Podcasts by Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will

195: The Shame Doctor's Gift from 2021-09-21T05:30

John Dunia didn’t become the ...

194: There are 3 Parts to Our Lives, and One is Undercover from 2021-09-14T05:00

She grew up in a solidly middle class household with little exposure to the underbelly of her community. As an undercover cop posing as a prostitute, Diane Halfman got a quick and unlikely educa...

193: Hillary Johns "It's an Honor and a Privilege to be a Lawyer" from 2021-09-07T14:22:05

*This episode was recorded while Hillary was in-transit, sound quality is limited.*

"I consider our country as a whole" is how Hillar...

192: Authenticity Doesn't Mean Rigid, But Some People Have Stories That Take an All or Nothing Approach from 2021-08-31T05:30

It was his search for happiness that took him down the road of dramatic changes in his eating, his thoughts about exercise, and his idea to start a podcast.Listen

191: After Happily Ever After, a Novel That Hits Home by Leslie Rasmussen from 2021-08-24T05:30

Leslie Rasmussen didn't intend to write a novel. Her idea was to interview people in their 40s, empty-nesting or nearl...

190: Terre Roche and Her Accidental Music Career from 2021-08-17T05:30

It seems ridiculous now, imagining parents of a 17 year old agreeing to send her on a road trip across the country with her 18 year old sister to perform their music at small venues, mostly on c...

189: Podcast Brief 3 - Ideation&Adaptability Gain Momentum from 2021-08-10T05:30

Your stories don’t define you, how you tell them will.

Hi! I’m Sarah Elkins, your host and Chief Storymaker of Elkins Consulting.

Many of my clients reach out to me because they ar...

188: Podcast Brief 2 - Strategic and Activator Might Just Look Impulsive from 2021-08-03T04:00

This week’s episode of Your Stories Don’t Define You is part 2 of a series I’m exploring:

Last week I shared what it is like to have Command in your top talents using the StrengthsFinder ...

187: Podcast Brief 1 - When Command is in Your Top StrengthsFinder Talents from 2021-07-27T04:30

This week’s episode of Your Stories Don’t Define You is part of a new series I’m exploring:

For the next few weeks, I’ll be sharing brief stories about my experiences in understanding my ...

186: True Stories Can Bring Your Work of Fiction to Life from 2021-07-20T06:00

Suzanne Simonetti sees herself in each of her characters, but she relates most closely with Krystal in her award-winning novel Listen

185: What Happens When You're the Child of Survivors of Significant Trauma? from 2021-07-13T05:30

Jeff Furman is an extraordinary combination of his parents. He has the gift of intense observation of people and surroundings, while also demonstrating significant empathy. The two together allo...

184: If 90% of People Never Felt Like They "Fit In", Where Does That Leave the Other 10%? from 2021-07-06T04:00

"I'm allergic to that."

When she arrived in Spain, a shy, incredibly picky eater and study abroad student, that's what Rachel would tell people to avoid having to try new foods. It didn't...

183: Some Stories Are Meant to Be Told... Differently from 2021-06-29T05:30

Her life didn't start with unicorns and butterflies, and like many people who grow up without, she didn't really know it until school years when the comparison game began... seeing othe...

182: Do You Have a Story Portfolio? from 2021-06-22T04:00

"I just don't think that way - in a linear timeline of events. I read your Listen

181: When Did You Realize Your Behavior is a Choice? from 2021-06-15T05:30

"Who are you? I don't even know you!"

A friend of Teresa Quinlan witnessed a different person when they visited her family. Around her mother Teresa regressed to a surly teenager, and tha...

180: When You Question Everything, You Can't Help But Create Your Own Path from 2021-06-08T05:30

Laura DiBenedetto goes down rabbit holes regularly, exploring random thoughts that drive her deeply into a variety of questions, leading her to nowhere and everywhere.

Her curiosity is wh...

179: If an Event Creates a Story, How Do You Want it to Be Told? from 2021-06-01T05:30

Nicole Santer has been in the event industry since she was a child. She remembers helping her family fold napkins and set tables for huge banquets and gatherings.

It wasn't until after sh...

178: Do Personalities Change? Can We Change Our Personality Intentionally? from 2021-05-25T05:30

Christian Jarrett remembers being interested in psychology as a young teenager. It was when he applied to be a stocker at aListen

177: The Art of Caring Leadership: What Stories Do They Tell About You? from 2021-05-18T05:30

How do you describe a caring leader?

