Filtered Perceptions

In our final episode of Season One I talk about my favourite topic: self-care. Self care is often a catch all term. But in its most simplest terms can be described as care for oneself. But how do you know what YOU really need? In today’s chat, I talk about the importance of cultivating stronger self-awareness and self-love on our self-care journey’s and share five tips to help you do so. In this episode I discuss Why self-care is a discipline 5 tips to put your wellbeing front and centre Why self-love, self-awareness and self-compassion are key ingredients to a self-care practice Reflection questions shared in this episode What is your definition of self-care? What are your self-care non-negotiables How would you describe yourself if you couldn’t list your accomplishments? Stay Connected with the Podcast Follow us on Instagram: @filteredperceptions Follow Chivon on Instagram and Twitter: @chivonjohn

What do cake decorating, diaper cakes, writing and website design have in common? They are all activities that once brought me joy but quickly turned into a burden once I transformed them from a hobby into a hustle. This topic has been on my spirit for quite some time, but I was motivated into action to record this episode after reading the article The Modern Trap of Turning Hobbies Into Hustles by Molly Conway. Reading her insights made me reflect on my own experience of falling into this trap and more importantly how can we release the pressure we put on ourselves to monetize our joy and be busy ALL of the time. So today’s episode is devoted to unraveling the reasons why we feel obligated to monetize the things that bring us joy and why we have permission to stop filling our lives with more things to do. In this episode I discuss The moment I realized that one of my hustles was no longer bringing me joy The 3 reasons that lead us to transform a hobby into a hustle and why it’s not always a great idea Why you have permission to opt out of the cycle of busyness Reflection questions shared in this episode Have you ever monetized a hobby or passion project? If so, what was your motivation for doing so and does this hobby still bring you joy? When was the last time that you did something simply for the sake of it and not to achieve a result or outcome? What do you wish that you had more time for in your life?

In this episode of Filtered Perceptions, I welcome Lola Akinkuowo, a Nigerian-American multifaceted creative entrepreneur, writer, and educator at heart. As the founder of the digital platform, The Blogger Etiquette she helps bloggers clarify their purpose, create impactful content, and build memorable brands that are seen, heard, and understood. Lola inspires her community to tell meaningful stories, and use their purpose to make an imprint on the world around them and in this episode we go behind the scenes to learn the story of the woman who turned her passion into purpose and the obstacles she’s encountered along the way. In this episode we discuss Why the struggles we experience prepare us for the future The importance of separating your identity from your work  Why it’s important to be known for something specific, and not ‘the person who does all the things’ Overcoming the fear of disappointing others when you desire to rebrand or change direction How self-love is the secret to her self-care practice What perfectionism and imposter syndrome taught her about execution Reflection questions shared in this episode Do you believe you would have everything you have now if it wasn’t for past struggles? What can you learn from those experiences? Where are you majoring in minor things in your life? How can perfectionism delay progress? Stay Connected with Lola Website: Blogger Etiquette Twitter: @LolaAkinkuowo   Stay Connected with the Podcast Follow us on Instagram: @filteredperceptions Follow Chivon on Instagram and Twitter: @chivonjohn

In episode 8 we meet Kayley Reed – a former start-up founder turned self-care advocate and marketing influencer who shares her story of choosing her health over ‘hustle’. At the age of 20, Kayley co-founded Wear Your Label, a Canadian lifestyle brand that merged fashion & mental health awareness. By the age of 22, the brand was attracting media from across North America, but by the following year of non-stop “hustle”, the experienced left her completely burnt out. During this time, Kayley became a well-known face in mental health advocacy, but behind the scenes, she quietly struggled with her own mental health as the brand grew. In this episode we discuss: The origin story of Wear Your Label The moment Kayley realized it was time to leave the start-up world Experiencing burnout as a mental health advocate   Kayley’s process of discovering her identity outside of entrepreneurship and answering the question ‘Who am I?’ The motivation behind Kayley’s podcast Self-Care Sunday and how it’s different from her previous business ventures The importance of pleasure and joy in adulthood Reflection questions shared in this episode: What role, persona or title have you become known for but wish that you could let go? If you could wipe the slate clean, what do you really want folks to know about you? What do you wish you had more time for in your life? What activities bring you the most joy and how often do you make time for them?  

