Your Stories Dont Define You, How You Tell Them Will

323 Authentic Connections   Authentic connections can be difficult to find, whether it be from not being taught the skills to form these connections or simply losing touch with former acquaintances, it can be difficult but not impossible and with the proper tools and a heartfelt message, authentic connections can be found anywhere.  In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Amy Daughters discuss the importance of authentic connections and how having meaningful conversations with individuals can lead to long term relationships.   Highlights You’ll never know how profound a connection can be unless you reach out. It only takes a thoughtful act to change not just the person receiving, but the person giving. In the age of social media it’s more important than ever to treat people like individuals with their own stories and burdens they carry. Act with love in your heart, and encourage others to do the same.    Quotes “It’s generally accepted that if you write me and tell me that you care about me and value me

322 Give Yourself Grace   To give yourself grace for mistakes you’ve made or for expectations that seem unattainable is something that can be more daunting than many of us want to admit. As difficult as it can be to be gracious with ourselves in order for us to grow and thrive as human beings, it is vital that we do be patient with ourselves and own our mistakes or failed expectations so that we can grow. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Nikki Campbell discuss the importance of resilience, growth, and grace with ourselves because everything we do starts with us and if we aren’t at our best we cannot give our best. Nikki Campbell brings warmth, understanding, and resilience to the discussion, telling many stories from her own life and how through her own strength and the love of those around her she was able to grow into who she is today.   Highlights We can’t always explain why certain things in our past happen, but what we can do is use these things to give us the strength to follow our dreams. “You can

321 Your Innate Worth   Throughout life we are told from an early age what to do, what jobs would be best for us, and what society expects of us. Quite often this leaves us in a job that doesn’t bring us fulfillment, so we end up looking for that fulfillment and sense of worth by exploring other career paths as well as life paths, and exploring what makes us feel our innate worth.  In this episode Sarah Elkins and Corree Roofener discuss how labels impact us and our skill sets from an early age, and how through hard work and dedication to one’s self you often find yourself in a fulfilling position in life.     Highlights Are you labeling someone despite seeing them through only one lens? What labels were you given that you still think about? Do you define yourself or do others? What is your natural skill that you do exceptionally well and what can you do to nurture that skill? Asking for help is one of the first steps in growth. Bringing in others with different skills who can help you, can make you t

320 Anchored in Time   Labels and judgment are an unfortunate symptom of society, more often than not people will be framed in a particular light without any chance to defend themselves or for a full explanation to be given. Because of one person saying something, one bad interaction, or one misinterpretation a person can be frozen in time under whatever label was given to them. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins ruminates on enlightening experiences that have recently occurred that have helped continue to shape her perspective on the damage of labels and unfair judgment.    Highlights Art imitates life and more often than not, not for the better. Labels and keeping someone frozen in time can warp our perceptions of others and ourselves.  Work on strategies to help yourself avoid judging another and labeling them unjustly.   Quotes “Their spouses, families, and friends are all shocked of course, and they say things like “My whole life with you is a lie!” I desperately wanted to ask those family and frien

319 Cultures, Conversations, and Community   The beauty of humanity is that we all share different cultures, from the differences in our food to whether we take our shoes off in the house, culture shapes how we interact with our community and our career which is why it is vital we have conversations about culture, so that we may find our community, teach others, and learn about another person’s beliefs and values, in doing so we will all be stronger together as a community. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Kevin Hamm discuss the importance of community, culture, and the conversations that need to happen in order for us all to have a better understanding and respect for one another. Kevin offers valuable insight, intelligent conversation, and a healthy dose of humor, approaching this difficult topic with humanity and dignity.    Highlights A love for new and exciting things starts early and fosters growth and admiration for other cultures and ideas. What memories from your past impact your decisions to thi

318 Cultivation Of The Self   Change and growth are seen everywhere in life, from caterpillars becoming butterflies, to saplings becoming towering trees, it is a normal and expected part of life that should be encouraged and embraced, especially when seen in ourselves. Change can be frightening but if you keep pressing on and contributing with the best of your ability, you will come to a better place.  In this episode Sarah Elkins and Kristopher Lopez discuss the importance of appreciating the version of yourself from the past and cultivating the person you want to be now. Kristopher Lopez is an intelligent, respectful, and emotionally intelligent individual who brings a unique insight to the quandaries posed in today’s episode.    Highlights The paths that lead us to wherever we are now sometimes seem contradictory. Resilience is like a ball, persistence is bouncing that ball so that it goes higher and higher each time. Mutual respect goes both ways and is invaluable to all relationships. Your contri

317 How Our Stories Frame Us   Taking the time to reflect on our stories and consider how they frame us and others is a uniquely powerful tool for storytellers. When we take a step back to look at how and why we are telling our stories we can see the lessons and the messages that are built into our stories and we can see just how important our stories are. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Amanda Edgar discuss how important our stories are, how they shape us, and how through time they are subject to change. Amanda brings intelligence, kindness, and humor to the conversation, which brings life and warmth to the episode. Highlights Things happen when we least expect them to. Your stories matter, you just need to tell them. Be mindful of how you describe people and events in your stories. If there is an inkling of revenge or blame when you're writing your story, you need to take a step back and ask yourself why you want to tell it.   Quotes “One of the things I hear people say so often is, 'Well who am