Heather Younger's book, The Art of Caring Leadership, offers 9 key aspects to consider, and a free assessment to quantify whatappear to be qualifying ...

176: Her Brave Journey, a Book by Swati Singh from 2021-05-11T05:30

Based on a collection of true stories from a variety of women, Swati Singh's Her Brave Journey is a fictional tale, bringing them together as if one woman experienced it, offering a deeper Listen

175: Is Your Team Missing Something? To Find Out, You Must Know What You Have vs. What You're Missing from 2021-05-04T05:30

As a Communication & Inclusion Trainer, Alissa guides people in addressing awkward situations, helping them quickly adjust to things out of their control.

In a recent training, when she h...

174: Rodney's Raptors: Life Changing Birds from 2021-04-27T05:30

He was told not to look a bird of prey in the eyes, that it would be considered aggressive and would damage his relationship with the animal.Listen

173: If You Want to Make a Positive Impact, Love the People You Want to Influence from 2021-04-20T05:30

"I love you, now get out of here!" Listen

172: When You Engage All of Your Talents, You Can Change the World from 2021-04-13T05:30

The day of this recording didn't start out great. As a matter of fact, I was feeling seriously low energy - I almost asked my guest to postpone.Listen

171: An Introvert's Guide to Success from 2021-04-06T05:30

Working hard doesn't mean you'll get ahead.

"People didn't necessarily get promoted because they did the work well."Listen

170: Focus on the Client, Not the Reward: Stories of Service and Gratitude from 2021-03-30T05:30

This conversation with Bob was full of inspiration and what I call *zingers*, those one sentence quotes that packs a huge motivational punch. The piece that seems to be most sticky to me is this...

Episode 169: Do You Have a Diverse Personal Board of Directors? from 2021-03-23T05:30

Adrienne Kimball and Karen Cohen met when Karen was interviewing for a job where Adrienne worked. At first glance, Adrienne assumed the two would have little in common, but midway through the co...

168: No Longer Virtual and the Worldwide Shutdown from 2021-03-16T05:30

One year ago today (for this recording), March 12, 2020, we were at the top of the world at the Mid-America Club in Chicago on the 80th floor of the Listen

167: Keen Observation is the Key to Finding Humor Almost Anywhere from 2021-03-09T06:30

Another great introduction from Shelley Brown, Kat Barker was a fabulous guest on this episode of Your Stories Don't Define You.
Kat’s mom was a therapist and her dad a writer. They self-a...

166: Compare and Contrast Doesn't Always Mean Compete from 2021-03-02T06:30

How many times have you listened to a story and wanted to jump in, interrupt, to share a story of your own? Is it because you think your story is better, more meaningful or entertaining? Is it b...

165: Don't Fight the Current. Embrace it. Use it to Propel You Forward from 2021-02-23T06:30

I spend a lot of time on rivers here in Montana, and never thought of that time and all the lessons I've learned in my experiences as analogies for business and life until I read Sarah Johnston'...

164: Why I Added #Pronouns to My LinkedIn Profile Name from 2021-02-16T06:30

I added  the pronouns (she, her) to my profile name on LinkedIn a couple of weeks ago, and left a comment on a friend's post shortly afterward.

That was the first time my name came up wit...

163: Life Will Blindside You, Sometimes Literally from 2021-02-09T06:30

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 t...

162: When Your World Crashes Down, You Rebuild by Helping Others from 2021-02-02T06:30

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 ...

161: "Tell Them Your Story" Words That Transform from 2021-01-26T06:30

What is it that triggers an "ah ha" moment, what is it that takes a moment from obscurity to clarity?

For JD Gerschbein, it was the combination of his experience in healing, as a child of...

160: When You Feel Honored to Do the Work You Do from 2021-01-19T06:30

Have you ever interviewed or been interviewed by someone with your name? Boy can that feel strange and awkward.

This conversation with Sarah Johnston was anything but awkward. She dropped...

159: Her Stories, Her Hustle, Her Community from 2021-01-12T06:30

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...

