Podcasts about Sonya Renee Taylor

386. How to Talk to Kids About Hard Things: Sonya Renee Taylor  Sonya Renee Taylor returns to help us talk to kids about hard things like climate change, racial injustice, and sex. -The three rules to keep in mind when talking to kids about sex or any complex topic -Why sharing reality with your kids protects their self-esteem long-term -How to buy yourself some time when your kid asks you a tough question  -The best way to become a reliable narrator and guide for your child  Sonya Renee Taylor is one of many hands currently called to midwife the new world. She is a guide, poet, storyteller, vision holder, intuitive astrologer, and evangelist of radical love. She is the author of seven books including the New York Times bestseller The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self Love and her most recent offering for young readers The Book of Radical Answers. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Radical self-love” — what it is and how to do it.It is incredibly common for many of us humans, whatever our gender, to be at war with our bodies -- trying to live up to the people we see in the movies, on social media, or even the versions of ourselves in old pictures. This never-enough-ness can lead to an ambient level of self-loathing that can be incredibly destructive. That's where "radical self-love" comes in.Our guest today is Sonya Renee Taylor. She is the author of three books, including The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love. She is the Founder and Radical Executive Officer of The Body is Not An Apology. She has come to this work as a result of her own personal pain, as a Black woman inhabiting a body that she says does not conform to societal norms. In this conversation, we talk about defining radical self-love (and why she believes it's our natural state), tools for cultivating radical self-love, and the connection between being OK with yourself and the larger society. Full Shownotes: www.meditatehappier.com/podcast/tph/sonya-renee-taylor-rerunAdditional Resources:Download the Happier Meditation app today. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On this season finale of “America, Who Hurt You?” Sarah Jones sits down with New York Times bestselling author and activist, Sonya Renee Taylor to discuss why radical self love IS the moment. Yes, even in the face of oppressive systems and the current American Bro-ligarchy. Sonya reminds us that, in order to build the world we want to live in, we must first unlearn all the myths telling us we are unworthy of it.  You can follow Sarah Jones, see pod updates, and respond to AWHY prompts @yesimsarahjones on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Send your responses to our weekly prompts to awhypod@gmail.com . This podcast was produced in collaboration with The Meteor.

Atento recordatorio… “Abraza tu Camino” el evento en vivo 2024 es este sábado 14 de diciembre a las 9 am ¿ya estás lista? Consigue tu boleto en www.descubremasdeti.com/abraza …Hace años le escuché decir a Sonya Renee Taylor en una entrevista con Brené Brown algo como “no se trata de aprender a subir la escalera con más inteligencia, se trata de tumbar la escalera”.Y aunque Taylor hablaba de la escalera jerárquica social que genera desigualdad, cuando tuve una sesión de coaching con Lau hace unas semanas recordé perfectamente esa frase y pensé cómo nos aplica en lo personal también.Lau me dijo algo como: “toda la vida me enseñaron que era subir y subir y subir… como una escaladora. Y ahora me doy cuenta de que para mi ansiedad y mi perfeccionismo es mucho mejor caminar como minera, con mucha claridad de lo que va a pasar en los próximos 3 pasos sin querer anticiparme a toda la ruta”Y en ese momento le pedí que por favor hiciéramos un capítulo al respecto, porque de esa sesión de coaching salieron grandes conclusiones.En la conversación de esta semana hablamos sobre:La importancia de la introspección, el crecimiento personal y la priorización de la paz mental en nuestro día a día. El comportamiento complaciente en las relaciones, la necesidad de establecer límites sanos y la importancia de conectar con el cuerpo y las emociones.La importancia de la autocompasión, la vulnerabilidad y la necesidad de escuchar las necesidades internas sin sobreponerles las expectativas externas. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Social justice activist and founder of "The Body is Not An Apology" movement, Sonya Renee Taylor, shares the reality behind "cancel culture" and how we can all become more compassionate and empathetic towards each other while navigating harm. Full episode with Sonya Renee Taylor: https://www.selfhelplesspodcast.com/episodes/episode/327baacc/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd-with-licensed-therapist-nadirah-habeebullahSubmit and vote on episode topics here: https://www.patreon.com/selfhelplessYour Host, Delanie Fischer: https://www.delaniefischer.comSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We talk more about this in Thursday's Worldbuilding Workshop, but you may have seen the quote going around “if it's not free, it's neither radical or revolutionary”. I want to start off by saying I disagree. Equitable, anti-capitalist, values aligned resource exchange that is accountable to the communities we serve and the planet we inhabit can be some of the most radical and revolutionary work we do. In this current economic system, “free to you” just means the money is coming from somewhere else and a lot times that chain of funding is obfuscated, which can make accountability tricky if not intentionally impossible. In this episode I want to invite us to consider the ways in which pricing our offers for sustainability doesn't have to compromise the integrity of our work, in fact I want to propose it can actually empower and actualize the worlds we dream of building. Learn More About Seeda School Enroll into the Treehouse Annual Membership here (Enrollment Closes October 21st!) Register for the free Worldbuilding Workshop series and download the Fall 2024 Syllabus here Subscribe to the Seeda School newsletter here Follow Ayana on Instagram: ⁠@ayzaco⁠ Follow Seeda School on Instagram: ⁠@seedaschool Citations DISTRIKT, “The Underground” (2015), Issue 1 Dez Davis, conscious coach for impact forward business owners, industry leaders and seasoned change-makers. Sonya Renee Taylor's Patreon Saidiya Hartman, Interview With Rizvana Bradley. Ordinary Notes by Christina Sharpe pg. 165 Cover Art: Keeping the Culture (2010) by Kerry James Marshall (b.1955) Medium: Oil on Board Dimensions: 76.2 x 121.9 cm. (30 x 48 in.) Source: Artnet

Sonya Renee Taylor – author of The Body is Not an Apology – explores the personal and global promise of Radical Self Love: Discover:  1. Examining the way we talk to our bodies – and how to change negative self-dialogue. 2. How to shift from a relationship with our body based on dominance and control to a relationship based on trust. 3. The pitfalls of “body positivity.” 4. The full life that is possible only if we stop believing our body is our enemy, and start seeing our body as a teammate. About Sonya: Sonya Renee Taylor is a world-renowned activist, award-winning artist, transformational thought leader, author of six books including The New York Times best selling The Body is Not an Apology, and founder of the international movement and digital media and education company of the same name whose work has reached millions of people by exploring the intersections of identity, healing, and social justice using a radical self-love framework. She continues to speak, teach,write, create, and transform lives globally. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're rebroadcasting one of our standout episodes this week featuring the incredible Sonya Renee Taylor. We dive into the transformative power of radical self-love and body empowerment, and how these principles can drive global change. Sonya is an author, poet, spoken word artist, speaker, humanitarian, social justice activist, educator, and the founder of The Body is Not An Apology.  While self-love can sometimes seem like a simple, feel-good concept in the personal development world, Sonya reminds us that "Nothing grows without discomfort." Radical self-love challenges our beliefs and systems, pushing us toward real transformation. This episode is a powerful exploration of how embracing radical self-love can reshape our perspectives and impact the world. I'm thrilled to bring back this enlightening conversation with Sonya Renee Taylor. Enjoy the episode! You'll hear: Sonya's journey and how she became a recognized change agent (6:06) The role of radical self-love and body empowerment in social justice and global transformation (8:11) Insights into body shaming, overcoming it, and spreading body empowerment (15:40) The body positivity movement: where it started, why Sonya thinks it's a “nice white lady,” and ways in which it can be harmful (24:25) Resources: Episode 623: Gene Keys, Personal Discovery, and Purpose with Tracie Cornell Sonya's website  Celebrate Your Body (And Its Changes Too) Sonya on Instagram Book recommendations: I love a good personal development book, and you do too, right? I've compiled a list of book recommendations, as mentioned in past episodes. Check out these amazing book recommendations here. Happy reading!   MSN is supported by: We love the sponsors that make our show possible! You can always find all the special deals and codes for all our current sponsors on our website: andreaowen.com/sponsors/ Episode link: http://andreaowen.com/624 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Let's talk numbers. The “enough number” concept is looking at the expenses in your life and business and determining a revenue goal or baseline for living comfortably instead of living in the cycle of incessant growth for growths sake. I've seen and heard this concept discussed in multiple workshops, YouTube videos, panels and podcasts over the years. Probably because establishing an "enough number" in the beginning is a good idea and fetishizing infinite, up and to the right, hockey stick growth is not only a bad idea but goes against many of our core values. But what I can't stop thinking about is: Maybe there are other ways to stay in integrity with our values and business growth without putting literal and subconscious caps on our potential revenue and impact? Links and Resources: Apply to the Fall 2024 Implementation Accelerator here: https://www.seedaschool.com/accelerator. This program is for you if you want to join us in the Fall 2024 Retreat and work 1:1 with me on implementing the pleasure practices and web portals that will support you in setting up the tech/sales backend and frontend infrastructure for inviting folks into your creative offer by the end of the year. “Can You REALLY Be An Ethical Millionaire?” is the title of the Hello Seven podcast episode mentioned in this episode. It features a conversation between Rachel Cargle, Sonya Renee Taylor and Rachel Rodgers. Again, I don't agree with everything shared in this episode but it feels relevant to today's discussion. Follow Ayana on Instagram: ⁠@ayzaco⁠ Follow Seeda School on Instagram: ⁠@seedaschool Cover Art: Music video still from "Came Back for You". A song by Lil' Kim from her third studio album La Bella Mafia, released on March 4, 2003. It is the closing track on the standard edition of the album. The song samples the 1971 song "Didn't We" by Irene Reid.

Some podcast apps may not display links from our show notes (see below) properly, so we have included a list of links at the end of this description. * Sonya Renee Taylor is a world-renowned activist and thought leader on racial justice, body liberation, and transformational change. Her best-selling book, The Body Is Not an Apology, offers a radical framework for self-love and has helped many to identify and dismantle bodily-based hierarchies to build new worlds of possibility and justice. In Sonya's newest book, The Book of Radical Answers, she provides honest, empowering and age-appropriate answers to real questions from young readers about health, sex, gender, race, and justice. * In this episode, CIIS Dean of Faculty Development, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Danielle Drake joins Sonya for a healing and transformative conversation that explores how we can open ourselves to seeking radical answers to the world's most pressing and painful questions, and how we may find our own liberation through the journey. * This episode was recorded during a live online event on October 25th, 2023. You can also watch it on the CIIS Public Programs YouTube channel. A transcript is available at ciispod.com. To find out more about CIIS and public programs like this one, visit our website ciis.edu and connect with us on social media @ciispubprograms. * We hope that each episode of our podcast provides opportunities for growth, and that our listeners will use them as a starting point for further introspection. Many of the topics discussed on our podcast have the potential to bring up feelings and emotional responses. If you or someone you know is in need of mental health care and support, here are some resources to find immediate help and future healing: * -Visit 988lifeline.org or text, call, or chat with The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline by dialing 988 from anywhere in the U.S. to be connected immediately with a trained counselor. Please note that 988 staff are required to take all action necessary to secure the safety of a caller and initiate emergency response with or without the caller's consent if they are unwilling or unable to take action on their own behalf. * -Visit thrivelifeline.org or text “THRIVE” to begin a conversation with a THRIVE Lifeline crisis responder 24/7/365, from anywhere: +1.313.662.8209. This confidential text line is available for individuals 18+ and is staffed by people in STEMM with marginalized identities. * -Visit translifeline.org or call (877) 565-8860 in the U.S. or (877) 330-6366 in Canada to learn more and contact Trans Lifeline, who provides trans peer support divested from police. * -Visit ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics to learn more and schedule counseling sessions at one of our centers. * -Find information about additional global helplines at befrienders.org. * LINKS * Podcast Transcripts: https://www.ciispod.com/ * California Institute of Integral Studies (CIIS) Website: https://www.ciis.edu/ * CIIS Public Programs YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ciispublicprograms * CIIS Public Programs Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ciispubprograms/ * Mental Health Care and Support Resources: https://988lifeline.org/ https://thrivelifeline.org/ https://translifeline.org/ https://www.ciis.edu/ciis-in-the-world/counseling-clinics https://befrienders.org/

After a tough breakup with an air-heavy partner, Rahul joins Jessica to talk about their dating future. Should they avoid air signs in romance? Are they relying too much on astrology for guidance & instruction when it comes to dating? Jessica gets nuanced and gently guides Rahul away from Sun signs and towards transits.

Unpredictable, aggressive, and challenging astrology kicks off the week, but luckily the transits get more supportive as the week progresses. Tune in to another week with Jessica on Ghost!

A listener seeks fulfillment in relationships but often finds themself in the same old patterns dictated by gendered cultural norms. They desperately want to break their patterns and unlearn normative conditioning around love and self-worth, but they just aren't sure where to begin. Jessica offers a starting place and a new perspective.

Venus forms a sextile to Uranus, trine to Neptune, and an opposition to Pluto in this very Venusian week! Plus, Jessica unpacks more of the big-picture astrology of our times.

Stevie has been struggling with active, functional addiction for 15 years. Her drinking has never brought her to rock bottom; in fact, she has a successful career, friends, and family that love her. But the problem is... she just can't love herself. 

With a super emotional New Moon in Cancer on the 6th, you can trust that this week is meant to kick up some big feelings and growth! This week we also have a Mercury opposition to Pluto and Venus square to Chiron, both provoking challenges and creating opportunities for major transformation. Plus, Jessica discusses what to expect from Neptune in Aries and how to make the most of the final months of Neptune in Pisces.

Happy Pride! A Trans man joins Jessica to talk about sex. While he's transitioned happily, he hasn't yet been able to fully embody his own sexuality. He and Jessica discuss what it means to be a sexual person in a body: from dysphoria, disconnection, experimentation, porn, prudishness, kink, and more. Register for Joy in the Time of Apocalypse a live conversation with Jessica Lanyadoo, adrienne maree brown, Sonya Renee Taylor on July 20th here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/joy-in-the-time-of-apocalypse-a-live-conversation-on-being-deeply-known-in-times-of-crisis-tickets-929773446407?aff=oddtdtcreator

This week is so Mercury! It trines Saturn, squares Chiron, and sextiles Uranus. Expect things to be busy, and get the cheat codes for how to make the most of them on this week's Ghost. Register for Joy in the Time of Apocalypse a live conversation with Jessica Lanyadoo, adrienne maree brown, Sonya Renee Taylor on July 20th here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/joy-in-the-time-of-apocalypse-a-live-conversation-on-being-deeply-known-in-times-of-crisis-tickets-929773446407?aff=oddtdtcreator

A woman recounts her Aunt's fairytale love story and searches for her own Modern Romance. An African princess learns she is truly beautiful. And a precocious eight-year-old finds himself on the brink of a revolution.STORIESModern RomanceIn the second half of her life, Stephanie found her classic Hollywood romance. Now she attempts to understand the strange and confusing world of dating apps to help her niece – and the show's host Nichole – find her happily ever after.This story comes to us from The Secret Adventures of Black People, hosted by Nichole Hill. This incredible podcast tells the stories of Black people holding it down across space and time. Be sure to check out the show and subscribe to the podcast at TheSecretAdventuresOfBlackPeople.comStay in touch by joining the newsletter, following their Instagram, or by sending an email to secretadventuresofblackpeople@gmail.comModern Romance was written and produced by Nichole Hill with production assistance by Shonte Hill, and story editing assistance by Talia Bender. Special thanks to Stephanie Camolli!Music: Epidemic SoundBeautiful – Sonya Renee TaylorAn African princess learns she is truly beautiful.This story was performed by Sonya Renee Taylor at Snap LIVE in DC. Sonya Renee Taylor is an internationally acclaimed performance poet, actress, educator, and activist. The LIVE score was composed by amazing Alex Mandel & performed by Alex Mandel, David Brandt, and Tim Frick. Watch Sonya's Snap LIVE performance.Liberation – Latif DomanWhen Latif Doman is growing up in Philly, he takes his schoolwork seriously… which is unfortunate for the parents in his neighborhood.Many thanks to Latif and Story District for bringing us this story!Snap Classic - Season 15 – Episode 26

Happy Wednesday!Very excited to return to my listeners with new episodes thanks to my new podcast recording setup! I planned to begin my deep dive into Thick by Tressie McMillian Cottom, but while blogging this past weekend, I stumbled upon an essay I read two years that I still think about and felt moved to share. After providing a quick personal update, I read the essay Running Out of Gas By Sonya Renee Taylor (8:27). It is an essay of radical honesty dealing with death, grief, sex, healing and recovery. I hope you listen to the end. As always, please share and recommend, and thank you so much for the support!EMAIL: contact@thelettersandlayers.com-OR-DM me through my social media handles! IG: @amaka_agI appreciate you!

