personal responsibility

422 Experience Awe

The natural world is one of few places in the world where we can truly feel at peace. Whether it be to get away from the hustle and bustle of life, or even just to get away from all the screens and pollution, we can find a moment to center ourselves and find genuine awe in the world. 

In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Thomas Reed discuss the importance of the natural world, finding awe, how we talk to ourselves, as well as finding our own courage to seek the paths that call to us.

420 Ted Talks: Let's Start Sharing Stories

In today’s episode Sarah Elkins ruminates on her preparations for her Ted Talk, as well as seeing the need that had to be filled, and how she is filling that need in society with clarity and authenticity.

418 Mindful Presence

Being mindful of our presence in the lives around us is an integral part of the human experience, whether it be for our own personal comfort and growth or to ease the lives of those around us. Though we all have our own unique reasoning and paths to walk, it is important to remember we don’t have to travel alone and by working together we can all get to the finish line.

In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Renée Smith discuss the importance of community in becoming the best version of yourself as well as the importance of developing our problem solving skills to always be able to take action.

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.

406 Screen Time for Young Children: A Parent's Search for Answers and Options

In a day and age of smartphones, electronic billboards, TVs, and the seemingly impossible to avoid screen, it’s easy to lose connection to what matters most, that being our community as human beings. We crave connection, and by mindlessly scrolling or putting on a video to appease ourselves or a child, we inherently rob ourselves and our charges of a chance to truly connect, oftentimes causing irrevocable damage to the brain. 

In this episode Sarah Elkins and Will Maurer discuss the importance of early childhood development and how it is harmed by overstimulating media, as well as the research going into this issue.

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.