Podcasts about Curate

Send us a textIn this empowering episode of the SheClicks Women in Photography Podcast, Angela Nicholson chats with award-winning photographer and filmmaker Alice Greenfield. From developing prints in a darkroom at 16 to shooting global campaigns for outdoor brands, Alice's creative journey is all about discovering what truly lights you up and building a career around it.After studying film and photography at Leeds University, Alice worked in London as a producer and editor for major publications. But she soon realised the city life didn't align with her creative goals or personal wellbeing. In a bold move, she left it all behind, refocused her portfolio and began sharing images that truly reflected her love for nature and storytelling.Now based on the Isle of Wight, Alice co-runs Adrift Visuals, producing beautiful imagery for travel, outdoor and lifestyle brands. She talks about how defining her visual style, and consistently sharing that on Instagram, attracted her dream clients. As a Sony European Creator, she also shares insights into working with limited kit, her editing approach, and the value of passion projects that keep creativity flowing.Alice's story is an honest and inspiring reminder that it's okay not to know your ‘thing' right away. Sometimes it takes unlearning, experimenting and even a little risk-taking to find your path as a photographer.Connect with AliceWebsiteAdrift VisualsInstagramLinkedInSonyThis podcast is supported by Sony, maker of class-leading camera equipment and cutting-edge technologies – like the Global Shutter in the Alpha 9 III which won the SheClicks 2024 Award for Innovation.TakeawaysYou Don't Need Fancy Gear to Create Impactful WorkEmbrace what you have, limitations can fuel creativity and skill-building.Find Your Visual Identity by Doing More of What You LoveShow the kind of work you want to attract. Curate your portfolio with intention.Nature is the Best Creative PartnerGetting outdoors not only boosts wellbeing but also inspires meaningful content.Start Passion Projects to Stay InspiredDedicate time to personal work that reflects your values and fuels creative growth.Confidence Comes from Clarity and TimeIt's okay not to know your niche at the beginning. Your style will evolve.Photography and Video Are Closer Than You ThinkIf you understand composition and light, you already have the foundation for video storytelling.Support the show

Rio Ferdinand is a former professional footballer, television pundit, and entrepreneur, widely regarded as one of the greatest defenders of his generation.Over a stellar career spanning nearly two decades, he rose to prominence at Manchester United, where he won six Premier League titles, a UEFA Champions League, and numerous domestic honours. As a key figure for the England national team, Ferdinand earned 81 caps, representing his country at the highest level.Since retiring from football, he has successfully transitioned into broadcasting and business, becoming a respected voice in football analysis and a passionate advocate for mental health awareness and social justice.This episode was filmed in AlUla, Saudi Arabia, where Rio visited to launch Curate — a luxury concierge, experience, and guest management company. Through Curate, Rio aims to showcase the Kingdom as he sees it: shaped by the incredible experiences he's had and driven by a deep passion for sharing Saudi Arabia's rich culture with the world.

In this empowering episode of "Grit, Grace, and Glitz," host Erika Rothenberger welcomes the dynamic Jessica Papineau—a woman who elevates both personal style and self-authenticity. The conversation delves into the synergy of grit, grace, and celebration, emphasizing the importance of embracing one's true self in both life and fashion.Erika and Jessica recount their serendipitous meeting during an event, highlighting how genuine connections can transpire from brief encounters when individuals are open and aware. They discuss the power of surrounding oneself with like-minded, inspiring individuals, and how this connection enhances personal growth and success.Jessica shares her unique journey—from her humble beginnings in rural Maine to her role as a stylist and life coach. She explains her holistic approach to fashion, which is rooted in self-development and personal reflection. Rather than merely helping clients find fashionable outfits, Jessica empowers women to discover and express their authentic selves through their wardrobe choices. Listeners are encouraged to explore their desires, tap into their childhood creativity, and break free from societal norms that dictate how they should present themselves. Jessica's exercises prompt listeners to visualize their future selves and curate wardrobes that align with their aspirations.The Power Presence Index QuizReveal your unique Power Presence Index™ by taking a fascinating journey through six specific areas. This  quiz will magically illuminate your journey to becoming an unstoppable force in both your personal and professional life!With Your Power Presence Index™ You Can...* Curate a Powerful Style That Speaks Before You Do* Amplify Your Influence In Every Area of Life* Command Attention and Lead with Confidence* Expand Your Reach and Elevate Your Circle* Speak With Authority & Win With Grace* Leave a Lasting Impact That ResonatesTake the quiz here

In this episode of Recruiting Conversations, I'm breaking down one of the biggest pain points in recruiting: what do you say when a recruit isn't ready to move, and you're stuck between disappearing or sounding like “just checking in”? The answer: show up with value. Here's how to pivot from awkward follow-up calls to intentional touchpoints that build real trust—and how to do it without creating content from scratch. You'll learn how to become “the journalist,” how to lead with curiosity, and how to stand out in a sea of recruiters who are all saying the same thing. Episode Breakdown [00:00] Introduction – The core recruiting challenge: how to follow up without sounding like you're chasing. [01:00] The Mindset Shift – You're not a recruiter. You're a leader, mentor, and value-bringer. [01:30] Be the Journalist, Not the Story – Don't create content. Curate it and deliver it in a way that matters. [02:30] Tactical Delivery – Hooks matter: subject lines like “Today is my last day” grab attention. [03:00] Follow-Up Frequency – Every six months is a great checkpoint if you've made deposits of value. [03:30] Real-Life Example – Using AI and a recruit's actual data to build a 12-month roadmap in 15 minutes. [04:00] Physical Touchpoints – Send books, handwritten notes, and PDFs that matter (ex: One Word by Jon Gordon). [04:30] Passive Pursuit – Keep showing up with value, even when they're not ready. You'll be remembered when they are. [05:00] Final Challenge – Stop “checking in.” Start standing out. Use varied channels and intentional messaging to lead with value. Key Takeaways Be the Journalist – You don't need to create new content. Curate what's already out there and add your unique insight. Lead with a Hook – Use curiosity and tension to cut through the noise. Make them want to engage. Bring Real Value – A personalized roadmap or thoughtful book is more impactful than a generic check-in. Stay Consistent – Use varied channels (email, text, social, mail) and keep making deposits over time. Be Remembered, Not Forgotten – When you follow up the right way, you won't feel like an interruption—you'll feel like the obvious choice. Recruiting isn't about nudging people until they cave. It's about building a follow-up system that brings value, stands out, and creates connection over time. Want to elevate your follow-up strategy? Subscribe to my weekly email at 4crecruiting.com or book a coaching session at bookrichardnow.com. Let's build a recruiting experience worth remembering.

Emotions are contagious—and kids absorb others' emotions the fastest.In this episode of Overpowering Emotions, Dr. Caroline breaks down the science of emotional contagion. Learn social media's impact on emotion regulation and why adults should consider themselves emotional thermostats (vs. thermometers). Learn how your stress, frustration, or calm directly impacts kids' emotions, behaviour, and learning. To help kids regulate emotions, learn how to manage your emotional energy—online and offline—and help kids build emotional resilience.Topics include:Mirror neurons & emotional contagionHow adult moods shape kids environmentStrategies to model emotional regulationSocial media's emotional rollercoasterIdeas to reset emotional energy and stop doom scrollingPrefer to WATCH?Homework IdeasTrack Your Emotional State Around Kids* Pay attention to how your mood shifts and how kids react.* Journal moments when your tone or facial expression changed the energy in the room.Practice Setting the Emotional Tone* During chaos, slow your movements and lower your voice—observe what happens.* Use eye contact and a calm, steady voice to model regulation.Teach Kids About Emotional Contagion:* Watch short videos together that elicit different emotions and talk about how it made them feel.* Ask: “Have you ever felt happier because someone smiled at you?”* Start daily check-ins: “What mood did you catch today? What was yours?”Social Media Reset* Try a 24-hour Social Media Detox—notice emotional shifts.* Curate your social feed: unfollow draining accounts, follow pages that inspire.Want to learn more about helping kids strengthen their emotion regulation skills and problem-solving brains while boosting their confidence, independence, and resilience? Check out my many training opportunities! https://drcarolinebuzanko.com/upcoming-events/

If you've ever heard yourself say... "I have to work after hours in order to be a good teacher." Or something along the lines of: "there's too much work to be able to leave work at work." This is the episode you're going to want to dive into today! In today's episode we cover 3 ways you can maximize your time in school to create more harmony between work and life. Curate more self-awarenessPrioritizationSet firm boundariesI give you a process you can take in order to make each of these things happen. These are the processes I give my clients when they struggle with managing their time.Get The Teacher Playbook today!Get my free workshop on the key elements to help you thrive in the classroom

The Rev Steven Horne, 43, from Ashford, is among a new cohort of deacons and priests ordained by the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishop of Dover last month.He told BBC Radio Kent that he had been drawn to the sport as "escapism" after growing up "in quite a tough environment".But he said he decided to switch his wrestling singlet for a dalmatic after getting a "call" from God in 2022."I've always had a strong relationship with God, ever since I was a young child," said Dr Horne.He also previously worked as a police officer before undertaking a PhD in theology, during which time he joined local club South East Professional Wrestling.He told the BBC he appeared at his first event in 2016 as an amateur, before going on to compete hundreds of times.

"They're going to be the ones who bring the life to whatever that design is," said Community Engagement Manager Monica Meharg.

Today - Curate by Dorrinda is a small Wenatchee chocolate boutique where founder and chocolate devotee, Dorrinda Carlson, merges her global travels and passion for cacao into an immersive tasting and learning experience for customers. And later - Sasha Sleiman, Executive Director for the Housing Authority of Chelan County & the City of Wenatchee, accepted the Public Life and Leadership Award at the North Central Washington Community Impact Awards on February 20th.Support the show: https://www.wenatcheeworld.com/site/forms/subscription_services/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Matt Weir is a Louisville-based sculptor and stonecarver who has been commissioned to create an outdoor sculpture for the Earth & Spirit Center. In this episode, Matt reflects on his creative process, including the cosmic humility and contemplative practice entailed in working slowly with ancient natural materials. RESOURCES: Donate to support this podcast: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/donate/ Learn more about the Earth & Spirit Center: https://www.earthandspiritcenter.org/ Falls Art Foundry: https://fallsartfoundry.com/ Matt Weir's website: https://mweirworks.com/ Louisville Visual Art: https://www.louisvillevisualart.org/ Information about the Louisville Visual Art's Curate, Purchase, Inspire program, which is funding the installation of Matt's sculpture on the Earth & Spirit Center campus: https://www.louisvillevisualart.org/cpi

The Rev’d David Beck, Curate

Ever thought about hosting your own mastermind or event but don't know where to start?If you're an entrepreneur looking to create a high-impact, high-ROI experience, listen up! After hosting epic events for over a decade—from backcountry masterminds in Montana to high-profile entrepreneur gatherings—I've cracked the code on how to make them not just profitable, but truly life-changing.In this episode of The Happy Hustle Podcast, I break down 11 powerful insights to help you create a mastermind or event that delivers insane value, drives deep connections, and leaves people raving about their experience. Curate the Right PeopleYou've heard it before: Your network is your net worth. And when it comes to masterminds, this couldn't be truer. Don't just take anyone willing to pay—handpick attendees who align with your vision and energy. One bad apple can spoil the vibe, so be selective.Design Transformational ExperiencesA mastermind is NOT just an event. It's an experience. Get people out of their comfort zones and into something immersive and unforgettable.For example, in my Montana Mastermind, we go completely off the grid for five days—learning survival skills, practicing breathwork, and masterminding under the stars. This blend of adventure, learning, and deep connection creates breakthroughs like no other.Incorporate adventure and nature.Blend business strategy with personal growth.Make it a full-body experience, not just a seminar.Facilitate Deep ConversationsNetworking? Overrated. Deep, authentic relationships? That's where the magic happens.We use structured conversation techniques, like:

Revitalizing Connections found in this episode: 1. Curate to fit the neighborhood the church is in.2. Narrow the focus of partnerships and programs to fit the era the church has entered. 3. Embrace the uncertainty that the church is in to find the certain plan that God has.

About Tameka AndersonMost professionals know they should stand out—but they don't know how. They think personal branding is just a buzzword for influencers or a vanity project. But here's the truth: if you don't define your brand, the world will do it for you—and you might not like the results.I'm Tameka Anderson, CPS-MH aka F.U.N. Coach Tameka, author of You're It: Finding Your ‘It Factor' So You Can Cultivate, Curate & Communicate It to the World for Purpose, and I help leaders, entrepreneurs, and creatives craft a brand that attracts the right opportunities, builds credibility, and eliminates career stagnation. My work is rooted in years of helping professionals escape the cycle of being overlooked, undervalued, and overworked—all because they didn't know how to package and communicate their value.