It is radical to imagine we don't have to fix, acquire or change ourselves to access what Sonya Renee Taylor calls our innate enoughness. Resources Brene Brown Interview with Sonya Renee Taylor Sonya Renee Taylor The post BOO423 – Encore – Enoughness appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

We breath in a worldview from our culture and families.  But, unless examined, it is just the way things are. Resources Brené Brown with Sonya Renee Taylor on “The Body is Not an Apology” Exploring Race Suffocating The post BOO422 – Encore – Imprisoned by Our Story appeared first on Marcia Hyatt.

Join Ned Buskirk in conversation with Sonya Renee Taylor, New York Times best-selling author of seven books, transformational thought leader, world-renowned activist, award-winning artist, and founder of the international movement The Body Is Not An Apology.sonya renee taylor'swebsite: https://www.sonyareneetaylor.com/ig: https://www.instagram.com/sonyareneetaylor/venmo @sonyareneetaylorProduced by Nick JainaAssociate Produced by Jordan EdelheitSoundscaping by Nick Jaina”YG2D Podcast Theme Song” by Nick JainaEpisode Artwork by Nick JainaSUPPORT THE PODCAST & OUR 501(c)3 NONPROFIT BY CONTRIBUTING TO OUR ANNUAL COMMUNITY FUNDRAISER: https://givebutter.com/c/4YG2DTHIS PODCAST IS MADE POSSIBLE WITH SUPPORT FROM LISTENERS LIKE YOU. Become a podcast patron now at https://www.patreon.com/YG2D.

Love is on our mind as we're preparing for Valentine's Day, and today we're talking about self-love. While we may not be super-fans of the terminology (something about the phrase kind of gives us the ick), but we do actually do love the concept. In this episode, we define “self-love” as loving ourselves unconditionally and taking care of ourselves the way we would someone we love. We touch on the beautiful book The Body is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor and talk about the quote by Glennon Doyle:  “I have met myself and I am going to care for her fiercely.”. We end with an exercise to help us hold and treat ourselves with love. 

SummaryIn this episode, Dr. Heather England discusses body image and its impact on self-esteem and sexual expression with Cassie Willnauer, a licensed therapist specializing in body image and sexuality. They explore the Health at Every Size movement, challenging negative body image thoughts, and the importance of body acceptance in relationships. They also discuss the need for individualized approaches to sexuality and the role of mindfulness in overcoming distractions during sex. The episode provides valuable insights and practical tips for improving body image and enhancing sexual experiences.TakeawaysChallenge negative body image thoughts by questioning their validity and considering cognitive distortions.Practice body acceptance and allow yourself to be seen and touched by your partner.Embrace individualized approaches to sexuality and be open to modifying sexual experiences to accommodate changes in your body.Communicate with your partner about body image concerns and work together to create a positive and supportive environment.Learn more about Cassie Willnauer at https://www.cassiewillnauer.com/BooksThe Body Is Not An Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor, What We Don't Talk About When We Talk About Fat by Aubrey Gordon"You Just Need To Lose Weight" and 19 Other Myths About Fat People by Aubrey GordonCome As You Are by Emily Nagoski, Ph.D.. Accessible Sex Devices:Extra Long Handled Vibrator Liberator Wedge Pillow

