Episode 133: Choosing Yourself is a Vast Improvement to Settling for Less

Karyn Beach Loves the Skin She's In

Adolescent years are hard on anyone, to add challenges like moving to a new town and school, particularly as someone who naturally stands out, and you have serious potential for confidence busting.

Karyn is a force, and by her stories you can tell she has always been that way. But for many years, she struggled with confidence, and ended up in relationships that were just not good for her - personally and professionally.

She decided to choose herself and realized being by herself was far more pleasant and satisfying than sharing space with someone who didn't value and respect her. In fact, she loves being in her own company. And that's part of what makes it so wonderful to be there with her.

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Connect with Karyn on LinkedIn, check out her website, and be sure to catch her podcast, Fun. Feisty. Fabulous!

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"The choice of Sarah Elkins (as our conference keynote) was inspired. Her emphasis that we need to think more carefully as advocates about how we are perceived, that we need to demonstrate our values authentically (and bravely) so as to build trust, was perhaps more important than all the specific storytelling tools discussed.”

Sarah is a storyteller, communication coach, author and professional musician. Her keynotes and workshops are entertaining and engaging, because she uses storytelling as the foundation of her work. Her podcast, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will was named in the top 50 in 2019 in the category of emotional intelligence on player.FM, and her book of the same title is now available on Bookshop.org, Amazon.com, and Barnes & Noble.

Episode 132: The Hardest Hitting Drummer Knows He Can Always Improve

Kenny Aronoff is More Than an Extraordinary Drummer

What keeps you humble?

"I know I can always be better than I am today."

After you've toured with John Cougar Mellencamp, Smashing Pumpkins, and Melissa Etheridge, you might also have to think about how to remain humble.

Kenny's musical background might surprise you, he earned his percussion chops playing classical music, and studying in one of the most prestigious musical programs in the country. He was even offered a position with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra he finished college, but turned it down because he knew that wasn't the path for him.

On tour with Melissa Etheridge

Of course he has lots of great stories, and many involve celebrity rock stars, but my favorites from this conversation were about his family, where he grew up, how he prepares for playtime, and how he receives feedback and guidance.

Kenny writes EVERYTHING down when he’s preparing for a gig.

The complexity of Kenny Aronoff and his work might just surprise you.

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Kenny was named one of Rolling Stone Magazine's "Greatest 100 Drummers of All Time":

"Best known as John Mellencamp's hard-bashing drummer from 1980 to 1996, Kenny Aronoff is fully capable of banging out flashy fills — let's not forget the tumble that leads into the bridge of "Jack and Diane." But he's equally at home sitting in the pocket and keeping a sturdy beat. "[As the drummer], I'm the employee," he told Esquire. "My job is to listen, learn, lead. And I understand I'm not the boss." With a sixth sense for what makes music pop and the patience to take direction, he's ended up as a go-to studio beatsmith for the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Diamond, Eric Clapton, John Fogerty, Sting, the Smashing Pumpkins, Lady Gaga and tons more."

You can purchase Kenny's book, Sex, Drums, & Rock 'n' Roll on bookshop.org (to support independent booksellers) or Amazon. Visit his website to learn more!

Episode 131: Make Kind Loud - It's the Only Way Out of This Mess

"It's Better to Be Kind than to be Funny" - Louisa Garrett

Louisa Garrett used to rely on her sarcastic sense of humor to make people laugh. But when she saw herself through the eyes of her nieces and nephews, as a model for the behavior she wanted to see in them - and in others, she had an epiphany. Being sarcastic was not a kind sense of humor, sarcasm can certainly be funny, but it is rarely kind.

As the youngest of a gaggle of kids, Louisa loved to be the center of attention. She’d do anything silly to make her siblings laugh, and developed a reputation for lightening difficult situations and conversations with her sense of humor.

Now, as we finally begin to address the issues of racism and bigotry in the most substantial way since the days of MLK Jr., Louisa has her work cut out for her. She knows that all any of us can do is be kind to each other, “stand in the gap” to support the efforts of our communities to address systemic racism and bigotry, and demonstrate the thoughtfulness and compassion we want to see in others.

You can learn more about Louisa by visiting her website, and by following her fantastic activity on Facebook.

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Are you ready to find clarity? The next Finding Purpose through Your Natural Strengths course begins July 8, 2020, and runs for 8 weeks, every Wednesday. Schedule a call to find out if this course is right for you.