In this episode, Meg and Maggi explore the complexities of navigating uncharted territories in life. Working towards new goals can be very challenging, especially when the pressures of societal expectations come into play. They discuss their experiences with social media, the importance of community, and the journey of self-discovery. The conversation emphasizes the significance of practicing self-compassion and the value of seeking support while working towards new goals in new seasons of life. They conclude with an inspiring message about embracing imperfection and the importance of being present in the moment.Takeaways: Finding balance in choices is crucial for well-being. Self-compassion is a practice that requires effort. Asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. Social media can foster community and connection. Vulnerability is essential for authentic conversations. Trusting ourselves is a journey filled with challenges. Expectations can create unnecessary pressure. It's okay to change your mind about your goals. Embracing imperfection leads to personal growth. We are all in the arena, striving for our best selves.Chapters:00:00 Introduction and Vulnerability in Sharing03:28 The Power of Social Media and Community06:12 Navigating Self-Trust and Unfamiliar Territory09:12 The Messiness of Personal Growth12:15 Setting Goals and Managing Expectations15:12 The Dance of Individual Experience and Collective Influence18:17 Self-Talk and the Importance of Kindness21:20 Practicing Self-Compassion and Reflection31:35 Navigating Uncharted Territory37:21 The Journey of Self-Worth and Body Image42:07 Seeking Help and Support47:12 Making Conscious Choices55:21 Embracing Imperfection and GrowthLove,Meg & MaggiFollow us:⁠Instagram⁠⁠TikTok⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠Youtube ⁠Music curtesy of LiQWYD[social media, vulnerability, self-trust, mental health, community, authenticity, personal growth, self-compassion, expectations, journey]

Show Notes:In this empowering episode, Rudi and Anniston reveal the secret to crafting your own emotional universe. Instead of searching for external relationships, places, or experiences to spark feelings of peace, joy, and fulfillment, learn how to cultivate these emotions from within. Discover a step-by-step process that shows you how aligning your inner emotional state can transform your outer reality, paving the way for a life filled with abundance and purpose.What You'll Learn:The Concept of Internal Curation: Understand why relying on external sources for happiness is limiting and how to shift your focus inward.Step-by-Step Techniques: Explore practical exercises and mindset shifts to help you consciously curate the emotions you seek.Real-Life Applications: Hear inspiring stories and examples of how mastering your inner emotional universe leads to lasting fulfillment.The Ripple Effect: Learn how creating inner peace, joy, and abundance not only transforms your personal experience but also influences your external reality.Key Takeaways:You have the power to choose and create your emotional state, independent of external circumstances.When you master your inner emotions, your external reality begins to reflect the peace, joy, and abundance you nurture within.Cultivating an internal emotional universe is a transformative practice that leads to lasting personal growth and fulfillment.Key Quotes:"You don't have to wait for something external to feel joy, peace, or success. You have the power to curate those emotions from within." – Rudi Riekstins"Your emotions are shaping your reality—whether consciously or unconsciously. The question is, are you choosing them, or are they choosing you?" – Anniston Blair Riekstins"The moment you stop looking outside yourself for happiness, you unlock the freedom to create it anytime, anywhere." – Rudi Riekstins"Every emotion you cultivate internally is a seed planted in your future. What are you choosing to grow?" – Anniston Blair Riekstins"Your external world is simply a mirror of your internal state. Change your emotions, and your reality will follow." – Rudi Riekstins"True power comes from mastering your emotional state—not being a victim to it." – Anniston Blair RiekstinsResources & Links:Join The InPowered Life Community - https://rudiriekstins.com/communityBuy your copy of "The Universe is Hiring: Discover the Role You Were Born to Fill" - https://a.co/d/cJpXKCEConnect on IG: @rudiriekstins @annistonblairriekstinsFind Rudi and Anniston online @ www.rudiriekstins.com and www.annistonriekstins.comChapters:[00:00] Introduction – Expanding on last week's conversation[02:25] The Power of Centering Yourself – Returning to your calm state[02:47] Every Moment is a Teacher – Lessons from daily life[05:10] The Illusion of External Fulfillment – Why happiness isn't found outside yourself[06:34] The Science of Curating Emotion – How emotions shape brain chemistry[07:24] Moving Beyond Self-Help Clichés – Turning knowledge into practice[09:44] You Are Not Your Emotions – Separating identity from feelings[12:06] The Mood Elevator – A powerful metaphor for emotional awareness[16:45] The Science Behind the Mood Elevator – How emotions dictate perception[19:07] How Your Emotions Shape Reality – The power of internal alignment[22:45] You Are What You Feel – How emotions determine future experiences[23:39] How to Curate an Emotion – Anniston's step-by-step method[29:36] Rudi's Approach to Emotional Curation – Breathwork, visualization, and embodiment[34:12] The Power of Expectation – Aligning emotions with desired outcomes[36:24] Becoming Spiritually Turned On – Tapping into joy, passion, and purpose[39:14] The Universal Law of Polarity – Navigating emotional highs and lows[41:00] How to Know If This Work is Working – Committing to transformation[43:21] Closing Thoughts – Call to action and next steps

Solopreneurs often get advised to show their real selves--to come out from behind the website and reveal who they really are. And one way to do this is to tell stories. What's wrong with this advice? First of all, "Just tell a story" means, "Curate a good story portfolio." A story may represent your self...but you have many selves. The first part of this podcast talks about this point. Which self is the Real You? At about 5.0, you'll get 3 tips to share authentic stories: 1 - know what "be yourself" really means 2 - why "I understand where you're coming from" can mean "I'm clueless" (and what to do instead) 3 - how your audience will have way too much fun with your fish story (with one of my favorite real examples)  This podcast will be especially helpful for solopreneurs who want to showcase their authentic, human selves...but wonder which side to share. After all, you're one person when you attend your friend's formal wedding. And you're another person altogether when you're attending a picnic with friends who enjoy four-letter words every other sentence.  If you'd like to see how one solopreneur combines personal stories with financial knowledge, listen to the previous episode of this podcast. Jacquette Timmons, a financial behaviorist, tells stories to make people understand the role emotions play in finance...and she does this without making you uncomfortable about hiring her. Click here for the link. REFERENCES: Article by Herminia Ibarra: The Authenticity Paradox  Book: Getting to Yes And: The Art of Business Improv Book: Training to Imagine If you're wondering if you've got a fish story on the line, I'll be happy to take a look! Sign up here. My website: https://CathyGoodwin.com And please leave me a rating and a review, preferably on Apple or Spotify where lots of people see it.

In this message Sarah Khiroya shares from the life and words of the apostle Paul in the Bible , about being content in all circumstances but also discontent with things that are not OK. Sarah walks through four principles from Paul's life that we can practice in our own lives.If you would like to reach out or know more about Jesus, please visit curatechurch.com or email hello@curatechurch.com. We'd love to connect and help you in your journey of faith.