158: Happy New Year Every Day, Because Every Day is an Opportunity from 2021-01-05T06:30

We know instinctively that nothing significantly changes overnight based on an arbitrary calendar date. And yet, we still find a way to optimistically celebrate December 31st and January 1st as ...

157: What if You Were Compelled to be a Chameleon to Succeed? from 2020-12-29T06:30

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 impa...

156: Our Experiences Create Our Identity, How We Talk About Them Shapes Our Future from 2020-12-22T06:30

Anna Cley was an outstanding student. And then she was a rocket scientist... and then she became an opera singer... 

Her stepfather gave her the nudge she needed when she was Listen

155: Some of the Most Precious Gifts Come from Great Sacrifice from 2020-12-15T06:30

Marcela Niemeyer has always been an achiever, driven to be the best at whatever she sets her mind to do. In some families, that can create conflict, particularly ...

154: What Can We Say, What Questions Can We Ask to Help Us Understand Each Other? from 2020-12-08T06:30

Desiree Adaway is no stranger to being the only black person in a room, or even in an entire community.

At 16, while skipping class, she saw an ad in the back of a magazine about exchange...

153: Humans are Complicated! Stories of Life, Discovery, and Ambition from 2020-12-01T06:30

Curiosity. Intelligence. Compassion. Ambition.

These are the words that popped into my head the first time I met Kristin Sherry. We spoke about how she started with the development of her...

152: A Relationship with Yourself: Lessons Learned through Self Reflection from 2020-11-24T06:30

This week’s episode of the podcast was an unexpected opportunity to record a conversation I had with a dear friend and veteran Ron Burns – on Veteran’s Day – in my home.

We usually get to...

151: Every Situation Can Become A Meaningful Story from 2020-11-17T06:30

I woke up the other day inspired to write a blog post encouraging people to really re-think their holidays this year, to avoid trying to make them feel “normal”, and stressing out over obligatio...

150: If You Dream of It, Work for It, and Make It Happen, Is it Still Magic? from 2020-11-10T06:30

Meg Nocero worked as a prosecuting attorney for 20 years. She saw every kind of human in that wo...

149: The Story of Your Life Starts Early When Your Future Presents Itself to You from 2020-11-03T05:30

Michael sat with his mother when she went to the hospital for breast cancer treatment appointments. He was struck by the compassionate care of her doctors, the fact that they treated her with di...

148: Your Stories Don’t Define You, How You Tell Them Will from 2020-10-27T05:30

Hi, I’m Sarah Elkins, your host, and Chief Storymaker at Elkins Consulting.

In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the found...

147: Every Person Has A Story to Tell if You Ask the Right Question from 2020-10-20T04:00

Everyone has a story, and I mean everyone.

“When the guy came to deliver our new washer and dryer, he kept looking at me like he wanted to say something, like he...

146: Transformation Requires a Retelling of Your Story from 2020-10-13T05:30

I didn't realize until partway through our recording that it was Heather Plett's article about holding spa...

145: Vivid, Memorable Moments Hold Life's Pivotal Stories from 2020-10-06T06:00

As a child, Veronica Valadez thought that picking strawberries as a day laborer was fun, a time to run around the fields with her sister, throw overripe strawberries at each other, and sometimes...

144: When You're a Filmmaker, Your Life is the Most Meaningful Story from 2020-09-29T05:30

Her first career dream was to become a dolphin trainer, and a few years after accomplishing that goal, she switched gears. Her next dream was to be a filmmaker, but in the first semester, just a...

143: "Listen Closely": A Film About the Greatest Demonstration of Love from 2020-09-22T05:30

Resilience isn't something you can learn without practice, and Alana Sheeren has had plenty of practice.

When I saw the trailer for her movie, Listen Closely, I had to reach out to speak ...

142: Growing Up "In Between": Two Cultures, Two Ethnicities from 2020-09-15T05:30

Angie Gallagher lived between two worlds. As a child of an immigrant mother and a white Americ...

141: Asking the Right Questions is the Key to Great Listening from 2020-09-08T05:30

Joey Held's background is broadcast journalism, and as he has continued in his career in writing, sales, and a variety of other jobs, that background has served him well. After all, being able t...

140: Your Style Story Isn't Just About Appearances from 2020-09-01T05:30

Renee Lindo found her calling after many years of corporate life, working her way up through the ranks.

She realized that her personal sense of style, and the way she intentionally presen...

