Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will

402 Freedom in Healing Throughout life we may make decisions, or be subject to decisions made involving us. Whether it’s first or second hand, inevitably we begin to believe in a pattern in the behavior around us, oftentimes leading to self doubt and worse. However, if we keep moving forward, actively choosing to make the best of a situation, to learn and grow in order to better ourselves for ourselves, we will find our freedom in healing.   In today’s episode, Sarah Elkins and Holli Tabren McEachern discuss the importance of growth, healing, and the honesty that comes with self reflection. Honesty not just with the world, but with yourself and what has happened to make you feel the way you do, and how it triggers you.    Highlights * Empathy in a world of cruelty is the bravest rebellion.  * How have you been programmed?  * Have you ever encountered favoritism?  * What choices are you making that reflect your behavior? Do you feel like you have to justify these choices?   Quotes “I think it’s because we look at society, and we look at the grandma with the grandkids and the grandma always spoils the grandkids. You have this program, like your program, program from the way things are. Program from the way everybody does things.”    “And God, he prepares you for what’s next. You don’t know it’s preparation. You don’t realize that all these things that happen in your life, even the bad choices you make, will prepare you for the next thing.”  “You have to change you before anything in the situation can change.”   Dear Listeners it is now your turn, Where are you incarcerated? What are you choosing not to see in your own decisions? That maybe with a little light on them can help you find more satisfaction and happiness in your life. It’s a simple question, but the answer might be tricky. And, as always, thank you for listening.    About Holli Holli Tabren is an author, speaker, mentor, and reentry specialist dedicated to helping women rebuild their lives and reclaim their power after incarceration. Once sentenced to 25 years in prison, she served 10 years before her case was overturned transforming her pain into purpose. Holli now leads the Becoming HER Framework—Healed, Extraordinary, Resilient—through workshops, books, and her soon-to-launch app, equipping justice-impacted women with tools for healing, entrepreneurship, and resilience. She is the author of Blood Ain’t Thicker, The Path2Redemption Anthology, and her newest release, Becoming HER. Featured on national stages and news outlets, Holli shares her story of transformation as living proof that freedom isn’t just about release; it’s about rebuilding. Be sure to check out her LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/holli-mceachern], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/holli.mceachern.3/], and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/hollitabren/]! And be sure to check out her website Holli Tabren [http://www.hollitabren.com]!   About Sarah "Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision." In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with. My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available! Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana. Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course [https://sarah-elkins.mykajabi.com/offers/F2WN65Xg/checkout] as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

401 Exploring Our Identities   It can be daunting to explore outside of your comfort zone, it is vital to your growth. Whether that be leaving your hometown or simply stepping into a new field, we must challenge ourselves to unlock our true potential.  In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Sarah Degn discuss how important it is to spread your own wings and to travel outside of your comfort zone and to find who you are through your own skills and knowledge.    Highlights * Leaving home behind to pursue your dreams. * It’s never too late to try and to explore. * Learning and growing as an individual to in turn help your community.   Quotes “You can come back, just the reminder that yes you absolutely should go experience something beyond your small town.” “You just need to find the new opportunities and things that are missing.”   Dear Listeners it is now your turn, Sarah and I spoke for nearly an hour about what it’s like to explore our identities through our youth and maybe come back home, and find out what life is like and how our identities can be shaped by our environments and by the things that we think are important. We talked about what it’s like to travel and tell people our story so that they uncover their own stories and that they can understand truly what the rest of the world could look like. It was full of inspiration and ideas and now I want to know, what will you do with this? What was one thing that stood out in this conversation? I’d love to hear from you.    And, as always, thank you for listening.    About Sarah Degn Sarah is a fourth generation farmer near Sidney, MT. With her family, she raises 800 acres of corn, soybeans and wheat. She’s represents NE Montana of the Farmers Union Board of directors. Be sure to check out Sarah’s LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-degn-5040998?trk=contact-info], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/sarahrachor/], and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sarah.grows.it?igsh=MW5qdWFuOGF5b3V3dg&utm_source=qr]! As well as The Montana Farmers Union [https://montanafarmersunion.com/], and The National Farmers Union [http://nfu.org]!   About Sarah Elkins "Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision." In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with. My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available! Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana. Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course [https://sarah-elkins.mykajabi.com/offers/F2WN65Xg/checkout] as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