IntroductionMy mission is to help the world be shamelessly sexy. To me, that means not feeling ashamed about who you are or the type of sex you want to have. It means going after the things that you want in bed and in life. Being shamelessly sexy looks different for everyone. It's something you need to define for yourself on your own terms. Also, no one can ever be perfectly shamelessly sexy. That's because shame is a normal human emotion that will continue to crop up in life. But being perfect is not the point, people! Not feeling shame is not the point, either. This is about self-discovery. It's about living your own life that is pleasurable and “totally rad,” as the surfer dudes say. It's about feeling aligned with yourself and courageous enough to pursue what you want.I may be more shamelessly sexy now, but I wasn't always this way. I grew up in London, where I was trained at all-girls private schools to be a prim and proper young lady. The red shoes of my school uniform were always perfectly polished. As I failed to color inside the lines in my lessons, I developed a dangerous curiosity.One day, I secretly came across what one might call a “spicy book” or “smut” in my school library. Heavens! When I read it, I felt excited. It was a beacon, an acknowledgment from the adult world:“There are other horny teenagers just like you out there. In fact, being a horny teenager is normal. All those boring adults? Well, they were once one, too.”That day, my perspective on sexuality changed. That smut book opened my mind to the possibility that sex and lovemaking are some of the most beautiful things in the world, even if nobody overtly champions them. I still believe that it's one of life's greatest joys to love another person fully, honestly, and vulnerably. And yet, this is totally hidden in our culture, which makes us feel guilty for simply enjoying ourselves. To this day, that doesn't make sense to me. I've come to wonder whether there is a screw missing in my brain or if it's that I simply transcended the confines of the world I grew up in all those years ago when I read that smut book in the library. Now, I try to help others do the same: to love ourselves and our partners openly in our own unique, beautiful, and messy ways.This piece is for heterosexual-leaning females because that's my experience. Men experience shame differently, and I'll address that in another piece. So, let's dive into how we can get you there!Defining Shame About SexIn my article, “How To Be Shameless,” I shared Brené Brown's definition of shame: “Shame is an epidemic in our culture” that is “highly correlated with addiction, depression, violence, aggression, bullying, suicide, eating disorders." She shares that "[f]or women, shame is: do it all, do it perfectly, and never let them see you sweat.”Here's an example of this in my friend Emily's day-to-day life. Emily is fresh out of a relationship, and she wants to feel good about her body. Last week, we identified where her ideas about her body and her sexuality are coming from.* Feminine conservatism from her mother: Emily's mother is Catholic. For her whole life, Emily's mother wanted her to cover her shoulders and wear longer, feminine dresses, especially when they went to her grandmother's house for Sunday brunch.* Bikini bodies from Instagram: Emily saw a beautiful woman wearing a bikini on Instagram, so she ordered one. It has a G-string bottom that Emily is a bit nervous about trying, but since she lives by the beach, she wants to give it a go.* Pressure from her ex: When Emily was 18, she dated a guy who was 23, and he was more sexually experienced than her. He made her feel guilty that she had never had a threesome and that she didn't want to watch porn with him. In his eyes, she was never sexually experienced enough.* Social Comparison: With her last boyfriend, Emily noticed when they passed other girls on the beach who were prettier than her. Those girls were tanned and wore the G-string bikinis like it was nobody's business. Emily knew that comparison was the thief of joy, but she still wondered if her boyfriend wanted to be with someone prettier.Emily's experiences mirror exactly how Brené Brown described shame in women: “unobtainable, conflicting, competing expectations about who we are supposed to be.” Still, Emily's situation confused me. If her sexuality and her feelings about her own body weren't these messages from others, then what were they? This was something far deeper than her mother's conservatism or her ex pressuring her to have sex. Perhaps this was something internal. Perhaps this was something to do with her “self,” and that required an energetic, internal transformation. We agreed that it sounded woo-woo, but her feelings about her sexuality and her body are a form of energy that she embodies.Being Shameless SexyEmily and I agreed that being shamelessly sexy comes down to three fundamental things: knowing what you want, believing you deserve what you want, and asking for it. There's a lot to say here, so I'll address the tips for each of them separately.Know What You Want“If the desert is holy, it is because it is a forgotten place that allows us to remember the sacred. Perhaps that is why every pilgrimage to the desert is a pilgrimage to the self.” (Terry Tempest Williams).I could probably write a whole book with tips on how to help you figure out what you want in your sex life. I don't claim to be a witch or a genius, so I'll share what's helped me so far.* Work On Your Shame.As I explored previously, facing your shame can help you change your perspective and let go of the past. So, pull up a shameful memory or two from your past that involves your body or having sex. Try not to pick something too overwhelming to begin with. You might need to repeat this exercise multiple times if you have various memories bringing you shame about sex in your past. For this exercise, I picked Valentine's Day with my high school boyfriend when I was 17 when my younger sister walked in on us trying to have a romantic bath together, and my dad found out and gave me the awkward sex talk. It was terrible.Hold your experience in your mind's eye. Remember as many details as you can about the situation. Notice what you feel. Do you feel any physical sensations in your body, your chest, or your throat? Where are you holding the shame in your body? Now, turn toward your younger self with compassion. Acknowledge the pain of the experience. Find a loving gesture you can give yourself for comfort. For this experience, I held my hand and told myself,“Taking a bath is a rather wonderful thing to do with someone. That experience was cruel. You didn't deserve that.”If you don't want to hold your hand, you could also hug yourself, squeeze your arm, or put your hand on your heart. Think of what a loving parent or a kind adult would say to your younger self now. What does your younger self need to hear? It could be something like,“Experiencing shame is part of life. You're not alone. You made a mistake. That doesn't mean you are a mistake. I forgive you.”The more you can give yourself love and acceptance, the less shame you'll eventually feel about that experience. It is totally okay if you cry or feel a big wash of emotion. That's a good sign that you're processing pain and grief.You can listen to my Misseducated interview with Dr. Kristin Neff, the world's leading expert on self-compassion, here: “How to Be Kind to Yourself, and Why It Matters.”* Keep a sex diary or journal.Writing helps to make what we know subconsciously about ourselves conscious. For three years, I've written about my sex life on my blog, Misseducated. Exploring my experiences in pieces like “Why I Never Swallow Cum” has had an incredible benefit that I didn't expect: it has helped me figure out what I like in bed. Writing about your sex life can help you figure out what you want to explore and where your limitations are. You can also learn the exact techniques that make you orgasm and how you like to receive pleasure (for me, the secret tip is always a little bit of butt stuff).So, I encourage you to start keeping a separate journal where you can explore sexual experiences from your past and what you liked and didn't like about them. Start with a prompt like “Losing My Virginity,” “My First Kiss,” or “The Best Sex I Ever Had,” and go from there. Try to bring in all the senses: what you saw, what you heard, what you touched, what you smelt, what you tasted, and what you felt. A candlelit dinner? Grinding at the club? It's all part of your arousal and your sexuality. It can be as simple as a private note on your phone, which you can then giggle to yourself about secretly.Subscribe to the Misseducated Calendar to learn more about when I host Sex Writing Workshops in the future.* Separate the voices of others from your own.“We have lived quite enough for others: let us live at least this tail-end of life for ourselves.” (Page 271, Michel de Montaigne)As you distinguish your voice in your sex diary, it's important to keep the voices of other people separate. For example, you can make a quick list of self-critical words or phrases that often come up for you. Now, try to figure out where you learned each voice and to whom it belongs. Are these your mother's words? Or did Mrs. Screech from 2nd Grade plug those into your brain?Imagine your brain. Clear a dedicated little space at the back of it, which is solely reserved for your thoughts and feelings about your life. This is where you are going to store your unique thoughts. As the old French philosopher Montaigne says,“We should aside a room, just for ourselves, at the back of the shop, keeping it entirely free and establishing there our true liberty, our principal solitude, and asylum.” (Page 270, Michel de Montaigne)* Define success in your sex life.What are your aspirations when it comes to your sex life? Would you like to orgasm or squirt with your partner at least twice every time you sleep together? Is it dancing bachata? Or is it throwing away your razor and just living like you want to, hairy armpits and all? Take some time to define success on your own terms. This exercise is about self-acceptance, not about judging yourself in any way or stressing yourself out. It's supposed to be fun!For me, success in my sex life does not involve jet-setting around the world to attend giant orgies every weekend (though it might look like that for you). It's probably just having a loving relationship where I can enjoy plenty of butt stuff, and we can be open enough for an optional third person who we can play with together, and I can have lots of earth-shattering orgasms, of course.* De-stigmatize your body and other people's.Going to clothing-optional events has brought me a lot of acceptance and love for my body. As I've shared, while it's normal to feel nervous at first, I find being naked around other people very freeing. Attending an event like The Naked Bike Ride in Philadelphia has shown me that when you get a whole bunch of naked bodies together for a brief moment, the intensity of our insecurities and self-consciousness totally melts away.The prospect of going to these events might terrify you. But just remember that our obsession with our bodies being perfect or looking a certain way is a social construct that we need to unlearn if we want to feel truly shameless about who we are. I hope you can find ways to explore de-stigmatizing your body for yourself, whether that be going to the sauna, skinny-dipping in a river, or going to a nudist beach.* Follow your curiosity.Sexuality is a journey of exploration, constant evolution, and discovery. As I've shared previously, “God” is not going to part the clouds and bestow upon you your one true perfect sexual experience. What you're curious about exploring may well just start as a whisper, which you're going to need to listen for closely.Imagine that sexuality is like a pair of shoes that you're trying on in a shop. Does this activity or idea feel very “you”? Could you see yourself wearing those sparkly heels on the right occasion? Like Emily wearing a G-string bikini on the beach, try something new when you're not sure if you'll like them or not, and see how it feels. There's power in courage, which, as Maya Angelou reminds us, is the most important of all the virtues.* Talk to yourself.Talking to yourself is usually considered weird. But I highly encourage you to sit down and do it to figure out what you're comfortable with and what you're not. As Pauline said wisely in our interview about open relationships,“Sexuality is an emotion…It depends on where you are in your mind…You always have to sit down with your thoughts and kind of like ask yourself this question: am I okay right now? Do I feel safe?”Knowing your limits is a beautiful thing. For example, I consider myself a sexually open person, but almost four years ago, I experienced what can only be described as a doozy of a sexual assault. I still don't feel comfortable with men I don't know touching me, and I am so thankful to know that about myself.If you feel like you're crossing the line for any reason, remember what Pauline shared,“I'm able to stop at any time. Like that's also something that is like really important…You can stop at any time and say goodbye. Like, I'm done. And it's okay. It doesn't mean you're a loser. It doesn't mean anything. It just means that right here, right now, you just don't want it. And it's okay.”* Make up your own rules.Despite being a huge people pleaser for most of my life, I made up a rule that I would only allow a guy to stay over at my house once he was my boyfriend. I decided this because I noticed how disrupted my sleep gets when a guy stays over, and it often ruins my next day. Admittedly, I don't always stick to my own rules when I'm hooking up with a dude who is particularly hot and cool (I'm allowed to make exceptions to my own rules, lol.) But the point is that I've taken time beforehand to identify my needs and figure out what is important to me.Get some space and peace of mind. And while you're alone, off on a solo adventure or single, go ahead and put your own rules in place. These could be rules about your sleep, your safety, and where you want things inserted into your body. Write these down in your sex journal, also. It's easier to decide what you want when there is no one else in the picture because biology is a stronger force than anything else in the world, and having a hot guy in your life is incredibly distracting. And, of course, once you make a rule for yourself, don't be pansy like me. The first step is to recognize that you deserve to have needs and boundaries. The second step is actually to enforce them.* Explore the underworld.This is about getting a handle on what's possible in terms of your sexuality. While porn is acting and often misleading, if you're open to it, I encourage you to watch some. You can watch some female-friendly porn here and here. Watching porn is a good way to see what's possible, and who knows, you might find it arousing.I thought that everyone was like me and had watched porn in secret, but it turns out I have female friends who have never watched porn, who are virgins, and who have never had an orgasm. Everyone is on their own journey, and that's a beautiful thing. I encourage you to meet yourself where you are right now and go from there. Also, try taking the BDSM test. It might help you figure out what type of sex you like to have. If some questions come up that you have no idea about, read the definitions and see if that's something you might want to explore.“When you're in a relationship, it shouldn't be the end of exploring your sexuality.” – Pauline, Open Relationships 101* Explore your body, guilt-free.Planned Parenthood quoted research published in 1994, which said, “half of the adult women and men who masturbate feel guilty about it.” Quotes like this depress me because, as far as I am concerned, guilt is a totally useless emotion. Meanwhile, “the medical community considers masturbation to be a natural and harmless expression of sexuality for both men and women” (Masturbation Guide, WebMD).Every time you feel guilty about touching yourself, buying a new toy, or feeling hot as f**k, just remember that there are literally 5,000 worse things you could be in the world than being a masturbater. You could be a murderer. You could be intentionally stomping on all the flowers in your neighbor's garden. Masturbation is harmless, pleasurable, and fun. So, take time for it like you take time for a friend who wants to get coffee and talk about her most recent breakup. Seriously, give yourself an hour at least and see what you can do. And also, put what you discover in your sex journal.* Question everything.Something is only “normal” because some people in our society decided it was. So, take all the assumptions you have about yourself, your life, who you can be, and what you can do, and turn them upside down. As Pauline expresses beautifully:“I deconstruct a lot by myself, about like patriarchy, about like me as a woman, like sexuality…And a lot of stuff, you're like, “But why the f**k am I doing this?”… Why are we even like, I don't know, blowing candles for a birthday? Like a lot of questions. And yeah, you know, why? "Yeah, it's normal.” I'm like, “No, it's not. Like how the f**k we ended up doing this?”Why the f**k do we blow our candles on a birthday cake, indeed?Believe You Deserve What You WantThis next step is about self-esteem. It's about standing up for your needs, saying f**k yes to people or f**k no to people, and not feeling guilty either way.* Be selfishWikipedia defines selfishness as “being concerned excessively or exclusively for oneself or one's own advantage, pleasure, or welfare, regardless of others.” I find this definition so funny! Because being socialized as a woman, it's clear to me that women are often branded as being selfish for having any concern for ourselves at all. The example comes to mind of my mother calling me selfish because, at age 28, I refused to share a bed with my brother, who is 6'5” tall (195cm), on the family holiday. In the world I grew up in, I wasn't really allowed to have needs, let alone express them.It's a crime in our society for a woman to put herself first. Yet, this is the moment when we decide to stop being doormats, even if we risk being branded as “difficult” in the process. I wholeheartedly encourage you to start being selfish.* Believe your pleasure matters.In the bedroom, this means taking up space and time to make sure you get the pleasure you deserve. As someone who has written a lot about the orgasm gap and experienced it firsthand, I know that we are simply not there yet. According to the International Academy of Sex Research in 2017, quoted in the Guardian,“95% of heterosexual men said they usually or always orgasmed when sexually intimate, followed by 89% of gay men, 88% of bisexual men, 86% of lesbian women, 66% of bisexual women, and 65% of straight women.”I've explained how the world would be a very different place if straight females were orgasming 65% of the time. I estimated I had orgasmed with 8% of my partners and maybe 25% of all the times I have had sex. To be shamelessly sexy, we have to believe that our pleasure is just as important as our partner's pleasure. We're talking about getting equal pleasure for equal measure.* Remember that nothing is wrong with you.With shame being blasted at you from all directions, it's easy to believe that it's your fault for being alive in the body that you're in. I fundamentally disagree with this. Books like “Invisible Women” teach us that the reason why nothing ever seems right for us is because the world was not designed with us in mind. Literally, the people who designed airbags in cars, sidewalks, and even medications didn't bother to test them on female bodies, and this has real-world consequences. If you've ever had weird side effects from medication, just remember that women were all but left out of medical research until 1993. This costs female lives.It's not that there is something with you. It's that there is something wrong with the world. Nothing is wrong with you. You are simply a woman, and because of that, you will never be typical or be the default.* Prioritize your relationship with yourself.The harsh truth is that our relationship with ourselves is the only constant relationship we will have in until we die. Everyone else will come and go—friends, partners, parents, lovers, siblings, and children, even. Your relationship with yourself is the only one that truly sticks.So, for God's sake, put yourself first. What you think about yourself matters much more than what other people think of you. And don't be like the guy from The Onion article titled, “Man Waiting Until Parents Die Before Doing A Single Thing That Makes Him Happy.”* Your experiences are valid. Your feelings are real.I used to have very low self-esteem until I started going to a 12-step Program called ACA. Over time, I learned from the program to ground myself on the basis of my experience rather than constantly defining myself by the actions of other people. One example of this new thinking came at the end of my most recent fling. Here's how I can choose to react:My old self says: “He doesn't want a relationship with me. I'm not worthy of being his girlfriend.”My new self says: “I want to be in a relationship with someone who wants to be in a relationship with me.”It's the same experience, but I now have a totally different perspective on it, one that is rooted in self-respect and dignity. So, remember that your feelings are valid. Your experiences are real. And be sure to define yourself in terms of your own needs and dignity, not from the broken actions of other people.* Define your body on your terms, also.When I was 15, I went to get bras fitted with my mother. I had armpit hair at that point and didn't bother using a razor (at least, I've been consistent with that to this day). When I noticed that she saw my armpit hair, I said something like,“Will doesn't mind.”Will was my boyfriend at the time. As a young person, I felt the need to justify the existence of my armpit hair to my mother. If my mother wasn't defining me, I had to justify my body in the context of another person, my boyfriend, and a male person, nonetheless. I had no idea that I was allowed to keep my body the way I wanted to, armpit hair and all.If you find yourself stressing out about external standards, just remember that it's not up to other people to define who you are. Only you can and should define that. And if other people aren't comfortable with that, that's their deal.* Take up space. Take up time.Some of my female friends find it impossible to go to a café, buy themselves a treat, and sit down to read a book on their own. What if someone else wanted to use that table? They've asked me, perplexed. Existing on their terms in a public space is a struggle. Whether it's having an orgasm with a partner or buying a cookie from a café, because of culture or history, many of us have internalized that whatever this is, it is not for people like us.But have you ever sat in a vast canyon, totally alone? Have you ever climbed to the top of a small hill in the desert in New Mexico, with 360 panoramic views, and cried and felt held by the vastness of the desert all around you? Well, I have. And I can tell you that that's plenty of room for you there, in the desert and in the world. It might take a quick adventure into nature. But just remember that the sky and the earth can hold all of you and so much more, just as they've held your ancestors since the beginning of time. As Maya Angelou says, “Take up the battle. Take it up. This is your life. This is your world.”So, please sit down at the table for as long as you like and eat the cookie.Ask for What You WantIt's time to express yourself, your desires, and your needs to the people you're having sex with. Otherwise, all this hard work you've done internally won't actually go anywhere. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. And it's time to squeak!* Safety, first.It's very important that you trust the person you are going to ask these things for. Before I pegged my boyfriend, we had already been dating for a couple of months. The act of an ask itself can be a very vulnerable moment, so make sure you're with a compassionate partner who respects your body and who will honor your needs and desires. If your partner sucks at listening or makes you feel judged or inadequate in any way, they might not be the right person to explore your sexuality with.* Muster up your courage.“Courage is more important than confidence. Taking that first step in doing anything is the real key to begin to manifest the possibility of that thing happening” — Debbie Millman, The Tim Ferriss Show.The art of asking takes courage. You're also opening up to the possibility of being rejected by the other person. But you can't say the wrong thing to the right person. It's better to rip off the band-aid than spend your whole life wondering whether or not to say something, second-guessing, and tiptoeing. You deserve an answer.* Over-communicate with your partner.Each time will be different because, as a human, you are evolving. Be sure to check in regularly to see whether your partner is still comfortable with this or if you want to try something new. Here's how Pauline communicates with her partner:“We look at each other in the eyes a lot. Like, okay, what do you think? We communicate a lot through the night. We send like text messages…But each time we were doing it, we kind of like sit before and we're like, “Okay, what's your mind in today? What do you want to do? What do you want to explore? How do you feel? Where's your head at today?”* Pick the right people. Curate the right spaces.I'll share more another time, but I went to some sex parties in New York where I didn't feel comfortable at all. I wouldn't go back there again, but I would consider going to a play party if I was with the right people. It really depends on the context, who the people are, and if this feels like the kind of place you want to be in.“You should pick whatever you like and create your own community and yourself and like whoever bonds with you and agrees with you, and that's cool.” – Pauline* Leave if you need to.If your partner does not want to explore the same things as you, you may need to find someone else who you are more compatible with and who celebrates you exploring your sexuality. Refuse to settle. As Pauline shared,“I think like you have to find your own way, which is nice because I think, as a girl, I have never been taught that you can find your own way in your sexuality. It was more like you'll have what you got. And then, if you're not happy, that's what it is.”ConclusionIf you've made it this far, thank you so much for reading my guide to being shamelessly sexy. I hope you loved it, that you found something here that made you smile, or maybe it inspired you to explore something new. Please feel free to reach out to me with what you discovered, as I would love to hear from you, and share this article with a like-minded friend if you think it could help them.There's one final phrase that I want you to keep in mind:“You can do it on your terms. It's your sexuality in the end. So, do yourself on your terms.” – Pauline.Amen.

