Hard conversations, resilience, and boundaries are some of the cornerstones of personal development. And, they happen to be some of the topics covered during this week’s show. Joining me to discuss all things personal development is my guest (and dear friend), Fawn Germer. Fawn is the best-selling author of nine books, including an Oprah Book. She is one of America's top women's leadership speakers and is the top-ranked woman on the prestigious Global Guru's List of best leadership and motivational speakers worldwide.

Together we discuss enduring great loss, coping with grief, and why boundaries are essential. When I think of one word to sum up our conversation, it is resilience. As Fawn so perfectly stated, “Every shitstorm ends.” And as her mother once told her, “It doesn’t matter what happens to you, it matters what you do with it.” 

🚨 Book Giveaway! 🚨 Tune in to hear how you can win a free copy of Fawn’s latest book, Coming Back! How to Win the Job You Want When You've Lost the Job You Need.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• How a Google search which included the words, “Life Coach + Bullshit,” led to our long-lasting friendship. (4:32)
• Why Fawn dislikes motivational speakers, even though she is one! Plus, her journey to becoming a motivational speaker and author. (7:00)
• How Fawn endured a year of extreme loss - and why she says, “Every shitstorm ends.” (23:14)
• The fastest way to stop a downward spiral. (28:01)
• Uncomfortable conversations and how to make peace with them. (33:04)

http://yourkickasslife.com/372

Laura Cathcart Robbins is back on the show this week! She joins me for an essential conversation about racism, how the lack of conversations about race can be scarring for children, and the pain and trauma of race relations between black and white women. Laura is a freelance culture writer and host of the popular podcast, The Only One In The Room. I am thrilled to have her back on the show!

And just to be clear: If we are going to make the world a better place and make ourselves better humans, we must continue to have conversations about race and do the work. Because when we are talking about women’s empowerment, we’re talking about feminism, and when we’re talking about feminism, we’re talking about patriarchy; and when we’re talking about patriarchy, we’re talking about white supremacy. It’s all connected. 

In this episode you’ll hear:

• What white parents should be teaching their children about racism. (5:06)
• Why black women find it hard to trust white women. “Some of us are dealing with unprecedented grief. We are broken with pain and unvalidated anger.”(20:12)
• Laura offers an intimate glimpse into her interracial relationship and how the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery affected it. (36:10)

http://yourkickasslife.com/371

Happy Wednesday! It’s been a full week since we watched or listened in horror as rioters breached the U.S. Capitol. In this episode, I have a quick chat (before our interview) with Jessica Sharp, my personal friend, and DEI consultant. As I’ve conveyed before, personal development and social justice work are directly connected, so Jessica and I discuss our thoughts on, “This isn’t who we are” (referring to the U.S.) and more.   

Switching gears, when it comes to personal development and behaviors like perfectionism, people-pleasing, and over-achieving - the goal isn’t eradicating them. Instead, it’s recognizing when these behaviors jump into the driver’s seat and learning to draw on tools to help maneuver the road ahead. This week, Martina Barnes joins me to talk about these behaviors, how to recognize when they are taking over our “life bus,” and how to harness your reliable personal power. 

Martina G. Barnes is an experienced psychotherapist, life fulfillment coach, and master intuitive who helps high-achieving women transform the areas in their lives where they lack reliable personal power. She teaches women practical ways to shift how they show up for themselves and express Reliable Personal Power in every area of their lives.

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Recognizing that personal development work and social justice work are interwoven. (5:16)
• Common default behaviors women struggle with such as perfectionism, control, and people-pleasing and how Martina applies those behaviors to what she calls the “Life Bus” analogy. (20:00)
• What blocks high-achieving women from having Reliable Personal Power. (25:20)
• Not wanting to be perceived a certain way (ie: a bitch or aggressive, when standing up for yourself). (27:25)
• Opening ourselves to deeper intimacy and friendships - courage brings so many beautiful rewards.  (34:10)
• How trauma impacts connection to your intuition. (42:16)

http://yourkickasslife.com/370

Last year was a year where many had a lot to carry. As we enter 2021, all of that heaviness won’t magically go away. But, as the new year approached I got to thinking about the new year and goals. I wanted to talk about it, but not in the usual ‘’Let's talk about goals, yahoo!” kind of way. So, Charlie Gilkey is back on the show! He offers a unique perspective on self-help, goals, and productivity.  

Charlie helps people start finishing the stuff that matters. He's the founder of Productive Flourishing, author of the book Start Finishing (2019) and The Small Business Lifecycle (2012), and host of the Productive Flourishing podcast. 

In this episode you’ll hear:

• As we step into a new year, Charlie offers some ways you can be more present in your life. (7:35)
• How and why you should identify your genius when it comes to tackling goals. Plus, why you should pay attention to the linguistics you use around your goals. (13:18)
• How supporters, a support system, or a success pack can help you move forward with intention. (17:39)
• Three strategies for tackling your plans and goals in order to finish strong. (40:48)

http://yourkickasslife.com/369