Dig into Christian de la Huerta's teachings on the ego mindset and its impact on our lives in today's recap episode. Brad and Lesley discuss how breathwork can be a powerful tool in breaking free from ego-driven limitations and the role of breathwork in achieving a deeper sense of self.If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co . And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.In this episode you will learn about:The possibilities if you are kind to yourself and speak positively about your abilities.Why breathwork and shamanic experiences involve transcending the limited ego mind.Practical steps to overcome and understand how the ego mind works.How breathwork can change your life and help you become more aware of what's going on within us. Why you should reflect on the lessons learned from past failures as valuable experiences.  Episode References/Links:Christian de la Huerta Website - eLevate Mentorship - lesleylogan.co/elevateCambodia Waitlist - lesleylogan.co/retreats Agency Mini 10 - profitablepilates.com/miniThe Wheel of Time - https://a.co/d/7i97mGGBe a Happy Leader - https://a.co/d/0GY4B7dAwakening the Soul of Power - https://a.co/d/0GY4B7dMoney: A Love Story - https://a.co/d/gGBRtuLWe Should All Be Millionaires - https://a.co/d/aYzq8IDThe Four Agreements - https://a.co/d/gnynUQaThe Body Is Not an Apology - https://a.co/d/078hiHOE-Squared - https://a.co/d/1hlorD2The Body Keeps the Score - https://a.co/d/hqPoMERachel White's The Skeptical Shaman - https://www.totemreadings.com/Brene Brown Podcast Episode with Sonya Renee Taylor - https://beitpod.com/brenebrownpodcast  If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. Get your free Athletic Greens 1 year supply of Vitamin D3+K2 and 5 free travel packsGet your discount for some Toe Sox using the code: LESLEY Be It Till You See It Podcast SurveyBe in the know with all the workshops at OPCBe a part of Lesley's Pilates MentorshipFREE Ditching Busy Webinar Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube!Lesley Logan websiteBe It Till You See It PodcastOnline Pilates Classes by Lesley LoganOnline Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTubeProfitable PilatesFollow Us on Social Media:InstagramFacebookLinkedInEpisode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  One of the things that I love that he said which is actually it goes back to what I was talking about with Sonny Renee Taylor is not only are we wasting our potential in terms what we think about but it's worse than that we do such a number on ourselves with our negative self talk. We feed the self doubt.Lesley Logan 0:14  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. Brad Crowell 0:56  Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It interview recap where my co-host in life Lesley and I are gonna dig into the restorative convo that she had with Christian de la Huerta in our last episode. If you have not yet listened to that interview, feel free to pause this right now and look at Lesley's face on YouTube because I stole our intro and then go back and listen to Christian and Lesley chit-chatting, which was an amazing episode, like, really funny actually, I literally laughed out loud in the grocery store while I was listening to this, and then come back and listen to this one and join us for this recap. It's worth it y'all it's a good one.Lesley Logan 1:34  Oh my gosh. And you did it so well. It was your first try. Not really irritates me you did it so well. And it's your first try. I practice, I fuck it up all the time and you did it so random. Brad Crowell 1:49  You do amazing, love, you do so well. I love it. Today is JanuaryLesley Logan 1:55  No, it's my turn. It's my turn. My turn. It is National Can Do Day. Talk about it. Be it till you see it day. It encourages us to do things we are capable of doing and that we always dreamt of. It motivates us to concentrate our strengths and turn our dreams into a reality through determination and willpower. Brad Crowell 2:13  Love it. National Can Do Day. Lesley Logan 2:17  Yeah, I love a can-do attitude. Brad Crowell 2:19  Yeah. I mean, you know what else? What is? What is be it till you see it? You know, what else is it? Lesley Logan 2:25  Yeah. I can do it. You can do it. Today, we're in Sedona, Arizona. Love how that sounds. Brad Crowell 2:31  That's the only reason I started remembering Sedona because I kept getting stuck with all the S's we've got Sarasota springs, we've got Saratoga, no Saratoga Springs, Sarasota, Florida. And then Sedona couldn't I just couldn't bring it up. But until they went Sedona, Arizona and Arizona, I was like it's in Arizona and Sedona, Arizona. Lesley Logan 2:53  And also like we had some people were like, I want to have lunch with you. I'm like, I know, but I want to have lunch to this one spot. And they don't even know if it's on the route. But I want to have lunch to this one spot. Brad Crowell 3:02  Sure, we'll figure it out (inaudible). Lesley Logan 3:05  So if you want to drive further up the road, then like we're gonna have lunch in this one spot. Anyways, so excited, it's the last stop.Brad Crowell 3:12  Holy macaroni. We have been on the road for 28 days, y'all. And we will be home tonight.Lesley Logan 3:18  I know. I know. I know. And then I kick off eLevate tomorrow. And so here is the deal y'all. Brad Crowell 3:24  I guess we better make it home. Lesley Logan 3:25  Better make it home. (Inaudible) Here's the deal. If you were like fuck, I was gonna do that eLevate mentorship, I've been really wanting that. The kickoff call is something you could miss because we actually start in February.Brad Crowell 3:38  Yeah, the first weekend workshop is February. Lesley Logan 3:40  My goal and hope is that this is filled with the 12 Amazing people by the time that this comes out, but it's possible that you could still get in because actually in round three, we had a girl, Alexis, who listens to this podcast. And she's like, I wonder if there's a spot and we happen to have someone had a family emergency drop out. And she got their spot. It's true one week before we started. So I'm just saying peeps, that could be you. It could be you and my mentorship is for teachers who are tired of burning out tired of pre-planning tired of feeling insecure, low confidence, imposter syndrome. And also we'd like to understand what Joe supplies why behind the what was. I'm gonna teach you that so lesleylogon.co/elevate is what you want to go to. Brad Crowell 4:21  Do it.Lesley Logan 4:21  And then in a couple of weeksBrad Crowell 4:23  Stay tuned. Lesley Logan 4:24  If you are on the waitlist for the Cambodia retreat. Brad Crowell 4:27  That's right. Key detail there. Those who are on the waitlist. On the waitlist.Lesley Logan 4:34  They get the best deal on the retreat and it will come into your inbox in a couple of weeks, mid-January. And then if there's any spots left we'll go public, but you won't get as good of a deal as it was on the waitlist. You go to lesleylogon.co/retreats plural retreat with an S, if you want to know what plural means, and I don't know sometimes my words don't sound right so I was likeBrad Crowell 5:01  You're nailing it babe. That'll get you on the waitlist and then we will be emailing everyone in a few weeks. In a couple of weeks, sorry. And you will get the details on when we're going to Kampuchea, Cambodia.Lesley Logan 5:04  And then after we celebrate my birthday, it is Agency Mini Number 10. It's six years of Agency, our coaching group for fitness instructors, Pilates instructors and studio owners. And our agency is now six, six years old. And you wanna know something we have still two of the original members. Brad Crowell 5:33  You wanna know something.Lesley Logan 5:34  You wanna know, you wanna know something. We have two, we have two of the original five members. Yes, that's right. Five people. Five people. And two are still with us. Way to go ladies. And then we have dozens who have been with us for five and then Brad Crowell 5:53  Four, three, totally. Lesley Logan 5:54  If you go half our members have been with us for four like four or more. It's like just fucking awesome. Like, it's so fun to see what they're doing. We've got folks launching, we've got people buying extra studios, we've got people, it's just amazing. Brad Crowell 6:05  Yeah, courses. Now they're leading retreats, they're they're doing all the things. It's like, really encouraging and exciting to see them build a solid foundation in their core business and then branch out. It's awesome. Lesley Logan 6:18  But if you want seven days of coaching, getting any questions you ever had on your mind answered, honestly. And you want that for $67 or less? Yeah, you heard me right. $67 or less. You want to go to Agency Mini on the waitlist, its profitablepilates.com/mini.Brad Crowell 6:39  profitablepilates.com/mini. And I I'm not going to spill the beans, but we have a we've been making some changes, some very exciting changes in the program, and what it's going to look like after Mini is over. So I cannot wait to reveal all of that. To the Mini members. Lesley Logan 7:01  All right. Before we get into the amazing interview that had you cracking up. I'm literally like, what, we were funny? I did love him. We have an audience question to answer. Brad Crowell 7:10  Yes. What are the latest books that you are reading? Lesley Logan 7:15  Yeah, I love answering this question. So you can keep saying I answered every several months because it comes through because there's different books. And Brad is like really into his books. But I'mBrad Crowell 7:24  Just super into ebooks. In fact, my books have taken over my podcast time and I have not listened to podcasts now in two months.Lesley Logan 7:32  Wow. I know more than you that's happening in the world. Brad Crowell 7:34  Yeah, yeah. 100%. I'm, like completely disconnected, which is really weird for me, because I'm a political news junkie. And I love to stay up on everything. And I have been sucked into these books that Lesley Logan 7:47  You wanna tell them what the books are?Brad Crowell 7:48  Yeah. Yeah, I started reading this series when I was probably 10. Maybe 12? I don't know. I guess I was in middle school. So, 13, 13 because that's when I got into seventh grade. My friends, we're reading them. It's a it's a series called The Wheel of Time. It's by Robert Jordan. He is he kind of picked up the mantle of the epic saga that was created by you know, the the Lord of the Rings series and Lesley Logan 8:18  The hero's journey. Brad Crowell 8:20  Yeah, this is this is it's it goes on and on and on. But this this one is amazing. Robert Jordan really took it to the next level. It's 15 books in the series. And each book is probably between 500 and 1000 pages pages long. And I've been listening to them on audiobooks. And I can't recommend that enough. It is just an unbelievable journey. And it's awesome. So yeah, for me, that's what I've been really spending my free time with. And the other day I went and I downloaded a whole bunch of business books, and I looked at him and said, I do business all day for my job. And my listening time is me time. And so I've been just enjoying my books.Lesley Logan 9:08  Yeah. Well, I love that. My books are all probably business.Brad Crowell 9:14  That's okay. That's not a bad thing.Lesley Logan 9:18  So I should have wrote this down. It's Tia Graham's book. Something about happy leaders to Graham. What is her book? She's gonna be on the podcast. Brad Crowell 9:28  Be a Happy Leader: Stop Feeling Overwhelmed. Lesley Logan 9:32  Yes. So she I'm reading her book, or by the time you've listened to this I've read her book. I'm really excited about it. Also Awakening the Soul of Power is Christian's latest book and it is also was traveled with me on this tour for me to read into which was already started it before I interviewed him and I'm finishing it. And then I started listening to Money: A Love Swith Kate Northrup, which is an old book but I just heard about it. And it made me think of We Shall be Millionaires. And which I still want. I still want the author of We Shall Be Millionaires on this podcast. My listeners, I need your help. I need her to want to be on my podcast y'all.Brad Crowell 10:17  Rachel Rogers. Lesley Logan 10:18  Rachel Rogers. She's amazing. She's amazing. And then we're actually doing the book list for next year's book club for Agency members, which is completely voluntary, and they're not allowed to be overwhelmed by being in the book club. They are supposed to be a responsible book lover, which is, you won't read the book if you're overwhelmed. And one of the books that we're actually thinking of bringing in is the Four Agreements, which is old easy, you guys. I read it on a flight to Nashville, and I finished it before the fight was over. And I was a little pissed. But it's such a great it's like essential rules to live by. I really love that one. And it makes me think of one more book that I probably mentioned before the holy fucking moly, it's January, let's bring it up. Brad Crowell 11:05  I already know where you're going. Lesley Logan 11:06  Do you?Brad Crowell 11:07  Yeah.Lesley Logan 11:07  The body is not an apology. Brad Crowell 11:09  No, that's not what I thought you're gonna say. Lesley Logan 11:11  Well, then you can bring that up what you thought I was gonna say. Brad Crowell 11:13  I don't know the name of it, but it's the one the Lesley Logan 11:17  The Big Leap. Brad Crowell 11:17  That one where you pour coffee for two preconceivedLesley Logan 11:21  Oh, shit. That's a good one. Okay. Well, let me get to all those in a second. So The Body is not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor. I highly recommend the audible on that. She reads it herself. And then I also recommend you listening to her interview on Brene Browns podcast years ago, I listened to it in 2020 might have been 2021. And y'all have got to stop shaming and judging yourself about your body and punishing yourself. Nothing pissed me off more than two days after Thanksgiving. Watching every fitness thing out there going. All right, here's your workout to burn off that Turkey. We do not work out to punish ourselves for what we did two days ago. We work out to be stronger, to have longevity, to have better posture to have energy, stamina, strength, positivity, confidence, all the things we have to. So anyways, The Body is no an Apology is an amazing book. And I highly recommend that interview with her because it really helps you go whoa, me being distracted by what I think people are staring at, which they're not, is keeping you from being super powerful in this world. And that's put the people in power want because then you're not able to kick their pedestal out. Anyways. You're talking about the, not The Big Leap, but the other one. Oh, E-Squared, E-Squared, Pam Grout. It's a little blue. But I think you should do it. Because I poured coffee for two and I have a husband. I'm justBrad Crowell 12:55  That's the secret y'all. Brad Crowell 12:56  That's the secret. Lesley Logan 12:57  You automatically, you magically get a husband if you pour coffee for two.Lesley Logan 13:00  It was like chapter four. That's actually I don't know that was in the book. But chapter four or five was like Brad Crowell 13:05  Pam Grout is gonna be so excited about hearing (inaudible). Lesley Logan 13:07  Pam Grout, come on the podcast. Brad Crowell 13:08  Come on the podcast. Lesley Logan 13:09  How do we get Pam Grout get oh Google alert about us. Pam Grout let's say it one more time. But she I don't even know where the if the coffee for two came from E-Squared. But what did come from E-Squared was me writing your name down and hoping that you would like not hoping but like you write the name down and then like the universe makes you call me. So anyways, all those books are amazingBrad Crowell 13:32  She has a new one. E-Cubed. Lesley Logan 13:34  It's not that new. And I haven't read it yet. But I will. Maybe I'll read that next.Brad Crowell 13:41  All right, now let's talk about Christian de la Huerta. Christian is a renowned spiritual teacher and transformation coach. He's an award-winning author who has spoken at universities, conferences and TEDx talks. His latest book, Awakening the Soul of Power, explores themes of empowerment, conscious relationships, and spiritual transformation. Listening to him was so peaceful. Lesley Logan 14:10  I know I want him to do a sleep story. Christian, if you're listening, do you have a sleep story? If you don't may recommend that you just read someone else's stories. Like any story, it can be Baa Baa Black Sheep, whatever it is, and put it on Spotify. I need about eight hours of it and I will out you can just be my sleep. Um, this is my request. This is my you know, like, just love him. And so he's just a gentle soul. And when I was talking to him, I was like, Oh, where are you? And he's like, where am I? He was like in Colombia. And he's living the Nomad life. And I just really love that about him. He's just, you know, he's doing his thing and he's so easy to talk to. His book is full of all this amazing stuff. And one of the things that I love that he said, which is actually it goes back to what I was talking about with Sunday morning Taylor is not only are we wasting our potential in terms of what we think about but it's worse than that we do such a number on ourselves with our negative self-talk. We feed the self-doubt. Lesley Logan 15:10  So we are so good at overthinking negative stuff about ourselves. And then it's, you think it's just happening in your brain. But y'all, it is happening to your body. And then it is out also affecting how you show up in this world. You are dimming your fucking light so much, people don't, people don't get to experience what you are the only person in this world who can do what you do, you're it. And like you. I was talking to Jessica Pompano today. And she was, we have a podcast episode come out with her, and we're talking about how she's in clothing and styling and like women who don't like a part of their body, they'll just wear bigger baggier clothes to hide it. And she's like, that actually isn't making you feel good either. Because you just wearing a bigger baggier clothes. And her big thing is about highlighting your biggest asset, and what that does for us. And so I just I say this, because if you are sitting here being hard on yourself at any point, in your day you are taking, you're literally holding yourself back from hitting the goals that you have. Because you're slowing yourself down. Because why on earth if you judge yourself for how you look? Or how you said something, or how you did something? How is that also going to have the energy to like, take on a new challenge? You've killed all your powerful energy. Yeah, you're like, if you think of a video game, it's like when you get hit by like, you get that little warning shot where your power goes down. And then like that you did that that's you talk to you about yourself and like, oh, but I'm going to take on this big powerful like ruler boss, right? You can't do it.Brad Crowell 16:57  I mean, I think about like Mario Kart, you know, when you are going full speed and you you got hit by a shell. You're okay, your momentum is gone and have to work your way back up to that full speed. Lesley Logan 17:09  It's so much harder to do it. It's so much harder. Could you win? Sure. I've won many video games that I play with, like my worst little guys. Because like after hours of playing it going, that's gonna go. But if you if you were actually to be kind yourself, talk yourself up. Imagine what you could do. And I look, if you're a narcissistic asshole, that's probably a dangerous thing. But if you listen to this podcast, it's because you're not. So I don't feel bad. And I'm not worried about this information being in your ears.Brad Crowell 17:41  You know, he talked about the limiting role of our ego. When he was discussing the benefits of breathwork and its healing effects. You guys had a quick super side note here, I thought was really interesting that he was raised in super Catholic family, and then got into, like, the healing nature of breathwork and how much of a problem his parents had with that. And instead of him like, not going to be a doctor, psychologist, I mean, that I thought was really funny. But he said that both breathwork and shamanic experiences involve transcending the limited ego mind and experience a sense of expanding identity. This is a lot too, for me to like, be like, Yeah, I'm excited about that. But Lesley Logan 18:29  You just said shamanic, which is Brad Crowell 18:31  I did say shamanic. It's shamanic.Lesley Logan 18:33  Yeah. But also like, I never like Brad Crowell 18:35  Shaman. Lesley Logan 18:36  Yeah. We just had a shaman on so like, we're, just a skeptical shaman. Brad Crowell 18:41  A skeptical shaman, yeah, skeptical shaman, badass. Breathwork and shamanic experiences evolve, transcending the limited ego mind. And I think that's actually the clutch. The the, that's the crux of it is the the ego is the limiting factor. Right? We all have ego, whether you are like this, you know, verbose, arrogant, like in your face, like ego, or you're diminutive and soft spoken. And whatever. Lesley Logan 19:18  Oh. By the way, being a people pleaser is your ego. Brad Crowell 19:20  That's well, that's, that's what I mean. It's exactly it's the opposite of the, you know, the arrogant fool. But it's still ego. It's actually still ego. It's just the other side of the spectrum of ego. And we all deal with these things. And so he kind of talks about the limited ego mind, which I've never heard it phrased that way before, and how breathwork can help break through and shamanic experiences. You know, I didn't really understand all the things he was talking about with that, but you know, specifically the breathwork part I can can relate to because that is in my life, mostly through you, Lesley, but you know, our ego can dominate everything, it dominates the way that we perceive ourselves the way we perceive others. Brad Crowell 20:14  And, you know, ultimately, his conclusion is that it's an illusion, right? Even if, like, I thought it was interesting, like he'd started talking, go like on another level where he's like, Yeah, you know, you're Lesley, but even Lesley's an illusion. And I was like, okay, I might not be there quite yet. But, you know, I understand where he's going with how the way we perceive ourselves the way we define ourselves, you know, our worldview, like, however you want to call this thing. You know, it's a story we've made up, you know, whether that is a story that we were taught when we were kids, and we adopted and we're holding that on to today? Or, you know, it's something that we've told ourselves the whole time, you know, or or, you know, I just found it really interesting that his focus on breathwork was to battle ego. Brad Crowell 20:26  Yeah, well, because the, the actual thing is that trauma leaves the body through movement and breath. So, I'm not denouncing therapy, I fucking love my therapist, but she's also a somatic therapist. So we did a lot of like, different kinds of things there. But you can talk things out all you want. But if you really want to release some things in your life, it's probably happening through your movement as well. So if you find yourself crying or frustratedLesley Logan 21:08  Well, what's the book, the body never forgets? Lesley Logan 21:40  The Body Keeps the Score.Brad Crowell 21:41  The Body Keeps the Score. Yeah. And that very interesting, because the movement is what release release that the trauma through the like the book that we're talking about in that bookLesley Logan 21:53  Actually, just a little side note, we actually have a course on Profitable Pilates that is from a true therapist, licensed therapist. That is, I was really excited to get on our site, because as teachers, you don't even want to be a teacher, you guys, if you have a friend who just like our family member or something like you're like, what is happening, like, everything was good, and now you're crying? And we're like, It's okay. You're okay. Everything's okay. Like when babies are crying like, you're okay, you're fine. What if you actually said, how long have you been feeling this way? How long have you been feeling this way. And that's what (inaudible) gave us, as teachers to ask people, because I've had clients on myself, like you're just crying. And it's like, and you're embarrassed and other stuff, and what the person says next can make you bottle it back up, or let it go. And if you're someone who's around someone who's like, having some sort of release, and oftentimes don't even know what they're releasing, because we're going back to Dr. Bender's episode, she's like, don't try to reason with what you're feeling. Because logic is probably going to be wrong. If you just say how long you've been feeling this way, it allows the person to just like take a moment and pause and actually kind of be with what they're feeling as opposed to bottling it back in. And as a teacher, it is actually out of my scope to therapize anyone. So the next step, I could say is like, well, you know, if you feel like this is something you are needing to work on, you know, may I suggest a few things, right? So like, and then I can recommend, I actually cannot actually give true, like, go see this person technically. But that is something for those of you it's a really great response and saying it's okay, or I'm sorry, those two phrases, actually are not the best phrases as a response for someone who is releasing something from their body. And as a breathwork professional, when someone is crying in breathwork, actually, do try not to actually acknowledge it all. Because I don't want them to, I don't know what their tendencies are. So if their tendency is to do things for attention, if I were to acknowledge that then I could be going into that. So it is more important that you just release it, and then we don't attach anything to it, that you just get to let it go like a cloud going by. So at any rate, I think it's really important to know it's okay to feel weird things when you're moving.Lesley Logan 22:10  Yeah, yeah. I mean, I, uh, it's been a long time since I've experienced that because I remember the reason that I started going to yoga in the first place, you know, because it just felt like trash. You know, in my mind, my body wasn't like, hurting so much. But my I just felt like a terrible human. And, and it took a long time to work through that. But yoga really helped me in that movement. But just bringing it back to Christian overcoming the ego's limitation is essential for self-awareness and spiritual growth and how do you overcome the ego? You have to understand how the ego mind works. And he has a book about that. And he actually has practical steps in that book. And the book is Awakening the Soul of Power. Brad Crowell 24:34  You guys, Gloria Estefan, she wrote a little quote for him. And I'm sorry, Christian, I'm just gonna say this. I saw her name. And I was like, I love Gloria Estefan, so of course, I read your book. But I love it. It's so good. I'm so glad I'm so grateful for Gloria Estefan.Brad Crowell 25:58  But But in I thought, I thought what was interesting was that he has practical steps to understand the ego.Lesley Logan 26:07  Yeah, which we all need to understand because there's that there's other there's tons of books on ego. But Brad Crowell 26:14  We've talked about ego as the enemy before. Lesley Logan 26:16  Yeah. And also like, I'm sure it's great. I know you've read it. But I also think like, great, it's the enemy. Now what, what do you do about that? And that's where I think Christian book comes in, because it's like, here's what the ego is, and here's how you can work with it. And so you guys, if you are struggling with imposter syndrome, if you are people pleasing, if you're playing small, it's all egoBrad Crowell 26:42  If you're afraid to talk to people to sell them Pilates. Lesley Logan 26:45  Right. Or if you are afraid to put your, ladies we already know this, the science is in, If you have nine out of 10 requirements for a job, you don't apply. That's ego. You think you need that 10th thing before you can apply for something, that's your ego, you know.Brad Crowell 27:03  Or if you feel like you need another certification in order to be qualified that's also ego.  Lesley Logan 27:10  So um, so anyways, Christian is amazing, I really hope we get to run into him. I meanBrad Crowell 27:17  He's like bopping around the wall.Lesley Logan 27:18  Bopping around, but if you have like a retreat or something and like, you know, send your girl a note.Brad Crowell 27:25  I think he does. He did mention retreats. Lesley Logan 27:27  Oh, we should go on one. What a vacation. Brad Crowell 27:29  That'd be amazing. Lesley Logan 27:30  Let's do it. I'm in. Okay, I'm in. Whatever it is, I'm in. Brad Crowell 27:34  All right, so finally, let's talk about those Be It Action Items. What bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted action items, can we take away from your convo with Christian de la Huerta. He said, deepen your relationship with the breath. Because doing so can change your life. He talked about short, long, breathwork sessions, like could be 30 seconds, it could be 90 minutes. One thing he also mentioned that I thought was interesting was it's the exhale that people don't focus on. Because when you don't exhale enough, you end up taking in you're inhaling really shallow breaths. Lesley Logan 28:16  Yeah. And Joseph Pilates was really big on the exhale. He said if you don't exhale, your lungs are a cemetery for disease and infection. Brad Crowell 28:24  Well, I mean, it affects everything. You know. Lesley Logan 28:28  Also shallow breath just starts causing stress. So.Brad Crowell 28:31  But uh, you know, he said that, it can, if you want, he started talking about putting a timer on your phone, where you can just take a quick evaluation of yourself, like, every hour on the hour, like, use that to be like, how do I feel right now? You know, do I, should I do (inhale-exhale) you know, like, can you how can that like, what happens if you do that? You know, and you also complimented him on how he looks? And he's like, I attribute it to breathwork 100%.Brad Crowell 28:31  Because he's not. He's young, obviously. Brad Crowell 28:39  But he's been doing this for 30 years. Lesley Logan 28:45  He how old is he? Because I think we (inaudible) his age. Brad Crowell 28:58  He didn't say. Lesley Logan 28:59  Oh, okay, well, I feel like I know. And he looks really good.Brad Crowell 29:20  Yes. But he said that it's about becoming more mindful, attentive and more aware of what's going on within us when you notice your breath. What about you?Lesley Logan 29:30  Okay, so he said, we talked about missed opportunities, and the things we don't intend to do because we're fear of failure. But he actually believes there's no such thing as failure. Because if you learn from it, then it's not failure at all. We're actually becoming better human beings from it. And what I I really love about that is like if there's anything you feel you failed at, what if you actually just took a look back what you learned from that? And then can you just change that from failure to experience or achievement even, you know like God I fucking I you know what? I'm so pissed at the A's straight A's and the F's from the great I'm not saying I'm for everyone gets a trophy. I'm not that girl. Don't worry about it. There's a ton of psychology on how that doesn't work. But the fact that we are so obsessed as children at a certain age, it happens around Junior High sixth grade with what letter is on your report card, which is just how you test, it has nothing to do with the journey that got you to the test, pisses me the fuck off because it made me this overachiever just fucking stressed case sometimes. Thank God for breathwork and my (inaudible) mat and my red lights and all the things. But I, what I hope as a recovering perfectionist and overachiever, I have been able to do is like, I am very proud of how we do not harp on the goals we've missed. We really do go, well, we didn't do that. Okay, we didn't do that. We should have done this. Okay, we didn't do that. Okay, well, what can like we do it as a team, which makes it really helpful. So may I suggest, you don't need to have a teammate to do this, but before you start harping on yourself about something you didn't do well, I don't know. Maybe you introduced yourself, weirdly, or you like stumbled into an interview and like you feel like you embarrass yourself. Just take a moment and go what did I learn from that? And what if that isn't a failure? And by the way, if your best friend told you about this, would you go you fucking failed? God, you, like you wouldn't do it. So like, what would you say if your best... jeez, you suck. Like, God, how many times are you gonna fail? Like, what if you treated yourself in that moment, like your best friend went through that and what would you say to that person? Right. So Christian, can we be friends? Okay, sign me up for the next retreat. I'm in. And also, thank you for being here. And this amazing book is just wonderful. And it's the next read y'all so check out the show notes and get your version.Lesley Logan 29:44   All right, loves I'm Lesley Logan. Lesley Logan 32:11  And I'm Brad Crowell and you just missed the hilarious joke. Lesley Logan 32:16  We're amazing. Brad Crowell 32:17  We're amazing. Lesley Logan 32:18  So is Christian. So are you. So how are you going to use these tips in your life? We want to know. Tag the Be It Pod. Tag Christian, he's gonna want to hear from you. And until next time, Be It Till You See It. Brad Crowell 32:28  Bye for now.Lesley Logan 32:30  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Lesley Logan 32:58  Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. Brad Crowell 33:01  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan and me, Brad Crowell. Lesley Logan 33:06  It is produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo. Brad Crowell 33:10  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music, and our branding by designer and artist Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 33:10  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals and Ximena Velazquez for our transcriptions. Brad Crowell 33:16  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all the content to our website. And finally to Meridith Crowell for keeping us all on point and on time.   Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Most women suffer from hormone issues. Are you tired of trying to cure your hormonal health with standard approaches that aren't producing the desired results? Imagine a world where you can take responsibility for your health to create epigenetics for yourself and heal your body. What we eat, drink, think, feel, and do can alter how our bodies accomplish key hormonal activities that influence lifespan, cognition, creativity, and fertility. Want to know how to protect your body? In this episode of the Crown Yourself podcast, Lauren Rice and I dive into her purpose with epigenetic nutritional treatment. Lauren Rice encountered significant physical health challenges that traditional treatments couldn't completely address; she began a path of research and recovery that transformed her life forever. She turned to mindfulness practices and the study of many spiritual traditions to assist her in managing stress, anxiety, and grief. She quit her professional path studying corporate law to devote herself to nutritional treatment and epigenetics.

