The Intentional Story

It sure is hard to believe, but season 1 has almost come and gone. We have a couple of loose ends to tie up for you all, so on this episode of The Intentional Story Podcast, we are resolving cliffhangers and bookending the first season. How we format the stories we tell can completely change the impact of our words - in both negative and positive ways. Taking the time to intentionally structure a story can build and resolve tension powerfully for your audience.Spend some time with us as we each tell a story or two, intentionally.We want to hear you, we want to connect with you, and we want to help you tell your stories, intentionally.Love,Maggie, Melanie & NateFind out more at http://theintentionalstory.com

Together for the first time EVER, we recorded this episode in Denver right before our very last SPEAK With Confidence Retreat. 14 Rockstars were making their way to us, so why not talk about manifesting, confidence, and what it looks like to show up perfectly you?On this episode of The Intentional Story Podcast, we talk about whether we see ‘manifesting' as whoo-whoo or concrete, depending on how the idea was first presented to us. Melanie also walks us through the simple version of #manifestthatshit - a process that takes work and intention.So what do you want to manifest? Are you interested in doing the work it takes to actually decide what you want and run after it? Let's manifest some shit together!We want to hear you, we want to connect with you, and we want to help you tell your stories, intentionally.Love,Maggie, Melanie & Nate(p.s.- if you want a little extra joy in your life, be sure to watch the recording of this episode. You won't regret it.)Find out more at http://theintentionalstory.com

There are a million different ways for the world to categorize us - that can be good or bad, depending on the motivation behind it. One of the favorite ways to do that in the last 30 years is through personality tests (Myers-Briggs, DISC, StrengthsFinder, etc.). We want people to tell us who we are - it's a lot of work to take that journey on our own. Why are we fascinated by personality tests? What are we really trying to learn from them?On this episode of The Intentional Story Podcast, Maggie walks us through another one of these self-awareness journeys - the Enneagram. Now, Maggie is not an expert by any means, but has taken a novice fascination in it, so be sure to do your own research if you want to know more!The Enneagram gives us a helpful context around how you see the world, and how we see the world influences how we tell stories. Jump in with us as we try to know ourselves better - and learn with us as we try to tell more meaningful stories.We want to hear you, we want to connect with you, and we want to help you tell your stories, intentionally.Love,Maggie, Melanie & NateFind out more at http://theintentionalstory.com

Did you know that the things our parents, grandparents, great-grandparents (and on and on) did get passed down to us? The experiences of our families make huge imprints on us, whether we are aware of it or not. Take some time with us on this episode of The Intentional Story Podcast to sift through some of our own personal generational stories and the impact they have on each of us - the way we process, the things we fear, the hopes we have. Generational stories are the foundations of our lives - how are yours affecting you?We want to hear you, we want to connect with you, and we want to help you tell your stories, intentionally.Love,Maggie, Melanie & NateFind out more at http://theintentionalstory.com

What doesn't kill you makes you… more of who you were meant to be. Start this episode of The Intentional Story Podcast with us as we “circle back” on a few things (and touch on our hate/hate relationship with that phrase). Melanie recaps how her talk from episode 8 went and how she used the bookending technique to tie her talk together beautifully. We have mentioned the idea of ‘chapter headings' over and over again on this podcast, and we finally get to talk about what those really mean! If you know Nate at all, you know that he has developed the idea of chapter headings for his work training other actors. Our chapter headings are the events or circumstances or experiences that we go through that shape the people we are today - the epic things we look back on and see that we were profoundly impacted. Join us for a fascinating conversation about the big things that happen in our lives, how they shape us, and what we can do with that knowledge. We want to hear you, we want to connect with you, and we want to help you tell your stories, intentionally.Love,Maggie, Melanie & NateFind out more at http://theintentionalstory.com

Ever wondered what it's like to work with us as we workshop an idea? In this episode of The Intentional Story Podcast, we learn about how Melanie gives all sorts of talks to all sorts of groups, and retools pieces of them depending on her audience. With her first in-person talk in over a year just 24 hours away, we are working on her opening story - a live coaching workshop! How can you make the most of the first few minutes you are on stage? What stories are the best to use right at the beginning? We get into the nitty-gritty details of how you could start a talk - paying close attention to the power of a good first-story.Take a deep breath, smile, and let's begin.(Listen closely for Nate's illuminating realization of what his inner critic needs to be called. Go back and watch episode 7 to understand the reference.)