316 Community In The Age of Social Media   Want to join this year’s NLV Conference? Register here!   Throughout our careers we will all need to make decisions to benefit ourselves and others by being a good leader and building up our teammates. In the age of social media and technology it is easy to focus on progress and monetization over the health of your community and your team. It is vital to your growth as a person and a business owner to choose community and growth for the betterment of your business, your community, and your team. In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and the equally accomplished Eric Elkins discuss the importance of community and teamwork in our current age, how taking the time to listen to others and hold yourself and them accountable can lead to growth and change in the world around you. Eric also shares the skill of storytelling and brings awareness, compassion, and mindfulness to the conversation.    Highlights Sometimes you shouldn’t care what people think, especially if it’s someth

315 The Risks Of Following Your Passion   In life we are bound to do any number of things on our path to a successful career, adding to our portfolio of stories and skills in our pursuit of happiness. These things do not take away from our skills but instead add to them and our expertise, it all depends on how you choose to apply these acquired tools in our life and career. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Elaine Belson discuss how walking the many paths of life have helped shape them into the successful entrepreneurs they are today, offering insight and positivity involving the paths to fulfillment and success. Elaine brings warmth and an intelligent insight to the conversation, referencing and telling many stories of her numerous skill sets that have helped shape her and her business into who they are today.    Highlights Your skills can be applied in a variety of ways, even in situations you wouldn’t expect them to be in. What you take from your experiences contribute to your expertise, even if those e

314 What Builds Community (Like Chickens)    Want to join this year's NLV Conference? Register here!   Community is the life blood of our growth and success as human beings, even in the very beginning of humanity’s first steps across the globe we were hyper social creatures who relied on one another to survive, whether that be to have enough food or blankets for the cold months or maybe even knowing you could go to your local carpenter to ask for a new chair. We have always relied on one another to build ourselves and each other up, and without that fundamental part of our humanity we wouldn’t be where we are today and we will only stagnate and mold if we distance ourselves from it. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Jake Cinti discuss the importance of community and helping the places we call home to thrive, true although the experience of cultivating community isn’t always sunshine and roses, it is always an important and vital process. Jake Cinti brings equal parts intelligence, awareness, and compassion to

313 Rediscovering Yourself   Change is a fundamental law of nature, nothing stays the same forever. This is especially true when it comes to people, we are never the same even from moment to moment, we are allowed and expected to change, to grow, to become a version of ourselves that we can be proud of. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Michelle Cooper discuss growth, change, and the pains that come with it. Michelle brings warmth, empathy, and a depth of emotion that will make you laugh, maybe cry, but certainly bring you some hope and determination for the new year.    Highlights Sometimes all you need to do is learn the rules because you already have the skills. Acknowledging the other people who help shape your story. Sometimes finding your voice and your purpose can cause friction in your life, but it is your responsibility to work together and remedy the strife.   Quotes “To me whether it’s a partner or a friend or a family member, it doesn’t really matter. If they can’t support something that’s

312 Approaching Differences With Curiosity   Differences between people are as certain as night and day, however it is entirely up to us to determine if we will embrace these differences and learn more about them or to further isolate ourselves into an echochamber of similar ideology. In this episode Sarah Elkins reads from her upcoming book Authenticity is Overrated and ruminates on the importance of embracing differences as opposed to getting frustrated over them.    Highlights What are some personal blinders you are wearing? Life is boring without change and differences. Approaching differences with curiosity.   Quotes “We can have the most diverse workforce, a completely diverse group of professionals at the table. But if we’re only tolerating them, we are not embracing those differences.” “What if you reframe that story of that frustration to learn the lessons from it and find somebody that’s completely different from you that works in a way that grows your business.”   Dear Listeners it is now y

311 Admiration And Action   Inspiration is a necessity for growth and success, whether inspiration be drawn from daily life or from attending a keynote doesn’t change the importance, all that matters is finding it and determining whether you will admire said inspiration or take action because of it.  In today’s episode Sarah Elkins and Seth Dechtman discuss their roles as storytellers and how hosting or participating in keynotes and similar functions have helped shape their craft and outlooks on its importance. Insightful, compassionate, and an equally wonderful storyteller, Seth makes this episode enjoyable and inspiring.    Highlights We look to the past not to live there, but to move forward. Put yourself in the shoes of another so that you can understand their story. Do what you want to do now, there is no Someday.   Quotes “I believe words matter and a speech can change a life and a speech can change the world.” “I put that in a bucket called Admiration. It’s not bad, we all need it, it can be fu