139: A Silent Retreat, an Adirondack Chair, and an Open Field: A Story of Letting Go from 2020-08-25T05:00

In my years guiding clients in improving communication techniques, whether that's for keynote speaking or simply presenting themselves and their work, I've found that when we uncover pivotal mom...

138: One Family Story Can Shift Our Identity from 2020-08-18T04:30

Well into his adulthood, Alan Samuel Cohen heard a family story that shifted his sense of self, his identity.

While sitting together at a family dinner with his adult siblings and aging a...

137: The Art of Leadership Starts with a Thoughtful Process from 2020-08-11T04:00

He was designated captain of his hockey team - at 6. Errol Doebler's father had a chat with him just before their first game.

"Errol, you're the Captain. Your team needs you to say someth...

136: An Evolving Caveman: Self Reflection and Anger Management from 2020-08-04T04:00

Dr. John Schinnerer almost gave his podcast the title The Reluctant Podcaster. Similar to my own journey, starting a podcast wasn't at all on his radar. It was a vivid vision at a retreat that i...

135: Obstacles Can Be the Key to Building Resilience and Self Love from 2020-07-28T05:00

It's not unusual to have a "Series of Unfortunate Events" in our lives, those multiple years of trauma, grief, and struggle, that can either make us bitter, or help us develop resilience in a po...

134: Using Labeling to Make a Positive Mindset Shift from 2020-07-21T04:00

Mareo McCracken knows the negative aspect of labels like "troublemaker." He also knows the positive impact of being called a "peacemaker", which is the title his mother gave him as a child. It w...

133: Choosing Yourself is a Vast Improvement to Settling for Less from 2020-07-14T05:30

Those 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...

132: The Hardest Hitting Drummer Knows He Can Always Improve from 2020-07-07T05:30

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 ha...

131: Make Kind Loud - It's the Only Way Out of This Mess from 2020-06-30T04:00

130: I Will Not Meet Hate at the Door, Lessons of Love and Forgiveness from 2020-06-23T04:00

Heather Younger is no stranger to adversity. Born to a white, Jewish mother and a black father, her moth...

129: Travel IS Education, Academic, Personal, and Cultural from 2020-06-16T05:30

Callie Kazakoff was surprised to hear from me, and even more surprised to be asked to be a gue...

128: Innovation Storytelling to Build Community and Business from 2020-06-09T05:30

I was introduced to Susan Lindner by our mutual friend Listen

127: Charged by a Silverback Gorilla, Adam Lewis Walker Knows What an Alpha Looks Like from 2020-06-02T06:30

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...

126: Road Trip with the Rabbi from 2020-05-26T05:30

He was in his early 20s when he decided to hitchhike across the US, just to explore and meet people. It was being on the road in those conditions that made Yonason Goldson an exceptional listene...

125: History Isn't What You Think it Is. History is us. from 2020-05-19T04:00

Martha Kohl has always had a strong connection to history, but not in a traditional way. She loved listening to the stories told by her parents and grandparents about how and where they grew up,...

124: Your Stories Don't Define You. How You Tell Them Will. from 2020-05-12T05:30

Think about that title for a second. Your Stories Don’t Define You. Those things that happen in your life are not what define you, create your identity, and shape your relationships. It’s how yo...

123: Magic Saved His Life: Like Magic, Relationships are All About Perspective from 2020-05-05T05:30

Brian noticed that his closest friend, the guy he spent the majority of his time with in four years of college, had been distant the last few weeks of their final year. When he asked about it, h...

122: Storytelling As A Means of Self-Reflection and Change from 2020-04-28T05:30

He looked at his 2 year old son, standing at the foot of the bed where Bryan Falchuck's wife, his son's mother, was wasting away in front of his eyes.

It was that moment when he knew he h...

121: Growing Up and Growing Through a Parent's Mental Illness from 2020-04-21T05:30

Dominic Vogel was single-minded about his career and where he intended to go with it. He's driven to help other...

120: Not A Super Fan of a Show or Movie? You Might Be Missing Out! from 2020-04-14T05:30

Annette Taylor playfully describes her transformation from a semi-traditional adult into a super fan of the tv show Listen

119: Taking Responsibility for Your Story from 2020-04-07T05:30

When his doctor told him he wouldn't live more than 5 years because of his weight-related health issues, Paul Brodie knew he had a choice to make.

