394 The Driver of Innovation is Curiosity
Curiosity is in our nature as human beings, we crave knowledge and the answers to the how’s and why’s. Whether it be from a scientific standpoint, raising a child, or to work more cohesively with our coworkers, we must always stay curious so that we can always be growing.
In this episode Sarah Elkins and Jeff Ikler discuss not just their vital work, but how they have maintained healthy relationships, and a positive mental state by always staying curious.
394 The Driver of Innovation is Curiosity
Curiosity is in our nature as human beings, we crave knowledge and the answers to the how’s and why’s. Whether it be from a scientific standpoint, raising a child, or to work more cohesively with our coworkers, we must always stay curious so that we can always be growing.
In this episode Sarah Elkins and Jeff Ikler discuss not just their vital work, but how they have maintained healthy relationships, and a positive mental state by always staying curious.
Highlights
Avoiding the after conference hangover by having a support team to further your ideas and goals.
Taking something you deem important and holding onto it while using it as the foundation for something meaningful to be built.
You can’t please everyone, so cast a smaller net, tend to your audience.
How are you furthering yourself either with academic education or social education?
Walk away with at least one idea, even if you need to come up with it yourself or seek it out. Be intentional about what you choose to remember.
Let people get comfortable and feel safe before taking a risk.
What do you carry that reminds you of those who have shaped you?
Quotes
“I have to narrow it down to what’s one really good thing I can remember about this? Otherwise, for me, it can become overwhelming.”
“If you stand for everything, you stand for nothing.”
“Shoot with a rifle, not with a shotgun.”
“Glaciers move faster than changes in education.”
“The driver of innovation is curiosity.”
Dear Listeners it is now your turn,
Sarah: going to have Jeff ask you a few questions but first I’m going to ask you a couple questions. When you think about the stories that you tell, do they demonstrate your curiosity? Do they demonstrate your motivation or your ambition to learn and to grow as a human being? What is one story that you can point to that you can craft and develop, that is three minutes or shorter, that you know people will understand what matters to you and how you lead. I’d love to hear from you. Jeff, what are your conclusions for our listeners?
Jeff: So what I’m curious about is what came up for people as you and I were talking, because my hope, because this is like when we’re talking about the reflection part of the podcast, I want people to be wanting to walk away with something.
So what’s the take away? What’s something that impacted you as Sarah and I were talking about how we go about doing our work, how we’re thinking about our work, and how it impacts on the work you’re doing.
And, as always, thank you for listening.
About Jeff
Jeff Ikler is Director of Quetico Career and Leadership Coaching, a firm dedicated to helping individuals overcome career issues and develop sustained changes in their leadership practices and organizations. He received his certificate in coaching from the Coach Training Institute. He is a certified innovation facilitator using the SIT (Systematic Inventive Thinking) process. Jeff holds a Master’s in the Teaching of History along with a Bachelor’s in History from the University of Illinois. He taught high school history in Maywood and Batavia, Illinois, for seven years. He is a former Executive Vice President at Pearson Learning where he directed the development of text- and technology-based products for all disciplines. Jeff is a co-author of Shifting: How School Leaders Can Create a Culture of Change. He is the host the “Getting Unstuck – Cultivating Curiosity” podcast. Supporting the agency of others is the river that has run through his entire career.
Be sure to check out Jeff’s Substack, LinkedIn as well as Quetico Coaching and Consulting!
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 as well to make sure you nail that next interview!
369 Nurturing Community
We’re all human. We all have family, we all have struggles, we all have experienced some sort of adversity, which means we’re more alike than we are different. It can be easy to view the world with blinders on, to ignore it all and keep your nose to the ground, but then your community suffers for it. The people who rely on you, whether it be your friends and family, or a client or customer, by choosing to nurture only our corner of existence, the rest of our community suffers. Just like tending a garden, you must tend the whole garden, spread love and nutrients where you can, and remove what is harmful. It’s hard work, but all things worth doing require effort.
In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Claudia Krevat discuss the importance of caring for your community as a whole, how vital it is to remove the blinders and to see things as they are and how you best can contribute to a healthy and happy community.
369 Nurturing Community
We’re all human. We all have family, we all have struggles, we all have experienced some sort of adversity, which means we’re more alike than we are different. It can be easy to view the world with blinders on, to ignore it all and keep your nose to the ground, but then your community suffers for it. The people who rely on you, whether it be your friends and family, or a client or customer, by choosing to nurture only our corner of existence, the rest of our community suffers. Just like tending a garden, you must tend the whole garden, spread love and nutrients where you can, and remove what is harmful. It’s hard work, but all things worth doing require effort.