Ambition and wellbeing are often at odds but Tameika Gentles shows women that it’s possible to have both. In this episode of Filtered Perceptions, I welcome Tameika Gentles, a Certified Personal Trainer and Co-Founder of the The Whole Experience Retreat who took inspiring and radical steps to transform her life and now helps women to do the same. As a full-time digital nomad who has visited over 40 countries around the world, Tameika and I talk about how she emerged from a period of heartbreak and over $50K of debt to living abroad as the founder of a successful business that originated as a side hustle. A quick peek at Tameika’s instagram shows a stunning highlight reel of beautiful countries, fitness retreats and her own inspiring weight loss journey, so in our conversation we talk about Tameika’s story, unravel perceptions of what it’s like to be a woman of colour abroad, self care practices to manage loneliness as a solo traveller and more. In this episode we discuss How heartbreak and debt led to a transformational life change in her personal and professional life The experience of being a woman of color abroad and misconceptions of being a digital nomad Self care practices to manage loneliness and support your health as a solo traveller The strategic steps Tameika took to get out of debt while living abroad and working full-time What she’s looking forward to and her intentions for 2019 Reflection questions shared in this episode Is there something that you would like to learn or do but you’ve been putting it off or resisting? If so, what is it and why? When you think of the person that you aspire to be. What do you see? What does this person do, how do they feel like and act? What is one thing that you can do to bring the vision of the person you aspire to be become a reality?  

When was the last time that you asked yourself if the things that you desire support the life that YOU want to live or if they things you think you SHOULD BE doing? Even if you master your habits or consistency, if you’re not in full alignment with your goals, have a clear definition of success and values, and nurturing your emotional and mental health it’s easy to collect a bunch of wins but always feel like you’re losing. In this episode I discuss: The five steps to hustle with intention My biggest regret of not listening to my intuition when growing my brand The importance of defining what success means to you and why you desire it How to ensure that you don’t let your fears get the best of you   Reflection questions shared in this episode What is your definition of success? What are your values? ‘What are the moments when you feel the most like yourself? What are small things that you could do starting this week to experience this feeling? What do you currently have on your plate out of obligation or to keep up appearances? What would you do instead? What obstacles or fears are standing in the way of success? What can you do to eliminate them? Stay Connected with the Podcast Follow us on Instagram: @filteredperceptions Follow Chivon on Instagram and Twitter: @chivonjohn

Create what you wish existed.  That’s exactly what motivated my guest Chanèle Mcfarlane to launch a platform that married her passion for personal branding and style. Today that passion project is known as Do Well Dress Well and reaches thousands of woman across Canada, inspired the creation of a social enterprise to provide professional development opportunities and for a brief period was Chanèle full-time focus. At the time of recording this episode Chanèle was over 6 months into her journey as a full-time entrepreneur and shared some unfiltered truths about what this experience was like behind the scenes and her journey of redefining success. In this episode we discuss The origin story of Do Well Dress Well and when Chanèle realized it was time pause to get realigned with her mission How Chanèle accomplishes more by doing less and why her perceptions of hustle have changed The challenge of navigating the intentions of others as you become more visible Why the secret to doing well can be found in doing good. Full episode show notes are available on www.filteredperceptions.co

Have you ever felt called to express yourself in a bigger way but your natural instinct is to stay quiet? In today’s episode we unravel the resistance and beliefs that prevent us from sharing our stories with GG Renee Hill - an independent author, speaker and advocate for self-discovery through writing.   A candid voice for mental health and self-care, GG writes about the joys and challenges of living an authentic life and being a fully expressed woman.  Her books, courses and workshops empower women to embrace all their layers, creatively and shamelessly. In our discussion we unpack: How to embrace who you are by looking within The difference between exposure and examination How to begin writing your story instead of suppressing it Why introversion is not an excuse to hide For show notes and reflection questions from this episode visit: http://www.filteredperceptions.co