Today's session is about what's happening in the world and the impact on moms and families. Current politics in the US are absolutely affecting our stress levels. People are expressing concerns and fears in therapy sessions as huge changes are happening, and these changes are directly affecting how they show up in the world and in their families. Daily attacks are taking place on programs that influence education, healthcare, DEI, and the economy of daily living expenses. If you've been feeling anxious and overwhelmed as a mother navigating these trying times, you are not alone. Let's explore why politics feel personal, along with practical ways to manage the stress while staying engaged with your loved ones.  Show Highlights: The chaos hits close to home in our lives and families. Personal rights around parenthood are on the line! Other concerning issues include benefits that might be taken away. Feelings of helplessness and hopelessness absolutely affect our mental and physical health, especially for those with higher sensitivities. The importance of figuring out how to take care of yourself, while engaging and disengaging as needed Dr. Kat's best tips for managing stress and setting boundaries: Try to stop “doom-scrolling.” Set parameters to limit your exposure. Curate your news intake. Protect your energies. Explore small but meaningful actions you can take. Be intentional about protecting your mental health. Find ways to feel connection and empowerment with like-minded people.  Give yourself permission to disconnect, as needed.  How to check in with yourself, regulate, and refocus Resources: Call the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline at 1-833-TLC-MAMA or visit cdph.ca.gov Please find resources in English and Spanish at Postpartum Support International, or by phone/text at 1-800-944-4773. There are many free resources, like online support groups, peer mentors, a specialist provider directory, and perinatal mental health training for therapists, physicians, nurses, doulas, and anyone who wants to be more supportive in offering services.  You can also follow PSI on social media: Instagram, Facebook, and most other platforms Visit www.postpartum.net/professionals/certificate-trainings/ for information on the grief course.   Visit my website, www.wellmindperinatal.com, for more information, resources, and courses you can take today! If you are a California resident looking for a therapist in perinatal mental health, email me about openings for private pay clients! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You would never send a postcard instead of an email, create a zine instead of a white paper, or take polaroids instead of digital headshots. But that's why you, the digital marketer, should do it.There's an appeal to all of these lo-fi, analog mediums that call back to yesteryear. A nostalgia. A deliberate denial of modernity. Not only would it surprise your audience, it would lure them right in.So in this episode, we're making a case for lo-fi content. We're doing so by pulling marketing lessons from Ken Layne's Desert Oracle.With the help of our special guest, Chief Evangelist at Contentful, Nicole France, we talk about creating lo-fi content, bucking convention, taking a distinct perspective, and much more.About our guest, Nicole FranceNicole France is Chief Evangelist at Contentful. Nicole is a passionate customer advocate evangelizing new ways of thinking about content and organizing the work of digital business. It's the wave of the future — and her mission is to make sure everyone knows why. She brings the perspective and critical thinking of an industry analyst and the first-hand experience of a practitioner. Before joining Contentful, Nicole worked as an analyst at Constellation Research and Gartner. She also held a variety of strategy and marketing roles at Fujitsu, Equinix, ITSMA, and Cisco. A graduate of UC Berkeley, Nicole enjoys the outdoors, flying small planes, and embarking on yet another house project in her spare time.What B2B Companies Can Learn From Desert Oracle:Create lo-fi content. Make a zine, a radio show or podcast, a book or comic book. Something your audience can touch and can use to get a bit deeper into your world. Make your brand real for them. Nicole says that when it comes to Desert Oracle, “There's something here that kind of harkens back to what the arts and crafts movement was. In the industrial revolution, you know, this idea of kind of going back to this craft, this artisanal, this very human, this very lo-fi way of doing things. And ironically enough, I think there's a real space for that, even in these digital channels.”Buck convention. Feeling disillusioned with the mainstream take on building an audience? Ken Layne grows his audience by creating niche, tangible content with a strong sense of place and it has garnered a dedicated following. In 2024, 44% of Spotify listeners were new to the Desert Oracle podcast, and it ranked among the top 5 or top 10 podcasts for 5,000 listeners. Nicole says, “ [Ken Layne] is actively rejecting conventional wisdom about how you build an audience. And yet that is absolutely part of what is making him successful at doing it. And it's almost like the extent to which I think of Patagonia a lot of times in this kind of context, where Patagonia is telling you, like, use the stuff you already have. And that somehow is part of what makes you want to keep going back to Patagonia. This is what makes people so loyal to Patagonia is the bigger mission. And like weirdly telling people not to buy it somehow is what makes them want to go and buy more, which is sort of, but not actually their intent.”Take a distinct perspective. What is the story that is unique to you? That's the story you want to tell. Nicole says, “ That distinctiveness in that perspective and that point of view, I think that's something that really effective brands gravitate toward anyway. They're good at it consciously and sometimes unconsciously as well. And I think B2B marketing needs more of that. You know, where what we offer our customers, regardless of what we're selling is typically not generic stuff. So why should our marketing sound like generic stuff? And yet a whole hell of a lot of it does. For a long time, we've been in a world where there's a tremendous volume of noise and the kinds of things that get cut through are things like Ken Layne's curmudgeonly, somewhat dismissive and yet somehow totally compelling take on the world. That's what draws people in."Curate an experience. Ken Layne curates an experience that captures the mystical nature of Joshua Tree and the greater Mojave Desert. And he does it by appealing to the senses - more than just the sight that digital content requires. You hear the voices of the desert through his podcast and radio show. You can hold an artifact of the desert: the Desert Oracle zine. His multimedia approach creates a world unique to Desert Oracle. And you get the inside scoop. Nicole says, “ There is a very specific point of view, it is Ken Layne's point of view. But he also brings in a bunch of stories from other people and from other places and sometimes from other times as well.  he's curating an experience for you. And I think that is a really powerful takeaway here.”Quotes*” What Ken Layne does with Desert Oracle is paint this very compelling picture of a place. In some cases, a literal place, like when he's hiking out in Joshua tree, or in some cases, it's more of almost like a spiritual place, a conceptual place that we want to be in.*” How do we get back in touch with the things that are really fundamental, that really are the most important in our existence and nature and, you know, as people? And then how do we associate those meaningful things with what we do in the rest of our lives?”*” [Ken Layne] is actively rejecting conventional wisdom about how you build an audience. And yet that is absolutely part of what is making him successful at doing it. And it's almost like the extent to which I think of Patagonia a lot of times in this kind of context, where Patagonia is telling you, like, use the stuff you already have. And that somehow is part of what makes you want to keep going back to Patagonia. This is what makes people so loyal to Patagonia is the bigger mission. And like weirdly telling people not to buy it somehow is what makes them want to go and buy more, which is sort of, but not actually their intent.”*” When you have a really compelling idea or message at the core, you can find all of these different ways of communicating it really effectively.”*” We found the podcast and then we found the publication. And I guess it really speaks to this idea that multimedia is everywhere. It's in a whole bunch of different stuff. And I think that is actually a really important message and takeaway here, too.  I think that  this idea of being able to explore different aspects of the story and the story world is really key.  Knowing where your audience is, but also being able to bring your audience to where you are, or where you want them to be.  Like, I have totally been brought in and then bought into the world of Desert Oracle. How I got there is almost immaterial, but like there are all these different places that I'm getting this enjoyment from, being part of that world and I feel like I have found a path that brought me in there.”*”[Desert Oracle] is not for everybody for sure, but boy, it creates an incredibly loyal and dedicated audience. That's actually what we want to do as B2B marketers as well.”Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Nicole France, Chief Evangelist at Contentful[3:45] Nicole France's Role at Contentful[4:54] The Creation of Desert Oracle[7:07] Ken Layne's Career Journey[10:17] Marketing Lessons from Desert Oracle[13:57] The Power of Authenticity in Marketing[14:49] The Role of Generative AI in Marketing[39:06] The Importance of Longevity in Content Creation[41:34] Final Thoughts and ConclusionLinksConnect with Nicole on LinkedInLearn more about ContentfulAbout Remarkable!Remarkable! is created by the team at Caspian Studios, the premier B2B Podcast-as-a-Service company. Caspian creates both nonfiction and fiction series for B2B companies. If you want a fiction series check out our new offering - The Business Thriller - Hollywood style storytelling for B2B. Learn more at CaspianStudios.com. In today's episode, you heard from Ian Faison (CEO of Caspian Studios) and Meredith Gooderham (Senior Producer). Remarkable was produced this week by Meredith Gooderham, mixed by Scott Goodrich, and our theme song is “Solomon” by FALAK. Create something remarkable. Rise above the noise.

In this message Matt Higa shares a message of encouragement, referencing the unique nature of both Hawaiian and Kiwi culture, the desire to connect with God, the role of the Holy Spirit, and the need for spiritual growth. He concludes with a message on the importance of self-reflection, purpose, and the value of grace and mercy in relationships.If you would like to reach out or know more about Jesus, please visit curatechurch.com or email hello@curatechurch.com. We'd love to connect and help you in your journey of faith.

In this message Skip Smith shares from 1 Corinthians 14 about how as people of God we should be not only holding love as our highest ideal (1 Corinthians 13) but that we should be looking to be people of prophecy. Skip then goes on to share about what prophecy is and how we can be better at it.If you would like to reach out or know more about Jesus, please visit curatechurch.com or email hello@curatechurch.com. We'd love to connect and help you in your journey of faith.

Morning Mantra: “Find your joy. Then choose it every day.”Pay attention to what makes you feel most at home, grounded, and centered. Whether it's a location, a person, an activity, or a thing.  Then find ways to bring more of those places, things, and people into your life on a regular basis.Go to places that feel like home. That inspire you, that warm your soul.Connect with those that bring you back to yourself. People who lift you up. stand by you, respect you and make you feel loved.Curate items that root you in your truth. Things that remind you who you are.Do things that make you feel alive. Things that settle your soul.Finding joy is like planting seeds of happiness in your garden every day. Joy isn't something that falls in your lap, it is a habit you practice every day.#BeLookingForJoy #BeHappy #BeHorsey #BeHippie #HorseHippie #MorningMantra #inspirationalQuotes #MorningMotivation #Equestrian #HorseLover #QuotesToInspire #HorseHippieBrand #HorseHippieBoutique

In this message Thomas Hansen shares about the upside down kingdom that Jesus ushered in and what it means for us today. If you would like to reach out or know more about Jesus, please visit curatechurch.com or email hello@curatechurch.com. We'd love to connect and help you in your journey of faith.

Everyday Carry Episode 51: Show Notes. Today's episode is years in the making as finally, Tom and Trevor sit down and do a deep dive into the everyday carry items you'll need when traveling. We begin with keeping go kits up-to-date and why Trevor and Tom will always be fans of carry-on luggage. We shift then to our favorite luggage exploring Briggs and Riley, Tumi, Rimowa, and other great roller bag options. Then, we unpack a few must-have travel accessories including portable USB fans, multi-charging cables and adapters, man purses, and much more. Our conversation then turns to clothing as we compare normal clothes to travel clothes versus a combination of both, and we discover why Trevor is a fanboy of lululemon and Tom loves shirts with front pockets. To end, Tom and Trevor discuss eSIMs and other best practices for using your cell phone abroad, and after weighing the pros and cons of using laptops versus tablets, our hosts shares more travel advice and tips, especially for parents traveling with toddlers. Key Points From This Episode: [0:01:00] How today's episode on everyday carry items has been years in the making. [0:04:55] Updating go kits and being dedicated members of Team Carry On. [0:06:00] Team Briggs and Riley, and other great luggage options.  [0:21:02] Exploring Tom and Trevor's must-have travel accessories.    [0:34:14] Lufthansa's first-class amenity kits, compression packing cubes, and toiletry bags.  [0:42:06] Travel clothes versus normal clothes versus integrating the two.  [0:48:06] Flight passes, eSIMs, and other advice for using your cell phone abroad.   [0:57:12] Everyday carry technology.  [1:13:58] Final thoughts, more helpful travel tips, and parting advice for traveling parents.  Quotes: “This is an opportunity for everybody to learn, because there's so many different things that I know I don't know, and I'm always looking for how I can get more efficient.” — @tmount [02:05] “Travel's personal, and I think your gear is personal.” — @TktweetsKim [02:38] “We call this luggage, but you don't want to be dragging it around as a burden.” — @tmount [13:24] “Curate your stuff so that you've [only] got what you need for the mission at hand.” — @TktweetsKim [29:37] “Things keep changing. You have to keep iterating because people change the rules and change things on you all the time. So, it's important to keep up and continue to iterate your everyday carry.” — @TktweetsKim [1:07:55] “What's clear is that we're very passionate about a lot of this. We're passionate about what is in our gear [and] what we're willing to drag pretty much around the world.” — @tmount [1:14:05] Links Mentioned in Today's Episode: Everyday Carry Marie Kondo Briggs and Riley Tumi Rimowa Travelpro Monos Away Costco Wholesale | Luggage 3 in 2 USB C Cable | Amazon VASCO Compression Packing Cubes for Travel Muji | Bags Kenneth Cole | Reaction Bellroy Lufthansa | First Class Pat & Mike on X Aēsop | Travel lululemon American Express Google Fi Wireless T-Mobile | International Roaming Plans Nomad eSIM GigSky Cellular at Sea Anker Unidapt Universal Travel Adapter | Amazon Momax Baseus Microsoft | Surface Dell | Pay Credits TP-Link | Travel Router Rapid Travel Chai Thomas Kim on X Trevor Mountcastle on X

