391 Stories and Connection
It is vital to our own communities that we remember our stories and share them with one another, not to dwell on regrets and what ifs, but to reach out and connect with one another so that we all can learn and grow together, and hopefully create more grand stories on the paths we walk together.
In this revisited episode, Sarah Elkins and Lee Keylock discuss their own stories and how they have healed through sharing stories and listening to the stories that others share with us.
391 Stories and Connection
It is vital to our own communities that we remember our stories and share them with one another, not to dwell on regrets and what ifs, but to reach out and connect with one another so that we all can learn and grow together, and hopefully create more grand stories on the paths we walk together.
In this revisited episode, Sarah Elkins and Lee Keylock discuss their own stories and how they have healed through sharing stories and listening to the stories that others share with us.
Highlights
Connecting with people through sharing stories.
Healing from trauma through stories and the community that sharing those stories creates.
The changing paths our decisions create and how we should live in the moment and not dwell on what ifs.
Greet the world and the challenges offered with open minds and a willingness to learn.
Quotes
“No regrets. Life is sliding doors right? If it’s meant to be, it's meant to be.”
“We’re perpetual students, right? I’ve never approached anything I’ve ever done as an authority on anything.”
“It’s not enough to just hear stories. That can be brilliant and beautiful and life changing and you can have those moments, but when we work with youth we want them to think about how they can use stories to think about themselves, their communities, and the world and their place in it, and how they can become agents of change.”
About Lee
Lee Keylock is Director of Global Programs at Narrative 4 and oversees the coordination and administration of all aspects of N4’s ongoing programmatic development. Originally from Britain, Lee immigrated to the United States in 1989 and taught English at Newtown High School in Connecticut for thirteen years. He has served as an adjunct professor teaching Creative Writing and Composition at Southern Connecticut State University in New Haven, where he also earned his MFA in Creative Writing.
Connect with Lee on LinkedIn, Facebook, or Instagram! And make sure you check out his website Narrative 4!
About Sarah
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.
My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.
The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!
Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.
Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!
389 Identifying and Acting On Problems You Can Solve
We are surrounded by problems everyday of our lives, some manageable and others seeming too monumental to handle alone. Which is why it is so important to build a community of like minded individuals with the same goal of making a true difference.
In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Tessa Clarke discuss the relationship people have with stuff, food waste, and how Tessa’s company Olio have been making a real difference in the face of the climate crisis.
389 Identifying and Acting On Problems You Can Solve
We are surrounded by problems everyday of our lives, some manageable and others seeming too monumental to handle alone. Which is why it is so important to build a community of like minded individuals with the same goal of making a true difference.
In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Tessa Clarke discuss the relationship people have with stuff, food waste, and how Tessa’s company Olio have been making a real difference in the face of the climate crisis.
Highlights
Our relationship with objects, like clothing, that shape our identity.
What do you waste without realizing? How much do you think you throw away in a week? A month? And a year?
We all need someone in our corner to help build us up and to help chart a path forward.
Building community while also solving problems.
Quit wishing things would be better and start making the change yourself.
Quotes
“We always think the grass is greener on the other side but it never is.”
“What’s good for the planet is good for people and vice versa.”
“It is honestly exhausting being a founder, trying to drive the change in a world that’s set up not to change. So you’ve got to find ways to reenergize yourself and to keep going, to keep fighting every single day.”
Dear Listeners it is now your turn,
When you think about those 4 to 5 years that Tessa talked about and that journey of wanting to be entrepreneurial and thinking about it in terms of “what is the problem I can solve?” What is something you could start today, maybe it eventually becomes a side hustle, maybe the side hustle stays a side hustle, or maybe it turns into something more. What is a problem that you’ve experienced, that maybe you’re the person to solve?
And, as always, thank you for listening.
About Tessa
Tessa Clarke is the co-founder and CEO of Olio, the world’s only neighbour-to-neighbour food-sharing app, and a trailblazing force in the fight against waste. Since launching in 2015 - and as a remote first business - Olio has grown into a global movement with 8 million users, redistributing over 100 million meals and 14 million household items, proving that small actions can drive massive change. Recognised as Veuve Clicquot’s Bold Woman of the Year in 2023, Tessa is also a Sifted columnist, an Ambassador for the Better Business Act, and a member of the Small Business Growth Forum, advising the UK Government on SME concerns. With a track record of disrupting industry and mobilising communities, Tessa is a passionate speaker who inspires audiences to rethink business, sustainability, and the power of grassroots innovation.
Check out Tessa’s LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram! As well as her website Olio, and her TED Talk!
About Sarah
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.
My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.
The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!
Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.
Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!