I sat down on a gorgeous August afternoon to record this episode about a book I had delayed reading until recently. And this book is “The Body is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-love” by Sonya Renee Taylor. I had it on my bookshelf. I just didn't read it. I think the reason I didn't is because Sonya talks about something called body terrorism and the term put me off. But she describes body terrorism as just the systems and structures that are in place in society to maintain the marginalization of people. So I read it, as I said, and the way she confronts fat-shaming and implicit bias has given me a lot to think about. I wouldn't say Sonya takes a gentle approach, she's direct, but this book has resonated with me now and I want to talk about it.Sonya talks about systemic sizeism in culture and systemic discrimination but she also really emphasizes the fact that a lot of the work in addressing this has to start with ourselves. That's not necessarily a fun thing to read, you know? But Sonya uses what she calls “radical self-love”, which goes way beyond self-compassion or loving your body, to take us into a place where we intuitively understand how valuable and worthy we are. We dismantle the implicit bias within ourselves and turn it around by fundamentally understanding our worth. So I'm exploring the four pillars that Sonya talks about that help bring us to a place of radical self-love. I'm going to talk about those four pillars - taking out the toxic, mind matters, unapologetic action, and collective compassion - and what it looks like to actually put these into action in daily life. I hope you find this as challenging and beautiful as I did.Resources mentioned in this episode:“The Body is Not An Apology: The Power of Radical Self-love” by Sonya Renee Taylor—Learn more about Dr. Michelle Tubman and Wayza Health:Website: www.wayzahealth.comFollow me on Facebook and Instagram

Welcome to the Black Girl Burnout Podcast. In this episode, Kelley and her guest Sonya Renee Taylor conclude their discussion about Opting Into Unapologetic Self Love. Society has conditioned us to believe that extreme self-sacrifice is the only way to show that you truly care about someone. However, this is simply not true. It is absolutely possible to have meaningful relationships without also having to experience detriment to yourself. This episode is for you if you would like to learn more about creating love lists designed to help you to identify and allow multiple forms of “Joy” to have space in your life. More, more, and still more is within your reach in 2023. Tune in today and prepare yourself to engage in realistic strategies that can help you with opting into a life filled with abundance and joy. If you haven't already done so, Subscribe Today! If this podcast resonates with you we

Welcome to the Black Girl Burnout Podcast. In this episode, Kelley and her guest Sonya Renee Taylor continue their discussion about Opting Into Unapologetic Self Love. No matter your religion or spiritual beliefs, I think that we can all agree that we come to this planet as a manifestation of pure Love. We come to this planet in the right relationship with ourselves, our beingness, our bodies, and with the bodies of others. Radical self-love is about learning how to embody and remain connected to the right relationship with our adult selves. This episode is for you if you are ready to learn more about Radical Self Love. More, more, and still more is within your reach in 2023. Tune in today and prepare yourself to engage in realistic strategies that can help you with opting into a life filled with abundance and joy. If you haven't already done so, Subscribe Today! If this podcast resonates with you we

Welcome to the Black Girl Burnout Podcast. In this episode, Kelley and her guest Sonya Renee Taylor explore the idea of Opting Into Unapologetic Self Love. All too often we focus on trying to figure out how to manage expectations, or mitigate rejection. But underneath that, what we're really saying is, am I lovable? This episode is for you if you are ready to unapologetically embrace what your soul needs, void of any form of shame. More, more, and still more is within your reach in 2023. Tune in today and prepare yourself to engage in realistic strategies that can help you with opting into a life filled with abundance and joy. If you haven't already done so, Subscribe Today! If this podcast resonates with you we

Sonya Renee Taylor is a renowned activist, best-selling author, and celebrated thought leader whose work in racial justice, body liberation, and radical self-love has reshaped conversations around identity and healing. At the heart of her groundbreaking book, “The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love” lies a transformative message that dismantles shame and oppression, offering a profound roadmap to reclaiming innate self-worth, and fostering a revolutionary connection with the world around us. Beyond her notable talents as a poet, writer and speaker, Sonya has a rich history in advocacy and activism, which including work as a sexuality health educator, therapeutic wilderness counselor; mental health case worker; Director of Peer Education at HIPS (Helping Individual Prostitutes Survive) in Washington, D.C.; and Capacity Building and Training Director at the Los Angeles-based Black AIDS Institute. She is a great follow on social media; her series "What's up Y'all?" features Sonya riffing extemporaneously on issues of the day, including abortion, climate change, AI, white supremacy culture, the Supreme Court, and a lot more. Above all, Sonya's journey has been marked by a dedication to reshaping narratives. Join us as we explore her journey, her insights, and her relentless pursuit of a world where self-love intersects with justice, redefining what it means to truly embrace others and ourselves.

Raised in a cult that was lead by their own family member, a listener wants to know what a Gemini placement says about telling their story as a writer. Jessica dives deep into their astrological oppositions and how living life differently does not mean just being opposite their family of origin.

On this episode of F*ck Wellness, Mal, Lara, & Makena had the pleasure of talking to Darr Jenkins and Dr. Mark Covington-Booth about body image in the LGBTQ+ community. Both men share their experiences navigating labels, restrictive categories, and social pressure while also trying to understand their bodies and their place in the world. The group talks about how unlearning shame, seeking self-knowledge, and questioning your goals can help you get back in touch with your needs and body. Hear more from our guests at @darr.darr.jenkins and @drcovimc9.Notes:"The Body is Not an Apology" by Sonya Renee Taylor"The Body Keeps Score" by Dr. Bessel van der KolkNew to F*ck Wellness? Click here for our blog post on the best episodes to start with!Follow us on Instagram at @fckwellness or visit our website: generationthreegirls.com for more information on upcoming offerings and blog posts.Personal instas:Mallory: @mallorycmwLara: @laravanderb22Makena: @makenasherwood

Expect big emotions with the August 1st Full Moon in Aquarius! It's likely to be a bit of a yo-yo as strong Jupiter vibes compete with the heaviness of a Mercury opposition to Saturn. Then Mercury begins its retroshady behavior, leading up to its retrograde later this month. Jessica also touches on Venus retrograde and aliens in this week's episode. Register here for the August 6th virtual gathering: Joy In The Time of Apocalypse, with me + adrienne maree brown and Sonya Renee Taylor: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/joy-in-the-time-of-apocalypse-tickets-672572441277?aff=oddtdtcreator —it's a much needed talk about how to thrive in these trying times.

What even is social media?! Aster is an artist who recently blew up on social media, and has very mixed feelings about it. She joins Jessica to talk about self promotion, making a difference, and showing up authentically on social media. Can all of those occur at the same time? And should they? Jessica helps Aster explore truths and ideals in this very relatable reading. There's still time to register for Joy In The Time of Apocalypse, with me + adrienne maree brown and Sonya Renee Taylor. Register for a much needed talk about how to thrive in these trying times here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/joy-in-the-time-of-apocalypse-tickets-672572441277?aff=oddtdtcreator

It's "season of the ex", aka Venus Retrograde! Jessica reflects on how Venus Retrograde will impact love and relationships. We also have a disruptive square between Mercury and Uranus and a tender meetup between Mercury and Venus Retrograde. And there's still time to register for Joy In The Time of Apocalypse, with me + adrienne maree brown and Sonya Renee Taylor. Register for a much needed talk about how to thrive in these trying times here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/joy-in-the-time-of-apocalypse-tickets-672572441277?aff=oddtdtcreator

Meet Tony the Bearded Dragon! He and Jessica talk about his favorite snacks, home life, and so much more. Two household cats, Shadow & Jack, also join the conversation, and Jessica facilitates a tender connection with their beloved human. ❤️ Join me + adrienne maree brown and Sonya Renee Taylor, as we come together in this cosmic virtual gathering for a much needed talk about how to thrive in these trying times. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/joy-in-the-time-of-apocalypse-tickets-672572441277?aff=oddtdtcreator

This horoscope packs a real punch! Venus goes Retrograde until September; there's a dramatic New Moon in Cancer; all the while Saturn and Pluto are making a ruckus. This is not an episode you want to miss! ❤️ Join me + adrienne maree brown and Sonya Renee Taylor, as we come together in this cosmic virtual gathering for a much needed talk about how to thrive in these trying times. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/joy-in-the-time-of-apocalypse-tickets-672572441277?aff=oddtdtcreator

Lavender is scared of everything! Or is she? Sometimes, deeply sensitive people are inclined towards self-protection that at core can feel like fear. Jessica and Lavender explore what it looks like to differentiate others' energy from oneself and how to get centered when an earth-light birth chart makes getting grounded an unlikely goal. ❤️ Join me + adrienne maree brown and Sonya Renee Taylor, as we come together in this cosmic virtual gathering for a much needed talk about how to thrive in these trying times. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/joy-in-the-time-of-apocalypse-tickets-672572441277?aff=oddtdtcreator

Get ready for triggers that will have you questioning pretty much everything! This week we have both a Mercury opposition to Pluto and a Sun square to Chiron that will kick up identity issues, obsessive thinking, and power struggles. Luckily, supportive transits bookend the week to help us navigate everything in between. Come for the astrology; stay for the practical life advice. ❤️ Join me + adrienne maree brown and Sonya Renee Taylor, as we come together in this cosmic virtual gathering for a much needed talk about how to thrive in these trying times. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/joy-in-the-time-of-apocalypse-tickets-672572441277?aff=oddtdtcreator

In this episode, I babble on about the two recent books I have read, how the elimination diet is going, and what I have learned so far in my energy healing bootcamp. First book that was read was The Body is not an apology by Sonya Renee Taylor. The second book was Glucose Revolution by Jessie Inchauspe. These are two amazing books described in more detail in the episode. Meenu has been working her magic at healing all my past child hood trauma, anxious attachments, etc. I have learned tapping and meditation thus far and can't wait to see what's to come. Hopefully you were able to follow along in this episode!Until next time guys... BYEEE!Follow me on socials at:https://www.instagram.com/babbles_nonsense/

In this powerful episode, we'll be drawing inspiration from The Body is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor to give us actionable tips on how to love our bodies and to remind ourselves that our bodies are not a problem to be solved but rather gifts to be cherished. To RSVP for the next episode of The Kingdom Sundays: https://www.justinmichaelwilliams.com/thekingdomA gift from our Sponsor, Vital Body Therapeutics: Go to https://vitalbodytherapeutics.com/ and use promo code BODYLOVE for 20% off!Learn more about Sonya and her work: https://www.sonyareneetaylor.com/Pre-order Sonya's new book: https://amzn.to/41Km18KTo join our weekly Soul Study: https://www.justinmichaelwilliams.com/soul-studyListen to our Manifesting Love Playlist here.