Starting with a story is something we teach in our SPEAK With Confidence program – but so many people ask “Why?”In this episode of The Intentional Story Podcast, Maggie talks about her process when writing a new talk. Many speakers are able to use the same talk over and over, changing just a few things and adapting it for their audience, but pastors need to change their content completely from week to week. Everyone has a different process when putting together a talk, and each one is important - no matter what your process looks like. We spend some time talking about why we should actively find our own voices and processes instead of copying or imitating someone else, and how important it is to know who you are as you write a talk.We want to hear you, we want to connect with you, and we want to help you tell your stories, intentionally.Love,Maggie, Melanie & NateFind out more at http://theintentionalstory.com

Spoiler alert - if you're ever wanted to watch that Ryan Reynolds movie where he is buried alive, don't watch it. Or if you really want to watch it, Maggie tells you how it ends in the first 2 minutes, so maybe skip ahead if you don't want to know.While we may not be able to actually kill our inner critics, we can name them, acknowledge them, and move on from them. In this episode of The Intentional Story Podcast, we continue our conversation from the last episode, we're diving deep into that voice inside our heads that tells us we aren't enough, we won't make it, we're incapable. When does that critic start, where does it come from, and how can we treat ourselves carefully and gently as we try to unpack these pieces of ourselves?We want to hear you, we want to connect with you, and we want to help you tell your stories, intentionally.Love,Maggie, Melanie & NateFind out more at http://theintentionalstory.com

Welcome to The Intentional Story Podcast! Every single human on this planet has a life full of stories. Whether you see them swirling around you or not, those stories impact the way you see the world, yourself, and all of the people around you. We believe that your stories are worth telling, and we want to help you tell them well. In the inaugural episode, we jump right in & talk about the purpose, meaning, and heart behind The Intentional Story Podcast. Listen to Melanie have a hard time introducing us, Maggie gets bleeped out in the first minute, and Nate talks about how much he loves his hair. Why do we tell stories? We tell stories to connect, and if there's anything this world needs, it's more genuine connection between humans. But not only are they a way to connect, stories are a way to be heard. Whoever you are, whatever you do, you have a story that is worth telling and worth being heard. When you tell a story intentionally, you get to put thought and intention and purpose behind those stories. We want to hear you, we want to connect with you, and we want to help you tell your stories, intentionally. Love,Maggie, Melanie & NateFind out more at http://theintentionalstory.com

We seem to hear and read a lot about ‘imposter syndrome' these days, but what does that mean for us as storytellers? Believe it or not, audiences can tell if you are afraid, insecure, overconfident, or arrogant as soon as you walk on stage. At the end of the day, it all comes down to owning your story, so how can you fully own it? In this episode of The Intentional Story Podcast, we break down what ‘imposter syndrome' is, how it affects the way we see ourselves, and how we can move past it into a place of confidence and vulnerability. We want to hear you, we want to connect with you, and we want to help you tell your stories, intentionally.Love,Maggie, Melanie & NateFind out more at http://theintentionalstory.com

Welcome to the Intentional Story Podcast where we talk about… Maggie's anger. Okay not really, but that is how we start things off this episode. We are actually continuing our conversation about empathy and storytelling. Melanie, Nate, and Maggie share about some of their experiences, specifically within their families growing up, and how their ability to understand the other sides of the story has helped them become more empathetic people. Join us as we figure out how we own our stories, ask better questions, and open ourselves up to more empathetic relationships.We want to hear you, we want to connect with you, and we want to help you tell your stories, intentionally.Love,Maggie, Melanie & NateFind out more at http://theintentionalstory.com

If you know us at all, you know we talk about empathy A LOT. Spend some time with us as we talk about the difference between empathy and sympathy, and how every single one of us as human beings can feel with other people more genuinely. In this episode of The IntentionalS Story Podcast, we dive deep into how all of these things shape us on and off stage, and discuss why the world needs more truly empathetic people (let's all feel things with each other, but not pity each other).We can all grow in our ability to empathize with other people, and the first step is realizing that it's okay to be vulnerable. When we share our stories with one another, we get to not only grow in relationships, but grow in the way we feel things for and with other people. Empathy really is the key - to relationships, to health, to growth - and we could all use a little more of it. We want to hear you, we want to connect with you, and we want to help you tell your stories, intentionally.Love,Maggie, Melanie & NateFind out more at http://theintentionalstory.com

Well, hi! We're Maggie, Nate, and Melanie - and in this episode of The Intentional Story Podcast, we share a bit about who we are and what makes us care about stories and the people who tell them. Melanie, the Approachable Badass, wants you to show up for yourself so you can show up for others. Growing up in a space where women were mothers, nurses, or teachers, she ended up getting into communications and falling in love with brand and brand strategy. She accidentally became a speaker trainer because she believes that people need to start saying what they need to say. Maggie, the Tattooed Pastor, is a challenging voice to those around her who loves pulling the best out of everyone around her. After taking a career-projection assessment in high school she was told to be a trash collector, which honestly felt pretty par for the course, she got an English degree and then years later decided to go to divinity school (it sounds a lot like Hogwarts, but it's disappointingly different). Nate, the Chapter Heading Fiend, likes to slack Melanie and Maggie about what he should do with his hair when we all record podcasts. As an actor and empath, his goal is to hold space for people and give them permission to be themselves. We want to hear you, we want to connect with you, and we want to help you tell your stories, intentionally.Love,Maggie, Melanie & NateFind out more at http://theintentionalstory.com

TEASER ALERT!How many adults does it take to intro a podcast? Get a behind-the-scenes look at how much Melanie, Nate, and Maggie screw up when they need to be serious. Oh, and hear all of us swear… a few times. We're getting ready to launch The Intentional Story Podcast, so be sure to LIKE, REVIEW, and SUBSCRIBE anywhere you listen to podcasts!