Emotional Intelligence

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Episode 163: Life Will Blindside You, Sometimes Literally

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Some of us make plans for the future, some simply let each day define and shape the next. I don't think any of us anticipate every potential scenario of change, transformation, or trauma. Even the most morbid or realistic of us cannot predict or prepare for the reality of tomorrow.

That's what Maria Johnson realized as she received the diagnosis of a rare disease that was quickly denying her the ability to see. She had been concerned about her eyesight, went for dozens of tests as she realized it was getting worse. It wasn't until 7 months after she went for her first doctor visit, and only one month prior to completely losing her vision and becoming legally blind, that she finally received her diagnosis. And there was nothing to be done. No cure. No treatment.

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Episode 162: When Your World Crashes Down, You Rebuild by Helping Others

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Charles Clark's mother wanted to fix it. She was desperate to see her son climb back up from the deep, deep hole she was watching him experience. Seeing someone we love in despair is likely the most painful grief.

"What can I do, Charles. How can I help you?"

"No mom, this is something I have to do myself."

When I heard this story, my eyes filled with tears. All I could think about was his mother's pain and pride in that moment. The pain of helplessness and the pride in hearing those words.

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Episode 161: "Tell Them Your Story" Words That Transform

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For JD Gerschbein, it was the combination of his experience in healing, as a child of a physician and as a medical student, and the desire to provide practical guidance for people to improve their potential in career and life that brought him to his moment.

"JD, I know you'll share useful information about LinkedIn for this audience... Share your story. Tell them what brought you here."

"Tell them your story."

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Episode 160: When You Feel Honored to Do the Work You Do

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This woman is absolutely compelled to improve life for people she encounters. She sees the best in people, and has a beautiful way of bringing out the most endearing qualities. At the same time, she doesn't hesitate to let them know when they're getting in their own way.

Her number one talent in the StrengthsFinder assessment is Includer, which means that she is compelled to include others, and to be included herself. Sarah is the kind of woman who walks into a roomful of people and has a sixth sense in finding the most uncomfortable person, knowing exactly what to say to make them more comfortable, and nurturing that comfort to the point of that person actually enjoying themselves.

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Episode 159: Her Stories, Her Hustle, Her Community

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I met Michelle Y. Talbert via LinkedIn years ago, when I was first building my network. I was intrigued by her podcast Her Power Hustle, and was immediately inspired by her honesty and integrity in the work she did.

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Episode 158: Happy New Year Every Day, Because Every Day is an Opportunity

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My plan, in case you want to know, is to keep taking things one day at a time, to mostly ignore the news because nothing said there is going to change my behavior in any way, and continue to make an effort every day to live in alignment with who I believe I can be.

I'll fail sometimes. The judge-y internal voice will pop up and I'll have to address it. I'll step in it with people I love and respect because of obliviousness and self-absorption, and I'll eat potato chips when I know a better option is out there.

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Episode 157: What if You Were Compelled to be a Chameleon to Succeed?

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Jason Greer can be a chameleon when necessary. When Jason Greer and his co-author Phil Dixon began the journey of writing their book, Bias, Racism, and the Brain, Jason didn't consider how writing the stories of racism in his life would impact his internal messages, and how they would affect the simmering of those experiences under the surface of his life.