The Curate loses his virginity.A series in 17 parts, By Blacksheep. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories. At this Sunday's service, there was much talk of the upcoming harvest festival. Members of the congregation were encouraged to donate fruit and vegetables, along with non-perishable items for the local food bank.Jenna had made an effort and brought along a bag of apples. She placed the bag on the side table in the church hall."I don't know how a brazen hussy like you has the cheek to set foot in a church."Jenna remained calm, as she turned to face Mrs. Norris. "Well I'm a Christian, the same as you.""Huh! Christian my foot. I saw what you and the organist were getting up to and I think it's disgusting! In the church of all places! And he's old enough to be your father!""Well if you clutch those pearls of yours any tighter they'll crumble to dust. And Gordon and I happen to be consenting adults. Single consenting adults. So there.""Why you, you, .horrid little slag!" Mrs. Norris fumed, lip quivering. She stormed off.Jenna exhaled and rolled her eyes."Coffee or tea?" a friendlier voice asked. It was Debbie, the Sunday school teacher, who was volunteering to do today's hot drinks rota in the hall."Tea please," Jenna replied."You ok?""Yeah. I don't think I'll be on her Christmas card list.""Don't let that old bag get to you. She's a nasty one. She's horribly ageist. Not to mention xenophobic too. I overheard her mocking Yulia's English skills last week. I can't stand her. Her husband's not that bad, he's a tedious fusspot, but there's no malice in him. But her, she's poison.""I heard her hubby spreads gossip on Facebook." Jenna said."More likely that's her doing." Debbie replied. "I'd be surprised if John Norris even knows how to switch on a laptop."A brief chill ran through Jenna. What if Mrs. Norris were to post some bile about her online? "I don't use social media anymore," she said. "Briefly poked my nose into Twitter as a teen, but didn't like the pile-ons.""Wise. I'm on Facebook, but only to keep up with church stuff. I never post anything about my private life. I imagine Mrs. Norris would have a stroke if she knew I was dating a woman. A married woman at that. Keep it to yourself. I'm not ready to come out yet.""Don't worry, I won't say a word."Jenna sipped her tea quietly as she observed the other members of the congregation file into the hall. She was hoping Reverend Morris would soon arrive, but after fifteen minutes, there was still no sign of him. Then there was Gordon; he never came into the hall after a service, and he'd sent her that amusing text message on Friday, about Charles Wesley and his "bulging hymn book."She headed out of the hall, in search of Gordon, when Josh the curate came staggering in, carrying a massive pile of hymn books. He almost collided with Jenna and dropped a couple of books."Oh! I'm so sorry!" Josh stammered. "How clumsy of me."Jenna bent down and picked up the books. "You're loaded up like a pack horse. Let me give you a hand. Where are you taking all these?""Um. So kind!" His pale cheeks went pink. "The storeroom at the far end of the hall. These are spare hymn books.""Ok. Lead the way. By the way, you haven't seen the vicar have you?"""Oh, he and the organist are in a meeting. One of the organ pipes has just been repaired.""Damn," Jenna muttered under her breath. "Oh dear. How sad. I guess he'll miss his tea and biscuits."She followed Josh down to the storeroom. She'd never paid much attention to the curate before, but looking at him now, she realized that he was rather cute. Mid-twenties, tall and stocky with fair hair and a chubby face. There was an endearing innocence about him. Reverend Morris had said he was hoping to complete his ordination next year and become a fully-fledged vicar. He'd been impressed by his devotion to the church - but he needed to come out of his shell a bit and interact more with worshippers. Josh was a shy man and lacking in self-confidence. Remembering this information made Jenna smile.I think this innocent curate needs some other kind of help,The storeroom was vast, and crammed from floor to ceiling with box files, books, old furniture and plastic crates."Holy sh,, I didn't know this room existed. And what a lot of stuff for one small church!" Jenna exclaimed."Heh, yeah." Josh said, putting the books down. "It's not just for St Michael's. We share it with St John's and the Methodist church on Oakwood Road."Jenna began putting the books on the shelf."Um you don't need to do that,”"Jenna."Josh blushed again. "Jenna. It's kind of you to do that but,”"Oh I don't mind. Why should you have to do all the donkey work? This room is a tip. Besides, a good Christian should help others, right? Especially the vicar's right-hand man. That's what a curate is, yes?"Josh relaxed a bit. "Pretty much, yeah. Like Batman and Robin.""Have you always wanted to be a curate?"Josh sat down on a stool. "In truth, no way. I wasn't religious at all when I was a kid. I suffered from crippling shyness. I used to dread being asked to read in front of the class. When I was ten, my dad walked out, and that affected me a lot. Haven't seen him since. Mum turned to drink, I relied on my grandad for support. He became a father figure to me. He used to be a vicar. Thanks to him I survived my teens and passed my exams. I was eighteen when he died. That's when I decided I wanted to follow in his footsteps. Without him - and God, I fear, well I may have gone down a dark path. Got in with a bad crowd. Taken drugs, self-harmed, maybe ended up in jail.""Wow." Jenna replied, realizing how cosseted and safe her upbringing had been. "Well I'm so glad your grandad was there for you.""There are still days when I doubt myself and I'm in a bad place. I feel useless.""Don't put yourself down," Jenna said, walking towards him. "You're an amazing role model, especially for younger people."Josh blinked. "You, think so?""I do. Plus, you're really cute. Has a girl ever told you that before?"Josh blushed. "Err, no-one except my Nan. I don't think she counts.""Women round here must be blind," Jenna added, making him squirm with embarrassment. She leant forward and planted a kiss on his lips. He trembled, cheeks turning redder."J-Jenna, don't,”"It's alright Josh. You're not committing a sin or anything. We're not inside the church, if that's you're worried about.""N-no, it's not that. I, um,” The curate sighed. "I, I'm just scared of, I don't know if I can, do this."She already knew he was single and straight, but decided to question him. "Do you have a girlfriend?""No, but, um, that's the problem really. I'd like one, but I wouldn't know how to tell her,”Jenna stroked his arm. "Tell her what?""I worry she'd laugh at me.""Josh. Whatever it is, I promise I would never laugh at you. And I will understand."He looked down. "Shit. I'm twenty-five. And I'm still a virgin! I've never gone beyond kissing a girl."She kissed his cheek again. "Oh Josh. That's nothing to feel awkward about. In fact I admire you. In this age when we're bombarded with over-sexualized imagery 24/7 both online and offline, finding someone who's chosen to wait is pretty awesome in my opinion. I lost mine just days after reaching the age of consent. I couldn't wait to lose it. But that's just me,”"Yeah but, I, um,”She pulled him to his feet and gently coaxed the truth out of him. "You want to lose your virginity, yes?""More than anything. But, dating today is scary. It's a minefield. Especially after Me Too. I'm afraid. I don't want to say the wrong thing and come across as some horny creep,”Jenna held back a chuckle. Mrs. Norris probably thinks of me as a horny creep. She thought."I get that. But trust me. I don't think a sweet, kind-hearted man of God like you could ever be a creep. Horny yes, nothing wrong with that of course." She winked at him and he gulped. "How about it? I think you're ready right now."His eyes widened. "W-what? Here?""Why not? It's nice and private, And you're a really sexy curate!" Her face was just inches from his own, hovering there. Then her lips were on his, dancing there softly for a moment before pulling away."Jenna,” He was already rock hard, and hoped his cassock had disguised this fact."Shush. You're very special." She whispered, barely audible. "You're warm, caring, You're strong. You deserve to be experience the joys of the flesh." She kissed him again. It's okay to feel nervous. First time is always a bit nerve-racking. But just relax. You'll be just fine,”What an adorable lamb to the slaughter, Jenna thought to herself. He's so scared and unsure. I've never seduced a virgin before, so I'd better not go too hard on him. I do love a challenge. With a bit of encouragement, this sweet guy could have real potential.The touch of her lips sent a fire through his body, a jolt that brought a tingle to every micron of his skin. "Oh, Jenna!""Shhh." Her lips caressed his own, then his nose, his ear. "Don't talk just now, okay?""Mmm?"She kissed him again, gently caressing his upper lip between her own. At last, he responded."Josh." Jenna smiled cheekily. "You're a pretty good kisser, you know that?""Really?"Just relax. I'm not going anywhere, there's no rush. All we have to do is discover each other. There's no hurry. No-one's going to come in here. I imagine the vicar will be busy for ages."Jenna ran her hand down the front of his black cassock. "Oh my, you're more than ready. "Let's get these buttons unfastened." She knelt before him, opening the cassock and revealing the black trousers underneath. And another straining crotch bulge."I'm going to worship you," she whispered, unbuckling his belt and unzipping his trousers. Josh was wearing plain black briefs underneath. It was fun seeing the different types of undies men wore. First there was Reverend Morris with his "holy boxers," then Gordon and his sensible white y-fronts, now Josh with smart black tight-fitting briefs."Everything will be fine. I promise. Close your eyes if it makes you feel better, okay?"The curate hesitated still, but Jenna's smile was reassuring and gentle. "I promise you'll like it." With a shudder, Josh squeezed his eyes tight as his trousers and underwear were lowered, and he could feel the cool air of the room, then Jenna's warm breath on his manhood."There we are."He couldn't resist a peek, through half-closed eyes. He was painfully stiff, of course, harder than he'd ever been in his life, but he didn't need his eyes to tell him that. He shivered as Jenna ran her hand through his pubes and stooped to kiss him there. He gasped as her smooth palm encircled him."Oh my God!""Mmm. So beautiful. Truly God's gift to women. Just relax, don't fight the feeling. Isn't it nice?" Jenna kissed the very tip of his member, and he gasped and moaned, his muscles tensing. "Don't fight it now Josh, just let the feelings come. Relax and let it take you. You don't have to hold it back, just let it come." With that, she closed her lips around his head, tasted him with her tongue."Uh! Oh Jesus!" The curate groaned. The crescendo was boiling in him now, wonderful and frightening and exhilarating. Nothing could have prepared him for the warm embrace of a woman's mouth, the slight roughness of her tongue as she rolled it up and down his length. No porn, no fantasy could have approached the sensation of her lips gently drawing on his cock, coaxing him towards a peak of indescribable pleasure. The fire was in him and around him, consuming him and his thoughts until all that he was became the connection with her, his flesh and her mouth. Her hands cradled his cock gently as he built towards climax, his breathing becoming rapid and shallow."Oh,”"Let it come."Josh sighed deeply in relief as Jenna enveloped him again, shuddered as he felt himself swell between her lips, as he released himself to her, surrendered to her, spurting his cum. She lingered over his manhood, slowly coaxing him down from the heights of his ecstasy. She gently licked his shaft and kissed a drop of his essence from the tip, and smiled up at him."That wasn't so bad, was it?" She said, standing up. "Did you enjoy your first blowjob?""Jenna. Fucking hell!""I'll take that as a yes?""Yes!" he gasped."Oh good. Because we're not done yet. You don't get off that easily you know!" Jenna began unfastening her skirt, letting it fall to the floor. Josh's eyes widened. She wasn't wearing any panties.An old, battered table was in the middle of the storeroom. Jenna cleared it and reclined on it, spreading her legs and unfastening her blouse. No bra!"Your turn."Josh crossed himself."Just trust your instincts." She whispered, lowering herself onto her back. Josh stared at her for a second, dumbstruck by her beauty and timid as a deer. Her gently smiling face and the flowing red hair that framed it, the round fullness of her breasts, her long legs, and the tantalizing lure of her wet womanhood between,Finding his courage at last, Josh moved close. With a shaky hand he reached out and tentatively cupped her left breast. Tracing the nipple with his thumb, ever so gently."Mmm nice, Josh. Keep going!"Encouraged, Josh lowered his mouth to her other breast, the memory of the delightful sensations she'd given him earlier fresh in his mind. He felt her run her fingers through his short blonde hair as he tasted her with his tongue, heard her sigh as he closed his lips around her nipple."Gently now.""Sorry!"The curate feasted on her breasts for a bit longer, before moving down to her abdomen, planting more kisses, then he paused for a moment. Jenna said nothing, silently urging him to carry on, and he did. Tentatively, he kissed the inside of her thighs, tracing a finger through the trimmed hair above her slit.Josh continued to lovingly kiss her thighs, his nerves beginning to fade. The heady scent of her was overpowering, emboldening him to trail a finger between her cunt lips. The wetness he felt there surprised him, and he glanced up."You're doing great, Josh." Jenna answered in a throaty whisper. "Please don't stop."He ran a finger over her clit, causing her to let out a moan. Lowering his head, he caressed her softly with his mouth, tasting her."Oh Josh,” He suckled gently on her clit and she let out a scream."Jenna?" He pulled away from her, his fear returning. "Did I hurt you?""No Josh. It was incredible, that's all. When you licked me down there, wow. You sure know how to thrill a woman. You learn quick! But don't make me cum just yet. Because I want you inside me when it happens."Josh's heart leapt into his throat. "Oh,”"Are you ready?""Um, but protection, I-I don't have a condom,”"It's okay, you don't need to worry. I'm on the Pill.""Oh, right. Good,”"Think of this as doing God's work," Jenna purred, urging him to get on with it. She was eager to feel that virgin cock inside her.Slowly he positioned himself above her on the creaking table. Jenna took his cock in her hand, guiding him. He felt the head of his organ nestle inside her."Lord in Heaven!" It was such exquisite torture, fighting the urge to cum as fast as he could. The feel of her cunt as it sheathed him was beyond even the joys he'd felt already.At first, he slipped in and out of her slowly. He buried his face in her neck."Umm, oh God Josh. Yes! Go harder!"Jenna slowly relaxed her control, allowing him to work his cock in and out of her more forcefully. He thrust in deep, as far as he could, and gasped, savoring the sensation."Oh Josh, that's so good!"He speeded up, as she wrapped her legs round him. Soon he was pounding her like a pro."Jenna!" He could feel his climax coming now, a mighty force of almost Biblical proportions. Just as Jesus drove out many devils, Josh drove out his virginity, casting it aside forever. He'd been freed."Ugh!" With a roar of release the curate came, filling Jenna's womanhood with his seed. Josh wasn't sure how long his orgasm lasted. But he knew that it was wonderful, an epiphany of sensation, and that Jenna writhed and gasped in the throes of her own climax in perfect harmony with his.When they'd both calmed down, Jenna held him close and kissed him. "Are you okay? You were amazing, Josh, do you know that? How are you feeling?""Just fantastic, absolutely fantastic! I, wow. That was, incredible. Um, do you mind if I say a quick prayer for both of us?""Not at all. You go ahead."When he'd finished, he opened his eyes and looked at Jenna, who was smiling broadly. "You are going to become a bloody amazing vicar!" She said.An Erotic Dream & an organ lesson.T'was the Year of Our Lord 1739, and on a road bound for London, weary preacher and hymn writer Charles Wesley had just arrived at a tavern."Innkeeper! I hath been riding all day and my poor horse be in the great need of water and rest. As am I." Charles said."Fear thee not, good fellow, I'll tend to thine horse!" The innkeeper replied. "If it's a room for the night you're looking for, then ye hath come to the right place. Here at the Lamb Inn, there's always a warm greeting for a weary traveler. I'll leave ye in the capable hands of my fine wench Jen, who is adept at making gentlemen feel welcome,”"Greetings to you sir!" Jen said, and Charles was a little taken aback by this stunning redheaded wench. "If you'd like to follow me, I'll lead you to your bedchamber." She picked up a candle and gave him a seductive smirk."Gladly, Miss!" Charles replied, following her up the creaking wooden staircase. In the main room, sounds of merriment filled the air as many men supped ale and enjoyed the company of willing wenches."I see you're a man of faith, sir," said Jen as she reached the top of the stairs. "Have you travelled far?""Aye, all the way from Bristol. I write many hymns. I'm going to visit my older brother John, who's in London. He's a preacher too. In fact he,”"Oh gosh, of course! Your brother must be John Wesley, founder of that Methodist movement I keep hearin' about!""That's right! I'm Charles Wesley."Jen entered the bedchamber. "Here we are, Mr. Wesley. I trust the room is to your liking? This happens to be a new room - never been used before. Bed never slept in, chair never sat on, chamber pot never,”"Ah, glorious!" Charles interrupted her. "It looks most excellent. I am indeed blessed to have been afforded such kindness. God is good!""Mmm, thanks be to God," Jen replied, eyeing up Charles. He was young and rather attractive for a man of the cloth. Most of the clergy she'd encountered in her life had been very old men."There be a fresh jug of water on the table for you, Mr. Wesley. We're lucky here. The Lamb has a deep well which provides safe, clean water to drink. That's why we get so many visitors desperate to quench their thirst without worry of getting the flux."Charles nodded as he put his bag down on the chair and removed his black robe. That four poster bed looked so inviting."Why don't you sit on the bed, Mr. Wesley? I cannot help but wonder, after all that riding, do you not grow a little stiff?""Um, I am a little stiff, yes.""Then come over here and sit beside me." Jen said, patting the bed. "I'd be interested to hear about your hymn writing."Charles bashfully did as she asked. "Well right now, I am working on a "Hymn for Christmas Day." But I confess I have only written the first verse."Perchance could I hear this first verse?" Jen replied.Charles nodded."Hark how all the Welkin ringsGlory to the King of Kings,Peace on Earth, and Mercy mild,God and Sinners reconciled!""I'd say that's a marvelous first verse," said Jen. "Very stirring, very uplifting. It makes one, rise to the occasion." Her hand had somehow ended up on his thigh."Oh do you think so? That pleases me greatly, Miss! Now if only I could complete it."Jen removed her mobcap, revealing long, tumbling red locks. Charles gazed, mesmerized. "By all the saints, you're a pretty woman, Miss,”"Jen, Mr. Wesley, perhaps I can be of some help to you." She blew out the candle. "Oh my! Now we're in the dark. How careless of me! We'll just have to,”"Oh Miss Jen!" Charles gasped as her hand groped him in an intimate place."I think you've risen to the occasion Mr. Wesley!"A few moments later and the good wench had relieved the dear Mr. Wesley of his breeches and cast off the rest of his apparel, including a periwig. The preacher produced naked, stiff, and erect, a wonderful maypole. Jen put her hands to this fine example of maleness and her actions had the desired effect."Ah! I think my inspiration is returning!""I'm filled with joy, Mr. Wesley! Tis an honor to help you!""Joyful all ye Nations rise,Join the Triumph of the Skies,Universal Nature say"Christ the Lord is born to Day!""That's a wonderful second verse!" Jen ran her tongue round the preacher's erect member, before taking his entire length into her mouth."Oh Lord in Heaven, I have given in to sin, but if the sin results in a completed hymn, will thou look upon me with mercy?" Charles gasped, as the pleasure overwhelmed him.Jen withdrew. "The Lord will indeed pardon you, Mr. Wesley. Now please relax and enjoy my help!""Ah, oh my God, thine tongue is divine, it feels so good!"Jen sucked, licked and teased Charles' cock until he could take no more."Miss Jen! I'm going to spend! Oh, yes!""Ahh, I have been anointed by your holy essence, Mr. Wesley!" Jen giggled as she eagerly gobbled up his seed.Charles' face bore an expression of utter bliss and satisfaction. "Oh Miss Jen. I am so grateful God delivered me to this inn. What sweet pleasures you have afforded me this evening!"A furious knocking on the bedchamber door disturbed the blissful ambience."Jen! Jen! You need to get up!" a woman shouted."Is that, the innkeeper's wife?" Charles wondered, still dazed after his powerful orgasm.Jen licked the remaining cum off the preacher's softening cock. "Mm, sounds like Mother. But wait, Mother died of smallpox ten years ago, so how, ?"Everything seemed to fade away in a strange haze."Jen! You're going to be late for work! Wake up!"Jenna finally awoke. "Huh? What?""Are you alright?" Her mum shouted. "Answer me or I'm coming in.""Um yeah. I'm fine Mum!" She rolled over and reached for her smartphone. Squinting, she looked at the clock."Shit! I overslept!"Breakfast was a rushed affair, with Jenna barely able to drink half a cup of coffee and a piece of toast."For goodness cake, slow down before you choke on that," her mum said."Can't believe I overslept. I set my phone. I've never done that before." Jenna said."Hey, we all do it sometimes. Though your exertions at church no doubt kept you up late. Your dad and I noticed how much time you've been spending at St. Michael's. Now feel free to tell me to mind my own business, but what's with the sudden obsession with church? You've never been interested before. You used to laugh at Gran for being in the Mother's Union.""I guess the pandemic made me think about things differently," Jenna lied, trying to think up a good excuse. "I know I never attended church much before, but I never stopped being a believer.""That's great, Jen. I'm glad it makes you happy. I just hope you're not spending all your time with old people, though. It's good to mix with people your own age.""Oh there's a good mix of different ages at St Michael's. They're not all boomers, Mum. The curate, Yulia and Debbie aren't much different to me. And Reverend Morris, .he's amazing.""I'm sure he is," her mum replied, with a wry grin. "You out tonight?""Yes. Choir practice." Jenna grabbed her bag and car keys."By the way, who's Charles Wesley?""Um, what?""You were yelling his name over and over in your sleep. You must've been dreaming.""Oh. Well he's a guy who wrote a lot of great hymns. He lived in the 18th century. He wrote that famous carol "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", although the original words were different. Gotta go. Love you. Bye!"Jenna's mum shook her head. "Charles Wesley? When I was growing up, I used to dream about Brad Pitt.""I have got to get a place of my own," Jenna muttered to herself as she headed to the car. "That was cringe."Jenna had prepared herself for her evening "choir practice" with Gordon, by wearing her best lingerie and a sexy dress that perfectly highlighted her curves and cleavage. The organist himself had also made an effort, by wearing his best suit and tie. With his black robe unfastened, he resembled an old-fashioned headmaster."Hello there!" Gordon said, grinning from ear to ear. Whoa, she looked drop-dead gorgeous. He was practically drooling like a dog in heat."Not so bad yourself, Gordon!" Jenna replied. "Love the suit. Now all you need is a cane.""A cane?""To punish me with. You see, I've been a naughty girl. I forgot to practice that piece of music you mentioned.""Oh dearie me," Gordon said, walking over to her. "Whatever am I to do with such a naughty girl? Never mind. I'm sure you can make it up to me some way,”He sat down on the organ stool. "Come sit in my lap, Jenna. We're going to play a little tune together. I'm sure you can do it.""Why Gordon, I'm not sure I can play this. It's a bit of a step up from the piano.""Just give it a try. I'm sure you'll learn quick!" He winked. "Try the third manual," he added, indicating one of the keyboards.Jenna bit her lip and slid onto Gordon's lap. She deliberated wiggled about a bit, causing him to let out a groan. "This seat is a little, hard!"Jenna began playing the first few notes. "You're right, Kings and Queens does sound fantastic on a pipe organ. I'd have never guessed you were an Ava Max fan, Gordon.""Hah, I'm not. Can't stand modern pop music. But the younger members of the choir are always begging for this song. You're great at this!"As Jenna continued to play, Gordon began massaging her breasts and kissing her exposed neck."Oh Gordon," Jenna sighed."There's a part-time job available,” he continued, between kisses. "An assistant choirmaster and pianist at the Sunday school. Three days a week. The school isn't just open on Sundays anymore. There's a crèche and breakfast club on Wednesdays. They do after-school sessions for kids who have special needs. It's not bad money. I know you've got all the relevant qualifications. If you're interested, I could easily pull a few strings and get you in."Jenna suddenly halted her playing. "Wow, are you serious?""Of course I am. Look, the young 'uns think I'm some kind of ogre. And they're probably right. But you, you'd be such an asset to the school. And tell me honestly, do you truly enjoy working in a call center?""I hate it. The pay is shit and I hate my boss. Now she's a real-life ogre.""Exactly. Your talents are wasted in a dead-end job like that, Jenna. It's up to you of course, but please give it some thought."She turned round to face him. Kissing him hard the lips, she slipped her arms round his shoulders. "I've given it thought. I accept! Now why don't you let me thank you properly, Gordon?"Jenna hiked up her dress, and unfastened Gordon's belt. She unzipped his trousers, pushed down his underpants, and his rock hard erection sprang free from its encumbrance. Unable to contain himself any longer, Gordon pulled aside the crotch of her damp panties, positioned himself to her entrance, and pushed himself into her. The soft lips between her legs parted, and she threw her head back in sudden ecstasy as the organist began thrusting himself in and out of her warm body, slowly at first, then building in speed.Outside, a black 4 by 4 had just pulled up in the church car park. John Norris got out of the driver's side and furiously slammed the door shut."John please, don't do this!" his wife pleaded. "Not in the church!""Look Patricia, I want to get to the bottom of this. First Gordon angrily accuses me of spreading lies on Facebook. He called me "the biggest shit-stirrer in this church" to my face! Now the chaps at the Rotary Club have frozen me out. They said I've been making sexist jokes and racist comments about Ukrainians! I ask you, when have I ever made a racist comment? I haven't a racist bone in my body! And I've never signed up to Facebook either. Someone is trying to smear my name. If you ask me, Gordon's the one behind it all! Well, we'll see what he has to say, man-to-man."A look of horror swept Mrs. Norris' face. "You can't go in there! I can hear the organ - the choir are in there!""I don't care if the whole bloody town is in there!" John yelled, a display of anger that was most unlike him. "This has gone too far. I can't believe Gordon could be so vindictive. He'd a bad-tempered sod, but I never thought he'd do this. Libel is a serious offence."He stormed into the church and marched down the aisle, his panicking wife rushing after him."Alright alright, it wasn't Gordon. It was me!" She grabbed his arm. He halted."What?""I did it."John shook his head. "Why are you trying to protect him? Do you fancy him or something? Is there more to this?""No! No of course I don't! Look, I signed up to Facebook so I could access the church page but I used your name. I know I shouldn't have but, well surely you must know how members of this church treat me? I'd have been blocked immediately!"John's face had gone through several shades of red and was now the color of raw steak."You, Did what? You've been spreading lies and racist comments using an account with my name? What the hell am I married to?" He walked round the side of the organ. "Bloody hell!"Mrs. Norris shoved him aside, wondering what had shocked him. "That's her! She's the one who's caused all this! The little tart! She's bringing filth and depravity to this church!"John glared at his wife. "I'd say your own venom has done that already, Patricia." He turned and stormed off. "I'm going home. To pack a few things. I'm going to stay at my brother's for a bit. And you, well you can go to Hell.""Gordon, do you hear somebody shouting?" Jenna sighed as she felt his warm cum fill her."Probably just a bit of rowdy teen behavior outside," Gordon replied with a smirk.To be continued.By Blacksheep, for Literotica.