310 Painting A Picture Of Yourself You Can Be Proud Of   Stories. We all have them and we all share them at some point or another, those stories may make your listener laugh or they may make them cry, what is equally important in storytelling is how you tell stories about other people in your life, how you talk about others says just as much about you as your own personal stories. By exploring the world around you and experiencing the diversity and unique qualities that every place and every person has to offer, you will feel even more alive and grateful for the stories you have to share.  In this episode Sarah Elkins and Peter Davis discuss the many facets of life, storytelling, and how uplifting others can lead one to a fulfilling life path. Peter brings intelligence and empathy to the conversation with thought provoking quandaries and heartfelt personal stories that are sure to leave you with some introspective questions to think about.    Highlights Do things that make you feel alive.  Diversity and c

309 Building Stories To Last    Dedicating your time to something that fulfills you is a vital part of the human experience, an example from today’s episode being home improvement projects on a property that’s almost one hundred years old. Dedicating time to something that was loved so it can be loved again and in turn become a testament to your skill and care for details, can only empower you and elevate your skills and reputation.  In this episode Sarah Elkins and Dylan Cinti discuss the power of putting time, effort, love, and curiosity into what you enjoy to do, whether that be a career, education, or a project. Putting that level of dedication into something that can be treasured for years to come is something that can only benefit you and those around you, just as it is so eloquently put by Dylan in today’s episode.    Highlights Encouraging curiosity can lead you to incredible paths.  The power of one person can change everything. Be proud of your seat at the table and what you contribute to the

308 Change For The Better   Change is inevitable. It’s a fundamental rule of the universe that everything must change, however it is entirely up to you for the perception of that change to either be a blessing or a curse. Perhaps that change was what you needed to become the person you are today and shed the identity you once held. It's understandable to mourn the person you were but you must look to the future and the new changes that will come. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Chase Dalton discuss the importance of change and holding true to your values despite change in life. Chase offers a compassionate and intelligent view on life by weaving his natural empathy into his storytelling, bringing a warmth and eagerness that is always appreciated to the discussion.    Highlights What preconceived notions are you still believing about something you don’t know about? It’s okay to not understand things about life, but you need to be sure you are not judging another for how they choose to believe or cope with

307 An Analogy For Happiness   In today’s environment that is so rife with the use of social media it can be both bewildering and disconcerting to not know what is or isn’t manufactured for content, as well as the perceived obligation to have to participate in social media. Although both overwhelming and exciting one must always remember to have their values at heart and to put forth what you want in the world while also keeping in mind how to support your friends and family online. In this episode Sarah Elkins and AJ Kumar discuss how social media has impacted our perceptions of the world as well as our interpersonal relationships. AJ brings an insightful and warm perspective to the conversation, while also sharing his joy of learning and trying new things, and how these experiences have brought him to where he is today.   Highlights We are all multifaceted. You can’t just give up and stop learning. Be cautious of the attention you invite into your life and how you return that attention. Think about

306 The Escape of A Good Book   Following the theme of art and how it inspires us, this week is writing. We have all picked up a book that shaped us in one way or another, and maybe we’re still looking for that next book capable of bringing us comfort and escape from our busy lives. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Adina Edelman discuss the importance of how writing impacts us and how working with authors has given Adina the opportunity to read and contribute to these works of art.   Highlights Keep on trying, especially when you fail. Even if there is a failure you can still turn it into something better, even if it wasn’t the original idea you had. Make sure when you help someone that you are uplifting their voice and not replacing it with your own.   Quotes “You’ve got to keep on trying it, and even to walk in with that sort of expectation that it is a process and it’s okay if things go wrong, and there will be elements in there that both need improvement, but you know the batter still tasted good.

305 The Anthem of Poetry   The arts have always been impactful and meaningful to humanity, however one stands above all the rest in this episode and that is poetry. Poetry conveys emotions and thoughts that are often difficult to put into words, making it one of the most important avenues for both emotional understanding and human connection.  In this episode Sarah Elkins and Maya Williams discuss the importance of poetry and how Maya’s experiences and life paths shaped them into the artist they are.    Highlights You’ll never know who you can teach or inspire. Find the communities that welcome and love you. Give yourself permission and encouragement to seek what you need and will work for you. Do the work, especially when it’s hard. We are all full of contradictions, meaning it is even more important to hold true to our values.  Spite can be a great motivator, especially in succeeding and surviving.   Quotes “I remember telling my therapist, “Oh well, I know that not every space is perfect, rig

304 Women’s Relationships   Whether it be in the workplace, in daily life, or anywhere we go in the world, we meet exceptional individuals that make life both enjoyable and enlightening. It is vital to not only appreciate these people, but to seek out more kindred spirits to lift up and to be lifted up by. In this episode Sarah Elkins and her friends Kimberly Davis and Heather Younger discuss the importance of support and relationships in both our careers and in our down time.   Highlights Surprise someone with support. Be a champion for another. Don’t judge or treat another poorly because of your own preconceived notions. Being intentional when lifting others up.  Do not contribute to the hatefulness and meanness in the world, look for the good and the hope that is inspired by those you hold dear.  Make the work worth it, but don’t let yourself get overworked and overwhelmed. Everything you do, begins with you, so try to be at your best. Quotes “The folks I hire, I’m not hiring them because the