In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Claudia Krevat discuss the importance of caring for your community as a whole, how vital it is to remove the blinders and to see things as they are and how you best can contribute to a healthy and happy community.
Highlights
Lifting others up also lifts you up.
You never know the doors you’ll open when you just participate.
Have you tried to appeal to someone’s empathy? Their humanity? How did that go for you? What can you do to see people who disagree with you as human?
Connection through how we are similar and how we show our humanity.
Quotes
“You know that when people are asking for it and your participation is growing, you are creating a positive impact.”
“Strangers become friends around the dining table.”
“A lot of us have family in common.”
“There’s a story and we got to tell the story, because don’t we learn from stories?”
Dear Listeners it is now your turn,
I would love to see some comments or get an email from you about how sharing food, breaking bread together, changed your mind about something or someone. I would love to hear the story about the time you ate with people or surrounded a dining table with other people where you experience something unexpected or maybe something that changed your life or changed everything about how you perceived something that you were surprised by.
And, as always, thank you for listening.
About Claudia (from her Instagram page)
Community organizer through food. Recipe designer and alchemist. The Lentil Queen. Recipes and stories.
Be sure to check out Claudia’s Threads, and Instagram! As well as the article written about her on Yellowstone Public Radio!
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 as well to make sure you nail that next interview!
316 Community In The Age of Social Media
Throughout our careers we will all need to make decisions to benefit ourselves and others by being a good leader and building up our teammates. In the age of social media and technology it is easy to focus on progress and monetization over the health of your community and your team. It is vital to your growth as a person and a business owner to choose community and growth for the betterment of your business, your community, and your team.
In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and the equally accomplished Eric Elkins discuss the importance of community and teamwork in our current age, how taking the time to listen to others and hold yourself and them accountable can lead to growth and change in the world around you. Eric also shares the skill of storytelling and brings awareness, compassion, and mindfulness to the conversation.
316 Community In The Age of Social Media
Want to join this year’s NLV Conference? Register here!
Throughout our careers we will all need to make decisions to benefit ourselves and others by being a good leader and building up our teammates. In the age of social media and technology it is easy to focus on progress and monetization over the health of your community and your team. It is vital to your growth as a person and a business owner to choose community and growth for the betterment of your business, your community, and your team.
In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and the equally accomplished Eric Elkins discuss the importance of community and teamwork in our current age, how taking the time to listen to others and hold yourself and them accountable can lead to growth and change in the world around you. Eric also shares the skill of storytelling and brings awareness, compassion, and mindfulness to the conversation.
Highlights
Sometimes you shouldn’t care what people think, especially if it’s something that makes you happy.
Oftentimes growing means change, don’t be afraid to spread your wings.
Community builds each other up, don’t be afraid to accept help and help others.
Turn conversations that are hard into something positive for you in the long run.
Value your team, without them you and your business can’t grow or make meaningful connections.
Quotes
“We could build a sense of community by building a sense of place.”
“For me it’s always about connecting people so that they can be more successful and be happier and do what they need to do.”
“I often say when you get a negative comment or a negative review: Your response has two audiences and two functions, the first audience is the person who wrote the comment, the negative comment or the negative review, and the first thing you need to do there is deescalate and hopefully get that conversation offline or into a private venue so that you can work through the situation and solve the problem. But that second audience is everybody else who’s watching what you’re gonna do, and so that’s why it’s always important to respond, take responsibility, and then to actively in that response move that conversation elsewhere.”
“We all go to work. We all have to deal with the vagaries of the workplace, and the slog that is even a job that we love, and the one thing that keeps us coming back day after day is the connection we have to the people there.”
Dear Listeners it is now your turn,
It’s time to hold up that mirror in front of yourself, what behavior are you continuing in your management or your conversations within your community and the people who care about you that maybe you didn’t like when other people did those behaviors towards you. I know it’s hard to be a manager, especially if you’re new to that, so make sure that you’re paying attention to what you didn’t like in your experience with managers and not continuing those behaviors with your people. Listeners, I would love to hear your thoughts on this episode.
And, as always, thank you for listening.
About Eric
Eric Elkins is a strategist, author, professional speaker, and CEO of WideFoc.us Social Media (http://www.widefoc.us/), a Denver-based agency he founded in 2007. Using organic and paid social strategies along with full-service community management, his team drives tangible results for B2B tech/SaaS companies, B2C brands, the home services industry, nonprofits, and global corporations. For more than 25 years, Eric has helped companies grow their visibility and increase revenue. He writes the occasional novel, hosts Denver food faves at denverlicious.com, and loves to share his eating and travel adventures on Instagram as @ericelkins.