Since 2018, Lorehaven.com creators have explored fantastical stories for God's glory, and now we've upgraded our Library book search.

Irene Agbontaen is a someone whose career is defined by being the change she wanted to see. Back in 2018, she was becoming increasingly frustrated at the lack of clothes on the market for taller women, so she took matters into her own hands and founded TTYA, which stands for Taller Than Your Average. The brand saw monumental success, however, since then, she's curated a multifaceted career for herself just by saying yes.Download Revolut using this link, spend, and get £20: https://get.revolut.com/E528/gracebeverleypod+IRENEIG: https://www.instagram.com/irenettya/?hl=en+CHAPTERS0:00 introduction1:39 Her childhood & aspirations10:15 Having a picture of what you want to do12:14 How she got her first big break19:49 Hustling to get her brand off the ground27:12 Getting her first order from selfridges29:19 True hustle & running club nights34:34 The biggest challenges she faced42:17 How to turn everything into an opportunity50:00 Not changing yourself to fit a career56:20 Buying 2 properties & how she did it+MY LINKS: https://gracebeverley.komi.io/+RETROGRADE, SHREDDY, TALA and THE PRODUCTIVITY METHOD are my own businesses, therefore any mention of them - whilst not being a sponsorship - is monetarily endorsed. As usual, sponsorships do not change my opinions nor my honesty, but I will always disclaim to make sure motives are clear

This week we had a message and sharing from Nick our Senior Pastor, Stephen our current Youth Pastor, Isaac & Tatum our future Youth Pastors, and a group of our amazing youth!If you would like to reach out or know more about Jesus, please visit curatechurch.com or email hello@curatechurch.com. We'd love to connect and help you in your journey of faith.

Your portfolio isn't just a gallery—it's your sales pitch. It's what tells dream clients you're the perfect photographer or videographer to capture their wedding or elopement. In this episode, we're diving into actionable strategies to curate a portfolio that attracts the clients you truly want to work with.We'll cover:Why Your Portfolio is Key to Booking Dream Clients: Learn how to show the work you want to book and stand out in a crowded market.The Power of Styled Shoots: Discover why styled shoots are the ultimate fast-track to filling portfolio gaps and creating work that aligns with your vision.Steps to Build Your Dream Portfolio: Audit your current work, define your ideal clients, and invest in opportunities like styled shoots to showcase your best work.✨ $27 Offers to Help You Elevate Your BusinessBecome a Wedding Videographer by This Weekend: Learn to add video services to your photography business and start earning more today: heythriver.com/learnvideo.Thrive: Social Club Membership for $27/month: Weekly coworking sessions to stay consistent with your marketing and portfolio-building goals: heythriver.com/socialclub.✨ Join the Thrive: Glacier Retreat WaitlistReady to transform your portfolio? At Thrive: Glacier, you'll have access to:A detail-rich, intimate micro-wedding styled shoot.An adventurous, permit-ready elopement shoot in Glacier National Park.A lifestyle shoot with real couples, designed for hybrid shooters.Spots are limited, so don't wait! Join the waitlist now for early access: heythriver.com/in-person-events.

In this message Nick Winlaw shares from Exodus in the Bible, about living well in the in-between times of wilderness in our lives. These are times when God provides (Manna), when we need to remember to be grateful (Manners) and when we see the promises of God in our lives (Mangoes). If you would like to reach out or know more about Jesus, please visit curatechurch.com or email hello@curatechurch.com. We'd love to connect and help you in your journey of faith.

