Hi ass kickers! This solo episode comes from something one of my clients told me about, and it was something I’ve heard from many women in the YKAL community.

My client went to a live event-- a personal development sort of conference/retreat. She went alone, and this particular client is, like many people, massively uncomfortable with vulnerability, but really wants to change and grow, so she did the vulnerable thing by going alone to this event.

The event was all women, and a few hundred there. As the days went on, my client kept noticing people talking about their “a-ha” moments, their breakthroughs, and how their felt their lives shifting.

And my client was feeling...well, not that. It’s not that she didn’t enjoy herself and have many takeaways from the event. But, she fell into comparisonitis.

Listen to the episode as I talk more about what to do if you find yourself comparing your personal development journey to someone else’s.

http://yourkickasslife.com/podcast/283/

This week Dr. Sasha Heinz is hanging out with me on the podcast. And as usual, I am super excited! I can’t help it, y’all-- I get excited when I get to talk to someone who I know in real life mostly because I CAN’T WAIT to introduce them to YOU.

Sasha is my friend, is very, very smart and talks about all of the things we love to talk about over here at the YKAL headquarters, like negative self-talk and perfectionism. She is a Developmental Psychologist and Life Coach, is an expert in Positive Psychology, lasting behavioral change, and the science of getting unstuck.

In today’s episode we talk about being deliberate with our thinking and how doing so has an effect on our emotions. We also talk about negative emotions and how we can have either gratuitous negative emotions or instructive negative emotions (and what that all means, plus what I call them instead of “negative” emotions). And we also tackle the million dollar question, “How can someone get to a place of worthiness, of feeling worthy?”

In this episode you’ll hear:

• What positive psychology means and how it got started (5:22)
• Being deliberate about your thinking so that your emotions are moving you toward the life you want to be living and who you want to be (15:03)
• Worthiness and feeling like you are not enough and some steps to help get to a place of worthiness (16:10)
• The science of happiness and how your circumstances really don't dictate your happiness (30:06)
• Social media and emotions - why we would all be much happier by deleting our social media feeds (38:40)

http://yourkickasslife.com/282

I am super excited to bring you this episode for three reasons! First, I have a fun confession at the top of the show. Second, I make an announcement about a new addition to the podcast format and let me tell you, I am soooo excited about it. And last, but certainly not least, I am thrilled to share my conversation with Kelly Covert!  

Kelly is the creator of In Her Voice, a podcast for women who are called to do more. Yes, Kelly, yes! She is also an inner voice coach with a passion for helping women believe and achieve their big vision. I simply love this woman and I have no doubt you will too.

In today’s episode, you’ll hear Kelly and I talk about inner voice coaching and what it is. Plus, we talk about the importance of taking up space in the world as a woman, which in a nutshell means deciding you are worthy of sharing your story, your thoughts, and your feelings without fear or regret. Finally, we close out our conversation on the topic of inspired potential and how tapping into it is not about having to live up to something, but instead it is about something that you live into. Kelly offers so much wisdom and insight into connecting with your inner voice. I loved our conversation and I hope you do too!

In this episode you’ll hear:

• What inner voice coaching is and how someone can become more connected to their own voice of truth (6:08)
• How to start a practice of quieting your negative self talk and tune into your inner voice (7:49)
• Taking up space in the world and some small steps that people can take towards doing so (18:38)
• Inspired potential, what it is and why it’s so important (37:36)

http://yourkickasslife.com/281

It’s May y’all, I just come alive in the springtime! I am equally excited to bring you my conversation with Jeanette LeBlanc, writer and author of the book, “You Are Not Too Much.” I have followed her work for a while and think she's a brilliant writer. And yes, in this episode we're going to be talking about writing.

Specifically, we talk about writing rituals, how to create one and use it to connect with your story. Plus, we talk about how writing can be transformative and even therapeutic.  If you don't consider yourself a writer, don’t skip this episode. Why? Well, because we also touch on that topic too. I believe that we are all writers in our own right and we all have a story to share. Whether you plan on sharing your story with one person, nobody or millions, writing can be an amazing outlet for creativity and meditation.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Why “I’m not a writer, so nevermind,” doesn’t fly with Jeanette and why helping people that think that way is her passion (5 minutes and 25 seconds)
• Jeanette shares her journey as a writer including how she wrote herself out of one life and into another (6:06)
• Free writing, what it is and do people really have a hard time doing it? (11:47)
• How the act of writing can transform you and change how you show up in the world (27:57)
• Writing rituals, what they are, what people think they are and how someone can begin a writing ritual to connect with their story (29:16)

http://yourkickasslife.com/280

Hi ass kicker! Happy birthday to Your Kick-Ass Life Podcast! She is SIX YEARS OLD! 🎉🎉🎉To celebrate, over the last few weeks I’ve been taking you through 44 Things I’ve Learned in 44 Years.  If you missed the previous episodes of this list, you can see and listen to part 1 HERE and part 2 HERE. Today’s episode, part 3, will take you through numbers 29-44.