Be sure to check out Eric’s LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook! As well as his website Wide Focus and his food blog Denverlicious!
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 as well to make sure you nail that next interview!
315 The Risks Of Following Your Passion
In life we are bound to do any number of things on our path to a successful career, adding to our portfolio of stories and skills in our pursuit of happiness. These things do not take away from our skills but instead add to them and our expertise, it all depends on how you choose to apply these acquired tools in our life and career.
In this episode Sarah Elkins and Elaine Belson discuss how walking the many paths of life have helped shape them into the successful entrepreneurs they are today, offering insight and positivity involving the paths to fulfillment and success. Elaine brings warmth and an intelligent insight to the conversation, referencing and telling many stories of her numerous skill sets that have helped shape her and her business into who they are today.
315 The Risks Of Following Your Passion
In life we are bound to do any number of things on our path to a successful career, adding to our portfolio of stories and skills in our pursuit of happiness. These things do not take away from our skills but instead add to them and our expertise, it all depends on how you choose to apply these acquired tools in our life and career.
In this episode Sarah Elkins and Elaine Belson discuss how walking the many paths of life have helped shape them into the successful entrepreneurs they are today, offering insight and positivity involving the paths to fulfillment and success. Elaine brings warmth and an intelligent insight to the conversation, referencing and telling many stories of her numerous skill sets that have helped shape her and her business into who they are today.
Highlights
Your skills can be applied in a variety of ways, even in situations you wouldn’t expect them to be in.
What you take from your experiences contribute to your expertise, even if those experiences are not directly.
It’s okay to sit back and look at how far you’ve come, to witness your own performance on the stage of life.
Don’t call it a gift when you have worked hard to hone your talents and skills.
Try different things, be a jack of all trades. Broaden your horizons.
Quotes
“If you have certain skills it doesn’t matter what the circumstances are, right? You can thrive. It’s more about the tools in your tool box than it is about experience.”
“Our experiences are not just our resume.”
“It was this Aha moment for me, this “Oh this is what it feels like!” You know to just be happy with something. It doesn’t have to be huge, high, right? It’s that ability to get up everyday and want to go to work.”
“That’s what I think true passion is, is when you can get up everyday and look forward to what you’re doing.”
Dear Listeners it is now your turn,
I would love to hear how this episode landed for you. What did you hear in it that made you realize something about yourself? Maybe that you’re a gypsy careerist and you haven’t given yourself enough credit for all of the ways that those iterations of your career have made you who you are today? I would love to hear about that.
And, as always, thank you for listening.
About Elaine
I have 30yrs combined clinical, military, political and teaching experience. I joined at the age of 42 and served as XO for Medical Command in Afghanistan. My "brand" is "Embrace your Humanity" - harnessing your innate abilities to make good decisions and self-validate. Positive and practical, this approach empowers people to solve their own problems through insight, problem-solving and coping skills. I'm a pragmatist and think in soundbites - so my content is original and easy to understand, remember and apply. I have a full-time practice, host a serial podcast and do guest appearances. I also write a newsletter about psychology in politics. However, my primary focus is public speaking.
Be sure to check out Elaine’s LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram! And be sure to check out her website Elaine Belson!
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 as well to make sure you nail that next interview!
Want to join this year’s NLV Conference? Register here!
314 What Builds Community (Like Chickens)
Community is the life blood of our growth and success as human beings, even in the very beginning of humanity’s first steps across the globe we were hyper social creatures who relied on one another to survive, whether that be to have enough food or blankets for the cold months or maybe even knowing you could go to your local carpenter to ask for a new chair. We have always relied on one another to build ourselves and each other up, and without that fundamental part of our humanity we wouldn’t be where we are today and we will only stagnate and mold if we distance ourselves from it.
In this episode Sarah Elkins and Jake Cinti discuss the importance of community and helping the places we call home to thrive, true although the experience of cultivating community isn’t always sunshine and roses, it is always an important and vital process. Jake Cinti brings equal parts intelligence, awareness, and compassion to the conversation, offering an insight into the world of reality and social work that is often overlooked or unseen. His values only becoming stronger as he has continued his work with his brother Dylan, Yarrow, and Ypsilanti.
314 What Builds Community (Like Chickens)
Want to join this year’s NLV Conference? Register here!