In celebrating the 400th Episode of Your Stories Don’t Define You How You Tell Them Will, Sarah Elkins ruminates on the many lessons and gifts she has been given throughout her journey as a podcaster, an entrepreneur, and a person. From returning to what truly matters, to reciprocating the good and beautiful things in life.    Highlights * What goals have you met that still shock you? * What are you reflecting on and have you made amendments to others and yourself? * How do you reciprocate in your relationships? Especially in the relationship with yourself. * Are you surrounding yourself with the people who help build you? Who reciprocates your intentions? * How do you hold space for the stories of those around you?   Quotes “She thinks about it in terms of returning to our core goodness. She believes this is our opportunity to return, find, and bring our hearts back to that core in action.” “When I receive, what am I giving in return? When I give, what am I receiving in return?” “Stop chasing people who don’t treat you the way you deserve to be treated.” “Everything we do has consequences. Everything we do is reciprocal.”   Dear Listeners it is now your turn, What words do you infuse in your life, relationships, and actions? What role does reciprocity play for you? And what was one thing in this episode that’s so sticky that you will change something; behavior, actions, or maybe something in your internal dialogue?    And, as always, thank you for listening.    Mentioned in This Episode Montana Jewish Project [https://www.montanajewishproject.com/about] Braiding Sweetgrass [https://bookshop.org/p/books/braiding-sweetgrass-indigenous-wisdom-scientific-knowledge-and-the-teachings-of-plants-robin-wall-kimmerer/6fa4d296293d20e8?ean=9781571313560&next=t] The Blessing of A Skinned Knee [https://www.wendymogel.com/books/item/the_blessing_of_a_skinned_knee]   About Sarah "Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision." In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with. My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available! Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana. Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course [https://sarah-elkins.mykajabi.com/offers/F2WN65Xg/checkout] as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

399 Support In All Its Different Forms   When it comes to feeling comfortable, confident, and seen, it is important that we dress ourselves in a way that reflects how we want to feel. When it comes to women, a good bra that is comfortable and supportive is absolutely vital. We feel good when we have clothes that fit our body and flatter us. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and LaJean Lawson discuss not only Doctor Lawson's extensive research into the comfort and support of sports bras and how it has impacted the people in her life that needed something so vital and yet so easily overlooked.    Highlights * When we have access to things that make us comfortable it will make us feel more confident. * Are you pushing the right buttons in your life? How do you know you are on the right path? * How have you felt like your voice was heard?   Quotes “I so love and respect the trades, and I try to do a project every year, especially in really hot or really cold weather because what that does is it raises my awareness and appreciation for the people in our lives that do these things all around the calendar.”  “I realized how much courage it took and what an honor it was, and a privilege, for me to be included in her experience.”     Dear Listeners it is now your turn, What gear can you ensure that they have to be successful? Yes a sports bra, exactly the right sports bra to encourage a woman, that is a good start. I think a lot about something my husband says often, which is; “If you’re going to start playing guitar, don’t go buy a cheap one. Because it won’t sound good, and you’ll give up.” The same thing goes for anything you want to do, make sure you have the gear that will set you up for success. Whether that means a great sports bra or a close friend, whether that means the right hiking boots or a passport. You have to have the right gear before you can step out of your comfort zone and do exactly what you were meant to do. And, as always, thank you for listening.    About LaJean When it comes to the science of sports bras, Dr. LaJean Lawson easily qualifies as THE global expert! But digging deeply into why and how breasts move, and investigating how to design great sports bras that really work isn’t just an end in itself. Her achievements in this intriguing research area also support her passion to help all women get the gear they need to stop worrying about breasts and bounce, and simply enjoy the fabulous benefits of an active lifestyle, indoors and out. Dr. LaJean’s longstanding research credentials include more than 35 years of scientific sports bra investigations for Champion Athleticwear and founder/director of the Bra Lab, a biomechanics and consumer testing lab devoted 100% to sports bra science and consumer insight research, with the focused goal of building better sports bras. She is further distinguished as arguably the only person on the planet with two graduate degrees in sports bra science. Her 1985 thesis for her M.S. degree in Clothing and Textiles from Utah State University, a seminal study in sports bra science, investigated the biomechanical support of a variety of sports bras, while her dissertation for her Ph.D. in Exercise & Sport Science from Oregon State University took the first serious scientific look at the effect on performance of protective sports bras for contact sports. Her sports bra and wearable medical device innovations have been awarded multiple patents. Dr. LaJean is also a sought-after speaker/host for media and marketing events, including co-hosting one of the most commercially successful fitness equipment infomercials in broadcasting history with Jane Fonda. She is a repeat sports bra expert on Another Mother Runner’s popular podcast. She has been a featured speaker at major sports bra launch events at Rockefeller Center in New York, Run Disney special events in Orlando and Susan G. Komen races. In 2018, LaJean was a keynote speaker at the Utah Outdoor Recreation Summit, challenging and inspiring attendees with another topic she could not be more passionate about—size inclusivity in athletic and outdoor gear/participation. Be sure to check out LaJean’s LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/lajean-lawson-0a65a3/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/people/Dr-Sports-Bra/61563021832720/], and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/drsportsbra]! As well as her website Dr Sports Bra [https://drsportsbra.com/]! About Sarah "Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision." In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with. My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available! Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana. Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course [https://sarah-elkins.mykajabi.com/offers/F2WN65Xg/checkout] as well to make sure you nail that next interview!