Do you feel stuck in a negative environment? Discover how to transform any space into a thriving, positive community. In this episode, Superstar Coaches Tam and Jillian dive deep into the art of cultivating a supportive environment, handling conflict, and leading with purpose. FREE Download: Tamara Lowe's Latest Book (Business + Ministry = Success: A Superior Model to Profitably Change Your World)! http://www.kbabook.comThey unpack leadership challenges in community spaces and offer powerful insights on managing conflict, curating a positive attitude, and uplifting others. Learn actionable steps to build a community that radiates positivity and aligns with your mission.If you're a Christian leader, entrepreneur, or ministry-driven individual, this episode is for you. Tune in now to start building a community that uplifts and inspires!In This Episode:-Understanding Community Impact: How Attitude Shapes Community Dynamics-How to Curate a Positive Community in Your Business, Brand, or Ministry- Leading and Weeding: Why Effective Leaders Manage Conflict by Removing Negativity-How to Handle Conflict With Other Leaders Within Your Business or Organization-Tips for Personal Positivity: Protecting Your Inner Space Amid ChallengesResources: FREE Download: Tamara Lowe's Latest Book (Business + Ministry = Success: A Superior Model to Profitably Change Your World)! http://www.kbabook.com Connect with The Kingdom Builders: Website - https://www.kingdombuilders.academy/Facebook - https://web.facebook.com/sz.lowe/Facebook Group - https://web.facebook.com/groups/kingdombuildersacademyLinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/kingdombuildersacademy/YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@kingdombuildersacademy4771

“Curate your environment. Put things around you that make you happy. You have a responsibility to awe and beauty. Make sure that you experience those things in your life.”Let's face it: life's chaos doesn't come with a manual, but meditation might be the closest thing we have. In this episode, Bob Martin—former attorney, mob lawyer (yes, really), and now meditation advocate—shares his fascinating journey from the cocaine cowboy days of Miami to finding his zen as a meditation teacher. Bob reveals how Daoist principles not only transformed his personal life but also inspired a new approach to business and entrepreneurship. Whether you're running a company or just trying to run your own mind, this episode delivers insights, humor, and practical advice for balancing it all. Spoiler: meditation is like hitting the reset button on your brain.Bob Martin is a former prosecutor, defense attorney, and meditation teacher who went from handling high-stakes legal cases to mastering the art of mindfulness. After studying under a 72nd-generation Daoist master, Bob turned his focus to helping others navigate life and business with clarity and calm. His work bridges the worlds of self-discovery and entrepreneurship, offering tools to thrive both personally and professionally.Learn more and connect: A Wise and Happy Life (Bob's website): https://www.awiseandhappylife.comVisit https://www.ecircleacademy.comBlvd area and book a success call with Nicky to take your practice to the next level.

The Rev’d David Beck, Curate

Welcome back to another episode of the podcast + HELLO again my conscious cash queen! This is where kind-hearted generous women come to make f*k tons of money in a way that feels good to your nervous system (I'm taking no-alarm mornings, extra long meditations and pedicures at noon whenever you damn please).Doing well with money while doing good in the world is the energy here.In pure $G Money fashion - the vibe of everything is to simplify your business, make even more money + have even more soul-aligned clients popping your dm's on the daily wanting to pay you without being chronically online.YES please - More of this!As always…THIS is an episode you're going to want to listen to. It's definitely a money making activity to push play. Let's dive in!Money Mindset Journal: https://a.co/d/c0l9DOlCurrent Micro Offer: Money Machine Marketinghttps://gabrielle-forleo.mykajabi.com/offers/qQNESTmgSay Hi and share what came up for you during this episode!Message me at:https://www.instagram.com/gabrielleforleo/Learn more about working together here!www.gabrielleforleo.com Hop inside my FREE Stories That Make You Money Traininghttps://gabrielle-forleo.mykajabi.com/offers/sezUch3s

In episode 98, Ste closes out 2024 by sharing 25 strategies to change your life in 2025.  You'll learn the ins and outs of how to develop a winning mindset, clean up your environment, forge long-lasting relationships, and find the right diet and movement habits for you.  Radical Health Radio is produced by Heart & Soil, a beef organ supplements company helping hundreds of thousands of people achieve radical health. Heart & Soil was founded by Dr. Paul Saladino, a double board-certified MD and founder of the animal-based eating philosophy. Visit heartandsoil.co to reclaim your birthright to radical health with the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet.

Hello hi! The holiday season can be magical, but let's face it—it can also be overwhelming! In this episode, I'm sharing the five (and a half!) things that are helping me feel like myself and move through the busiest time of year as mindfully as possible. From favourite apps and comforting habits to traditions that warm my heart, these small joys are saving my season. I'll also share a wildcard favourite that surprised me, plus one thing that's definitely not saving my season (hint: it involves a certain trendy food). Stick around for an exciting invitation to join the next chapter of the Medium Lady community in 2025. So grab your cozy drink, take a deep breath, and let's list out the things that are bringing simple joy and balance this holiday season. What's in This Episode?

Wellness + Wisdom | Episode 701 Wellness + Wisdom Podcast Host, Josh Trent, shares practical steps for self-love and personal growth in 2025. Today's Question Matthew: I've been doing everything I possibly can to grow my Wellness Pentagon, but I keep hitting up against this roadblock when it comes to loving myself and believing in myself. There's a long line of depression and emotional health issues in my family and I just want to escape the cycles of it all once and for all how and where do I begin? Is there a topic that you'd like us to cover in the next AMA episode? Record your message HERE. Save 20% with code "WELLNESSFORCE" on everyone's favorite Superfoods brand, ORGANIFI, including their Sunrise to Sunset Bundle and their Women's Power Stack that includes HARMONY + GLOW for true hormonal balance and great health radiating through your beautiful skin. Listen To Episode 701 As Josh Trent Answers Your Questions [01:40] What Is Self-Love? The question from the audience today is real special. This is a question from Matthew. Hey Josh, I love the podcast and I've been doing everything I possibly can to grow my Wellness pentagon, but I keep hitting up against this roadblock when it comes to loving myself and believing in myself. There's a long line of depression and emotional health issues in my family and I just want to escape the cycles of it all once and for all how and where do I begin? What a great question. What a vulnerable question. If you listen to the AMA 699 that we did, and if you haven't, make sure you do. We talked about the number one mindset shift that you must have in 2025 around your beliefs and your barometer. And we touched on this and I'm so happy that Matthew, you asked this question today because it is the deepest work we'll ever do. It is the most potent work we'll ever do to love ourselves. But how do we actually do it? Self-love is looked at as selfishness, especially from previous generations, where let's be honest, they didn't have the affluence, the time affluence, the financial affluence that we are afforded with, where we can actually dive in to know ourselves. It's pretty amazing. I mean, we're so blessed. We're so incredibly blessed to be able to even practice self-love. It's something our ancestors didn't necessarily ever get to do because they were just stuck in survival. Yet, Here's the paradox. In 2025, self-love isn't selfish, it's about transcending survival. And it's the ultimate power move. Let me ask you this. Do you feel guilty when you put yourself first? When you fill your own cup, Do you have feelings of guilt or shame or a narrative in your mind that says, I shouldn't put myself first? I should be taking care of everything and everyone else before I put myself first. Well, what if I told you that all successful people prioritize putting themselves first and they do it without shame, guilt, or blame. Well, in 2025 we're going to unpack why this is so important to put yourself first and also why the world 2025 will demand more from you than ever before and if you don't fill your own cup you'll have nothing left to give. So first let's define self-love. Self-love is the capacity, the awareness, and the consciousness to take care of yourself, nourish yourself so that you can do that same thing for others. That's essentially what I believe self-love is. It's the consciousness, capacity, and awareness to care for you in all the different ways of the Pentagon so that you can then give that gift of caring and loving to others. That's what self-love is. Self-love is not just bubble baths and candles, right? Self-love is about boundaries. It's about self-respect. It's about doing the inner work so you can actually the stigma that's been around for so long. This self-love has been labeled as this narcissistic or indulgent thing, but true self-love is actually the foundation for authentic relationships, career success, and mental health. Here's why. There are 3 key pillars for self-love... [14:15] Take Inspired Action Let's go into the actionable framework for 2025 that you can actually practice on a daily basis to become the best of you. The first one is having a morning ritual. It's a self-affirmation. It is a mantra. And the mantra I'd love for you to say is put your hands on your heart and say: I am worthy of the love I give to others. I am worthy of the love I give to others. Say it over and over and over again until you believe it. I am worthy of the love I give to others. Say it over and over and over again until you believe it. I am worthy of the love I give to others because, in that mantra, you're reinforcing on an unconscious basis that you're giving it to yourself. You can't give anything to anyone else that you don't hold, right? You can't give wisdom to someone else that you haven't earned. You may be able to regurgitate it, but people are gonna feel in their esoteric nervous system and in their enteric nervous system and in their unconscious nervous system, and their automatic nervous system, that it's just not true. In other words, we can tell when somebody hasn't embodied something that they're sharing. So even if it's wisdom given from a messenger, the wisdom won't land, the wisdom won't hit and be embodied unless the person themselves has done the work to embody it. Second practice, I want you to say no for 1 week. Say no for 1 week. Say no to anything or anyone for 1 week that drains your energy. Energy vampires can be acknowledged by just doing this simple practice. When you hang out with someone, or when you consume content, or when you do anything at all, does it drain your energy? Do you have less energy when you're done? Or do you have more? Say no for 1 week. Just 1 week. Give it a practice. Say no for 1 week to anything or anyone that drains your soul, that takes away your energy. Watch how this transforms your mindset. Number 3, tactical. Schedule time for you. Put yourself on your calendar. I have a color-coded calendar where I have business and family and self and in-studio and remote. I really like color-coding. This is a great strategy for you to do this. So put yourself on the calendar like a meeting can't cancel. Don't cancel on yourself. Use this time to charge yourself. Maybe it's cold plunge, maybe it's sauna, maybe it's walking. It's typically going to be, I'll share with you, it's typically going to be a physical practice. A lot of our world is sedentary. So nourish yourself with time on your that's color-coded so you can actually practice feeding you, feeding your body, feeding your heart and soul. Number 4, detox from comparison. In 2025, unfollow any accounts that make you feel less than, that make you feel like shit. There's no reason why you need to be following people or consuming content. Curate your digital space for inspiration, not insecurity. Have the awareness to know when something's making you insecure that you don't actually have to feed yourself with it. Just because you feel insecure about something means you have to keep banging your head against it till you feel secure. Security is an inside job, not an outside job. And number 5, in the tactical ways we can practice these skillsets, celebrate small wins. This is a big one for me. I've been so focused in my life on going to the next thing, going to the next thing, that I have lost track of celebrating my small wins. So for myself and everyone, keep a journal, like write in a journal where you're doing one thing that nourished you that day, one thing that you're proud of, celebrate it. It's not selfish. It's about transcending survival... [spacer height="30px"] Leave Wellness + Wisdom a Review on Apple Podcasts Links From Today's Show  Liberated Life Tribe 699 AMA | Your Beliefs Are Your Barometer: The #1 Mindset Shift You Must Do In 2025 686 Mark Groves | Your Triggers Are Your Teachers: How To Answer The Call of Self-Mastery In Relationships + Life Josh's Trusted Products | Up To 40% Off Shop All Products Biohacking⁠ MANNA Vitality - Save 20% with code JOSH20 HigherDOSE - 15% off with the code JOSH15 PLUNGE - $150 off with discount code WELLNESSFORCE Pulsetto - Save 20% with code "JOSH" SaunaSpace - 10% off with discount code JOSH10 Ultrahuman Ring Air - 10% off with code JOSH Wellness Test Kits FertilityWize Test by Clockwize - Save 10% with code JOSH Tiny Health Gut Tests - $20 off with discount code JOSH20 VIVOO Health Tests - Save 30% off with code JOSH SiPhox Health Blood Test - Save 15% off with code JOSH Nutrition + Gut Health Organifi - 20% off with discount code WELLNESSFORCE SEED Synbiotic - 25% off with the code 25JOSHTRENT Paleovalley - 15% off with the link only EQUIP Foods - 15% off with the code WELLNESS15 DRY FARM WINES - Get an extra bottle of Pure Natural Wine with your order for just 1¢ Just Thrive - 20% off with the code JOSH Legacy Cacao - Save 10% with JOSH when you order by the pound! 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There are two kinds of real estate agents.  The average ones who thrive when the market's good, and the ultimate agents who dominate no matter what's going on the market.  While other agents complain about high interest rates and low inventory, the best agents maintain market share - in fact, they can even increase it in the toughest times.  These ultimate agents are defined by 13 non-negotiable skills that lead to sustainable and duplicatable results. In this market, there's no winning without having the best listing presentation possible, curating our online presence carefully, exceptional negotiation, and rapid response to leads.  How do you perfect your presentation skill? How do you become a better negotiator? In this episode, we're continuing with our list of essential skills an agent needs to have to succeed regardless of market conditions.    Most listings are lost before you even walk in the door. You have to know up front what you're walking into - no surprises. -Abe Safa    Things You'll Learn In This Episode  Know everything before you walk in the door  Agents think the listing presentation starts at the kitchen table, but it actually starts at the front door. What mistakes make you lose the listing right from the start? Become the ultimate buyer converter  Winning buyers is about rapid response and narrowing the gaps between contacts. How do we implement this? Curate your online footprint carefully  Everyone's Googling real estate agents before they even call them. How do you make sure your online presence leads to more listings?   About Your Host Greg Harrelson is a real estate agent, coach, trainer and owner of Century 21 The Harrelson Group. He has been in the real estate business for over 20 years and has been professionally trained by coaches like Mike, Matthew, Tom Ferry, Chet Holmes and Tony Robbins. He is in the top 1% of all Realtors nationwide. His goal is to empower his clients with the information necessary to make sound financial decisions while being sensitive to the experience one is looking for in real estate ownership. The Harrelson Group has been the leading office in the Myrtle Beach real estate market for years and they have recently added a new office in Charleston, SC.   Check out this episode on Apple Podcasts, or Spotify, and don't forget to leave a review if you like what you heard. Your review feeds the algorithm so our show reaches more people. Thank you!    Want To Level Up Your Production? (and live anywhere in the Carolinas) Check out www.gregharrelsoncareers.com   Learn more about Infusionsoft for real estate: http://www.realestatesalessolutions.com/  