It wasn't easy hearing the news, he reme...

118: What is Self-Actualization, and How Does Your Environment Impact It? from 2020-03-31T05:30

Episode 86 of this podcast was one that keeps coming back to me. I've had many interviews since then, and have read...

117: Uncovering a Life Pivot Point, And Why It Matters from 2020-03-24T04:00

#BrynneTillman and I met on #LinkedIn many years ago, just before she received the LinkedIn #Influencer title in 2016. I loved her content because it always included #humor, I could tell that Br...

116: The Realities of Improving Our Polarized Communities from 2020-03-17T05:00

In 2018, Monica Bourgeau felt compelled to write a book that would help people come to a basic understanding about our common, “wicked” problems, and how to help create solutions. Her October, 2...

115: This Too Shall Pass - For Better or For Worse from 2020-03-10T05:30

I stood at the summit of my mountain, Mount Helena in #Montana, breathing hard after the fast climb I took, trying to keep up with the dog.
 
Listen

114: An Accidental and Rewarding Career from 2020-03-03T06:30

Ash Rao fell into a career that now, ten years into it, she continues to find rewarding and challenging. What she seems to love most about her work as a recruiter and career coach is that moment...

113: Stories that Create and Build Life-Long Friendship from 2020-02-25T06:30

It’s a Different Kind of Love in Life-Long Friendship

I took the opportunity to record this episode of Your Stories Don’t Define You with Aimee, all about friendship, our friendship, and t...

112: Why Do We Believe Lyrics? from 2020-02-18T05:00

...but it's the little things, the little things,
not expectations
that make life worth living, worth living.

Those were the lyrics I was hearing in my head over and over again as ...

111: Learning by Trial and Error from 2020-02-11T05:00

Dr. Liz Stincelli knew the traditional training format didn’t work for her. She had taken plenty of coursework on training and education, and used the traditional method of standing in front of a c...

110: If This Isn't Nice, I Don't Know What Is - Kurt Vonnegut from 2020-02-04T05:00

Right after reading an article by Stephen Moegling, I walked into our living room, took a deep, satisfied breath, and took in the scene: Our older son, 21, was on the floor, snuggling our giant cho...

109: The Microwave Generation from 2020-01-28T05:00

The next time you’re waiting in line for your Starbucks pumpkin spiced latte, waiting for the download of the latest operating system update, or waiting for the water to boil in the microwave to ma...

108: Real Change Requires the Right "Gear", Creating the Right Environment, and Celebrating Small Wins from 2020-01-21T05:30

I’ve been thinking a lot about motivation, habit, and successful, sustainable changes in both. On The Hidden Brain, an NPR radio show, I heard a researcher talking about the fact that successfully ...

107: Strategies to Take Action to Avoid Future Regrets from 2020-01-14T05:00

Will we have this same conversation a year from now, 5 years from now? Will you regret not doing something to change this?

If you don’t take action right now – today – you will not see any...

106: Resilience and Persistence are Two Different Things - We Need Both to Thrive from 2020-01-07T05:00

There’s just something about Russ’s energy that caught my attention, and I realized during our call that it is his curiosity and openness to listening and sharing stories, coupled with his sense of...

105: What Works in Distributed Teams: Stories of Growth & Learning from 2019-12-31T05:30

My biggest take-away from the book is the dramatic improvement in the diversity of workplaces when remote working is an option and well-planned and executed. There were so many interesting parts to...

104: Truly Effective Leadership Begins with Self-Reflection from 2019-12-23T07:55:46

When Rajkumari left her job, her ultimate goal was to learn more about why those feelings were so persistent, to study the neurobiology behind those feelings of disconnection and exclusion, even wh...

103: Good Career Advice Might Not Be What You Think from 2019-12-17T05:30

When Eddie Wilders graduated from high school, all he knew was that he wanted to go to college. He didn’t know which college, or what programs he would be interested in, but he knew he wanted to be...

102: Finding Soul-Shifting Moments from 2019-12-10T05:00

This episode’s theme is career transformation. My guest, Lorraine Flower, had a moment in her late 30s, when she was quickly and effectively moving up the corporate ladder, really on the upswing of...