398 Everything We Do Can Create A Story   Every living breathing moment, we contribute to our own story. Every job, every interaction with another soul, every moment we reflect, we write a significant line in our story and oftentimes we must take time to truly consider what we truly want to have in our story. Do we want exhaustion or loneliness to rule our narrative? Or do we want to forge our own community based on that which brings us joy and cherish the light within us? These are the questions we must ask ourselves. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Tracy MacDonald discuss the importance of living as much as possible, from adventures around the globe, to taking a moment to just breathe and take in the beauty of nature. And how in doing so you create a life for yourself and those you love to be proud of.    Highlights * Are your actions in alignment with how you want people to remember your story? * What is grounding to you?  * What relationships, whether it be a place like nature or people around you, have you developed out of loneliness? * It’s never too late to change your label. * What fears did you have and how did you get through them? And would that fear have stopped you?   Quotes “Nature is always consistent, and I can go out and I can look for the beauty. And I find it really grounding.”  “The more you practice getting outside your comfort zone, the more comfortable you become with it.” “I think you learn so much about America by being outside of it.” “Your skills are never wasted. Sometimes you’re tapping into skills you learned early in your career and there’s nothing wrong with that.” “It’s interesting the stories that strangers will share with each other."   Dear Listeners it is now your turn, Some of the things that Tracy said that are really strong in my memory, is that when she was facing things she was afraid of and she knew she wanted to push through, she asked a lot of questions. Open to taking risks. She prepared in that way and she practiced. She talked about doing this over and over and over again, knowing that once she stepped into her stretch zone once, she could stretch even further every time she did it again. She has a limited fear of failure allowing her to learn from each thing and here’s the kicker; When she’s brave, she likes how she feels about herself. She knows she’s modeling the behavior she wants to see in people around her.   Friends it’s your turn. What are you going to do next that you’re a little bit afraid of that you can ask enough questions to feel confident enough to step into that stretch zone? And start practicing. I’d love to hear your thoughts.    And, as always, thank you for listening.    About Tracy Tracy, a native of Columbus, Georgia, is a dynamic Fraud and Risk Consultant, public speaker, and former Special Agent with the U.S. Secret Service. With an impressive career that spans roles such as Counter-Terrorism Instructor for the Defense Intelligence Agency and Lead Associate in Counter-Illicit Finance for Booz Allen Hamilton, Tracy exemplifies what it means to break barriers and lead with resilience and excellence. Be sure to check out Tracy’s LinkedIn [http://www.linkedin.com/in/tracykmacdonald], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/tracy.k.macdonald], Instagram [http://tracyknightmacdonald], and her blog Carpe Diem Creative [https://carpediemcreative.com/about/]!   About Sarah "Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision." In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with. My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available! Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana. Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course [https://sarah-elkins.mykajabi.com/offers/F2WN65Xg/checkout] as well to make sure you nail that next interview!