Lesley Logan and Brad Crowell present a roadmap for success, sharing powerful insights from the conversation with Jake Kelfer. Discover the ACE Method's secrets (Action, Connection, Enjoyment), how to build meaningful relationships, and why achieving greatness depends on enjoying the process.If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co . And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.In this episode you will learn about:Discover the hosts' top books, podcasts, and body positivity insightsExplore the Lifestyle Enjoyment Matrix for better activity prioritizationUncover the power of 1% daily improvement through focused effortMaster the A.C.E Method for greatness: Action, Connections, and EnjoymentEmbrace the process and supportive networks for success and fulfillmentEpisode References/Links:Jake Kelfer's Free Book Giveaway: DM Jake on IGAutism Supermom Day - part of Autism Awareness MonthLive-to-the-Public Profitable Pilates WorkshopTrips:MAY: Seoul, POT, flashcards!!JULY: If you live in the UK and want the heads up on our upcoming TOUR there, get on the waitlist at OPC.ME/UKAUGUST: US Summer West Coast Tour, get on the waitlist at OPC.ME/TOURSEPTEMBER: Poland stay tuned for a waitlist or where to sign up LesleyLogan.co/polandOCTOBER: Still time to join us in Cambodia lesleylogan.co/retreatNOVEMBER: I'll be coming to Miami POT with the famed ERIKA QUEST.  If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox.Be It Till You See It Podcast SurveyBe in the know with all the workshops at OPCBe a part of Lesley's Pilates MentorshipWaitlist for the flashcards deckUse this link to get your Toe Sox!ResourcesWatch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube!Lesley Logan websiteBe It Till You See It PodcastOnline Pilates Classes by Lesley LoganOnline Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTubeProfitable PilatesSocial MediaInstagramFacebookLinkedInEpisode Transcript:Brad Crowell: [00:00:00] Here's how to do it. You need to focus your efforts. Um, you need to go all in on one thing. Um, shut down all of the distractions. Um, and then his motto is, get 1% better every day. And there's so many things Brad Crowell: we can talk about here, but, um, this is something that is particularly challenging for me, uh, because I love to be involved in a thousand different things.But what he was talking about was. When he realized that helping others get their books created, written, published, and grow their, you know, get that out there, uh, was the thing that he really enjoyed and got the most out of. Then he actually shut down all of his other revenue streams, which is like, oh wow.That's crazy. Um, that's, that's daring.Lesley Logan: Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained [00:01:00] thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt, my friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear.Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.Welcome back to the Be It Till You See It interview recap, where my co-host in life Brad and I are going to dig into the literary convo I had with Jake Kelfer in our last episode.If you haven't yet listened to that interview, feel free to pause this now. Go back and listen to that one, and then come back and join us. I'm just gonna say, first time ever that I've said this intro without bucking it up, so we're all gonna give me a round of applause. Anyways. Okay, so guys, today is Autism Supermom Day.Um, [00:02:00] so if you have a friend in your life who is a mom whose child is autistic, please give them a hug. Tell them they're a supermom. Tell 'em tthey're doing amazing things. Um, it's, it's, Brad Crowell: it's It's actually part of the Autism Awareness Month. Yep. Um, and this day was created to celebrate the strength, courage, and determination of mothers of autistic children.Um, if that is you, um, you are amazing. Yeah. Lesley Logan: We've had, uh, we have a, an episode coming up with a guest who is a mom of an autistic child. And, um, again, if we are screwing up how we're saying that, please feel free to correct us. Just don't yell at us, just say, this is how you say it. But, uh, I hope I'm getting it right, um, because I do know that there is so much, um, awareness that nese brought around neuro divergent children and, and that whole thing.And so. Please be there for those who have a kid on the, um, who is never neuro divergent because it's hard, it's hard to be a parent in general. It's even harder when your child has a different way of learning and a different way of sharing those things. And people look at you like they should be normal.Uh, so we should just get rid of the word of [00:03:00] normal anyways. Yeah. Um, that, that's, that's the today's holiday. Uh, this week, earlier this week, we hosted our first live to the public profitable Pilates workshop. You guys, we. Um, it's been, uh, many, many moons since we did anything like that. And really, if anything, this kind Yeah, Brad Crowell: probably like 48 moons.Yeah. Lesley Logan: How many years is that? Four. Yeah. Five. Yeah. So, um, and uh, so this one was on, um, how to raise your rates and you will be able to, um, basically we did it because we're filming an older course and I wanted to make sure that as many people as possible could have access to this teaching, this learning, because it's so important that y'all know how to do this without cringing and freaking out, so at any rate, um, it will be a course that it'll be available for you to get on profit-wise dot com at some point soon. And next month, uh, is Pilates day on May 6th, and you should save this date because I'm actually going to teach on Instagram.Live a [00:04:00] class, which is something I haven't done in what, 48 moons. Um, I'm teaching a, um, a workout on Instagram with, uh, TAVI Noir, Toesox and Vooray. So, uh, save the date. It will be in the morning Pacific time. Um, all those dates will be on my Instagram, so make sure you're following me. And you can also win some badass stuff.So I'm just saying. Um, and then here we go. Uh, this is, the countdown is on you guys. Yeah. We are less than a month away from being in Seoul. Uh, which by the way, I didn't tell you this, but when I was in. Um, when I was getting my hair done, a girl from Korea was like, it's all if they call it"Seoul." So it's like, so yeah, we're just saying it wrong.So I, I sound like a white girl when I say it, but we're wearing soul. Uh, but I think it's so, um, Pilates on tour. Nailed it there. Nailed, nailed it. Great job. I'm gonna learn, I think it's, Anyways, I'm, I'm bucking it up. However, Duolingo has a Korean, uh, lesson, so I feel like maybe I should [00:05:00] dumb download for, for Korean, just so I can get my directions around.I really like it. Um, anyways, we'll have flashcards there. We'll be with the POT there, which is was almost sold out the last time I checked. Um, And then I will also be teaching a couple different workshops, uh, in Seoul, uh, uh, before we head home. Uh, so if you have, um, any questions about either place where you can take workshops with me, please set us up.Okay. July, um, we are coming to the uk. We have very, very few spots available for the Mullet Tour. The business in the front, the Pilates in the back. Oh yeah. Um, so those on the wait list were getting, um, first tips. They're also getting the early bird price, and then we'll open that to the public. Yeah. Um, Brad Crowell: and that's coming to O P C.Dot me slash uk and take it on the wait list. Yeah. Lesley Logan: And if it is after April when you hear this, you can still go there. Yeah. Uh, the early bird will have passed, but you can still go there and get the information. Uh, September we'll be in Poland. Um, you actually can, um, start snagging your spots right now.So if you get on the wait [00:06:00] list there, I'll send you to the place where you can go. lesleylogan.co/poland. Um, we'll make sure you get information and you can take privates with me what, uh, during this conference and they'll be flashcards as well. Yeah, so if you're in Europe and you're tired of the shipping, two awesome options to save a talent shipping and hang out in real life, which is way more fun Brad Crowell: going back one month.Going, going forward one month, going back one month to August. Lesley Logan: Oh, and before we go to Poland, Brad, myself, and our dogs are going to do a West Coast tour. Um, so you want to get on the wait list for this opc.me/tour. Um, you guys, we are super, super excited about this. We're working with people to pick locations, states, um, make this a big, badass circle, uh, just sort truly a summer party of Pilates. Brad Crowell: And it's looking like we're gonna go south to from Vegas, south to San Diego, and then up the coast, um, all the way up to Seattle. Yeah. So if you're anywhere in that route and, you know, within a couple hour drive and you wanna come hang, uh, we'll be [00:07:00] posting all the dates mm-hmm.And specifics, um, as we get closer. But to make sure you get that information, just go to opc.me/tour. Lesley Logan: Yep. And then. Jumping ahead. Um, after Poland, we go to Cambodia, we will come home in between, but ...(Brad: that'll be in October). Yeah. And there's still a few spots left. Um, although it's filling up really fast and just gonna be, this gonna be an amazing, amazing time....(Brad: I'm so fired up). Oh my gosh. We already know who's coming with, who's signed up, and like we've got Australians, we've got some people from the States. We got a, uh, is Ainley Ainleys from the UK or is she from Yeah, so we are like, We're going global. We're gonna all meet in one amazing jungle. So, Brad Crowell: so yeah.More info on that. lesleylogan.co/retreat. L e s l e y. Logan, Lesley Logan: if you're a type eight person trying to remember all these links, you're just gonna the show notes and just, yeah, just on the Brad Crowell: show notes. They'll be on the show notes Lesley Logan: Uh, and finally, uh, November. Um, I'm coming to Miami for POT and um, I'll be with our amazing friend Erica Quest.And we're also doing a [00:08:00] fun little workshop around there, so if you want more information on that, just hit me up and then yeah, just stay tuned. Stay tuned. We'll get you more links. We're clearly good at that. Okay, we're almost to talking to Jake Kelfer. Sorry guys. I got excited about like all the European vacations.Um, but before we get into Jake's interview, uh, recap, do we have a question to respond to Mr. Brad? Brad Crowell: We sure do. Uh, the question is, what are your favorite books right now, or favorite podcast beside your own? ...(Lesley: Do you wanna go first?) Oh yeah. First? Sure. Okay. Yeah. Um, uh, so I love to read, uh, non-fiction, or sorry, fiction books.Um, I don't really read non-fiction Lesley Logan: very often. I'm gonna out him every quarter. He goes to this gentleman's hang and they all talk about the books that they bring and everyone brings like some sort of non-fiction political book that's like life-changing, award-winning. And they had these deep discussions and Brad is like, Brad Crowell: and I was like, I read, I reread [00:09:00] Harry Potter for the 75th time.Um, I'm a big, massive fan of an author named Michael J. Sullivan. He is prolific, he's written like 20 plus books. Um, and I've listened to 'em all multiple times. Um, it is one of my favorite go-tos. It's one I am winding down at the end of the day and I want to listen to some ear candy. Um, and not stress about anything or think about anything else that can get lost in the stories, um, that he writes.There're amazing. So, um, anything he's written is really, really fantastic. Michael J. Sullivan, so he's one of my favorite authors, um, and podcasts. Um, I'm. A big fan of Smartless. Uh, I love, uh, uh, just kind of goofing off with those guys is what it feels like. Um, but I know that leads directly into one of your new pods.Lesley Logan: Okay, so we are listeners, smartless, and I do love Smartless, but I go back and forth because sometimes I'm like too stressed out for them. I'm like, dude, they not understand the world right now. I don't, [00:10:00] so sometimes I'm like, I just want someone to tell me that I'm not crazy. Uh, but we were listening to 'em the other night and they actually interviewed Jameela Jamil, and she's a comedian who has a new podcast called Bad Dates.You guys, I'm so pissed that there was only three episodes. Do they not know how to drop a podcast? You have to have 12. You have three on day one, and then you do every other. And then after two weeks you start going into your regular cadence. And I'm just gonna say that's my feedback for Jameela Jamil's podcast called Bad Dates because it is awesome.It doesn't matter what, Brad Crowell: despite that, they still hit the top lessons. Lesley Logan: Yeah, they're in, yeah. Yeah. They're in in New and noteworthy with not Paint Lane the game. So good for them. Uh, also Smartless, which is the number one podcast in the world, like, told them, everybody listened. But um, so you guys, what I love about it, It is, there's nothing about it that makes you think of work or politics or the world. You are just listening to comedians mostly, and writers and really just good [00:11:00] storytellers who are gonna be fairly famous or you might recognize their faces, talk about bad dates they've been on, and it's not that the person on the date is the bad one. They could be the bad one. Yeah. And I'm... Brad Crowell: Unfortunate incidences. I mean, it's, oh my gosh, Lesley Logan: hilarious. It's hilarious. I cried laughing. I've listened to every episode two times because I couldn't wait for Brad. So I did like little pot adultery and then I made him listen.I made him sit and listen with me watching him because it was so funny. So that's my fair pod. Besides my own right now and book, give the book. So, of course, um, I've been talking about creating super fans. We have the author of that coming out really soon. And then, um, Jake's, uh, I've got his book, Big Idea to Bestseller, so I'm loving that.Um, and then I'm gonna pull a book out from like mini moons ago. 48. Brad Crowell: We're on this moons thing today. We are, Lesley Logan: we're all, um, uh, at the time we're recording this, just the full Moon [00:12:00] into it was epic. So it was epic. Oh my gosh. You guys it's stunning. Anyways, back to one of my best favorite books that everyone should read is called The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor. And. You guys, it's just a beautiful book. You can listen to it on Audible, you can read the book, you can check it at a later library. Uh, a must listen to, uh, in today's day in a world where we should all stop being so perfect about our bodies and love the ones we have, so, okay, those are my books....(Brad: Love the one you with. Love the one you with. Love the one you with.) Do you know the rest of the lyrics? ...(Brad: No). Brad Crowell: Yeah, I think they repeated like 50 times. I'll find out.Okay, now let's talk about Jake Kelfer, inspired by Kobe Bryant and beginning his career with a Los Angeles Lakers, Jake [00:13:00] Kelfer is a lifestyle entrepreneur and bestselling author dedicated to helping others write books to leave a lasting impact. He's the creator. Big idea to bestseller program and the life enjoyment matrix, which we're gonna talk about today cuz it's so cool.Which helps individuals grow a business and live the life that they love. Yeah. Lesley Logan: So this is so fun. We actually did this interview on the road, uh, we did it from our hotel room. Yeah. Brad Crowell: In Monterey. Monterey. Lesley Logan: Yeah. And also we, um, got this guest because of UK Claire. Who, um, obviously we're gonna go see when we're doing our mullet tour, but she had her an amazing episode on the pelvic floor, so she's been working with Jake.Um, she's gonna get her book out, so she's, it's amazing. I actually know that her first draft is like, ready to go, so ...(Brad: I did not know that). Oh yeah. Hello. This is how, this, how all happened. Although it could have happened because. Jake knows all of our other friends. I know as Brad Crowell: soon as you started talking, it was like, oh yeah, Lesley Logan: course we, we, we know all these people.I guess we should have been friends already, but thanks [00:14:00] Claire. Um, so, okay, let's talk about the life enjoyment matrix. Um, so this does take, you have to like sit down and do this, and I think this is where people get a little like, oh, I just wanna know and they wanna skip this over, but when you do this, it's gonna be great.So first, decide the type of life you want to live, and then that's your life enjoyment. Yeah. And then ask, how am I making decisions that lead to greater enjoyment of my life? So like, maybe you go through your day and is, is this morning habit that I have, is this routine? Is this actually creating the life I wanna live?Is this actually helping me? Like, go through it and then ask yourself how you're making these decisions. Are they happening to you? Are you just like, let, are you just like a people pleaser, just doing things like ask yourself that. Then this is cool. So let the, he uses numbers to take up the emotion. Uh, sorry guys.My dog moved and it shocked my ears. I just need to take a moment. Brad Crowell: You, [00:15:00] um, you might wanna go watch that on YouTube. Yeah. ...(Lesley: I like jumped outta my booster). Shoot. She jumped out of her booster. Yeah. Lesley Logan: Okay. So, Let the numbers take the emotion out of it and go for what is going to bring you the most joy. So like this is actually really great because I think sometimes we get a little emotional when it comes to our goals or it comes to certain things and he uses numbers to kind of put things on a scale so it's less personal, it's less like there's something wrong with you.And he talked about like how when he eats dairy pizza, it's like nine outta 10 on life enjoyment. Like it feels, it tastes so good. He gets stuck at home feeling nauseous, which makes his life a one. And the average is like a five. I would call that average maybe a four. But, but at any rate, um, so. That is like one way to like look at something or he can make a decision like, okay, if I eat a dairy free pizza, it's a seven.It's not the most exciting thing, but then I can keep hanging with my friends, which is a 10. Now I'm averaging [00:16:00] 8.5. So you're making decisions based on the enjoyment you want to have in life versus this tastes super good in the moment and then I'm paying for it later. Um, I've done that. Brad Crowell: Yeah. Well, I mean, I think it's, uh, I think we've all done that.I think the most obvious one is like, should we have that extra glass of wine. Right. And you're like, oh, I'm, I'm feeling high right now. This is great. I want to maintain, I'm just gonna keep on going cuz I'm at a 10. This is so good. And then the next morning you are at a negative 10 because you're like, oh, I can't even think, move cloud brain not functioning.Yeah. So, you know, I mean, if it's a, if that's a one. 10 and five, you know, you'd be back at a five. Yeah. On an average Lesley Logan: there. So like, not great. So I think what this will go, kind of this matrix will help you do is like, as you're planning things, before you even say yes to something, just go, yep. Let me get back to you.And then ask yourself on a scale of one to 10, where's the enjoyment of hanging out with these people? Yeah. And if you're like, well, or whatever Brad Crowell: it is that you wanna do, like maybe it's, um, you know, staying up late to watch another episode of your favorite show [00:17:00] mm-hmm. And then you don't get enough sleep.So how do you feel the next day you can weigh those two things against each. Lesley Logan: By the way, if it has to do with the, um, white lotus, you will never regret the sleep that you let go of because then the next day you don't have to worry about spoilers. So this is, I, I, however other things we do, do this unconsciously and I think it's gonna be a lot of fun to us to like, Put numbers to a lot more things because I have definitely been like, oh, do I wanna do that?Do I wanna watch one more episode of this thing? Or do I wanna walk the dogs? Or if I watch one another's a thing, then I can't walk the dogs. Which one is gonna win right now in the enjoyment field? Sure. And you get to decide it can change day to day. So I thought it was Brad Crowell: cool. But also I think it's funny because, you know, we, I think that there's like a short term versus a long term that he could overlay into this concept too, where, you know, in the short term it's a 10, but in the long term it's a one or a five, you know? Mm-hmm. In the, in the short term, it's a, um, uh, you know, he's feeling like he's sacrificing. Uh, by eating that dairy free pizza. But in the [00:18:00] long term it's even more beneficial because it's benefiting us' life.So, you know, the short term versus the long term, uh, enjoyment. I Lesley Logan: gotta be really honest. I just got my blood results back. Um, and I can tell you right now my short-term decisions of some things that I don't do are having some crazy amazing long-term decisions on my blood work. It's pretty awesome. Nice. I do like add one thing to my life after this blood test.So, um, well actually a few things, but nothing outta my, like the, the one thing that's in my control, the hormones were not, so that's different, but like of the eating things, of the choices on the enjoyment scale. So, um, which means I get to have more avocados because they are on the antioxidant list and I was like, oh, I was gonna say no to more guacamole.Brad Crowell: I love that. Well, so for me, I, he kind of said something in like a offhand comment and he kind of rushed through, but I just thought it was so visually poignant that I wanted to call attention to [00:19:00] it. He was talking about his personal story and he just kind of said, yeah, you know, well, I wanted to get through that, that ceiling and make it a floor.And I thought, I've never actually thought about that before. That's so funny. We talk about the ceiling, the glass ceiling, breaking through the barrier, all this stuff. And he said he wanted, not only did he wanna break through it, but he wanted to make it his floor. And I was like, wow, okay. And he said, here's how to do it.You need to focus your efforts. Um, you need to go all in on one thing. Um, shut down all of the distractions. Um, and then his motto is, get 1% better every day. And there's so many things we can talk about here, but, um, this is something that is particularly challenging for me, uh, because I love to be involved in a thousand different things, but what he was talking about was, when he realized that helping others get their books created, written, published, and grow their, you know, get that out there, uh, was the thing that he [00:20:00] really enjoyed and got the most out of.Then he actually shut down all of his other revenue streams, which is like, oh wow, that's crazy. Um, that's, that's daring. And he said, he, he said, you know what? Let's just give it a try and see what happens. And over the next year when he was able to focus his efforts. Uh, they had a record breaking year. Yeah. And, uh, you know, that's the going all in on one thing.And, uh, so shutting down all other distractions, even revenue streams, that can be really challenging. But for a lot of people, I, I know this is hard for me because there's so much fear in that. Like, when I, I remember when I was working my full-time job and I was doing web development like, you know, at lunch and, and after in the evening, like after I got home, um, It felt like how am I ever gonna replace my full-time income with my part-time gig that I'm, you know, my business that I'm doing.And um, uh, there was a lot [00:21:00] of fear of letting go of that distraction cuz that was what it was turning into was my job was turning into, like, I wasn't enjoying it. That's for darn shore. And it was not, you know, like I couldn't be doing client calls because I was at the office doing my job. And um, you know, but letting go of that job really was a challenge cuz the golden handcuffs feeling and you know, just the simple fear of what if it doesn't work, you know, but, uh, ...(Lesly: just that little thing, fear). You know, minor deeds. But once I, you know, once I did, I, I didn't end up making this a career, but, you know, we made way more money when I had the time to focus on talking to our clients, getting new clients.Pitching new clients, building new websites, um, than we did when I was just working at, you know, once or one or two, three Lesley Logan: hours a day. Yeah. And then when you got rid of all that stuff and just went on, on our thing that we now do together, we make more. Yeah. I mean, there's less distractions Brad Crowell: actually.That's like a really, um, compelling story because, uh, with when, when I [00:22:00] was doing, uh, the websites, importing all those products and selling on Amazon and doing like filming events and stuff, like I was making enough money to live and eat and pay the bills and whatnot, but, Uh, when, when I got rid of all that and focused, you know, my efforts with you on our company, then it paid for both of our lives.Yeah. You know, where I was struggling to make ends meet when I was doing all that other stuff, so. You know, it's, this is like, uh, I just thought it was really cool to call attention to this again. Mm-hmm. Um, you know, if you're doing like a dog walking business and trying to teach Pilates or something, what if you focused or what if you're doing, you know, I don't know, babysitting or something, whatever it is.If you're distracted in that way, um, trying to, you know, um, what if you let go of something and focused on the main thing? Lesley Logan: Yeah. We have an agency member who put, um, put, took a leave of absence at her. It was [00:23:00] a part-time gig, but like, it was more than 20 hours a week of employed because she'd have to drive almost two hours each way.Yeah. Plus full day. And so then, while that doesn't sound like a lot, she still had like her farm and she still had, you know, her business. And so you start to go, well, where's the time to promote the business that you wanna be having, that you wanna be teaching? And so, It took 90 days to go full on on her pilates business and she's able to go to networking things.And also to be honest, she couldn't have gotten gotten to a real job anyways cuz of all the snow that was there. But it's just like snow. The snow that was there. Snow, snow, they had tons of snow. That but any, the point is, is like it is so scary, but you don't have to like, You don't have to like rip the net away.You can actually do a leave of absence and try things out. Or you can, you know, you can give yourself like, okay, I'm gonna do it for this long and I'm gonna see what happens. And, um, if that's an acting career in LA I'm gonna tell you right now, six months is not long enough. Just, just so you know, just giving you that.But [00:24:00] if it's something else, you probably can start to see possibility in six months, uh, of just dedicating yourself to one Brad Crowell: thing. Yeah. And, and another like side note to all that, his motto is, get 1% better every day. And I thought, wow, that is really, uh, like that, that doesn't seem too intimidating. Lesley Logan: It makes me think of Allen Stein Jr's thing too, which is like at the end of each day he asks himself, if he's closer to the person he wants to be, right?Which is like closer, can be 1% is closer. Brad Crowell: Totally. And, uh, you know, like adopting that, it, it allows the perfectionism, uh, you know, to kind of be sidelined because you don't have to, um, you know, it doesn't have to be a hundred percent better. It can be 1% better. Mm-hmm. You know? Mm-hmm. And, and if, especially if you are, you know, going back to this, uh, lifestyle enjoyment matrix are, uh, if you are, you know, making one micro decision each day, that helps.[00:25:00] Bump those, uh, averages up. Uh, you know, that's, that's gonna be, over time it compounds, it's gonna be amazing. Just like you were talking about with the long term in your life. So how can you turn your ceiling into a floor? Yeah, Lesley Logan: it's like a snow globe.Brad Crowell: Okay, so finally let's talk about those, Be It action items. What bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted action items can we take away from your convo with Jake Kelfer? Lesley Logan: Okay, here we go. If you want to achieve greatness, you must enjoy the pursuit in the process. (...) Space for that, because I feel like a lot of people complain about the process, are frustrated with the process.Even I'll sometimes go, I'm so tired of this being so hard, but you have to enjoy it. The process, at least some of the process, part of the process, the pursuit of it. Um, so here's how he suggests to do it. It's [00:26:00] called the ACE method. Um, so easy to remember. A is action. Take positive and intentional action in the direction of your dream.Yes. So, hello. Being kind to yourself and having positive thoughts around those actions and taking that action is gonna distill the fear, right? Um, connection is C, build meaningful and intimate connections to find the right people to support you. This is huge. Like every, the reason Jake is here is because of connections.Yeah. He could have been here sooner with other connections, but he was here when he is here because of, of a different connection, right? Like one. Jake and I probably would never have thought would've been one. Um, but such a huge thing. And so all the different things that we often happen, this house we live in is all from different connections.And so oftentimes we like shy away from making those, or we think, who am I? But you have no idea who you, who you are to offer people things. And it's actually a lot of fun to connect to other people, to different things. Um, and then what you should then do is typically, how [00:27:00] can I help you? And then you can ask for the connection you need, um, enjoyment.Um, That's e, e for enjoyment. Um, can you imagine if I was like, like say, you know, when you like say a letter E for N for Nancy, it's like E for enjoyment. E Um, how do you spell your name? Lesley. L, E for enjoyment, S, Okay. Um, you must enjoy yourself in order to achieve the life you're destined Brad Crowell: for. Yeah, I think I, I think that was probably the most common thread through this whole thing is his, you know, the life enjoyment matrix.He talks about including enjoyment in the Be It action item, like how do you achieve greatness? Um, uh, you know, and, and just consistent throughout the whole thing was the pro the idea that you can, you should, you must enjoy what you're doing in order to achieve the life of greatness that you want.Lesley Logan: Yeah. And like, you're not gonna shame yourself to being at the top. And [00:28:00] if you somehow do, like we've heard athletes who get all the way to the top. And they hated the whole way there. You don't end up staying at the top going, this is a party, right? You kind of have that like, like expectation hangover. So, so it's, the more you can really enjoy yourself, the easier everything is to, to put one step in front of the other, to show up and do the scary thing.To have the life you wanna live, to have people in your life that you wanna be around. Because people wanna be around persons having a good time. Um, you guys, you sure do. Jake is, he's like a book papa, like you guys, he's, he is gonna help you take your big idea and make it a book. And if you're like, I've never thought I was gonna be a writer, um, go listen to Roxy's episode.Um, I love it when you call Brad Crowell: me book pop. Lesley Logan: Put your hands in the air.Oh my God. That's the best. Um, okay, so anyways, uh, if you are wondering if you [00:29:00] have an idea that's worth writing about, talk to Jake. His team is gonna take care of you and really help you understand how you can go from saying, I'm not a writer to having a book. People are reading books, guys. Yeah. And, um, totally.And, and, and, and more people should be writing books worth reading. And that includes if you'll listen to this, that's you. Brad Crowell: So Yeah. And if you, if you, uh, do take, uh, start a convo with him, uh, let him know that you heard him on the pod Lesley Logan: Yeah. And what your takeaway was. Yeah. Because people need to hear that their words made a difference.Yeah. So, um, it makes them feel awesome and seen, and don't we all wanna feel that way? I'm Lesley Logan. ...(Brad: And I'm Brad Crowell). Thank you so much for joining us today. How are you gonna use these tips in your life? We wanna know Tag the Be It pod, tag Jake Kelfer. Oh yeah. And you know, oh, Brad Crowell: and PS he is gonna, he offered to give a free copy of his book to you.Oh. If you DM him on. Just DM him on ig. Tell him that you heard about the pod and say you'd love a free copy of the book and he'll send you it. Lesley Logan: Oh, [00:30:00] well we should have said that at Brad Crowell: the top. I know. I just remembered right now and I forgot to put it in the show notes. Okay, so in the notes, we're gonna, Lesley Logan: we're gonna also say this, you're gonna hear this at the end, and we're gonna play, we're gonna, we're gonna record again.For the beginning because this is too good. So DM him if you want his book. Who doesn't want a free book? We all need to read things. And if you liked my list of books, his was one of 'em. So there you go. Oh yeah. Um, all right. Loves, well, we'll see you tomorrow cuz now we have Friday episodes. Brad Crowell: That's right.FYF coming your way tomorrow. Lesley Logan: Yeah. And we wanna share your wins. So you can send 'em to the, uh, Be It pod on Brad Crowell: Instagram. Oh. And stick around to the very end because we got some outtakes that's been happening. There's Lesley Logan: always outtakes. Um, and the team does collect them for bloopers on the YouTube, but uh, we're adding them into the end of the pod because you know what you need to know that we are not perfect.You're not perfect. ...(Brad:And we're enjoying the process.) And we are enjoying that. So have a good laugh on our behalf. Love you. I know. That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You [00:31:00] See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram.I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others be it till you see it. Have an awesome.See it is the production of the Bloom Podcast Network. Brad Crowell: It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Leslie Logan and me, Brad Pro. Lesley Logan: It is produced and edited by the Epic team at Theo. Brad Crowell: Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production, music, and our branding. A designer and artist, John Franklin Lesley Logan: ch. Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals and Sena Velazquez for our Brad Crowell: trans.Also to Angelina Hark for adding all the content to our website, and finally the Meredith Bowl for keeping us all on point and on time.[00:32:00] It's like Choco tacos, stop selling, but then people get upset so they're gonna bring 'em back. Why? Cuz people finally let people know we actually like the Choco taco.Interesting. Okay. Ready? No, you look really short for some reason. Are you? I'm sitting up. Yeah, my feet are on the ground. It's just the weirdest thing. I dunno why I am shorter than you.You just have like a lot of space over your head though. I don't know. Like can the chair, can the chair go up? I don't know.No, didn't go here.Sit on a pillow. I got one. Oh, there you go. I feel super tall. No, you actually look normal and you can bring the mic up slightly if you want. I'm on a booster seat. That's what I feel like. I never got to sit in those when I was a kid, cuz I was already too tall, didn't need one. I have no idea if I had a booster or not.[00:33:00] Worth asking your parents.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