386 Media Literacy and Division
In the age of the internet it is impossibly easy for us to see something shocking and outrageous, ending up with us emotionally and morally outraged. We want to speak up, to make our voices heard in the sea of noise if only for a moment. However, it is easy for us to make a mistake on who we follow or share posts from, it is very easy to be fooled by a wolf in sheep’s clothing, which is why it is vital to stop, take a moment to do some basic research, and make our own informed decision.
In today’s episode, Sarah Elkin’s has a solo show dedicated to her thoughts on media literacy, the division that has been amplified by social media, and how important it is that we not only do our own fact checking, but that we also convey our thoughts and stories with intention in order to accurately portray what we believe.
386 Media Literacy and Division
In the age of the internet it is impossibly easy for us to see something shocking and outrageous, ending up with us emotionally and morally outraged. We want to speak up, to make our voices heard in the sea of noise if only for a moment. However, it is easy for us to make a mistake on who we follow or share posts from, it is very easy to be fooled by a wolf in sheep’s clothing, which is why it is vital to stop, take a moment to do some basic research, and make our own informed decision.
In today’s episode, Sarah Elkin’s has a solo show dedicated to her thoughts on media literacy, the division that has been amplified by social media, and how important it is that we not only do our own fact checking, but that we also convey our thoughts and stories with intention in order to accurately portray what we believe.
Highlights
Sharing the right stories with intention, that are compelling and true.
What are you doing in your daily life that does more harm than good? How do you engage with the people and world around you?
You never really know who is listening to you, whether it is our phones and social media, or the people around us.
Quotes
“You don’t have to tell people who you are or what matters to you. They come to those conclusions through the stories they hear.”
“But if I’m too busy to check the source, maybe I shouldn’t have shared it at all. Everything we do has consequences and if we don’t consider the ‘what happens next?’ question, we damage relationships, our reputations, and miss incredible opportunities. We contribute to the noise of division.”
Dear Listeners it is now your turn,
I challenge you, to either stop scrolling, I know it’s hard. Or take inventory for a few days as you participate. Are your emotions like a rollercoaster as you scroll, feeling really good when you see something you agree with and getting angry, discouraged, or judgey when you see something you don’t? Before you hit that like button ask yourself what your intention is when engaging. Are you sure what you’re sharing is true? If you’re sharing someone else’s story, is this a stranger? Are you trusting their opinion over somebody in a similar situation who might be your neighbor or someone in your community? Ask yourself what exactly you’re signaling to people by engaging on the post, are you putting something out there that is insulting to people you care about? I am so discouraged and disgusted by the division and polarization, and if you are too, then stop contributing to it.
And, as always, thank you for listening.
About Sarah
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.
My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.
The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!
Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.
Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!
385 Beacons of Fellowship
In a world so full of division, strife, and polarization, it can be easy to get caught up in the chaos of which path to follow. Which is why it is vital to put your own voice out there, not just to speak up for your beliefs, but so that those who you support and care for will know you are right beside them in this fight. In a world so obsessed with hate, there is no more powerful weapon than love and community.
In today’s episode, Sarah Elkins uses the art of storytelling to tell us what truly matters to her while also weaving tales of her success and strengths, as well as speaking of what truly matters to her.
385 Beacons of Fellowship
In a world so full of division, strife, and polarization, it can be easy to get caught up in the chaos of which path to follow. Which is why it is vital to put your own voice out there, not just to speak up for your beliefs, but so that those who you support and care for will know you are right beside them in this fight. In a world so obsessed with hate, there is no more powerful weapon than love and community.
In today’s episode, Sarah Elkins uses the art of storytelling to tell us what truly matters to her while also weaving tales of her success and strengths, as well as speaking of what truly matters to her.
Highlights
Applying skills found in the workplace to the home, and vice versa.
Standing for what you believe will make enemies, but it will also give others the strength to follow you.
How do you want to show up in the world? How can you make your signals be in alignment with your beliefs.
Quotes
“Every story we share has the potential to shape how we experience ourselves, and how other people perceive us.”
“Through a combination of curiosity and intention, I started to build a community that was far more diverse. Not for the sake of diversity, but for the sake of inclusion, personal growth, and love.”
Dear Listeners it is now your turn,
If you’re willing to look in the mirror and really consider how you want to be experienced by the community around you, what will you do to ensure that you are signaling those values in everything you do? What decision will you make today to stop contributing to the polarization and start reconnecting with those you care about?
And, as always, thank you for listening.
About Sarah
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.
My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.
The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!
Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.
Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!
384 Caring For Our Communities
In todays episode Sarah Elkins and Amy Daughters discuss a variety of topics, from finding their calm, to how they try to reach out to those in need of a friend, and the various ways they make others in their lives feel seen.
384 Caring For Our Communities
In todays episode Sarah Elkins and Amy Daughters discuss a variety of topics, from finding their calm, to how they try to reach out to those in need of a friend, and the various ways they make others in their lives feel seen.
Highlights
Where do you find your calm?
Polarization and how it destroys our community.