Episode 130: I Will Not Meet Hate at the Door, Lessons of Love and Forgiveness

Stories of Love and Learning Through Adversity

Heather’s TEDx Colorado Springs - Transforming Adversity into Opportunity

Heather Younger is no stranger to adversity. Born to a white, Jewish mother and a black father, her mother's family was less than welcoming, and Heather grew up without any contact with the majority of that family.

What's really significant about Heather's words is that she backs them up with real action and and her behavior absolutely brings that message home. She chooses love, learning, and personal growth in response to the adversity she experienced as a child and young adult.

Now is the time for us to amplify messages like Heather's, to listen closely to her stories not to get angry or frustrated, but to learn how to hold space for learning and compassion for those who mistreat us.

Heather and I connected early in my LinkedIn activity, and we've had the opportunity to spend real time together - in person. She was one of the first to sign on to participate in the inaugural No Longer Virtual event in 2017, and hasn't missed and #NLV since. 

I'm so grateful for her friendship, support, and incredibly inspiring way she speaks, lives, and loves.

Learn more about Heather by connecting with her on LinkedIn, visit her website, subscribe to her podcast, and be sure to watch her outstanding TEDx talk. You can also order her best selling book, 7 Intuitive Laws of Employee Loyalty on Amazon.

Episode 129: Travel IS Education, Academic, Personal, and Cultural

Stories as a Tool to Address Anxiety

Callie Kazakoff was surprised to hear from me, and even more surprised to be asked to be a guest on this podcast.

Callie Kazakoff, Student at Montana State University

"I'm only 20! What do I have to add?"

We met when she participated in my session in a day-long virtual leadership retreat. The topic was storytelling and personal brand, in the context of being intentional in the stories we share, particularly when we want to inspire action, or in client and job interview conversations.

Callie caught my attention when she briefly shared a story about stepping out of her comfort zone by signing up for a Semester at Sea study abroad programs, first semester of her sophomore year of college.

That was the timing of my semester abroad to Australia, and I knew she'd have fantastic recent stories of self-reflection, personal growth, humility, comfort zone expansion, and adventure.

She did not disappoint.

Callie's stories spanned from her unlikely decision, as someone who struggles with severe anxiety, to study abroad, to her recent "ah ha" moment in the middle of an anxiety attack while whitewater rafting for the first time.

She is a wise soul, and I see beautiful adventures in her future.

Episode 128: Innovation Storytelling to Build Community and Business

Susan Lindner Knows the Persuasive Power of Stories

I was introduced to Susan Lindner by our mutual friend Joe Kwon. He was sure we must meet, given our mutual love for the power of storytelling, and our passion for connection. He is the "Connection Counselor" after all!

Joe was right. Susan is an extraordinary woman. Her experiences span the globe, and she is one of those people who finds lessons in everything, and applies every experience to personal growth.

As an innovation storyteller, Susan gets to the purpose of innovation, to serve people, and creates the story that makes that connection for the stakeholders who must understand it.

Susan was highly influenced by the original cultural anthropologist, Bronislaw Malinowski. He believed that to truly understand a culture and all of its complexities, you had to LIVE in that culture. Not just observe it, but be in it, breathing it, eating, sleeping, and arguing in that culture, to truly understand it.

As always, the conversation took some great twists and turns, coming back to the reason for this podcast: It's all about our stories. Not the epic "I almost died" stories, but the ones we see in our daily lives, small details that combine to create our identities.

Introduce yourself to Susan via LinkedIn, visit her terrific website, and be sure to watch for her book, coming out in fall, 2020.

Episode 127: Charged by a Silverback Gorilla, Adam Lewis Walker Knows What an Alpha Looks Like

Stories of Resilience, Persistence, and Personal Growth

Adam Lewis Walker promised me he went by his full name because the name Adam Walker was far too common and wouldn't be searchable - not because he's a serial killer.

Am I the only one who remembers the article on Slate.com from 2011?

He had me laughing from the moment we hit record, and our conversation ranged from the end of his Olympic pole vaulting dreams, destroyed knee, and subsequent bout with depression, to his TEDx in 2016, and even included what I'm sure was the subconscious inspiration for the name of his first podcast, Awaken Your Alpha.

Hint: It involves a silverback gorilla in the wilds of Rwanda.

What really became clear to me was Adam's inspired motivation to help others uncover their talents, their dreams, and the actions they know it will take to reach them. On top of that, his insistence that reaching a goal isn't nearly the end, and that each subsequent goal leads us to greater self-reflection and personal growth.

After listening to this episode, you'll want to connect with Adam on LinkedIn, follow him on Twitter, and check out his website to learn more about his work with want-to-be TEDx speakers and podcasters.