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

412 Ego and Soul

412 Ego and Soul When was the last time you were proud of yourself? When was the last time you took a moment to truly look at yourself and say "I am proud of the person I am and I want other people to see how amazing I can be."? When was the last time YOU fed your soul? It's easy to forget when we're cheering others on that we also need to cheer ourselves on, because if we don't then who will? In this episode Sarah Elkins and Sharon Rolph discuss their own personal growth and the pride they feel in the people they have become and are still growing into. Highlights * The desire to be visible and relevant as we grow. * The importance of ego in our growth. Be proud of yourself and how far you have come. * Embracing visibility. * Just because something is uncomfortable, doesn't make it inauthentic. It only makes it uncomfortable. * The importance of having Soul and Ego in an authentic manner. Quotes "I think a lot of us women have been too quiet." "The butterflies flying in your stomach, just get them flying in formation." "I decide what stops me." Dear Listeners it is now your turn, What are you doing consciously or unconsciously to remain relevant in your daily activities? What are you thinking about when it comes to being somebody who matters, someone who contributes? What are you choosing in your life to make sure you have ongoing relevance, whether that's directly to the planet, whether that's to your family, whether that's to your home, to your fur babies, or to your community. I would love to hear your thoughts on this. And, as always, thank you for listening. About Sharon For most of her life Sharon felt invisible and when retired, she wondered how she'd know if she was productive. Today she's a motivating influencer at 78, as an author, podcast guest and the Queen of Courage on Instagram. Her days now feel "right" since finding her Spark. This transformation she experienced is being offered to the public, for the first time. Sharon is the perfect person to help others matter outside of work, live meaningfully, impact life with wisdom and confidence and find their inner Spark. Sharon's sparkle, passion and her youthful appearance easily confirmed. Mental strength and faith have given her a healthy lifestyle. Potential has intrigued Sharon from a very young age, and she loves uniqueness. That's what she sees in people, from her Behavioral Science perspective. She inspires curiosity and possibilities in everyone. Be sure to check out Sharon's LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharon-rolph/], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/sharon_queenofcourage/], and Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/rolphsm]! As well as, her Youtube Channel [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPh2wkaTJr_20-hpdkxv_vw], FRESH COURAGE in Retirement: finding purpose, essence and fulfillment [https://amzn.to/3uGNaMn], and her Calendly [https://calendly.com/effortlessvitality/inner-spark-discovery-call] to schedule your session! 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!

411 Encouraging Change and Growth

411 Encouraging Change and Growth In today's episode Sarah Elkins and Rachael Bohns discuss the significance and necessity of change as well as the importance of acknowledging and catering to the strengths of yourself and those around you. Highlights * Doing what's best for you even if no one knows, and especially for your own sake. * Collaboration and commitment instead of obligation. * Driving desire. Quotes "Most of the time change is thrusted upon us." "Change is individual to people." "Reward is individual." Dear Listeners it is now your turn, My question for you is what will you do with this information? When you think about the ADKAR framework; the Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement, what example can you come up with from your life, where you had something that needed to change and you went through that process, or what if you had gone through that process would it have changed anything in your change? Made it more successful or faster. And then think about a change that's going on right now in your life, personal or professional or both, and use the ADKAR framework to see where you are in that spectrum. Are you at the beginning, are you at the desire stage, are you already at the reinforcement stage of your change and now you just need to consistently keep it? And, as always, thank you for listening. About Rachael (from her LinkedIn) Passionate Industrial/Organizational Psychologist that believes in the importance of a healthy workforce. Experience in the public sector delivering training and communications for ERP implementations with vast experience in analyzing data and interpreting results for business growth. I thrive on business process reengineering and managing client relationships to deliver improved productivity and efficiency while meeting business goals and objectives. I have a strong ability to work in a fast-paced and deadline-driven environment, solve problems with limited information, and multitask across several assignments. 100% open to traveling. Top Ten Reported StrengthsFinder Assessment Strengths: - Learner - Analytical - Individualization - Input - Responsibility - Ideation - Maximizer - Relator - Arranger - Achiever Be sure to check out her LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachael-bohns-ccmp%E2%84%A2-prosci%C2%AE-73b164a/]! 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!