In this episode of Filtered Perceptions, we meet Krysta Knight - a software engineer and former natural hair influencer who left the social media influencer space to focus on her own personal growth in photography and fashion. After recognizing that the success of her Youtube channel ‘Pretty Little Fro’ came at the expense of her mental and emotional wellbeing, Krysta made the decision to walk away from the brand, delete her social media following of over 50K followers and cut her signature long hair. In our discussion we unravel perceptions about online influence and fame, the impact that Krysta’s online brand had on her offline relationships and what Krysta is doing now and more importantly what she’s doing differently. In our conversation we discuss Why Krysta decided to delete her instagram account of over 50K followers, cut her hair and stop creating videos about natural hair The reason why Krysta felt she was living a lie as her brand popularity increased The impact that online success had on her mental health and life offline What Krysta is passionate about now and what she’s doing differently Krysta current definition of success and her advice to women who want to build a brand with authenticity Links and resources mentioned in this episode Krysta’s Youtube Video: Why I Cut My Long Natural Hair and Deleted My Instagram Account Krysta’s Podcast Recommendation:  Welcome to Nightvale Stay Connected Connect with Krysta Knight at @krystaslost on Instagram Follow us on Instagram: @filteredperceptions Follow Chivon on Instagram and Twitter: @chivonjohn

Hustle and burnout are often accepted as a part of the journey for entrepreneurs but what happens when #teamnosleep almost takes your life? In this episode I speak with Cherry Rose Tan, a fifth-generation entrepreneur, high-performance coach, and an award-winning educator who teaches executives how to be mentally indestructible, so they can excel at the highest levels of stress. After surviving two near death experiences that forced her to confront her own perceptions about success, Cherry is on a mission to change the way burnout and mental health are perceived in the business world. In our conversation we discuss Cherry Rose’s journey from Startup Founder to High-Performance Coach The health scare that led to her departure from startup life How she is redefining success through focusing on self-care Cherry Rose’s mission to heal mental illness in the business world Cherry Rose Tan's Official Biography Cherry Rose is a fifth-generation entrepreneur, a high-performance coach, and an award-winning educator who has taught Canada's richest families. She teaches executives how to be mentally indestructible, so they can excel at the highest levels of stress. With an entrepreneurial lineage from the 1800s, Cherry Rose has built companies alongside her brother for 14 years. It led to the creation of Paycase Financial, Canada's first fully-compliant crypto exchange with TMX and BMO, where she acts as an early investor. With a decade in psychology, she is a mental health authority in the tech space, speaking at conferences like Fireside and CIX. She holds an H.B.Sc. in Psychology and a M.A. in Education from the University of Toronto, along with three certifications in Special Education. Links and resources mentioned in this episode Book Recommendations: The One Thing Wild Feminine Stay Connected Connect with Cherry Rose Tan at https://www.cherryrosetan.com/ Follow us on Instagram: @filteredperceptions Follow Chivon on Instagram and Twitter: @chivonjohn

In the debut episode of Filtered Perceptions, we meet our host Chivon John, who shares her journey of unravelling perceptions of success. After recognizing that her life was on an infinite loop of striving and anxiety, she shares why she paused her ‘hustle mode’ for over a year to reflect on her identity beyond her work and accomplishments and 4 tips to help you do the same. In this episode Chivon share Why she created Filtered Perceptions What her dedication to being booked and busy was really masking How pausing her ‘hustle mode’ forced her to rethink her identity 4 tips to help you ‘win’ without losing yourself Stay Connected Follow us on Instagram: @filteredperceptions Follow Chivon on Instagram and Twitter: @chivonjohn If you enjoyed today’s episode please leave us a review and subscribe so you never miss an episode.  

Success, we all want it but how do you know when you’ve achieved it? Is it by the amount of money you’ve made? The people you’ve impacted? Or is it how you feel about yourself? This is Filtered Perceptions. A podcast that unravels our complicated perceptions about success and achievement by sharing unfiltered stories of growth and grace. Join Chivon John as she goes behind the social media highlight reels of individuals to share honest and relatable truths creating a life that feels great for YOU instead of one that looks great to others.