AirGo, Interrupting Criminalization, and Project NIA kick off season two of One Million Experiments, our collaborative podcast showcasing and exploring how we define and create safety in a world without police and prisons. We start off in the DMV with Makia Green of Harriet's Wildest Dreams, a black-led abolitionist community defense hub centering all Black lives most at risk for state-sanctioned violence in the Greater Washington DC area. Makia breaks down the different pillars of their work, the ways their work is shaped by historical Black revolutionaries, and the unique challenges of organizing for liberation in the center of the U.S. empire. SHOW NOTES Learn more about Harriet's Wildest Dreams - https://www.harrietsdreams.org/ Harriet Tubman - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Tubman Ida B Wells - https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/ida-b-wells-barnett Ella Baker - https://ellabakercenter.org/who-was-ella-baker/ DC Safety squad - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WpC8yxRXU4RAWM5S2WHEjniIOjhuE0b07aKRf9bDqGA/edit Erica Totten - https://erikatotten.com/ Mary Hooks - https://www.netrootsnation.org/profile/mary-hooks/ The Body is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor - https://www.sonyareneetaylor.com/the-body-is-not-an-apology BOLD - https://boldorganizing.org/ Emotional Emancipation circles - https://communityhealingnet.org/emotional-emancipation-circle/ Generative Somatics - https://generativesomatics.org/ Subscribe to One Million Experiments - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/one-million-experiments/id1589966282 Subscribe to AirGo - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/airgo/id1016530091

AirGo, Interrupting Criminalization, and Project NIA kick off season two of One Million Experiments, our collaborative podcast showcasing and exploring how we define and create safety in a world without police and prisons. We start off in the DMV with Makia Green of Harriet's Wildest Dreams, a black-led abolitionist community defense hub centering all Black lives most at risk for state-sanctioned violence in the Greater Washington DC area. Makia breaks down the different pillars of their work, the ways their work is shaped by historical Black revolutionaries, and the unique challenges of organizing for liberation in the center of the U.S. empire. SHOW NOTES Learn more about Harriet's Wildest Dreams - https://www.harrietsdreams.org/ Harriet Tubman - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Tubman Ida B Wells - https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/ida-b-wells-barnett Ella Baker - https://ellabakercenter.org/who-was-ella-baker/ DC Safety squad - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WpC8yxRXU4RAWM5S2WHEjniIOjhuE0b07aKRf9bDqGA/edit Erica Totten - https://erikatotten.com/ Mary Hooks - https://www.netrootsnation.org/profile/mary-hooks/ The Body is Not an Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor - https://www.sonyareneetaylor.com/the-body-is-not-an-apology BOLD - https://boldorganizing.org/ Emotional Emancipation circles - https://communityhealingnet.org/emotional-emancipation-circle/ Generative Somatics - https://generativesomatics.org/ Subscribe to One Million Experiments - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/one-million-experiments/id1589966282 Subscribe to AirGo - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/airgo/id1016530091