410 Holding Space For Grief

410 Holding Space For Grief What can one say when faced with tragedy? Do you reach for a simple "I'm sorry" to let another know you sympathize with their pain? Do you offer an anecdote to show you empathize with what they are going through? Regardless, it is important that whatever you do you also hold space for your grief as well as those who need to know they are not alone in their grief. Highlights * The importance of holding space for grief in the face of tragedy. * Using healthy coping mechanisms to combat pain. * You can sit in your grief and melancholy, just remember you must continue to move on. Quotes "I can't fathom how this is okay in the year 2025. Why haven't we evolved further than to allow the murder of innocents?" "It brought me a sense of peace and comfort, knowing we are resilient people. That we will come through this. That we will find love and community as we make the efforts to do so." Dear Listeners it is now your turn, Find a place outside where you can stand on grass or dirt in bare feet, even if it's cold, and sense the awe around you. Whatever the weather, we're alive. Whatever the actions taken by others, we're alive, to keep the legacy of our loved ones alive in our hearts. And to play a small role in changing this dynamic of hate, loneliness, and disconnect. And, as always, thank you for listening. Mentioned in this episode Eili, Eili by Hannah Szenes [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QkjsqUQSrhE&list=RDQkjsqUQSrhE&start_radio=1] 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!

409 Expanding Your Comfort Zone

409 Expanding Your Comfort Zone In today's episode Sarah Elkins ruminates on how she has expanded her comfort zone by stepping into what she calls the "stretch zone", where you aren't entirely comfortable yet but willing to try just so that you can see what you're made of. If we never stretch our wings, we'll be trapped in the nest forever, so have faith in yourself, step into your stretch zone, and see how far it can take you. Highlights * Telling stories to connect with another, not to change their mind. * Taking time to calibrate yourself and find inner peace. * Turning your stretch zone into your comfort zone, one step at a time. Quotes "The stories we share influence how we're perceived, and even when a listener isn't consciously aware they're picking up signals about who we are and whether we can be trusted." "To be comfortable with discomfort we have to embrace and define what our comfort zone looks like, and how it feels." 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!

408 Changing For Good

In this episode Sarah Elkins and Judit Piros discuss the importance of change in one's self, how healing often needs to be sought out and made active strides to achieve. From the highs and lows of being a parent, to the life of an artist, as well as the deep intrinsic self learning that comes from our unique walks of life that we must share with those around us. In doing so, we find we aren't that different after all. Highlights * Shifting perspective to see scenarios differently, especially if it is a scenario you didn't expect to not work out. * Taking time for yourself to heal, find your counterweight, take whatever is thrown at you and still stand up. Especially for yourself and those you love. * Proportional responses and how necessary they are to healing. * Try to be gentle with yourself. Quotes "The way you were born has very very much defined how you lived and how you experience life." "All life begins in darkness." "You need suffering in order to transform, and this is when you learn your own strength and your own capabilities." Dear Listeners it is now your turn, I have two things that I would like for you to consider over the next few weeks after listening to this episode. One; if you are a person who has given birth to a living child or living young adult, what is the birth story you share in front of them? What is the birth story you tell people? Is it traumatic? Have you figured out a way to share the story in a way that feels beautiful and meaningful, regardless of what actually happened that day, regardless of the pain you experienced and the fear. How can you tell this story so that when your child hears it, they hear the joy and gratitude that they are there with you now. That's my first question. My next one is; what is it that is your tell? What is the signal your body gives you when something isn't right? I encourage you over the next few weeks to try to identify what that is. In Judit, she said that its a twitch in her hip, in the muscles around her hip. For me, it's usually some sort of effect from my essential tremors, starting to shake badly enough that it's very noticeable. So when you feel uncomfortable or something is making you anxious or angry, take inventory of your body, figure out where you're feeling it. And make a choice, a conscious choice, to notice whenever that is the warning you need to change something. And, as always, thank you for listening. Mentioned in this episode Weebles Commercial [https://www.youtube.com/watch?reload=9&v=qq0OQBdIhsc] About Judit I am an Atlanta based Hungarian artist... right now artist, because my life was full of twists and turns before I reached to this point, calling myself this way. Economist by degree, designer by interest, mother of three by love, bellydance teacher, phorographer and doula by femininity and the deepest connection is about mental help, coaching and exploring the fields of Birth and Death. I have a never fading excitement toward the pre- and perinatal traumas and more importantly: how to heal from this traumas. It took me ten years to get more or less over my own and opening that Pandora's box turned my whole life upside down, but worth it. Even the losses, because on this journey I found myself and this new self is a much more relaxed company for... well... for me :) Be sure to check out Judit's LinkedIn [https://www.linkedin.com/in/judit-gabriella-piros-a1a9a4167/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/people/Imferpect], and Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/imferpect/]! As well as Imferpect Design [https://mailchi.mp/imferpect/opt-in] for a free guide! 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!