moments with family, remind us that even in life’s challenges, we can choose to rise above and move forward with grace. She also dives into the importance of health—physical, mental, and emotional—and how living intentionally creates a foundation for thriving in later years.

This conversation is a celebration of resilience, connection, and making a difference. Whether you’re seeking inspiration, leadership lessons, or tips for living boldly, Sharon’s wisdom will leave you motivated to excel at every stage of life.

Thank you for listening ❤ See below for transcript, timestamps, to get in touch, and more.

TRANSCRIPT:
https://www.shelightstheway.com/sharon-davis-transcript 

 

STORY:
https://www.shelightstheway.com/stories/sharondavis

 

FOLLOW:

Website: shelightstheway.com/

Newsletter: www.shelightstheway.com/newsletter

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/she-lights-the-way/

Instagram: www.instagram.com/shelightstheway/ 

X: x.com/she_lights_way

 

LISTEN TO THE POD:

Podbean: https://shelightstheway.podbean.com/

RSS: https://bit.ly/SheLightsTheWayRSS 

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/4091de0 

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/4h8Kq0N 

Amazon Music: https://amzn.to/3YeCt1m 

 

READ THE BLOG:

https://medium.com/@she_lights_the_way

 

CONNECT:

Contact us: www.shelightstheway.com/contact

Share a story: www.shelightstheway.com/story 

 

EPISODE LINKS:

First Ladies of California: 

https://web.archive.org/web/20130122054052/http://firstladies.library.ca.gov/34-Davis.html 

Sharon Davis on Wikipedia: 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sharon_Davis 

 

KEY MOMENTS:

00:00 Introductions & Opening Thoughts

02:00 Aging Gracefully

04:00 Early Career Lessons

06:00 Building Bridges in Leadership

10:00 Practical Solutions for a Better Future

15:00 A Family Foundation in Public Service

20:00 Children’s Education & Media Literacy

26:00 Advice for Future Generations

28:30 Resilience in Life’s Challenges

33:00 What ‘She Lights the Way’ Means to Sharon

34:30 Closing Remarks