Dr. Stephanie Smith is Clinical Psychologist and Founder of the Finding Center app, the first intuitive eating classes app. Victoria, along with surprise co-host thoughtbot's Director of Product Strategy, Jordyn Bonds talks to Dr. Stephanie about creating the Finding Center app to give people who are struggling with their bodies and their relationship with food a way to follow a plan, understand a path forward, and be able to see themselves getting healthier. Finding Center app (https://www.findingcenterapp.com/) Follow Dr. Stephanie Smith on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephaniemsmithpsyd/), Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/stephanie_smith_psyd/), or Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/stephaniesmithpsyd/). Follow thoughtbot on Twitter (https://twitter.com/thoughtbot) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/). Become a Sponsor (https://thoughtbot.com/sponsorship) of Giant Robots! Transcript: VICTORIA: This is the Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots Podcast, where we explore the design, development, and business of great products. I'm your host, Victoria Guido. And with me today is Dr. Stephanie Smith, Clinical Psychologist and Founder of the Finding Center app, the first intuitive eating classes app. Thank you for joining me. DR. SMITH: Yeah, it's a pleasure to be here. It's nice to see you. VICTORIA: Nice to see you too. And we also have Jordyn, our Director of Product Strategy at thoughtbot. Hi, Jordyn. JORDYN: Hello. VICTORIA: So let's just kick this off. And Dr. Smith, tell me a little bit more about your Finding Center app. DR. SMITH: So I created the Finding Center app really a little bit selfishly because I wanted to create what didn't exist for me 10 or 15 years ago when I was really struggling with food and my body. And I'm very by the book, you know, tell me what to do, and I'll follow that. And there just wasn't something like that at that time of my life. And so I created the Finding Center app to give people who are struggling with their bodies and their relationship with food a way to follow a plan, a way to understand a path forward, and to be able to see themselves getting through this, you know, getting to a healthier tomorrow. And that's what I really wanted for myself, and that's what I hope to build here. VICTORIA: Well, I love that it came out of a personal issue you were having. And what was the gap between that type of content versus what already existed in the market? DR. SMITH: Back at that time, you know, this is probably dating all of us here a little bit. But at that time, [chuckles] apps were a little bit newer; technology was, of course, you know, things are growing so quickly. And there were things like books, so you could read something on your own. Or you might be able to go see a therapist or a counselor, but they may not specialize in this kind of thing. And so there really was sort of this DIY, like piece things together, figure it out, try a book, try a workbook, maybe they'll go together, maybe they won't. Or go see a provider, and they may or may not specialize. But there really wasn't something that was going to be a direct guide for these issues. And certainly, at that time, and still exists today, there's this huge lack of available things that are respectful to body diversity and size diversity. And so, really looking for something that wasn't going to be further stigmatizing, it was and still is an extremely huge challenge in this marketplace. VICTORIA: Great. And tell me more about, you know, you've mentioned intuitive eating. And how is that different from a diet or from your regular food tracking apps? DR. SMITH: That's such a great question. So intuitive eating is really the most old school [laughs] kind of style of eating because it's what we're all born doing. If you've spent any time around toddlers, you know that they'll have a couple of bites of a sandwich, a little bit of apple, half a cookie, and then they'll go run and play. Kids are natural intuitive eaters, and that starts to fade as we get older. And we start to have this morality around food and morality around body and this pressure to change and have things different. And we kind of lose that intuitive ability to have half a cookie and go play because I'm done right now, and maybe I'll come back to it, maybe I won't. Intuitive eating really is about this recognition that that's what you were born with. That's what your birthright is, and you still have that. And it's really kind of pulling away these kinds of stigmas and biases that culture puts on top of our relationships with food and our relationships with our bodies. And when we can pull that back, there's this beautiful natural ability to eat what we want and to find a balanced way of nourishing ourselves. And that's really what intuitive eating is about is getting back to that. VICTORIA: I love that. And how did you go about taking what seems like even though it's a basic, like, at its most [laughs] basic concept, but it's this very big, different way of conceptualizing food and boil that down into like an application? [laughs] DR. SMITH: I have to be very clear here. I did not do this on my own. [chuckles] So intuitive eating has been around for a long time. It was started by a couple of dieticians, Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch. They've recently been in The New York Times recently and in other places. So it's becoming a little bit of a hot thing, which is great. But I had those resources. So I've been following people who kind of are in this space. And they are one of those people who had a book and a workbook, so you weren't able to get that kind of personalized walk-through. But these resources have existed, and those are some of the resources that are the ones I mentioned, you know, that I started putting together when there wasn't something like this app that existed. So it's really borrowing from them and then tying intuitive eating into body acceptance, and body liberation, and radical self-love, you know, tying intuitive eating in with these things, with our bodies because body shame and how we treat our bodies in terms of nourishment these are really integrated concepts. And I wanted to bring them together in a very intentional and overt kind of way. VICTORIA: I think that's wonderful. And I'm curious, Jordyn, if you have any thoughts on if you were meeting with a founder who had just built this app, what would be your first questions you would ask? JORDYN: Frankly, a lot of what I would ask is what you've already asked. But the sort of next thing I would focus on are questions around who are your users? How did you figure out who to bring this to first? How did you make that decision? DR. SMITH: That's a great question. So when I was building this, you know, I think I mentioned that I was really building it from this place of what would I have needed at that time? And so I'm really looking for people who kind of think similarly, you know, who really want structure, who want multimedia kind of support. I wanted journaling activities, and I wanted education, and I wanted something to think about or some mindfulness. I really wanted a lot of things because I learn in a lot of different ways. So I'm looking for people who like to learn that way. And I'm also the type of person that when I do something, I really want to do it. I want to dive in. I want to figure it out, you know, I really want to show up for it, and this is that kind of thing. And so it was pretty natural to think about the type of, you know, maybe personality who would be a great fit for this. And then, in terms of who it's for, I really started with people I knew. So the first program that I ran through it was an intensive version of the app, which meant that there were weekend group meetings with everyone. And there was live Q&A and a place for us to ask questions and respond back to each other and share. And I really started with people that I knew and friends of friends because a lot of people, you know, I think if we all think about our networks, a lot of people struggle in their relationships with food and in their relationships with body. And so the first place I started was with the people I already knew and saying, "Do you know anyone else who would be a good fit for this?" And it has kind of blossomed from there. JORDYN: What's been one of the more unexpected things you've learned from your users as you've gotten more people into the app using it? DR. SMITH: I think one of the things that isn't necessarily unexpected at all but is really striking to me in terms of how impactful it is is how much medical stigma impacts everyone and especially those who are in larger bodies, or bodies who are marginalized for other reasons because of their health status, or racial status, or age, or other factors like that. As a health psychologist, I like to think of my work and my workplace as being somewhere that people can come and feel safe, and feel heard, and feel understood. And now I'm seeing, you know, I work in a doctor's office, yet my experience of being in a doctor's office is so different from other people's experiences and the stories that I heard from others about how they went in for some kind of pain and weren't even offered physical therapy, you know, were offered a diet instead of that. And those kinds of stories, how many of those I've heard, has been really striking and really surprising to me how impactful that has been and how much work we really need to do to improve the experience for patients. JORDYN: Given that finding of the importance of safety, how has that idea informed how you've gone about designing and building the app? DR. SMITH: Of course, with a project like this, you know, I think a lot of founders on here have shared kind of building the airplane while you fly it. [chuckles] And so I've gone and, of course, recorded a lesson or made a journal entry activity or something like that. And then I am going back, and I'm adding things to those. So I'm doing a re-recording or adding a piece, or adjusting the journal prompts or the mindfulness activity, really to make some very clear statements there around if you've heard this kind of thing, you're not alone. If you have experienced this type of being shamed, let's really bring that out of the darkness. Let's bring it into the light because shame is something that lives in the dark. And so really wanting to help people excavate the parts of that shame that they are willing and comfortable and wanting to bring out into the light and creating a space for that has become really important for me. It is making sure that we're able to talk about these things and say, "No, yeah, I think my provider is a great person. I do think they care about me. And at the same time, they're living in this weight bias and this stigma place too. And these are the recommendations they gave me. And that was a person that I thought would be safe." And so really trying to have those balanced discussions around why that might happen and giving people a place to talk about that. VICTORIA: And one example I've seen in, I think, in your marketing materials is a measurement like the BMI or the Body Mass Index. And that's one that even myself I've experienced being used on me in a way where it's like, "Well, the index is saying you're overweight." And I'm like, "Well, clearly, I'm not. [laughter] Something is wrong with this measurement." And I can't even...you probably have a greater understanding of the harm that causes in communities. DR. SMITH: Yeah, that's such a great point. I have looked at that myself. And I remember the very first time that someone said that, like, "Well, you're overweight. Have you considered losing weight?" And I was coming in...I think I was coming in to talk about something related to my period, something like that. And I thought, why are we talking about this? What is going on? [laughs] Where did this come from? I just wanted to talk about switching my birth control. And it just comes into every conversation. And I think even someone like me, even someone who's in this space where I'm going, well, this is a bunch of crap; I think we all know at this point BMI is a bunch of crap. But even knowing that there's still this part of me that...and maybe you relate to this too of just, well, I do live in this culture. And you're saying these words about me like overweight. And my immediate thought, even though the one coming after that is frustration, my immediate thought is, oh no, what's wrong with my body? It's to be afraid. How am I going to be treated? Or does this mean something bad about my health? And so even these metrics like BMI do a terrible job at acknowledging body diversity and actual health and all of those things. They're still scary still. And I think in a body acceptance space; it's really important for us to also acknowledge that even though we want to be body-accepting and be advocates for ourselves, it's still really normal when someone gives us that kind of information, especially someone in a position of power like a health care provider, that when someone is saying those kinds of things to us that it can still hurt. Even though we know, maybe intellectually, this is where that's coming from, that it doesn't need to hurt, it still does. VICTORIA: And it can have financial implications as well if they're indicating that you're not "healthy" quote, unquote, because of a statistic like that that is meaningless. [laughs] But yeah, that can affect your insurance and all other kinds of things, so... DR. SMITH: Yeah. And I think the financial piece that you're bringing up there is such a good point because there's so much power and control dynamics that can occur around finances. We really are limited by [laughs] what we can afford and not afford to do. And so people who are limited in terms of what they're able to pursue for their health will have to go along with lots of things that they may not believe in or may not want to follow up on because that's what their doctor is telling them is within their insurance to do. And that's a really hard thing. VICTORIA: Sounds like the app gives patients or people the tools to be able to push back in some of those scenarios and also furthering body acceptance and an understanding of eating habits. What is the kind of immediate goals for your app? What does success look like in the next six months? And then maybe what does success look like five years from now? DR. SMITH: When you started asking that question, I almost felt like a magician or a stage performer putting on 18 different hats all at once. [laughs] And I thought, from which of these should I respond to that question? [laughs] And so there's the health care provider inside of me going, well, as many people getting the support that they need, that's the benefit. So if one person gets it, that's great. I want anyone who can feel greater liberation to have that. And then that hat pops off, and the marketer hat that I've been wearing kind of pops on and is like, well, these are the metrics in terms of growth and collaboration with other people in this space that I want to do. I want to collaborate with more people who are working here, and there are metrics around that that I want to pursue. And then the person inside of me that has to make money goes, okay, well, this many sales. And so I think success is a really hard thing for me to pin down. But if I were to summarize, trying to kind of encapsulate all of those roles, it really just is having more people experience the app, having more people experience the education there, and being able to get that feedback to make it better. This is the first year of growth, and so there's going to be so much learning. I don't know yet what's going to be the next big thing that makes me go, oh my gosh, how did I not put that in there? And I'm just so excited to get to that point where I'm getting more of that feedback so that I can continue to make it better and better. VICTORIA: I love that. And I think that it's a great place to be, [laughs] and you have an app that has a meaning for people. And then you also have other ways to measure your success. And, Jordyn, I'm wondering if you have any thoughts on an initial strategy to kind of meet some of the goals that Stephanie is laying out. JORDYN: I was actually going to go backward in time first, if you don't mind, and ask, as a person with an application now out in the world who does not have a technical background, could you tell us the story of how you went from this idea to those first steps of making it happen in the world? What did you do? Where did you go? DR. SMITH: [laughs] Yeah, so this is, on my end anyway, kind of a wild story though it may be typical for those of you who have been in this space. But so for me, I had this idea that I wanted to do to take the classes that I already do...because I already teach classes and I teach them live, and I love to do it. It's so much fun for me. But I wanted to take those and make them accessible for more people. And I wanted to make them in such a way where people could go at their own pace, you know, kind of follow through. And so I've had this idea for, I want to say, something like five years, but I just wasn't finding the right platform. A lot of the online courses and things like that I do like them, but they didn't feel as flexible as I wanted them to be. For me, when I'm listening to an app and learning information, I want to be able to listen offline. I want to be able to watch it sometimes. I'm really looking for a lot of flexibility. And I didn't even have the thought of an app, but that's what an app gives you, you know, it gives you this ability to be flexible, to be on the go, to kind of make your learning what you want it to be. And so I didn't really know what I was looking for, but I knew that I hadn't found it. And then I saw this program that helps you build apps. I think I saw an ad for it on Instagram or on Facebook, you know, just one of those very random things. And I saw the ad, and I went, oh, that's kind of interesting. And I went on the platform, and they do this thing which I think makes a lot of sense. And they say, "Well, here's a 30-day free trial. Do our educational thing to learn how to build an app. And then, if it's not for you, cancel at the end of 30 days, no big deal." So I thought, all right, that sounds good. And what I didn't realize that they were doing...I don't know if you've heard this metaphor before, but maybe it's this concept that if you want to take the island, you have to burn the boats. Basically, it's this general kind of showing up on this island with the army and saying, "Okay, well, if we want to take the island, the best way to get my troops to be able to do that is to make it so that there's no way to go back basically." And that is what this program did. It wound up walking me through these steps that were actually slowly burning the boats because about halfway through that free trial month, they said, "Okay, now we're going to post something online about this. And we're actually going to post every day for a week." And I'm just following the steps and going, wait a second, now I have to do this because now I've said I'm going to. And so it finally kind of got me out of this hemming and hawing, and I don't know what to do and very much launched me into this, okay, well, now this is happening kind of place. And so it was really interesting to see that happen to myself. [laughs] I could kind of see it happening a little bit. And yeah, that's how it happened. JORDYN: That's great. I love how you made sense of the process as a person going through it. And burning the boats to take the island metaphor is one I've never heard before. But now I have to know what the platform was [laughter] because it sounds like they did a really good job of getting you to put something out there. DR. SMITH: Yeah, they really did. The platform is called Passion.io. And they are actually a platform that I think targets health and wellness influencers which, as you know from talking with me or if you follow my things, you know sometimes I have some beef with some of the things that they might share. We might not have the same idea about how to go about those things. But Passion.io was the platform, and they have a ton of learning tools. They've got a lot of different resources on there for walking you through the initial stages of creating something. And then they also walk you through a little bit more high-level things. And one of the pieces that I really like about it is that underneath all of this how-to is this bolstering. Because I think for a lot of people, certainly for myself, there's this thing, this imposter syndrome that we all have of, well, I'm not good enough, or no one's going to like it. Or what if I'm embarrassed? Just the many, many places of doubt that we have. And underneath all of the how-to is really this space of you've got this. You've got a good idea. If you don't try, you'll never know. And so that's really the undercurrent of all of that. And I found that combination of this is what to do, and here's why it's meaningful to you, and here's why you are in the best place to do it, and that was really helpful. JORDYN: Yeah, I really love that. That's a lot of my work with early-stage founders is that. It is constantly saying, "You've got this. This is your space. You know it better than most. Just because you don't know everything there is to know about starting a tech business doesn't mean you aren't qualified to engage with your customer. So like, "If not you, who? And if not now, when?" is always [laughs] kind of what I'm asking. And it sounds like this platform does a lot of that coaching. DR. SMITH: Yeah. And, Jordyn, I just want to comment, too; I'm sure for you, if you do this a lot, you may get to points where you go; gosh, do I still need to be giving the same kind of reassurance? And I just want to say on the end of someone receiving that reassurance, yes, [laughs] we still need it. And so that work that you're able to do of just providing that consistent I'm here for you, and you are here for you, and we're going to do this. It's amazing to me how much I have needed that, and I still need that. And I just appreciate anyone who is out there doing that because it is really, really, really hard to be that vulnerable. JORDYN: Oh, 100%. And this is hard-won for me. I've been a founder twice and a very early employee at other startups twice. And what's amazing about that particular journey is that just when you feel like you're getting your footing at one stage, the stage changes. DR. SMITH: [laughs] Yes. JORDYN: So, to your point, you never stop needing that bolstering and that sort of just the coaching and the cheering on because the situation you find yourself in is constantly shifting under your feet. So 100% agree. DR. SMITH: Yes. [laughs] It sounds like you absolutely have the experience to be the person [laughs] to shepherd people through this, which, thank goodness, somebody's got to do it. [laughs] MID-ROLL AD: Now that you have funding, it's time to design, build, and ship the most impactful MVP that wows customers now and can scale in the future. thoughtbot Liftoff brings you the most reliable cross-functional team of product experts to mitigate risk and set you up for long-term success. As your trusted, experienced technical partner, we'll help launch your new product and guide you into a future-forward business that takes advantage of today's new technologies and agile best practices. Make the right decisions for tomorrow today. Get in touch at thoughtbot.com/liftoff. JORDYN: I just feel like with a lot of things...and as a mental health professional, you're in a better place than many to understand this, but with any big undertaking like starting a business, really just anything, training for a marathon, you name it, some very significant percentage of the challenge is mental is yourself. It is getting yourself into the mindset where you can keep doing it. And I feel like a lot of folks just focus on the tactical stuff, here's how to do this, here's what to do, which is great. And you need those things. At least half the battle is inside of us. It is emotional. It is mental. And any amount of being able to acknowledge that and grapple with those feelings as they arise is going to just make everybody that much more effective, which I feel like it's great when folks are working on apps where that's built into the mission like yours is because it's like, you can't lose sight of that. It's actually your life's work. DR. SMITH: Yeah. And this is going to be such a psychologist comment, so forgive me for [laughs] it. But it's such an interesting thing that you're pointing out because what we're really talking about, from my perspective, is this place on the graph where vulnerability meets your highest ability to perform. And so I think for a lot of industries, not just mine, it's that crossroad where I'm at optimum vulnerability to really be able to connect. Because when we're not vulnerable, if I keep myself too safe, then I'm not going to be able to position myself in a place to reach the most people or produce something that's going to be the most meaningful. And so I have to be willing to say, "This is going to be [laughs] really scary. This is going to really suck for me sometimes, and I'm going to get it wrong. And it's still worth it to do that because of this meaning that I'm wanting to do." And I don't think all times in someone's life is the time [chuckles] to do that, you know, this happens to be the time for me, which is wonderful, and scary, and hard, and terrible, [laughs] and all of the rest. But it's, I think, just being conscious that there is a necessary amount of vulnerability to achieve the potential with something like this that you want to achieve and acknowledging I am just going to be sitting in a lot of hard, and that means I'm doing it right. JORDYN: Absolutely. Yeah. And it's sort of without meeting a challenge we don't achieve. But to your point, it's that right mix of challenge and vulnerability. You don't want either of those things getting too out of balance. That is kind of the art of this journey, but 100% agree. DR. SMITH: Yeah, I was thinking just earlier today about stress because this is stressful. It's so difficult to do. And I was talking to a friend the other day, and I was saying, "Yeah, you know, I've just been stressed with all of these things that I was doing." And this person said, "You know, well, if you tried blah, blah, blah thing, it will take the stress away." [laughs] A substance you could use to take the stress away. And I said, "You know, I haven't thought about that, and I guess I could." But I thought in my mind how quickly we went from talking about the particular things that I was dealing with that were causing stress to trying to fix for stress and how much that's a part of our culture. And I thought, you know, the level of stress that I'm having is appropriate to the situation. I don't actually want to dull that level of stress because I need it in the same way that a car might benefit from a backup camera. When it starts to beep louder, [chuckles] I want to hear that because that's letting me know I'm heading for a crash, and I want to be conscious of that. So certainly, as a mental health provider, I think that's one of the things that's helping me move through. It's just that sensitivity to there's a certain level of stress and a certain utility to stress. That's important when you're building something because you're also needing to maintain yourself as a person, and you've got to monitor that pretty closely. JORDYN: You're still in private practice. DR. SMITH: Yeah. Yeah. JORDYN: It sounds like you've got, and I think you alluded to this earlier, a lot of hats that you're wearing. DR. SMITH: [laughs] Yes. JORDYN: How has it gone balancing the launch of this app with the rest of the work that you're doing? DR. SMITH: [sighs] Well, it's been a lot. So I am a private practice psychologist. I also have a nine-to-five. I work in a hospital as a health psychologist, and, you know, building the app and doing all of those things. And I think the biggest thing that's been important for me to be able to remind myself again, and again, and again, and again is just if it stops being what I want to do, even just in a moment, don't do it; do the next thing. Because for me in this space, as much as I might say, you know, I've burned the boats...and that is motivating for me to get through particular things. I also have to recognize that just like my body will tell me what I need with food, my body is going to let me know when I've had too much for the day or when I've been doing too much of one thing. And I need to go for a walk, or I need to just go the heck to sleep, or I need to do whatever. I need to do a different project, toss the marketing down and take a look at some of the patient notes or whatever. For me, because I love all of what I do, everything is important to me. I think I get something from all of that, and that is important to me too. You know, not every day is roses. There are days where I just want to say, screw all of it. I'm moving to Tahiti or whatever, whatever the fantasy is. But honestly, when it comes down to it, I do it because I love it. These things are meaningful to me, and being able to share in the world in all of the myriad ways that I do that I get a lot of meaning from that. And I would start to become concerned about that for myself if I stopped getting something back. And I think this is basically how we feel in anything that we invest in, whether I'm investing time or love, or money, or whatever we invest because we also get back, and when that stops happening, that's the time when I reevaluate. And so far, that hasn't happened yet. So far, I've been able to pivot and stay conscious of where I'm at and switch from one thing that I love to something else that I love. And then I find when I do that; I do always want to go back. VICTORIA: That's the benefit of wearing multiple hats, right? You can pick one up and put on a different one if you're matching your energy levels. DR. SMITH: Yeah. They say...one of the quotes that I've always related to for better or for [laughs] worse is if you want something done, give it to someone who's busy, and I think that's true for me. I'm one of those people where I like a level of busy. I thrive on that; I enjoy it. And it's just staying conscious of the balance. VICTORIA: And I think that's great. And we talk to founders about that a lot, actually, about how to balance their time. And it's interesting to hear from a psychologist's perspective. DR. SMITH: Yeah, it's been an interesting thing going through this as a psychologist because when I do say things like, "Well, yeah, I've been stressed," People say, "What? But you're a psychologist. You're not supposed to feel stress." And I always think this is hilarious because I go, "What the heck do you think psychologists [laughs] are?" Stress is a normal part of life. I'm going to be stressed and ticked off, and irritable, and all of the things just like everyone else. I am very fortunate to have additional skills for how to manage it when those feelings come up, which I'm extremely, extremely grateful for. But being stressed, or upset, or sad, or any of the range of unpleasant but completely normal human emotions, we all feel those [laughs] too. Those are just as natural for us. VICTORIA: Like, I never thought the goal of psychology was to never be stressed. [laughter] DR. SMITH: Right. Yeah, it's just to become increasingly better able to manage it. VICTORIA: That makes sense. With your approach to your app, are there experiments that you're designing in the app to see what your clients relate to more, or how are you building that? DR. SMITH: Yeah, absolutely. So one of the things that I am kind of balancing right now is that there's this space with intuitive eating. It really covers nourishing yourself, and a lot of that is around food. But our relationships with how we nourish ourselves and how we relate to our bodies also impacts how we move our bodies or not, how we are intimate with our bodies or not, how we are in much, much broader spaces in the world. There's a quote that says something like, "It's not about food, but food is sort of the stage where we enact what we're going through," kind of where we enact the deeper things going on for us. And so for me, really, what I'm experimenting with and balancing is how much do we want to focus completely on foodstuff? And how much do we also want to recognize that food is going to also dovetail into movement, and also dovetail into mental health, and also dovetail into how you manage stress at the end of the day, and also dovetail into the intimacy that you have in relationships, and the pleasure that you allow yourself or not, or that you think that you deserve? So I think really what I'm doing now and probably what I'll be doing forever with it is finding the right balance of those things and making sure to be respectful of all that's impacted by someone when we talk about just their relationship with food and their bodies. We're talking about their whole lives and really wanting to be able to go deeply with that and not keep it just on the surface. VICTORIA: That makes sense and an interesting thing to try to measure and experiment out within an application, right? DR. SMITH: Mm-hmm. So one aspect of the app, and probably the most meaningful one, is the courses. And there's another aspect of the app, which is a subscription. And so that's weekly lessons that are similar to the courses in that they're journaling, and a lesson, and mindfulness, and different components to them. But rather than being step by step by step like the courses, they are kind of on different topics each week. And so that's really been a space for me to experiment with some of that and to see what people are into and what really resonates with folks. And also, of course, to use places like social media, I'll use Instagram, and I'll do a reel on this topic, and a reel on this topic, and see how that goes or a visual or whatever. And I think it's really been an interesting process within the app and also in the other places where I'm able to advertise for it, like on social media, just to see what's meaningful for people. So much of this process is finding your people and creating things that are meaningful for them, and I'm still learning how to do that. VICTORIA: I think that's great. And I love to hear you're experimenting on a weekly basis for what content really resonates with people. I'm wondering, Jordyn, if you have any advice or tips for how to find your market, how to find your people. JORDYN: Well, in this scenario, since you've got folks using the app already, it's great because you basically have leads, trails to follow, breadcrumbs to [laughs] chase down. So I don't know how many users you have already. And you don't have to tell us if you don't want to. DR. SMITH: [laughs] JORDYN: But I would basically look at the patterns of their usage and find those folks who are really using the app in the way you feel it is most useful and follow up with them. Who are they? Interview them if you can. But if you can find out things about them anyway, zero in on those folks as a specific niche and see if you can get as many people who look like them and can be defined in any way. It really depends on the characteristics of the folks themselves. And it could be geographic. It could be some component of their identity. It could be anything. But basically, those folks who are really getting the most out of your app in the ways that you are sort of locating value for them really double down on those folks. Can you find more people like that? Can you find out more about how they're using the app? Why it's resonating. That's what I would be doing right now, and it's possible that's what you're doing. [laughs] DR. SMITH: Well, I'm kind of curious about how to do that, you know, because anything you ask of people is one more thing. [laughs] And I think the truth for a lot of us is that we have a lot of things. And so I have a hesitancy in saying, "Well, do I send a survey that someone has to fill out? Do I try to take some of their time over the phone or ask for an email?" Because, of course, anything that takes time is something someone needs to put into their lives. And as willing, as I think people are to be helpful, and certainly I'm very fortunate to be around just incredible people, there's a limit to that. You don't want to be asking for too much. And so I would be curious from your perspective, Jordyn, if you think there's a right way to do that, if there's a way that you think is kind of the right way or a way [laughs] to try to strike that balance. JORDYN: Yeah, definitely. And that dynamic is something you've got to be sensitive to. People are busy, and you are asking them for something. But at this very early stage, that's kind of the beauty of this stage of the work is that it's an opportunity to really build with people, to invite them into the process so that they feel like they're co-creating something with you. And that's why focusing on those users who appear to be getting the most out of the app is the best place to go because they're going to be the most likely to want...if they're getting something out of it, they probably are pretty excited about that. They're probably going to be excited to talk to you about it, et cetera. But that said, you should do something to compensate, and I don't mean that necessarily with money but compensate them for their time and their effort. But in a mission-driven context like yours, it's really a great opportunity to kind of bring the community along with you. These folks are your first champions. You'll be surprised. In my experience, the people who are the most sort of impassioned about what you're doing and are benefiting from it the most are more than excited to help. And the channels how you make this ask just totally depends on the details of these folks and how they prefer to communicate. So with regard to the question around a survey versus getting people to talk on the phone, it's a little bit of trial and error. Send out a survey, see if people respond. Putting a survey in the app is great, especially if it's just one question or two questions right after some key interaction. So maybe they've done today's lesson, or this week's lesson, or this week's activity, and right afterward, asking them one question about how they're finding the app. And then, if they engage with that, then the follow-up can be, "Hey, thank you so much for giving me that feedback. If you're willing, I'd love to chat for 20 minutes with you about this. I really want to be creating this with my customers and my users. So no big deal if you don't have time; I get it. But it would be really valuable." And you'll be surprised, I think, [laughs] how many people are more than excited because they really do feel it's a signal to them that you care deeply about their experience and that you really are trying to make that experience the best thing for them. It's sort of unintuitive. It feels like you're asking them to give you something, but what you're giving them is you're leaning in to co-creating with them. DR. SMITH: Yeah. Jordyn, I love that. I think that's such a great idea. And from a mental health perspective, it's so authentic, too, because, of course, you want to offer people the opportunity to share about what they've learned and to be able to process it out loud. And you're right, that will be helpful to me, but it is also a service that's not dissimilar to what sometimes people come to therapy for, you know, is to just be able to process their experience out loud and be heard...and some of those things for themselves. So, Jordyn, I think that's such a great approach to that, and I really appreciate that. That's great. JORDYN: Absolutely. And I would only add that it's another signal...who ends up responding positively to that is another signal for you on who your best collaborators are in the app. I mean, you can look at how they're using it to answer that question. But it's another signal to you like, oh, these are the folks who are really finding this useful. They're finding it so useful if they want to talk to me about it. And that will then additionally help you double down on those folks. DR. SMITH: I'm curious for you, Jordyn, and I'm curious about how to reach a broader audience. So, certainly, I know people, and people who know me are much more comfortable reaching out to use the app or to be part of things because they know me and trust that it's going to be good. But expanding that to people that I don't know or that aren't, you know, through somebody, through a direct connection, that part is more challenging, of course. Because how would they know to trust me, especially when they've been around providers, as we were talking about, where sometimes that trust can be broken in some of these very vulnerable areas? I've been experimenting with some things like creating an Instagram and things like that because I wanted to create a space for people to see what is this person all about? What is this messaging? But I'm curious if there are other ways that you would recommend to reach people who don't know me who would be then willing to take a chance on something like a course, which is often a kind of a high-ticket high-investment type of thing. JORDYN: Well, there are myriad ways to do that, too, that come to mind, the kind that sort of define the ends of the spectrum. One of them is along the lines of what you're doing with Instagram, basically, advertise. Do a Google ad, do an ad on Instagram. You're going to capture a certain segment of people who are maybe not as focused on relationship-based referrals, who maybe are suffering in isolation, maybe they're not talking to anyone about this. So that's sort of one end. But the other, I would say, is reaching out to fellow clinicians who you have a good relationship with and saying, "Hey, is this something you'd be willing to recommend to your patients or the folks that you work with? If not, why not?" Basically, activate your professional network in terms of adding this as another resource that they recommend to folks because then you're kind of multiplying that people you know effect, and that can be very powerful. DR. SMITH: Yeah, it's such an interesting thing too because as you were talking, I started noticing, in my own mind, that little piece that we were talking about before of this kind of like, ah, well, I don't want to burden anyone. I don't want to give them one more thing to do. Then I thought, well, I love resources for my patients; that's only to the good. [laughs] I love having those things. And so it was so interesting just to kind of observe that kind of process happening in real-time in my mind of this little bit of doubt that makes me go, oh, that makes me nervous, and then having to dig down to what you're actually telling me [laughs] because this is value-added. JORDYN: 100%. And I'm glad that you noticed that and brought it up because I think this is especially for underrepresented founders, so women, people of color, so much self-doubt. And that hurdle is sometimes the biggest hurdle. And what I did, this is funny; this is fairly tactical. DR. SMITH: [laughs] JORDYN: When I was a founder, I made a document that was basically a reminder to myself. I would look at it before almost every call I had with anybody about what I was working on. But it was basically, hey, Jordyn, why are you doing this? [laughs] And it was like, why does this thing need to exist? Why am I the right person to be making it? Sort of a series of those things. And just to remind myself every time that what I was doing was valuable and that I'm not out there trying to get people to do something for me. I'm trying to get them to do something for themselves. I'm taking a problem they're already trying to solve for themselves and just giving them another tool. That's it. And if they don't want to pick it up right now, that's fine. It might not be the right time. But reaching out to other practitioners and saying, "Hey, I have this tool. And the tool was developed out of a lot of the same things I'm imagining all of you are experiencing in your practices." A significant number of them are going to be like, "Oh great," just what you said, "Great, another tool. I can add this one. And maybe it won't be right for every one of my patients, but it might be right for some of them." And just getting around that in your heart of, like, you're not asking them for something. You're giving them another resource. And in fact, not doing that sells yourself short, sells them short, frankly. You're not making this for you. This isn't merely about satisfying your own ego. I'm sure there's a little bit of that in there. DR. SMITH: [laughs] JORDYN: There always is. But for the most part, you're trying to help people, and by not telling them about what you're doing or offering it to them as a resource, it sort of defeats the purpose. DR. SMITH: Yeah, it's such an important reframe. And like we were talking about before, it's one of those things that I think just needs to be on loop, [laughs] in the heads for founders. And probably some version of this on loop for all of us, you know, just as we're going through life kind of reminding ourselves my presence is not a burden. [laughs] It reminds me a little bit of what Sonya Renee Taylor kind of started with, "The Body is Not An Apology." And I think this is basically kind of going off of that topic. You know, I'm not a burden. JORDYN: Absolutely. And I love that frame. You're doing this for a reason. You're not a burden. Your app that is out there helping people is not a burden; quite the opposite. DR. SMITH: Right. It's amazing how [laughs] important that reminder is. VICTORIA: Yeah, I love that. And, Jordyn, you also have our incubator program coming up soon for other founders. Do you want to mention that real quick? JORDYN: Of course, I would love to. thoughtbot has a new incubator program launching this year. We have our first run of it starting in mid-March. Who this is for is non-technical founding teams. So you might be a solo person. You might have a team, but you haven't found that technical co-founder or partner yet, but your business idea involves building an app or building software of some kind. And basically, you're at the early stages. You haven't launched anything. You've identified the opportunity, maybe you've talked to a bunch of your potential users or customers, but you're not sure if there's a there there and what to do about it. That's the ideal sort of stage and persona. And the program is really about helping those non-technical founding teams validate the market opportunity, do some experiments with product, basically build a couple of features, maybe a landing page that expresses the value proposition, et cetera, just to learn as much as they can about what the opportunity is and how they might need it with software. Get them used to working with a technical team and then help them with their planning for next steps, maybe that's raising capital, or maybe it is finding a technical co-founder. We can help with that. That's the idea. It's an eight-week program. Everybody who sees themselves in what I just said should apply. And the URL to apply is thoughtbot.com/incubator. VICTORIA: Great. Thank you so much, Jordyn. And thank you for all your advice and your questions that you brought to the episode today. And, Stephanie, is there any final takeaways you'd like to leave our listeners with? DR. SMITH: No, I just think this was such an excellent opportunity. I feel like I learned a lot from it. And I want to thank you both so much for taking the time. It's really been a pleasure. VICTORIA: Wonderful. All right. Yes, thank you both so much for joining me today. And for our listeners, you can subscribe to the show and find notes along with a complete transcript for this episode at giantrobots.fm. If you have questions or comments, email us at hosts@giantrobots.fm. And you can find me on Twitter @victori_ousg. This podcast is brought to you by thoughtbot and produced and edited by Mandy Moore. Thank you for listening. See you next time. ANNOUNCER: This podcast is brought to you by thoughtbot, your expert strategy, design, development, and product management partner. We bring digital products from idea to success and teach you how because we care. Learn more at thoughtbot.com. Special Guests: Dr. Stephanie Smith and Jordyn Bonds.