I'm joined by Temetria McVea, a life coach who specializes in helping women in midlife navigate these transitions. Temetria is in my Advanced Certification. This episode is specifically about the project that she did in Certification and all the work she did in developing self-trust in her coaching and her incredible offerings.   Discover how Temetria McVea became a coach for women in midlife, and how she created a concept to help her clients navigate transitions and create the life they really want. Temetria shares how she found her formula as a general life coach, and how she created transformation in her own life after deciding she wanted a change.   Get full show notes, transcript, and more information here: https://www.lindsaydotzlafcoaching.com/216

Maggie Brittain is a Decluttering Coach and Professional Organizer who helps overwhelmed women reclaim their mental space by simplifying their homes. In this episode, Maggie shares her COCO organizing framework and practical tips for letting go of physical and mental clutter.In this episode we discuss:

Transforming Your Financial Journey[00:09:01] “That was when I realized, wow, I have just been following someone else's recipe for success and it does not feel like that for me. I did what I suspect a lot of people would do once they figure out that they are in a massive amount of debt. I googled how to get out of debt and how to get out of debt fast.”[00:16:16] “And so one day a week on my screenless Sunday, I don't have to impress anybody. I don't have to do anything to try to convince people of who I am or how I'm valued. And I just be, and that one habit that I have implemented for the last couple of years now has done such wonders for both my mental health and my wealth building journey. Because I started to see, oh, actually there's a lot of things that I can do that brings me peace and actually makes me feel like a valuable person that doesn't rely on external validation.” [00:39:23] “I've had hundreds of people to test this [CRUSH] framework on over the last eight years. The acronym stands for Curate your accounts, which is C. Reverse into independence, Understand your net worth, Spend intentionally, and then H is heal your money wounds. The book is structured where there's five habits that you can try per step in the framework.”Connect with Bernadette JoyWebsite - https://www.crushyourmoneygoals.com/  Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/bernadebtjoy/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bernadebtjoy/YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@bernadebtjoyX - https://x.com/bernadebtjoyCrush Your Money Goals Free Guide - https://www.crushyourmoneygoals.com/freeguideAudio/video editing and show notes by Podcast Abundance. Find out how they can help you too by visiting www.podcastabundance.com/services Learn together, cheer each other on, and pursue financial wellness alongside others who value living life by design. Join for free at https://goodegginvestments.com/invest Now OPEN: 71-unit multifamily investment in Phoenix, AZ https://goodegginvestments.com/north Connect with GoodeggWebsite - https://goodegginvestments.com/YouTube - @GoodegginvestmentsInstagram - @goodegginvestments

 With host retail coach Wendy Batten    https://wendybatten.com/podcast-intro/   In This Episode:  What would happen if you built a business centered entirely around what you love and what you believe your community is currently missing? We're about to find out!  In this truly inspiring episode of the Creative Shop Talk Podcast, I'm sitting down with Lisa Wrixon, the visionary and CEO behind thestylewell and Lewellyn, two boutique shops in North Vancouver. From her roots in art history to leading retail operations for major brands, Lisa's journey is a masterclass in turning passion into purpose. Discover how she built a thriving business centered on beautiful design, community engagement, and a curated customer experience—all while staying true to her values and vision. If you're an independent retailer looking for actionable insights and motivation, this episode is for you! Episode Highlights: We dig into Lisa's Background: From studying art history to managing merchandising and retail operations for top brands like The Body Shop and Indaba Trading. thestylewell Origin Story: A dream sparked by a love for beautiful, curated spaces, culminating in a thriving home decor business in North Vancouver. Running Two Shops: Lisa owns thestylewell, focusing on home decor, and Lewellyn, a sister shop for fashion and accessories. Building Community: The importance of hosting workshops, events, and pop-ups to engage with the local design and retail community. Curating Success: Balancing simplicity, aesthetics, and strong operational practices to create a loyal customer base. Biggest Lessons: The value of staying true to your brand while taking calculated risks to grow. Takeaways for Retailers: Invest in your community and prioritize relationships over transactions. Curate your offerings with a strong focus on aesthetics and what resonates with your ideal customers. Don't overcomplicate operations—simplicity and clarity can fuel success. Collaborate and share knowledge generously to foster growth in your industry. Lisa is an active member of the Retailer's Inner Circle program. Join smart retailers like Lisa inside this program this year.  "I opened a shop for me because I couldn't find what I wanted. Now, I create the need for others." -Lisa Wrixon   Related podcasts we think you'll like:  Episode 237: Retailer Success Series: Cindy's Journey to Building a Thriving Bead Store Episode 217: Best of Retailer Success Series: Simplifying Your Retail Business with Louise McManus Episode 179: Retailer Success Series: Jess Gebauer, on Using Unique Marketing and Sales Strategies   About Lisa and thestylewell thestylewell is curated and owned by Lisa Wrixon, an innovative and dynamic creative professional who relishes in inspiring, delighting and engaging customers. As a lover of all things beautiful, Lisa has years of experience as a residential Interior Designer, wholesale home décor brand strategist and Manager of Retail Operations for leading Canadian Retailers. But it is her love of all things pretty, that are created with care, and her vision of creating meaningful moments in people's homes that has driven her to open thestylewell. thestylewell aims to provide beautiful decorative pieces, hand selected by Lisa with the intent to enhance a living space, be admired and desired, shared or possessed for oneself. Follow along with Lisa, thestylewell and Lewellyn :  thestylewell Website | Lewellyn Website | thestylewell Instagram | Lewellyn Instagram About your host, Wendy Batten In case we haven't met yet, I'm Wendy, a small business coach and founder of the Retailer's Inner Circle, where I help other independent shop owners learn how to gain the right business skillsets to see more profits, paychecks, and joy as they navigate running their retail business.  Through online classes, business coaching programs, speaking, and a top-ranked podcast, I've helped hundreds of retailers around the globe reclaim their dreams and see the success they want from their beautiful shops. My signature private coaching community, The Retailer's Inner Circle, has helped retailers around the world build their retail business skill sets and confidence.  I am proud to have been featured in several major publications, including my own business column in What Women Create magazine. I have been privileged to be a guest on top-ranked podcasts and sought-after as a guest speaker and teacher for several brands, associations, and communities that are passionate about the success of independent retailers. When I'm not coaching, you will find me either DIYing and renovating my very imperfect old crooked cottage by the sea in the UNESCO World Heritage town of Lunenburg, NS, or blogging about our travel and RVing adventures and the weird fun things we get up to in our coastal village. I'd love to invite you to check out one of my free resources for real retailers at https://wendybatten.com/free-resources/    For more support from Wendy   Retailer's Inner Circle - Join Wendy inside the best retailer's community   Free resources for shop owners    Hang out and connect with Wendy on IG    All of Wendy's programs and services for shop owners can be found HERE.  Subscribe & Review on iTunes Are you subscribed to my podcast? If you're not, I'd love you to consider it. Subscribing means you won't miss an episode! Click here to subscribe to iTunes! If you want to be more of a rockstar, I'd love it if you could leave a review over on iTunes as well.  Those reviews help other retailers find my podcast and they're also fun for me to go in and read. Just click here to review, select “Ratings and Reviews” and “Write a Review” and let me know what your favorite part of the podcast is. So grateful for you! Thank you!

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 1523: In "Simple Work-Life: A Guide to a Balanced and Intentional Life," Hilary Barnett explores how embracing simplicity can lead to greater clarity, productivity, and satisfaction in both work and personal life. By focusing on intentional choices and minimizing distractions, readers can achieve a more balanced life that aligns with their true priorities. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://nosidebar.com/simple-work-life/ Quotes to ponder: "Balancing work and life doesn't have to mean walking a tightrope it's about finding harmony." "When we simplify, we make room for what truly matters and let go of what doesn't." "Simplicity isn't about doing less, but about doing the right things with intention." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, I am joined by Shahed Khan, co-founder of Loom, as we explore innovative startup ideas, and his frameworks for finding and building startupsEpisode Timestamps:00:00 Intro00:50 Startup Idea 1: The Modern Travel Guide 19:25 Startup Idea 2: The anti-social social network34:06 Startup Idea 3: Time Capsules of Shared Memories1) The Anti-TripAdvisor Traveler Problem: Millennials & Gen Z hate cookie-cutter travel experiencesSolution: TikTok-inspired travel app with curated, local gemsKey features:• City-specific guides (coffee shops, bookstores, etc.)• Video carousels showing vibes• Monetize by unlocking full guides ($0.99)How to build MVP:1. Use TikTok API to pull trending local videos2. Transcribe with Descript or Google Speech-to-Text3. Clean up with ChatGPT4. Auto-post to WordPress via ZapierPro tip: Start hyper-niche (e.g., coffeesnobs.xyz) then expand2) The New "Path" - Dunbar's Social Network Problem: We've lost connection with our REAL friendsSolution: Reinvent Path for 2024 - ultra-private social networkKey features:• Max 150 connections (Dunbar's number)• Location-based updates• Simple, minimalist designWhy it could work:• People crave intimate, ad-free spaces• AI makes building faster & cheaper• Charge $20-30/year subscriptionMarketing angle: "The anti-social social network"3) Time Capsules of Shared MemoriesProblem: "Shared albums are where memories go to die"Solution: Physical, ephemeral time capsules of shared experiencesKey features:• Pull from connected social accounts• Curate personalized memory boxes• Make it EASY to send as giftsMonetization:• Subscription for curation• Charge per physical time capsule sentInspiration: Remember Klout? Leverage nostalgia!Bonus insight: People don't change. Our needs stay the same.Products evolve, but human nature is constant. Study the past!Want more free ideas? I collect the best ideas from the pod and give them to you for free in a database. Most of them cost $0 to start (my fav)Get access: https://www.gregisenberg.com/30startupideasLCA helps Fortune 500s and fast-growing startups build their future - from Warner Music to Fortnite to Dropbox. We turn 'what if' into reality with AI, apps, and next-gen products https://latecheckout.agency/BoringAds — ads agency that will build you profitable ad campaigns http://boringads.com/BoringMarketing — SEO agency and tools to get your organic customers http://boringmarketing.com/Startup Empire - a membership for builders who want to build cash-flowing businesses https://www.startupempire.coFIND ME ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://twitter.com/gregisenbergInstagram: https://instagram.com/gregisenberg/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gisenberg/FIND SHAHED ON SOCIALX/Twitter: https://x.com/_shahedkLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shahedkhan/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_shahedk/

In today's busy online world, virtual presentations are everything in how you are received AND perceived. If you put forth the effort to create an online course, webinar, or speaking engagement, you want to show up authentically and masterfully to engage your audience. This is an important area in which there is always room for improvement! My guest today is a proven expert in virtual presentation, and she's here to share her knowledge with us. Join us to learn more!Our Featured GuestLorraine K. LeeLorraine Lee is a top career and business virtual keynote speaker who has been featured in several publications and on podcasts with numerous accomplishments and awards throughout her career. She has worked in several editorial roles at LinkedIn and Prezi and has built a LinkedIn following of over 300,000, so she is very much immersed in the world of virtual presentations and online learning. She is the perfect person to help us understand more about improving our virtual presentations. Lorraine's WebsiteYou'll Learn:How virtual presentations give you access to a wider audience and help you stand out in your expertiseWhy the entertainment factor of virtual presentations cannot be ignoredExamples of different types of virtual presentationsLorraine's tips for improving your virtual presentations:Add movement to your presentations and incorporate “state changes.”Curate your background with features that are calming, positive, personable, and professional.Include visuals on your screens to help people learn and remember. (90% of the information processed by our brains is visual!)Use eye contact to improve your connection to your audience.How to implement visuals like logos, color gradients, and simple info on your screenHow to use artwork, photos, and personal elements to cultivate a deeper connectionHow to set up your monitor, camera, laptop, etc. to maximize eye contact with your audienceLorraine's tips for introverts in showing up better in visual presentationsAn overview of Lorraine's expanding consulting business Resources:Interested in becoming part of our affiliate program? Learn more!Want to launch your online course?Please check out our free 7-Day Course Creator Starter Kit for Therapists at https://sellingthecouch.com/coursekit.If you are a seasoned therapist who wants to move from clinical to online course income, we have a specific mastermind for you. We meet together to build, grow, and scale our online courses. You can learn more at https://sellingthecouch.com/mastermind.Mentioned in this episode:Try Psych Careers!Today's podcast is supported by the American Psychological Association's Psych Careers. If you are a psychology professional looking to advance your career or thinking about a pivot, definitely encourage you to check out Psych Careers, which is the career center from the American Psychological Association Services, Inc. There are over 400 positions available. It's the perfect time to create a free account, upload your resume, and set up job alerts. sellingthecouch.com/APA Try Psych Careers!Need Community Support? Join the MastermindIf you are a seasoned therapist, and you are wanting to move from clinical to online course income, we actually have a specific mastermind for therapists who

In this episode of Art & Cocktails, Ekaterina Popova is joined once again by curator Gita Joshi. Together, they explore how artists can take control of their careers by curating their own exhibitions and creating opportunities rather than waiting for art world recognition. Ekaterina and Gita share highlights from their recent trip to Paris, where they explored both Art Basel and the thriving indie art scene, revealing how large art fairs and intimate pop-up shows can coexist and enrich the art community.   They discuss the importance of independent initiatives, the power of artist-led shows, and why now is the time for artists to take control over their creative destiny. For emerging artists feeling the pressure to "make it" or gain gallery representation, Ekaterina and Gita offer practical advice on how to establish visibility, build connections, and foster a meaningful art practice.   In this Episode, You'll Learn: Insights from Art Basel Paris and the indie galleries that stood out How artist-led initiatives can serve as stepping stones toward larger opportunities Why curation isn't just for gallerists—how artists can be their own curators Tips on mounting your own exhibition, finding accessible venues, and attracting media attention The role of community and collaboration in an artist's journey How to maintain motivation and resilience in challenging times   Special Offer: Join Ekaterina and Gita's program, Your Own Art Show, to receive step-by-step guidance on curating your exhibitions, marketing them effectively, and making a powerful impression on your audience. Enroll before the end of the month to access exclusive bonuses, including one-on-one feedback on your press release, PR support, and visualizations to help you plan your body of work. Join Your Own Art Show Program today! Don't miss our special limited time bonuses.   Links & Resources: Your Own Art Show Program Connect with Gita Joshi: Website | Instagram Connect with Create! Magazine: Website | Instagram   Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with a friend who needs a creative boost!

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