personal fulfillment

427: Eat Your Feelings - A Cooking Show Demonstrating True Connection, Featuring Sam Nathews

427: Eat Your Feelings - A Cooking Show Demonstrating True Connection, Featuring Sam Nathews

Technically, this is a sequel to episode 423 featuring Cory Brown. Sam Nathews is the cohost for their YouTube cooking show, Eat Your Feelings.

 

Highlights from the show:

  • Sam initially wasn't sure about cohosting the show with Cory! He can be shy about performing or entertaining people he just met. It didn't take long to realize how grateful he was that Cory was persistant in starting the project and about Sam joining the show.

  • Sam shared how the show helped him process his grief over losing his mother, and how being able to talk openly about his emotions has been healing for him. He emphasized the importance of normalizing vulnerability, especially for men.

  • The Eat Your Feelings show's format of transitioning between lighthearted cooking and deeper emotional discussions resonates with Sam because he sees it as reflective of the ups and downs of real life.

  • Sam has been touched by the feedback from viewers (and the show's crew!) who say the show has helped them feel less alone in their own struggles and given them permission to be open about their feelings.

  • Sam hopes the show can continue to provide a model for men to be vulnerable and support each other, especially in smaller, rural communities where that may not come as naturally. He sees it as an important service the show provides.

Quotes:

"...especially when you're in the midst of raw, sudden, super traumatic grief, a lot of the feelings and thoughts that come up can make you feel like this is not normal."

"...we've all cried together. We've all laughed together, we've all burnt the skin off the roof of our mouth together, and it's really, it's just been a really fulfilling thing because of the relationships that we've gotten out of that and the personal growth I've seen ... with the crew on the show..."

"...the tagline of our show is 'everybody's got to eat and everybody's got sh*t to go through."

"...I think the feedback that I've gotten ...is 'thank you guys for talking about this stuff and just showing that it's okay for two guys to talk about hard things and what you're feeling and making it normal that it's okay to feel these things.'"

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About Sam:

Sam Nathews is a brand strategist and storyteller, and the co-creator of Eat Your Feelings, a conversation series that blends food, humor, and emotional honesty. With a background in building brands and campaigns, Sam is interested in what happens when we drop polish and talk about the stuff we’re usually taught to hide. He lives in Virginia with his wife, son, and golden retriever and believes some of the best conversations happen in the kitchen.

Be sure to check out Sam's Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. As well as Eat Your Feelings on Youtube and Instagram.

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About Sarah

Sarah is a Montana based workplace communication trainer, TEDx speaker, DisruptHR speaker, public speaking coach, professional storyteller, musician, and podcast host. Her workshops and coaching packages with teams and their leaders are known to address and reduce miscommunication – the most common cause of tension and stress in the workplace. Using the team’s results from the StrengthsFinder assessment, she guides teams in learning to speak each other’s “language”, learning to value each other’s strengths and connecting with each other through enhanced self-reflection and effective listening. 

Sarah’s nearly 20 years working in government agencies inspired her to complete her MBA and to achieve her StrengthsFinder certification to improve work environments for others, guiding teams toward increased satisfaction, productivity, and happiness.

Visit her website to purchase her book, Your Stories Don't Define You in paperback or audiobook.

405 A Love Letter To My Future Self

Throughout life there will come times where we must take up our skills and talents as a knight would a sword and shield, wielding our innate and powerful gifts to further our lives for the better. By facing these moments, refusing to make excuses, and instead put in the hard work, we are bound to succeed. 

In this episode, Sarah Elkins contemplates the events that lead up to her presence on the TEDX stage, how the encouragement of her closest confidants, the peacefulness of nature on her hikes, and her own self reflection has brought her to this pivotal moment in her life. 

403 Choosing Love First

It’s easy to forget that we have free will, that we can choose what we love, what we like, how we choose for others to perceive us. It takes a great deal of self reflection and growth to find the parts of ourselves that are willing to speak up and fight for what we believe in, even if we must speak up and fight against ourselves. 

In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Edward Simberg discuss everything from how they met, to their deep love of storytelling, to the core beliefs they both hold dear.

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.

396 Curiosity and Authenticity

It is in human nature to be curious, to ask questions, and seek out insight in an attempt to make sense of the world we are thrust into. It is when we craft our own personal board of directors do we get the opportunity to finally seek the answers we crave and in doing so find our own purpose.

In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Cole Mannix discuss how curiosity led them to find their authentic selves as well as the many paths their hunger for answers took them on.

395 Carpe Diem

It’s easy to think we have all the time in the world to do something we’re putting off. Whether it’s changing jobs, or finishing your novel, or finally folding the laundry, we always think we’ll have more time. However time is a finite resource, and one day it too will run out. So we carry with us reminders of that which matters most to us and in doing so we remind ourselves to seize the day and to not take time for granted.

In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and George Schunk discuss their own collections of sentimental items, their own art they have dedicated themselves to, as well as how important it is to act on an opportunity instead of waiting for the perfect time.

392 Intention and Mindfulness In Conversation

Inevitably we will have to confront the reality of how certain comments, remarks, and individuals make us feel, especially when it is in a negative way. Unspoken expectations lead to resentment, and if we do not have the hard conversations and practice curiosity and active listening we not only do a disservice to them but to ourselves as well.

In this episode Sarah Elkins takes us on a hike with her dog Jocko, while teaching us the importance of mindfulness and intention in conversations, and how important it is we talk to and listen to people we want to maintain relationships with.