Community is the life blood of our growth and success as human beings, even in the very beginning of humanity’s first steps across the globe we were hyper social creatures who relied on one another to survive, whether that be to have enough food or blankets for the cold months or maybe even knowing you could go to your local carpenter to ask for a new chair. We have always relied on one another to build ourselves and each other up, and without that fundamental part of our humanity we wouldn’t be where we are today and we will only stagnate and mold if we distance ourselves from it.
In this episode Sarah Elkins and Jake Cinti discuss the importance of community and helping the places we call home to thrive, true although the experience of cultivating community isn’t always sunshine and roses, it is always an important and vital process. Jake Cinti brings equal parts intelligence, awareness, and compassion to the conversation, offering an insight into the world of reality and social work that is often overlooked or unseen. His values only becoming stronger as he has continued his work with his brother Dylan, Yarrow, and Ypsilanti.
Highlights
Your niche is just as important as everyone else’s, take pride in that.
Holding true to your values even if you are not seen in the best light.
Caring for your community is the foundation to success.
What helps you build community with other people? What are your Chickens?
Just because you hit bumps in the road does not mean you should compromise your values and goals in the journey.
Quotes
“Space, being able to have space, in this case it was literally saving people’s lives. And so I think that's a microcosm in general for how important space can be for social impact.”
“Creating, where we can, where we can find the opportunity to create micro-communities within a piece of real estate whether it’s a one multi family building or multiple adjacent. It’s something we think is very special and very important, and also hyper local which is a big part of Ypsilanti and how we hope to continue to work for and with Ypsilanti.”
Dear Listeners it is now your turn,
What is something that you’ve been considering that you can contribute to your community? What is one small way that you can encourage somebody else to do something that you know will help within your community, will build something important? How can you support the people that you need to support in order to build a community that’s healthy and caring for eachother? It doesn’t have to have a label, it doesn’t have to be real estate, it doesn’t have to be about homes and properties, it doesn’t have to be about helping people on a scale, as what we’re talking about with Jake and Dylan, but even swapping dough with somebody who has chickens find somebody in your community to contribute, build those relationships and let me know how that goes.
And, as always, thank you for listening.
About Jake (From Yarrow)
Jake is devoted to helping people and organizations drive lasting change. As an undergraduate and later an MSW student at the University of Michigan, Jake learned the fundamentals of positive organizational scholarship through his work with Ann Arbor teen center The Neutral Zone and the Ross School of Business’ Center for Positive Organizations. Jake then moved to New York City to pursue a career in social impact real estate. After spending several years growing Transwestern’s nonprofit practice, Jake shifted into a leadership role at OPEN Impact Real Estate, a firm dedicated to helping mission-driven organizations flourish in meaningful spaces. Jake was recognized as one of Commercial Property Executive’s “Stars to Watch” in 2020. He currently lives in Brooklyn with his wife Emily and their assorted plants and vinyl. He also serves on the board of Bloomingdale School of Music.
Be sure to check out Yarrow! As well as Jake’s LinkedIn!
Please check out the nonprofit mentioned by Jake and if you can make a donation within your means please do so; Mobile Studio Inc!
Overdose Prevention Model from the FDA
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 as well to make sure you nail that next interview!
269 It Starts With Belief In Yourself
Inspiration and independence often go hand in hand as we go through life, often making us feel that we are alone while trying to claim our own personal slice of life. However to try and do this alone is not only a daunting task but can nearly be impossible, which is why finding community and a helping hand can be the defining factor between success or failure.
In this episode Sarah Elkins and the esteemed Jenn Donahue discuss how important it is to find community and self belief as we go through life, in doing so we inspire those around us and make the road of life less lonely and easier for others.
269 It Starts With Belief In Yourself
Inspiration and independence often go hand in hand as we go through life, often making us feel that we are alone while trying to claim our own personal slice of life. However to try and do this alone is not only a daunting task but can nearly be impossible, which is why finding community and a helping hand can be the defining factor between success or failure.
In this episode Sarah Elkins and the esteemed Jenn Donahue discuss how important it is to find community and self belief as we go through life, in doing so we inspire those around us and make the road of life less lonely and easier for others.
Highlights
Adapting to uncontrollable circumstances and finding joy in them.
Find a mentor for whatever it is you want to learn and be passionate about, go to different ones until you find what resonates with you.
Striving to inspire someone so that the next person’s journey will be easier.
Quotes
“I’m just one of those really headstrong or independent people that just sort of throws myself into something, which is not necessarily the right thing to do and now I tell people, “Go find a mentor.”.”