101: Impulsive But Not Stupid from 2019-12-03T05:00

What is one thing you’ve been saying about yourself for decades? What are the stories you share that give you and your listeners the perceptions that match that thing you’ve been saying about yours...

100: Community is the Key to Your Emotional Health and Personal Development from 2019-11-26T05:00

For this 100th episode, I couldn’t think of a more appropriate theme than Community. It’s my community that make me who I am today. It’s my community - that I built with intention - that bring me s...

99: Motivation Can Be as Simple As Asking Questions from 2019-11-19T05:30

I’ve often been asked how I stay motivated, how I keep myself moving forward, and I’ve always had a hard time answering that question. I just go, sometimes to my detriment. In the StrengthsFinder a...

98: Make a Choice to Experience Resilience & Growth Through Struggle from 2019-11-12T05:00

What I love about the stories he shared was how he presented the the supporting roles in his stories. From the classmate on the soccer field who understood Oleg’s body language to pass the ball to ...

97: Your Identity is Created by the Stories You Share from 2019-11-05T05:30

Dr. Kate McLean was raised by a man who loved to share stories. It’s not surprising that Kate found herself compelled by the narratives she heard in her first research position, focused on attachme...

96: Public Relations is About Relationships from 2019-10-29T04:30

Jennifer McGinley had a dream to be an anchor on The Today Show. She got pretty close to where she wanted to be, and even had mentors to help her on her way. But something shifted, as they always d...

95: Are You a Good Ambassador for Your People? from 2019-10-22T04:00

If you’ve ever worked in a large corporation or for a public sector agency, you have seen some pretty ridiculous policies that feel either far too broad to apply to every employee, or far too speci...

94: Using Personality Assessments as Tools for Self-Reflection & Self-Improvement from 2019-10-15T07:30

Though she has always seemed pretty comfortable in her skin, at least to outsiders, she often wondered whether there was something wrong with her. To address her worries, Joy had a way of taking on...

93: Your Life's Trajectory Can Shift with One Reaction from 2019-10-08T08:30

Aaron Orendorff can look back at the time in his life when he took a complete, 180 degree turn, and know that though the incident that preceded it was beyond his control, his response to it wasn’t....

92: Active Listening: The Power to Unlock the Stories of Others from 2019-10-01T08:30

I had an incredible opportunity to work with dependents of National Guardsmen who had been, or were currently deployed. The woman who hired me described the students as resilient, curious, and full...

91: When You Find Your Purpose, Your Story Shifts from 2019-09-24T04:44:31

Marcia has incredible instinct when it comes to body mechanics. She started as a Pilates practitioner and has grown her knowledge and practice into all aspects of body mechanics. Her mantra is “It ...

90: How You Tell a Story May Limit Your Potential for Learning From It from 2019-09-17T04:00

Sharing Your Story with the Right Person Makes a Difference
Self-reflection is a great start, but if you’re not expanding that reflection by sharing it with people you trust, you’re limiting yo...

89: Ending the Mental Illness Stigma One Story at a Time from 2019-09-10T07:00

Dale Morris caught my attention a few years ago on LinkedIn with his headline: If you’re trying to think outside of the box, you’re still constrained by the box.”

Although I believe constr...

88: Great Adventures Often Begin with Zero Preparation from 2019-09-01T16:17:04

The Story of Work Clothes for Women is Born of Necessity, and Raised in an Airstream

Until very recently, women working in traditionally male roles like ranching and agriculture had to eit...

87: Share Stories and OWN Your Talents from 2019-08-27T08:00

There are two reasons I asked Al to be a guest on the podcast. One was that during our last conversation, he told me a story about running into some people at a brewery in Phillipsburg, Montana, an...

86: The Importance of Inauthenticity with Mark Bowden from 2019-08-20T04:00

Mark Bowden’s TEDxToronto in 2013 had a huge impact on how I think about authenticity. As I was laboring over my book, Your Stories Don’t Define You, I realized the influence that talk has had on m...

85: What Feels Like Internal Conflicts Are Likely Close Connections from 2019-08-13T04:00

Caroline Mays felt conflicted, almost like she had two completely separate lives. She had her life on the road as an endurance runner, with a group of peers and friends she could share all the ache...

84: Never Try to Be Something You're Not from 2019-08-06T08:30

The entire year was spent looking at that word, working hard to remember to focus on one thing at a time… and failing.