In this episode, we discuss radical self-love: what it is, why we struggle to practice it, and the pathways to cultivate it so that we become the highest version of ourselves.  You'll also learn: How radical self love is defined and how it differs from self esteem or self confidence Why we need to uncover our issues with self love that result from damaging societal messages How to bring inquiry, the thinking, doing, and being proces,s that leads to insight and healing How it takes repetition and practice to clear the obstructions of self love The three “peaces” we need to bring into our life How we can learn to let go of the story of "not enoughness" by recognizing it's not real The four pillars of practice of radical self love and the practices within each pillar How we can participate in the collective nature in this journey to self love To learn more about Sonya Renee Taylor, click here! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Following Glennon's diagnosis, she, Abby, and Amanda go deep with Sonya Renee Taylor - author of The Body is Not an Apology – exploring the personal and global promise of Radical Self Love: 1. Examining the way we talk to our bodies – and how to change negative self-dialogue. 2. How to shift from a relationship with our body based on dominance and control to a relationship based on trust.  3. The pitfalls of “body positivity.” 4. Recognizing this global moment we are in as a gift inviting us to collective Self Love.  5. The full life that is possible only if we stop believing our body is our enemy, and start seeing our body as a teammate.  About Sonya: Sonya Renee Taylor is a world-renowned activist, award-winning artist, transformational thought leader, author of six books including The New York Times best selling The Body is Not an Apology, and founder of the international movement and digital media and education company of the same name whose work has reached millions of people by exploring the intersections of identity, healing, and social justice using a radical self-love framework. She continues to speak, teach,write, create, and transform lives globally. IG: sonyareneetaylor To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're baaaaaaack! We can barely record an episode of this podcast without a snack, so how are millions of people supposed to escape the "cult" of dieting when its mission is to keep everyone hungry, tired, and riddled with self-loathing? Let's count the red flags: a strictly controlled eating regimen, shame and peer pressure up the wazoo, false promises, hidden costs, viciously addictive cycles that offer no exit strategy... um, how is diet culture *not* a cult? In our highly requested relaunch episode, Amanda and Isa analyze the dangerous (and highly profitable) "cult" of dieting with special guest, actress and host of the I Weigh podcast, Jameela Jamil. To support Sounds Like A Cult on Patreon, keep up with our live show dates, see Isa's live comedy, buy a copy of Amanda's book Cultish, or visit our website, click here! Thank you to our sponsor! Go to Zocdoc.com/CULT and download the Zocdoc app for FREE Diet Culture Resources: Fearing the Black Body: The Racial Origins of Fat Phobia by Sabrina Strings: https://nyupress.org/9781479886753/fearing-the-black-body/ What We Don't Talk about When We Talk About Fat Aubrey Gordon: https://bookshop.org/p/books/what-we-don-t-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-fat-aubrey-gordon/14443277  The Body Is Not An Apology by Sonya Renee Taylor: https://www.sonyareneetaylor.com/the-body-is-not-an-apology  I Weigh Community: https://iweighcommunity.com/  Hooked by Michael Moss: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/246273/hooked-by-michael-moss/  NRP diet culture article: https://www.npr.org/2021/12/23/1067210075/what-if-the-best-diet-is-to-reject-diet-culture  Diet culture podcasts: https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/27/arts/podcasts-diets-healthy-living.html