Today’s episode with international keynote speaker and public speaking trainer Melanie Spring is such a good one!

She takes us on her journey from being a brand strategist interviewing companies and finding out what made them work (hint: it has something to do with stories!), to becoming a public speaker and trainer who helps other people bring their stories to the big stage.

I had such a fun and enlightening conversation with Melanie, and I invite you to listen in as we talk about:

• How she unexpectedly found her passion in teaching people how to say what they need or want to say
• Her life-changing retreat that goes beyond public speaking, and allows people to find out what’s standing between them and who they want to be
• What she feels are the things holding people back from sharing their stories and making an impact on stage
• Being an introvert and why her personality makes her good at what she does
• A major tip she has for anyone who is getting ready to speak on stage...

Whether it be in our personal lives or in business, creating connections and building relationships get easier when we openly share stories with our audience. A work presentation, a social media post, or even just an email to a friend becomes more interesting when injected with relevant stories.

But it isn’t always easy to dig up stories we can use to engage with others. Sometimes, we feel our stories are too personal to be shared, or we may think they’re not interesting enough to be told.

So how and where do we find stories other than our personal experiences?

Find out in today’s episode as I share with you:

• Why the practice of being aware and intentional is important in finding stories
• How I came up with the concept of Found Objects
• Two of the stories I share that are centered on Found Objects, and how I use them to send a message to my audience
• Why it’s important to pause and take the time to notice what’s around us

Stories are everywhere. But...

Stories are powerful. They can teach us, give us hope and encouragement, provide comfort, inspire people, and transform lives.

On the other end of the spectrum, these same stories can also leave us feeling defeated, ashamed, and tied to an invisible chain.

After years of doing storytelling work, I’ve discovered far too many people are on the latter side of the scale: shying away from telling their stories and hiding behind feelings of guilt, shame or regret.

What we need to realize is these stories we’re running away from are the ones that will have the most impact when we open up and share them.

So join me in today’s episode of The Inside Story podcast as I talk about:

• The story of losing my teeth — and how I learned a powerful storytelling lesson early on in my life
• How to free yourself from the negative hold your story has on you
• How my community — the LIGHTbeamers Community — has become a safe place for women who want to share their story

...

It has been a while since my last solo episode so this one right here is pretty special!

In all honesty, it took me some time to get around to recording this, which is ironic because as you will find out, the reason I’ve been holding off is actually what our topic today covers and addresses.

So listen in as I share with you:

• How I have been staying in my comfort zone and what that looks like to me, especially in producing this podcast
• The story behind my first encounter with the concept of “pushing the edge” and the man who introduced it to me
• The image I immediately thought of when I heard about the concept, and why I feel like it’s an apt analogy for pushing the edge
• How staying in the smallest circle stops us from going after and getting what we truly desire for ourselves
• Where I’m struggling to push myself over the edge in different areas like my health and my mindset
• The reason why I don’t really believe in the concept of failure...

When life gives you a series of unfortunate events, throwing in the towel seems like the easiest thing to do. But for Brittany Clayborne, admitting defeat wasn’t an option. She chose to push through everything that was put in her path and as a result, is now living out her soul’s purpose. She’s using her voice to tell her incredible story, and create awareness and intention in those who hear her words.

Today’s episode resonates with me so much because it reminds me of my own conviction and message to other women: to stop waiting for the perfect moment, and to ask for the big story and receive it with arms wide open.

So join me and Brittany as we have a deep — and at times funny — conversation about:

• Her journey from being diagnosed with Peripartum Cardiomyopathy or PPCM and getting a pacemaker
• Going through heart failure seven times before getting a mechanical device to help her weakening heart
• Spending 9 months at the hospital away from her...

Denice Chenault is one of the most powerful women in network marketing. But she will also be the first one to tell you that she never thought of herself as a sales person, let alone imagined she could build a meaningful career people tend to associate with selling.

On today’s episode of The Inside Story Podcast, we go beyond the basics of network marketing and look at the heart of it through the eyes of Denice. From thinking of it initially as just a source of income, to understanding the real foundation a great career in this industry actually stands on, Denice takes us on her journey that goes back more than 22 years.

Our conversation is an enlightening one, so join us as we talk about:

• Denice’s back story and why she really got into network marketing all those years ago
• Appreciating how this industry provides equal opportunity for everybody — regardless of background — to become abundant
• How network marketing has taken her from being the shy girl from...

We all have money stories. Yet this topic is one that most of us shy away from and are even discouraged from discussing. Whether it’s from being told that it’s not polite to talk about money, or we’re too ashamed to discuss our own financial status, we do not talk about wealth as much as we should.

But more than just the amount that’s sitting in your bank account (although this matters quite a lot!), true wealth depends on the mindset we have about money and our relationship with it, and letting ourselves open up to the infinite abundance that is our birthright.

Today, my dear friend and money mentor Alexandra Taketa shares with us how our money stories can either stop us from reaching our full wealth potential, or allow us to attract the unlimited and abundant life of our dreams.

So listen in as Alexandra and I discuss:

• Her own money story rooted from childhood, and the work she did (and still continues to do!) to shift from a state of lack into the...

Inspirational author Shannon L. Alder said: “There is no perfection, only beautiful versions of brokenness.”

That’s the truth. All of us have gone through heartbreak at some point, experienced difficult moments, and had dark days we thought would never end. And while our individual life stories may be woven uniquely, we ultimately have the same story elements and patterns such as love lost and found, birth and death, abuse and healing — and the same emotions that come with these experiences.

For first time author Kimberly Smith, life has been a series of traumatic events. When she finally decided to write these down in her book Beautifully Broken: Forged through Fire, Up from Ashes, telling her story freed her from the negative hold her experiences had on her, and gave her the power to heal not just her own heart, but also touch other women’s lives.

In this episode, Kim and I talk about:

• When she first realized she wanted to tell her story,...

When you hear the words, “Today is a GIFT”, what does it mean to you? Does it strike a chord with you or stirs something in your soul?

If there’s anything that 2020 taught us, it is that truly, every day is a gift. “Tomorrow is not promised” might be a cliché, but it is a reality that should teach us one thing: there’s no better time than today to take action and be the best version of ourselves, and to live our best lives now.

I invite you to listen to today’s episode of The Inside Story Podcast as I share with you:

• My love for acronyms and what W.A.I.T. really means
• What I feel is the major difference between men and women when it comes to facing the unknown, taking on challenges, and making decisions
• Why taking that first step and taking action toward your goals and dreams are the hardest things to do, but also the most important and rewarding
• My goal to make women realize their worth, and to elevate and highlight their stories

We’re all familiar with the old adage: “Laughter is the best medicine”. But how does humor actually tie in with healing trauma that we go through at some point in our lives?

Today’s episode of The Inside Story Podcast introduces us to Pasha Marlowe — life and laughter coach, and holistic personal trainer. As Pasha shares with me, she started out like any other marriage and family therapist who uses traditional methods for treatment. But a personal, traumatic experience led her to search for and apply all sorts of tools to bring about healing, and ultimately make the mindful decision to use humor as part of the process.

So join me and Pasha as we discuss:

• Her work as a therapist and health coach, and how a major shift in her family’s life became the springboard for her to use comedy, laughter and humor to promote healing
• What her coaching used to be like, versus how it looks now that she is working with the lens of humor
• Being open to...