“It’s so much easier to believe that you can be someone whenever you’ve actually seen someone in that position before.”
“There are others that are like you. You don’t have to be an island, go find the other islands and make an archipelago.”
Dear Listeners it is now your turn,
What evidence are you going to start pointing to that shows that you are resilient, that you are a badass? Collect a couple of stories tonight, the moment that you think about it, anytime something pops into your head, something you’ve accomplished, write it down. Collect the evidence so that that belief in yourself really starts to solidify.
And, as always, thank you for listening.
About Jenn
Jenn Donahue PhD is a retired US Navy Captain and former Commodore for an 1,800 personnel Regiment. She is also a civil engineer who works on large scale, high profile geotechnical projects. Over her 27-year military career, Jenn has built a bridge across the Euphrates River in the midst of the Iraq war, commanded an 800-personnel Battalion in Afghanistan, and constructed combat outposts in the middle of deserts filled with insurgents.
Jenn has led earthquake and tsunami reconnaissance missions in places like Samoa and Japan; designed the seismic plans for a bridge over the Panama Canal; and built roads by blasting and drilling in the coldest climes of Ketchikan. Astonishingly, Jenn has even served as the seismology expert at no fewer than five nuclear power plants.
Along the way she mentored scores of young leaders. Today Jenn has founded JL Donahue Engineering, Inc. and Dare to Rise. She also lectures at UC Berkeley and UCLA.
Connect with Jenn on LinkedIn and Instagram!
Be sure to check out her website at JennDonahue.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.
Interested in No Longer Virtual? Check out the details and register at elkinsconsulting.com/nlv-home
Be sure to check out the Job Interview Storytelling Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!
268 How Our Authenticity And Identity Shift Over Time
Have you ever made a decision that conflicted with beliefs you once had? It’s always a troubling feeling when change comes around, we question ourselves, our intelligence, our society, our parents, and everything that shaped us into who we are. Which is why it is so important to not just ourselves but to other people in our lives to remain fluid and open minded.
In this episode Sarah Elkins and Asha Dahya discuss how our authenticity is always changing and evolving with us, and how it is incredibly important to embrace this portion of our humanity and learn to grow and accept ourselves and our own changes.
268 How Our Authenticity And Identity Shifts Over Time
Have you ever made a decision that conflicted with beliefs you once had? It’s always a troubling feeling when change comes around, we question ourselves, our intelligence, our society, our parents, and everything that shaped us into who we are. Which is why it is so important to not just ourselves but to other people in our lives to remain fluid and open minded.
In this episode Sarah Elkins and Asha Dahya discuss how our authenticity is always changing and evolving with us, and how it is incredibly important to embrace this portion of our humanity and learn to grow and accept ourselves and our own changes.
Highlights
Authenticity is about being comfortable in your skin and values regardless of how uncomfortable the situation you’re in is.
Finding what keeps you passionate. Finding your what and why.
Amplifying the stories that matter.
Quotes
“Anytime I got to do things like that, talk about this is how I used to think and now this is where I am and this is what I’m doing with my passion. It made me feel much more empowered because I knew I had a goal, rather than “oh I just changed my mind on something.”.”
“But I think once we give space for us to make those decisions and also permission to fail, it’s okay to fail and make the wrong decisions and work out how to get back on track. All of those things, we deserve to have in our lives.”
Dear Listeners it is now your turn,
If you had an opportunity to amplify a specific story from your life, that you know other people have experienced and would find great comfort and inspiration in, what would that story be?
And, as always, thank you for listening.
About Asha
Asha Dahya is a TEDx Speaker, author and producer with nearly 2 decades of experience creating content for major broadcast and digital platforms including FOX, ABC, MSN, and MTV. In 2020 Asha released her first book titled ‘Today’s Wonder Women: Everyday Superheroes Who Are Changing The World’ where she interviewed 50 women and girls from around the world.
Asha is also the Founder and Editor in Chief of GirlTalkHQ.Com: a daily female empowerment blog promoting women’s voices stories.
Passionate about the intersections of female representation, reproductive justice, and religion, Asha is currently in production on two documentary projects about abortion. You can see more of her work at AshaDahya.com.
Connect with Asha on her Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram!
And be sure to check out Asha’s website at Asha Dahya, Girl Talk, and her book Today’s Wonder Women! As well as the Ted Talk she was in!
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.
Interested in No Longer Virtual? Check out the details and register at elkinsconsulting.com/nlv-home
Be sure to check out the Job Interview Storytelling Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!