Literally – for an entire year I tried hard to be someone who could f...

83: Your Strengths are Your Stories from 2019-07-30T08:30

Lisa was promoted and knew she would work hard to be a great manager. She had enough experiences, good and bad, to know what she didn’t want to do. But she had an immediate challenge in one of her ...

82: Baking Bread is More than Flour, Water, and Yeast from 2019-07-23T04:00

Rocky Connell, raised in Glasgow, Montana had a very unusual first job "milking" bulls for his father's veterinary business.

That's how we started this "living room couch" episode of Your ...

81: Those "Ah Ha" Moments Are Your Pivot Stories from 2019-07-16T08:30

As Dr. Cooke was walking the hallways of the conference venue, a participant walked up to her to have a conversation. This participant hadn’t actually attended her session, but said she felt like s...

80: Some Stories Take Time to Process to Make Sense from 2019-07-09T04:00

Chip Clawsen was six when he connected deeply with the story his mother read to him, The Sands of Iwo Jima. It was at that tender young age that he decided he'd one day be a marine - a hero.

79: Some of Your Stories are Totally False from 2019-07-02T04:00

"Just be happy! It's a beautiful day!"

Those words spoken by a family member were completely lost on a teenaged Courtney Ackerman facing depression and anxiety. Not only were they lost, th...

78: When You're on the Inside Looking Out from 2019-06-25T04:00

Jordan Gross was one of those kids in school who always seemed to have it together. He was an athlete, an academic achiever, played an instrument, and was a boy people wanted to be around. He had p...

77: You Can Find Joy and Satisfaction in Whatever You Do from 2019-06-18T04:00

During our conversation, I mentioned a post Thom published a few years ago about needles from one of his knitting machines that got lost in the cracks of the hardwood floor beneath them. We spoke a...

76: It's Harder Than You Think. Be Kind. from 2019-06-11T06:00

I had performed the National Anthem at baseball games a few times that summer as a duet with my close friend, and as a trio with that friend and my sister. Each time we performed together we heard ...

75: Does Anyone Really "Fit in"? How Stories Help You Find Your Community from 2019-06-04T10:00

Born in France to an American father and a German mother, Christine Homolko spent most of her childhood being shy and introverted. When her father decided to move back to the United States, she and...

74: Analogies to Create a Visual Representation of an Emotional Experience from 2019-05-28T06:00

I realized how her analogy applied to my situation: For months I had been driving my car along the highway, stuck behind a big truck. Because I have a tendency toward being impulsive, I had been dr...

73: Transitions as Opportunities for Self-Discovery from 2019-05-21T06:00

It turns out that Tiffany Ann is actually quite handy, can make impressive home improvements on a limited budget, and can put on a fun birthday party for a bunch of kids for just $25.

She ...

72: Persistence, Curiosity, and Following Instincts Create Career Resilience from 2019-05-14T06:00

When Bob Musial failed his role-playing test in his first sales job, he was humiliated. He was the only new hire out of seven to fail that session, and that made him even more motivated to prove to...

71: Resilience and Diversity of Thought from 2019-05-07T10:30

Deb Helfrich is a truly unique individual. She practically raised herself in the Carnegie Library where she grew up, reading at college level at around 2nd grade. It wasn't until she went to colleg...

70: Another Decade-ful of Stories, More Lessons Learned from 2019-04-30T06:00

We have been exploring the concept of resilience in a series of episodes of this podcast, and each one has helped me better understand this theme: Resilience can come from so many places, and for e...

69: Obstacles and Challenges as Tools to Build Resilience from 2019-04-23T07:00

According to Valerie Gordon, there are plenty of “unlikely” scenarios in our lives. By “unlikely,” she means those things that we really don’t want in our lives, those struggles and obstacles that ...

68: Resilience is a Choice, No One is Coming to Your Rescue from 2019-04-16T08:00

Amber has a different perspective on this topic; she sees resilience as a personal choice not to be defeated, and not to be a statistic. She sees resilience as a choice to live your best life, desp...

67: Resilience - Drawing Strength From Past Experience from 2019-04-02T06:00

If we consider the struggles we’ve already survived, we can see the evidence to suggest we’ll survive any future challenges, especially if we really think about what it took not only to get through...