Also, there’s still time to enter the giveaway for a chance to win one of many prizes! You can do that HERE.

So, without further ado, here are 44 Things I’ve Learned in 44 Years:

1. Cleaning up my own messes is the best way to sleep at night. This means apologizing when I’ve been an asshole and just generally doing my best to fix things I’ve made a mess of.
2. Taking radical responsibility for my life is the only option.  No one else is responsible for my happiness. No one.
3. My children don’t define me. I used to think becoming a mother would be my ultimate life purpose. It isn’t. I used to have a lot of guilt and shame about that. But, I don’t anymore.
4. No relationship will complete me. Not a single one.
5. “Taking the edge off” really needed to be examined. For me, I was taking off all the edges. And sometimes edges just need to be dealt with.
6. Many times exercise really is the best medicine.
7. The voice in my head that tells me I’m not enough is a liar.
8. Progress, not perfection.
9. If I listen, my body is usually trying to tell me something.
10. I only apologize when I really, truly can stand behind it.
11. There will always be people that don’t like me and it’s not my job to change their minds. (I admit this one is still tough. It’s a one-day-at-a-time lesson.)
12. My parents did the best they could, with what they had at that time.  And as parents, that’s all we can do.
13. Forgiveness is more about me, and not them.
14. Time really doesn’t heal all wounds—I’m in charge of that. Time helps, but being proactive is the catalyst.
15. All wisdom is created from healed pain
16. Trying to control everything is my one-way ticket on the crazy train. Sometimes I forget this and get on board.
17. The comparison trap is basically made-up stories of what I think someone else’s life is like
18. We’re all scared. We all have fear. The people that say they are fearless are just pretending.
19. None of us get out of this alive. And in the end, I want to be proud how I lived it.
20. At your funeral, no one will talk about your failures. So, keep failing until you get it right.
21. Uncomfortable conversations are always hard. However, that elephant in the room isn’t going anywhere (and takes up a lot of space)—so you might as well call it out.
22. Most people really are too busy thinking about themselves to be obsessing about you like you think they are.
23. That person that treats you like shit is a giant invitation to not be around that person, ever.
24. If you spend time nosing in other people’s business, there’s probably something important in your life you’re purposely avoiding dealing with.
25. Having an open mind can many times blow your mind.
26. None of us are broken or need fixing. Improvement, yes.
27. Whatever you think you are, will be your truth. And you are completely in charge of that, babe.
28. The moment in an argument that you realize you’re either being unreasonable, that the other person has a point, or that you’re just wrong, is the exact moment it’s time to admit it and apologize.
29. You may be wishing, hoping, and praying for X, Y, and Z, but are you mentally and emotionally ready for that?
30. Looking at your relationship with money and working on that can be a game changer financially.
31. It’s okay to change your mind.
32. While we all compare ourselves to others, watch out when you’re comparing your beginning to someone else’s middle.
33. I’m pretty sure in regards to parenting, that I worry 1000 times more about their life than my children are worried about their life. And this is just the thing about parenting.
34. 3Wear sunscreen on your neck.
35. Time is more valuable to me than money. Money is infinite, time is finite.
36. When someone I care about shares something meaningful and I don’t know what to say, the best thing to say is, “I’m not sure exactly what to say right now, but I’m so glad that you told me.”
37. When someone is being a jerk or cuts me off in traffic, instead of getting angry (which is so easy) I wonder if they’re acting that way because they reeeeeallly need to poop.
38. Unsolicited advice is the worst advice.
39. Creativity is your birthright. We’re all creative.
40. You don’t have to have a morning routine to live your best life.
41. Your friendships should be a priority (even though I don’t like to “should”.)
42. Say “sorry” only when it’s truly necessary.
43. Getting curious can sometimes be the best thing to do.
44. Take all personal development advice with a grain of salt. ;)

http://yourkickasslife.com/279