313 Rediscovering Yourself

Change is a fundamental law of nature, nothing stays the same forever. This is especially true when it comes to people, we are never the same even from moment to moment, we are allowed and expected to change, to grow, to become a version of ourselves that we can be proud of.

In this episode Sarah Elkins and Michelle Cooper discuss growth, change, and the pains that come with it. Michelle brings warmth, empathy, and a depth of emotion that will make you laugh, maybe cry, but certainly bring you some hope and determination for the new year.

311 Admiration And Action

Inspiration is a necessity for growth and success, whether inspiration be drawn from daily life or from attending a keynote doesn’t change the importance, all that matters is finding it and determining whether you will admire said inspiration or take action because of it.

In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Seth Dechtman discuss their roles as storytellers and how hosting or participating in keynotes and similar functions have helped shape their craft and outlooks on its importance. Insightful, compassionate, and an equally wonderful storyteller, Seth makes this episode enjoyable and inspiring.

306 The Escape Of A Good Book

Following the theme of art and how it inspires us, this week is writing. We have all picked up a book that shaped us in one way or another, and maybe we’re still looking for that next book capable of bringing us comfort and escape from our busy lives.

In this episode Sarah Elkins and Adina Edelman discuss the importance of how writing impacts us and how working with authors has given Adina the opportunity to read and contribute to these works of art.

300 An Accidental Podcaster

Sometimes when we’re trying to give others an opportunity we don’t realize that we are the ones that would benefit most. We try our hardest, using our talents to the best of our ability, and through that hard work we can achieve greatness or sometimes stand in our own way.

In this episode Sarah Elkins ruminates on how she began this podcast and how it has given her the opportunity to hear the stories of others as well plenty of time to reflect on her own stories and how she has grown and changed as both an entrepreneur and storyteller.

299 Clarity and Having The Courage to Do What You Aspire To

The constant pressure to do the best and be the best is something many of us grew up knowing. Thinking we had to have straight A’s in school, trying to be the best in our extracurriculars, and even taking up tasks that should have been given to someone who’s skills would suit the task better, whether it’s because of our own internal voices or external pressures we need to learn to seek clarity and focus on the skills that make us invaluable to our team and family.

In this episode Sarah Elkins and Mandi Graziano discuss how past failures, current clarity, and future aspirations drive us and shape us into who we are today.

298 You Have To Take Care of Yourself In Order To Be Your Best

Everything we do, whether it be work, caring for our families, or even going for a morning walk, all starts with ourselves and in today’s work culture of burning the candle at both ends, it can be easy to forget that we need to take breaks and prioritize our well being in order to do our best in everything we do. Hopefully by doing so we can model a behavior that others can follow and make a change for the better.

In this episode Sarah Elkins and Mandy Hoskinson discuss the importance of self care in today’s day and how others will follow by example, especially when it comes to creating a healthy and thriving environment.

296 Storytelling Can Improve Your Career - It's Not Just Interviews

This is the 4th episode in a series on storytelling for professionals.

In episode 292, Sarah shared stories about her love language – which is cooking for people. She explained that when we share stories of the activities that bring us great joy in service to others, we offer a glimpse of our character and values to our audience, whether that’s at work, in an interview, with family and friends, or when we’re sharing content in any form of media or on any platform. Her stories of nurturing and nourishing people in her home demonstrated part of what makes her a good addition to any team – her positive energy and ability & ambition to create an environment where people feel safe and encouraged to bring their best.

Episode 294 was a story about a team she worked with at a job years ago. It was a work story that demonstrated her openness to learning, how she manages frustration and different ways of approaching projects and relationships, and her meeting facilitation skills.

And last week’s episode 295 was a personal story about planning a family reunion for 40 guests. It demonstrated her meeting & event planning skills, team building/leadership, and made it very clear what matters to her.

In this episode you'll hear about stories Sarah shared in job interviews, why she shared those particular stories, and the end result (spoiler alert: she didn't get the job).

The idea and goals for this series is for professionals to truly understand the value of sharing personal experiences and work stories in different environments, and to uncover your stories to begin collecting them so you're ready when an opportunity presents itself.

By preparing stories to answer the most common, (kind of stupid), questions, you have the opportunity to share so much about yourself, way beyond what’s on your resume and cover letter.

In any professional setting, whether around the proverbial water cooler, at a networking event, when presenting to your team or organization, side conversations during meetings, knowing how to share meaningful stories is a practical skill.

Collect your stories, practice them, and categorize them so you are likely to share the right one at the right time, with the right audience, demonstrating your skills, values, character, and vision.

Thanks for listening to Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will.

Curious about how Sarah's workshops and keynotes will help you and your audience or team be better ambassadors for your organization and their careers?

Visit her website, elkinsconsulting.com, to schedule a discovery call.