How do you make people feel seen?
Quotes
“I didn’t set out to do anything. I set out to be some crazy person who wants to write people letters.”
“I will save your letter in a special place in my home for the rest of my life.”
About Amy
Amy Weinland Daughters, Award-Winning Author and Keynote Speaker, believes in a world where what makes us different is the very thing that connects us, instead of separates us. She brings that world to life by helping people reconnect to each other through the power of hand-written letters. She brings her wit, humor, and having written 580 handwritten letters to every single one of her Facebook friends, to show you how you can find deep connections in some of the most unexpected places.
Be sure to check out Amy’s LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram!
About Sarah
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.
My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.
The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!
Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.
Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!
383 Your True Enemy Is Self-Doubt
Our internal messages shape who we are, whether they be positive or negative messages, shape who we are and how we carry ourselves through life, which is why it is so vital to stop and reflect on our messages and the input from those around us. We can learn alot from our personal board of directors, they encourage and guide us with their own personal experiences allowing us to grow, including when their input is critical.
In today’s episode Sarah Elkins dwells on the importance of the words her own personal board has given her, the experiences that she has grown from, and how her professional and personal life have been shaped and allowed her to become the coaching powerhouse she is today.
383 Your True Enemy Is Self-Doubt
Our internal messages shape who we are, whether they be positive or negative messages, shape who we are and how we carry ourselves through life, which is why it is so vital to stop and reflect on our messages and the input from those around us. We can learn alot from our personal board of directors, they encourage and guide us with their own personal experiences allowing us to grow, including when their input is critical.
In today’s episode Sarah Elkins dwells on the importance of the words her own personal board has given her, the experiences that she has grown from, and how her professional and personal life have been shaped and allowed her to become the coaching powerhouse she is today.
Highlights
Professional Storytelling
Building each other up by practicing what we teach.
How our friends inspire us.
What experiences in your past contributed to your internal messages?
Quotes
“Every professional benefits when they can share a story that demonstrates their character, their skills, and their vision.”
“I can no longer allow distant periods of discomfort and whatever caused them, reign over who I am.”
“I was acutely self conscious about my outfit, my voice, even my facial expressions and the way my body, arms, and hands moved as I sang. It has taken me years to let go of my fear of embarrassment, my fear of judgement. I really hope it doesn’t take you nearly as long. Or if you’re my age or older, that you’re learning this lesson now so you don’t bring regret into your later years.”
Dear Listeners it is now your turn,
If you have something in your head that you really want to do, I urge you to take action right away. As May West said; “I only regret the things I didn’t do.”
Here are a few steps that I take when I’m working on something that feels new and maybe a little scary: I tell my closest friends what I want to do knowing they’re going to ask how they can help and they’ll keep me accountable. They’ll ask me the hard questions to make sure I stay clear about what I’m doing and why. I use a strategy my friend and business coach Nettie Owens taught me. I schedule 15 minutes every weekday to focus on that one thing, it’s on my calendar. Those 15 minute focus times show up at different parts of my day, not the same time every day. I’m very intentional with what I do with advice, criticism, and ideas I hear from others, especially if they’ve never done what I’m trying to do. I listen because sometimes a comment, even one that feels insulting, hurtful, or maybe even wrong, can be a catalyst toward improvement and success. Whatever it is you’re challenging yourself with my friends, I would love to hear about it, and to support you as you’re leaping out of your comfort zone.
And, as always, thank you for listening.
About Sarah
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.
My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.
The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!
Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.
Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!
381 Rock N Roll
Authenticity and living your life in a way that reflects who you are and how you hope to be perceived is something we all strive for, however it can be easy to forget that change and growth is a constant changing cycle, even from moment we are allowed and expected to invent who we are.
In this episode Sarah Elkins ruminates on when she joined the rock band she is apart of and how it has helped shape her authentic self as well as how important fun and joy is to the true sense self.
381 Rock N Roll
Authenticity and living your life in a way that reflects who you are and how you hope to be perceived is something we all strive for, however it can be easy to forget that change and growth is a constant changing cycle, even from moment we are allowed and expected to invent who we are.
In this episode Sarah Elkins ruminates on when she joined the rock band she is apart of and how it has helped shape her authentic self as well as how important fun and joy is to the true sense self.
Highlights
What is authenticity to you?
How do you portray your authentic self?
Untangling core values from the actions we believe are authentic.
How do you want to be known and remembered for?
There is no permanent state of the self.
Quotes
“I was still not rock and roll. I was wearing a persona on stage because it was fun not because it felt like me.”
“All that would have been missed if I had decided that my authentic self was not rock and roll.”
“What opportunities have you dismissed because they didn’t feel authentic?”
About Sarah
"Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision."
In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I’ve realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don’t realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they’re sharing them with.
My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home.
The audiobook, Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available!
Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.
Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!